double your pleasure with double-gauze?

pattern: Little Pearl Dress from Liberty Love

designer: Alexia Marcelle Abegg

size: 18 - 24 months

fabric: Echino double gauze I bought by accident (no, for real) years ago

modifications: read on because I made a few

When Chawne posted about the Liberty Love book recently, the sneak peek she offered totally sold me on it. I had already been thinking of getting it because I *need* to make a Marcelle Medallion. The Marcelle Medallion-along has been calling to me for weeks since all these beauties started popping up all over Instagram and Flickr. But then I saw the wee dress, and I had to have the book in my hands asap. 

You see, this is a cute design, and it's a simple design. That's what makes it the perfect pattern to use as a basis for more dresses. Imagine it with little flutter sleeves. How about cap sleeves? Maybe with a flouncy hem? Or what about some pintucks at the bodice? I didn't just fall in love with the dress but the potential the dress offers, the plethora of design options. And yeah, I'll get to the medallion quilt eventually, but for now I want to make wee dresses for my little monkey.

I did make quite a few modifications, but only because I wanted the pattern to be exactly what I wanted it to be. Instead of the placket of buttons at the back, I closed up the back and made an opening at the neck. There was nothing wrong with the original design, but I just couldn't imagine it being very comfortable for a toddler to sit or slide with a row of buttons at their back. Also, instead of a full lining, I opted to just do a facing for the front and back just because it's going to be a summer dress. I sewed a single button at the back and used elastic ribbon (uh, what is the exact technical name for this item?) instead of bias tape for the loop.

While I was at it, I bought a yard of that stretchy stuff in purple and a yard in aqua and made a ton of matching hair ties.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I can't wait for warmer weather so that my happy chipmunk can wear it out and about.

Oh! And one last thing - a note about the fabric.... So this fabric, I can't even remember when I bought it, but it was shortly after we moved up here so it must have been almost six years ago. I ordered it from Purl Soho. I thought it was the Echino cotton/linen blend and was totally confused when it arrived and it was double-gauze. I had been planning to use it for softies and was a little disappointed that I had ordered the wrong thing. Instead of sending it back and returning or exchanging it, however, I decided to hold on to it in case the right project ever came along. Heh. I'm glad I did because double-gauze is so soft and lovely and perfect for summer dresses for little girls. I have some more double-gauze that I cannot wait to use now!