My First Dress for Annabelle

I did it! I was so happy about this I could barely sleep last night and my head is swimming with ideas and patterns I've seen that I can't wait to try and make. 

I have been wanting to make a dress for Annabelle since I got my sewing machine.  Recently, my sewing machine and I haven't been getting along.

Well, yesterday all was forgiven. 

This is my second finished sewing machine project and I couldn't be happier.

I took this:

And turned it into this:

I cut off the top of the shirt.  Cut it to make it fit and sewed it back together.  No hemming because I still had the hem from the bottom of the shirt.

I then made a few ruffle flowers and some braided straps.  Hand-stitched the braided straps and now Annabelle has a new dress!

Okay. So she was a little less than thrilled.  The only way I could get her in it is if she wore it over her other clothes and promised her chocolate. 

Here she's saying, "where's the chocolate?"

Looks pretty durable!

In action!

And some close-ups:

I am happy with how it turned out!

I also learned a few things:

1. It takes time.  I was so tempted to get out my glue gun and glue the flowers on but I resisted and stayed up a little late to stitch the flowers on.

2.  Practice with the thread and fabric you are going to use first.  It's always something I read but it really made a difference.  Which, goes back to the it takes time.  This way you can find the tension that works best!  Also, if the needle isn't bringing up the bobbin thread, adjusting the tension helps!

3. I love sewing and now I have the confidence to tackle some other projects.

4.  Annabelle isn't going to like everything I make.  She said, "I like this dress, Mommy," then ripped it off!  Not sure what that means.

I'm linking this up this week here.

Check these parties out and see all the wonderful things everyone out there is making!