Project 11 of 50: Flower girl test dress #2

This dress is another make of the modified Ottobre pattern I used for my daughter's dress (just in a much smaller size). This time around it's for my niece, who, along with my daughter, is going to be a flower girl at my brother's wedding. I don't have too much access to her for fittings, so I thought I'd sew a test version for her to work out sizing. As you can see, it's a pretty simple dress, but I just wanted to get the length right and the empire line in the right spot.

I purchased this fabric in Kiribati when my husband and I visited his parents in 2000, so it's matured nicely.

Just a couple of notes about this dress (for me, mainly, as I'll probably lose a piece of paper by the time I get around to sewing the actual dresses):

• Sleeve elastic = 20cm
• Neckline elastic = 61cm
• Waist elastic = 60 cm
• Remove 13cm from hem
• Cut pattern at 43.5 cm from hem and add seam allowances. This will be easier to manage with the satin and chiffon than trying to sew a bias casing on straight.

The fabric for the actual dresses has now been bought and I've received a few tips on how to sew chiffon (without going mad) on PR (Man, I love that place). I think I'll try a trick that margk suggested (by Lena):

"The recipe: take 3 teaspoons of gelatine and put it in a glass of cold water, leave it for 30 minutes. Then bring to boil, but do not boil. Add 3 litres of cool water. Pour this gelatine water in the bucket, put your chiffon there, leave it for an hour, then gently squeeze water out and spread out on the clothing line. Iron it ( when completely dry ) and it is ready to cut. The fabric will be tame but still flexible."

Sounds interesting. I'm going to try that trick sooner rather than later, just in case I need to figure out another plan. :-)

Now I'm going to work on a couple of entries for the PR Pattern Stash Contest. I've got plans for a polar fleece dressing gown for me (but I've got to pick up some white piping for that tomorrow), a knit top for me and one for Erin, along with a knit dress and a cardigan for me. Today will be spent mainly tracing patterns and altering them, but I might get Erin's top done.

I've got a couple more days of holidays left, but I also need to be preparing to go back to work. Lots to fit in to the next 4 days!