New Dresses at Rose & Ruffle

I promised some tutorials not very long ago, but today I'm sharing some new items in the shop. They are so sweet, simple and oh so pretty. Both dresses made with 100% premium cotton, size 9-12 months (though it will still fit beyond that), I pictured these as longer dresses on younger babies. Of course your little one can wear them however you'd like.

Blue and White Polka Dot Dress

 

White with Pastel Polka Dots Dress

 

I think these are a nice alternative to those "fancy" Easter dresses that are everywhere this time of year (and that never get worn again). Sometimes sweet and simple is just what you're looking for.

Simply click on the headings for item details. And I just may get to that tutorial before this baby's born, ha! =)

Isabelle's White Easter Dress with Ruffles, Appliques, and Fabric Roses

So. I'm finally showcasing Isabelle's Easter dress. At least it's still 2015, right?

I was waffling between gathers and pleats, pastels and polka dots...and I was having the hardest time making a decision! Sometimes I get like this, and I simply cannot choose anything! I'd already cut out two different dress patterns for her, but then I got the idea of a white dress in my head and couldn't stop thinking about it. It feels sort of little girl to me, and I'm clinging to that. Goodness, my knuckles are bone white my grip is so tight! And I know the days of her wanting to twirl around in long dresses is coming to an end, but they haven't yet and went for it.  =)

The dress is a combination of two patterns, plus my just winging it. As usual. I opted for pleats, added special little touches for details, cut the back slightly lower, and chose buttons instead of a zipper. The bodice is fully lined but I left the skirt unlined, knowing she'd wear a slip skirt I made her last year. The pink ribbon adds just the right amount of interest and color, as do the fabric roses on the lower skirt front- they were lots of fun! I'm thinking of embellishing a plain t-shirt or tank top with fabric roses for her for summer.

I was thinking of attaching the green ruffle to an under-skirt so they would both hang loosely, but I really didn't want the skirt to get bulky. Instead, I sewed the green ruffle to the lilac band, and then attached them both to the skirt hem. It worked well, which was a relief. Sometimes my ideas don't translate quite so well from brain to paper to fabric, ha ha.

Lastly, the bodice looked a little too plain before I had the idea to snip the rosette lace (from around the neckline) into individual rosettes to then sew on. It was just what I was hoping for! So pretty! I  was afraid it was going to make forever and a day, but I easily finished tacking them on in the span of a movie we watched with the kiddos. (Though at times, the hot tears and massive laughter did not make for the best sewing companions...it was Big Hero 6...such a wonderful albeit emotional little movie!)

Here are the pictures:

I regret that the photos aren't the best- we'd just gotten home from church and the sun was out full force; plus we were hurrying to get to the beach for the afternoon so I was snapping snapping snapping without adjusting adjusting adjusting {settings}. I'm going to have to get some better pictures because my girl looks absolutely beautiful in this dress!

Friday Favorites...and a BIG Announcement

One of the most fun things for me as a designer- and an unapologetic lover of fabrics- is to see all the finished products for my wonderful customers. It amazes me how something as simple as a bow really changes the whole look of a nightie or dress. These are my favorites so far!

This yellow and white floral print is even lovelier in person! It's so cheerful and happy!

Sweet birdies on a medium pink background...love!

 

This is my fourth "nightie" that is being used in wedding portraits! I've made this without a bow, and I adore it; I tried a white bow for this dress, which looked lovely but a little too nightgown-ish for pictures. Pink to the rescue- it's my favorite now! 

Here's an example of mixing and matching fabrics for other items as well. This color combo looks even prettier in person. (I was rushing out the door like a madwoman when I was trying to get some photos of this, so I know it's rather awful...see below for better pictures of how my baby bonnets really look.)

 

These have been selling fast! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

It's so important to have something practical yet beautiful to protect your little one's delicate skin during those summer months.

The colors on my screen look wonky...I'm hoping they don't look like this when I publish the post. Oh Google and Picasa, when will the insanity end? ? ? For the record, the colors are soft and pale, very old-fashioned and charming.

Soooooo, for the announcement...

As of last week, we are officially en route to finding Baby #5.

EEKS!

I'm so excited I can't stand it! Stay tuned for details...   =)

A Cute Dress Tutorial & A Question For You About...Ironing Board Covers

Good Monday morning! We enjoyed a beautiful sunny weekend with lots of time at the park, birthday parties, hanging out with friends and then around the fire pit making S'mores for the first time this year. It was fantastic! (Though I shall go down in history as The.Worst.S'mores.Maker.EVER. ha ha) You wouldn't think you could go wrong with something so simple as S'mores, but I'm here to tell you that yes, you can. What a gooey albeit yummy mess!

Soooooo... I've been sewing nearly my entire life and have picked up most of the things I know from either A. my Mom and my Gram; B. figuring things out on my own; or C. from asking around. And now I'm going to ask!

