Shirred Sundress for mommy.

I'm finally sewing some things for myself!  I'm always hesitate to start and I currently have about 3 other projects going right now that I question will ever be completed.  The biggest reason I don't sew for myself is the time commitment is longer and with 3 small children home all day, without television, it's impossible to finish anything in one sitting.  I tend to loose interest if it takes more that 2 or 3 sittings.  Bad habit on my part I know! 

This dress was simple so I took on the challenge.  Notice anything about this dress?  So I'm not into the matchy matchy mommy daughter thing  but now that I've finished this dress we will be getting a photo together for sure!  I actually made Madeline's sunsuit as a test run to see how the knit and the voile fabric would come together because I had this vision of a dress for me in mind.  I didn't want to cut the fabric to fit me until I was sure it would work.  It's obviously the same Anna Maria Horner Square Dance Voile fabric from Madeline's sunsuit posted about here.

I was enjoying an evening with my boys at a friends having a "practice" Easter Egg hunt.

The top is made from double stretch Jersey knit and I doubled up the fabric because it was so thin to give a little extra support.  I shirred the top to fit my bust size and added the skirt after.  I decided to add a band of 1/4" elastic to the top so it would have a better fit and be less ruffled like a child's shirred dress.  I also added a 1/4" band to the skirt at the bottom of the bust to give it a more mature shape. 

The pattern of this fabric got a little uneven with all of the gathering so i decided to add a little velvet belt.  It's attached with snaps on the sides and a snap at the bow.  I think I will put the bow in the back from now on.  I like the clean line better.  You can see in this photo how the pattern just looked a little messy under the belt.

I added slits to the sides to give it a nice flow and that was it.  I love this dress!  It will be a go to house dress for me.  It's comfortable, easy to move around in with kids and house chores, and something about it makes me feel feminine and beautiful even with the laundry piled miles high around me.

Would you like to make your own?