Full Circle Dress...pattern testing

I can proudly add yet another job description to my resume. Pattern tester. I was a little nervous about it after answering a callout for pattern testers. First... sure, why not?! I'm OK at this sewing game, followed by second thinking...can I actually do that? Will I do it justice and actually give them what they want? Will I get ticks in all the right boxes?

Fortunately, this was a cinch. Easy pattern to follow. Awesome result. Yes. Awesome. I made a size 1 and size 5 for a couple of little girls I know.

Little miss 5 year old announced "I don't like it...I LOVE IT!" [insert excited leaping, twirling and spinning here...oh wait, I actually do have that to share with you].





Yes awesome dress. You can buy the pattern here for sizes 3-8.

It also has a sweet bow on the back, plus a smaller one on the front. I'd be inclined to make the front bow a bit bigger with such a busy print.




The size 1 fit Anya (almost 2) pretty well perfectly. She is a shorty (like her ma), so the skirt length is good for her, though perhaps could have a bit more length on it. But as a size 1 I thought is was OK. It was too big for little E, particularly around the back, but really a perfect dress for sitting babies with that full skirt. Sizes 1-2 needed a bit of tweaking perhaps, as they're not included in the Kikoi Patterns store yet.

I'm planning on making the size 2 for Anya to add to her summer wardrobe (which is not as full as you may think...just yet). She had fun modelling this one anyhow.




Would I do anything differently next time?

I would secure the back bow with snaps on one side, to make it easier for a 5 year old to get it on and off by herself. The bow on the size 1 could have been sewn on a bit higher, thus avoiding slipping the shoulder strap you may have noticed above. Or not.

On C's dress, I should have stitched the whole lot of the bias binding on the skirt to the inside of the skirt, so you can't see it from the outside. Maybe in a different colour. This would mean stitching each bias binding twice (once to sew it on, once to finish it), which would be a whole lot more sewing. The velveteen I used on C's dress was a bit to heavy for the bias finish. Too chunky. Lesson learned. In a lightweight cotton, the regular finish is fine.

I'd also definitely cut the bias tape on the bias. The pattern doesn't specify, but you may be able to notice the difference in how the hems hang on the dress below. The printed main skirt bias tape was 'bias cut' (on a 45 degree angle across the fabric), the purple underskirt bias tape was cut in a long straight line between selvages (with me?) and it doesn't curve around the skirt as nicely, in my humble option. If you have enough fabric, do it properly!





I think I must have done OK. Susan from Kikoi Patterns has just emailed me to ask me to test another pattern. Go me!




SUPPLIES:
 Full Circle Dress Pattern by  Kikoi Patterns
 Fabrics all from Spotlight - Cotton velveteen bird print, Red and purple homespun cotton lining, Avignon Tile Blue (purple print fabric)
Bow fabrics - blue homespun cotton and dark brown corduroy (turned inside out) 
Photo credit (top 4 images) - Elke Dous Photography

I should also point out, whilst I was lucky enough to be given a copy of this pattern, all opinions expressed here are my own.

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