spunky polka dot library dress
also known as polka dots for maya part 2
as previously mentioned, when i first saw the library dress from oliver + s i was smitten. i mean a wrap dress fit for a little girl?! how could you not love that?
the only issue was the back. it was all buttons and i knew nora and etta would not be down for a dress that required assistance. so with plans to eventually make an zippered version in the back of my head (see those versions here and here) i decided to get the hang of the pattern by making a standard rendition for maya.
i found this purple and yellow polka dot print and coordinating solid at stonemountain & daughter. it was a bit higher quality (and thus a bit more expensive) than the standard quilting cottons but i had just nailed a job interview so i treated myself.
the dress came together quite well, but having made the pattern several times since there are a few tricks, well three, i've picked up:
- forget the facings, line the whole bodice. seriously it's not that much more work and/or fabric and it looks so much better.
- but you should do facings on the hem. after all it is the only proper way to finish an a-line dress. (i'll be doing a tutorial on this later in the month).
- the flat piping is awesome, but this pattern can still look great without it. this was actually the first time i did flat piping. since then i've used it three more times in this pattern and in other patterns such as maya's beatles dress, maya's poppy dress, the holiday nightgowns from last year, and maya's fireworks dress.
when maya came to visit a few weeks later she loved the dress, putting it on immediately and expressed her gratitude by feeding me avocado, like you do.
like my dress? it's a variation of the elisalex dress from by hand london, made from a cotton sateen i got from spoonflower.
of course it was some time before the dress fit maya properly (she's a peanut).
but now that it does fit she wears it all the time. i have to say for such a colorful dress it goes quite well with crocodile sneakers.
love,
aunt maggie