I have tried several different types of ironing board covers over the years and end up loathing every single one of them. They stain, they scorch (even when I'm not using super high heat), and they generally just behave miserably after such a short amount of time. I have used Scotchguard treated ones and non-treated ones, cotton jersey and woven cotton. They all end up a spotty, stained mess, which makes me considerably anxious and paranoid when working with white cotton. The staining can transfer, obviously, or just dull the crispness of the white. Not good!

The sewers in my life haven't offered me any wisdom here, so please tell me, what has worked for you? Have you found a cover that stands the test of time? Was it expensive, because I'm not gonna lie, that would be painful. Any thoughts or recommendations would be greatly appreciated....thanks!

I am still trying to get Isabelle's Easter dress photographed. In the meantime, here's a link to a fun tutorial for you from a couple of years ago, perfect for this lovely spring weather! Enjoy!

Find tutorial HERE

New Item at Rose and Ruffle: White Cotton Nightgown or Portrait Dress

I just love watching my little girl twirl and dance around in some of her summer nightgowns. Her smile lights up her whole face- as well as everyone's around her, too- and she tells me how much she feels like a real-life princess. She literally beams, and I soak in as much as I can.

I've just added a new listing for a white 100% cotton muslin nightgown for baby, toddler and little girls. It's so soft and delicate, has a generous ruffle at the hem, a white ribbon bow, and flutter sleeves. I can also add lace to the sleeves for an additional fee. Sizes are Newborn through 5t.

This would be a wonderful portrait dress as well. I can imagine how pretty it would look for beach portraits, or even portraits in the park.  (No, it doesn't have to be just a nightgown!)

If you have any questions, you can reach me at 3sonsplus1@gmail dot com or simply contact me over at Etsy in my shop, Rose and Ruffle.

Have a great night! We are glued to the TV (well, obviously some more than others, ha) watching soccer. GO USA!

Friday Feature: Patriotic Halter Dress

Okay, so it's now Saturday...oops!

In the spirit of patriotism, and for the love of a really cute summery dress, I thought I'd feature this adorable Stars & Polka Dots halter dress today.

The dress is comfortable and easy, perfect for those hazy summer days.

Size 4T/4, and can be mailed to you immediately upon purchase.

Here is the link for more details:

Rose & Ruffle: Halter Patriotic Dress

This is the very last one!

Have a wonderful weekend!

~Bethany

If you're looking for a fun, festive, summery (and EASY!) dessert, check my recipe for crepes here.

The OPPOSITES Dress: A Versatile Little Girl's Sundress

Whew, it sure is a hot one here in NH today! We've still got a couple weeks left of school, so I'm not quite in summer mode like some of you are. And boy oh boy, has it been one of those kinds of weeks. Isabelle was pitching quite the fit earlier today (which landed her in her room) and she kept it up for a loooong time, and all I kept thinking was Why won't someone order me to my room? I'd gladly go! How funny that when we're little that isolation feels like such a punishment, and now...well, it's nothing short of a yummy, gooey slice of heaven on earth.

Anyhoo.

 I got my hands on some scrumptious hot pink and orange floral fabric but could not for the life of me make up my mind about what to do with it! I was really leaning towards a tiered peasant dress, but then I got thinking about that adorable little dress I made for Dress A Girl last year and that cinched it. That dress came to be from a mistake, actually -- I totally miscalculated how much fabric I had, and too late realized that I didn't have enough for the skirt of the dress, and I ended up loving the fix!

The original pattern called for a pleated skirt, which obviously wouldn't work with the patchwork-type panels, so I gathered the skirt instead. Easy peasy! Then of course, I didn't have enough yellow left to make a gathered ruffle, so I opted to pleat that -- pleated ruffles use much less fabric than gathered ones. I love how it turned out, and I remember Isabelle and I prayed that the little girl who received it would feel so special and cared for.

I folded the skirt pattern piece in half to cut the two panels for one side of the dress. (Cut through the fold to make two pieces.)
Then, to make the center panel, I folded the pattern piece into a more rectangular shape, and cut the same length as the other panels and eyeballed the width. The great part about gathering is you don't need to be so precise or perfect!

 Sorry, but I don't have a picture of the three panels together because I ended up sewing this late at night. You will have the center panel which is pretty straight down the sides, and the two sides, which have more of a flare on the outer edges.

Use the fabric panels as pattern pieces to cut the contrasting panels, and sew them together as front and back, then as the whole skirt. I sew primarily with French seams -- I wrote a post about it here if you'd like to take a gander at it. Gather the skirt and stitch to the bodice, lining up side seams. Add a ruffle. Or don't. Either way, it's super cute!

The bodice front and back are also opposites.

 Instead of the bow in the center, this time I opted for bows on the bodice. (The pattern calls for this.)

 You really could switch it up and do any color blocking you want!  

LOVE these colors together!

 I'm really thankful for blogging because there are so many creative people out there, willing to share their thoughts and ideas, and I've been inspired by them more times than I could ever count. That inspiration has led me to try lots of new things on my own -- some with better results than others, ha! This is one of those things that I might not have attempted a few years ago, and I just love it! The possibilities truly are endless!

Have a fantastic weekend!

**the original pattern is McCall's M5836**