Internet starvation, and a birthday dress

Thursday 10 January 2013
I am finally home from our annual pilgrimage north to spend time with the inlaws.  As much as I love visiting my husband's parents, not having to cook or clean or wash and getting to spend time with my husband and kids (much easier when there's two of us against the two of them!) it's also nice to be home.  We did manage to squeeze in a mini holiday to a lovely beach resort on the sunshine coast, which was great, but there's only so much sun and heat I can handle.  Ironically we returned home to a Sydney heatwave, the hottest day in 150 years apparently at 42 C (107.6F).

Apologies for the blog silence around here,  pre Christmas was very busy for me and internet access the past few weeks has been sparse and sporadic.  I'm not one of those people who find a technology break refreshing - dear internet, blog and blog readers I missed you! I'm such a newshound that not being able to access several newspapers each day made me feel quite isolated, and of course I've missed reading every one's blogs, especially the end of year roundups.

And being away from home also meant being away from my sewing machine and no sewing so far.  But I can reveal the pink princess dress I sewed for Anna for a Christmas present, using McCalls 4948 which is the same pattern I used for her Halloween costume:


To say she loves it, and the tiara and little plastic heels would be understatement (despite her cranky look above - it was Christmas morning and she didn't want to stop for photos). It's good to have a handmade present so well received.  I also made a few wristlet purses from scrap fabrics (recognise the green drill and black floral?) with movie tickets tucked inside for Anna's teachers at her daycare centre:


Anna turned 4 while we were away on holidays.  Four already, can you believe it?!  For her birthday dress I made Burda 7/2011 #148 from a blue cotton floral, with a white cotton eyelet fabric bib on the front:




Amazingly for a Burda pattern the sizing is pretty spot on and the instructions were sort of clear but it's a pretty simple dress anyway.  The only annoying part is that the triangular bib is actually a lace motif that is appliqued onto the dress last.  Since I didn't have a lace motif handy, I just cut a triangle shape of fabric matching the curve of the neckline, finished the edges by rolled edge on my overlocker and then topstitched it down.  If I was to make this again I would sew on the bib first before finishing the neckline edge.  If you're interested, here is her 3rd, 2nd and 1st birthday dresses.

And now I need to make pirate eye patches, cardboard tube telescopes and drawstring bags for a birthday party we're having for Anna next week before I can get stuck into my real sewing - I need to get back on track with my Burda challenge!

19 comments:

  1. Looks like she loves the birthday dress - and for good reason. It's adorable!

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  2. To say you're having a heat-wave is an understatement! How awful. Your little girl is so cute in her princess dress and her birthday dress. I like those tiers of ruffles on the BD dress. Stay cool, if possible.

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  3. First - Happy Belated Birthday to Anna! It does seem like time is flying by watching her grow up. The new birthday dress is sooooo cute! Stay cool, okay!

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  4. Ummm, I think I want that princess dress. And, the heat sounds horrible, LOL!

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  5. Yikes about the heat! Anna is growing like a weed. Happy belated birthday to Anna.

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  6. She is so pretty! Great job on the dresses!

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  7. Wow! I love it all! I particularly think the wristlets with movie tickets tucked inside are brilliant. Also, I remember that Burda dress, and the one you made looks fabulous.

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  8. I'm so in love with that birthday dress I'm feeling to urge to rip it off your gorgeous little daughter and try and squeeze into it myself. And I'm feeling a little guilty about that.
    Lovely sewing! :D

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  9. Doesn't time fly? I remember when you had no babies and now you have two! The princess dress is truly lovely and I am sure she will remember this with much fondness. The birthday dress is perfect, too. I can even see this in an adult version.

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  10. I love the princess dress such a wonderful Christmas present and her birthday dress is such fun.

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  11. She looks wonderful in her dresses.
    I like how you packaged the movie tickets. Nice bags.

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  12. Oh I miss having little girls to sew for. The second dress is worthy of a designer children's wear store and Anna looks very regal in her princess costume. It took me back to my little girls who clunked about in plastic 'glass slippers'.

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  13. She is growing isn't she! The dresses turned out so cute... and it looks as if she is very appreciative too... I can relate... I wouldn't want to have to stop in the middle of opening presents to have pic's taken! I need to take pic's of my grand daughter, I made her a dress up wedding dress and veil (well 2 veils actually, didn't care for the 1st one, but, she really liked that one.... go figure!) And I had an old long velvet skirt w/jacket (really little in size) that I put elastic into the waist band so she could pull it off/on with/out needing lots of help (this is for dress up...) and she is in Heaven! I need to find and old fashion purse and maybe some cute high heels... not the plastic play ones... I remember dressing up in my mom's old stuff... probably new stuff too when she wasn't looking! I remember a hat with a slight veil on it... hmmm gotta keep my eyes on the look out!
    Isn't it fun letting them have their imaginations?
    Give Anna birthday hugs from friend Jean! And and Toby too! And give the dog/hubby a pat from me.... I'm not saying which should be first... that's up to you! LoL...Jean

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  14. What a wonderful birthday dress- definitely designed for twirling - and I know another little girl who would be drooling over the princess dress so I may have to look up that pattern too!

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  15. The movie tickets in the wristlets--what a great teacher gift!
    Happy birthday to Anna!

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  16. Beautiful dresses! Making a birthday dress is such a beautiful tradition to start up with such gorgeous girls...

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  17. Love her dress, Anna is gorgeous in it! My daughter is about to turn 3. Time does fly!

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  18. That birthday dress is so cute! I love the style and the print.

    The princess dress is quite magnificent. I imagine it will get a LOT of wear.

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