Pattern Review: Ella's Party Dress

—by Hannah

This dress is perfect for every little girl growing up in Portland. Dress it up, dress it down, wear it for spring, or slip on a long sleeve shirt and leggings when the weather gets chilly.

As you can see it has two layers. I used a quilting weight cotton for the dress and a shot cotton for the lining. For spring and summer this would be lovely in a cotton lawn lined with a voile which we always have a great selection of here at the shop. For fall and winter, both the dress and lining would be nice in a quilting weight cotton for just a little added thickness and warmth.

The pattern gives you a few options for the back closure. You can choose hook and eyes, snaps, or buttons. I love buttons and also thought they would suit the fabric I chose. Also the patterns tells you to hem the bottom but I’m a big fan of raw edges so I tore mine.

I loved sewing this. Just by changing the fabric this dress is so versatile. You could make a few and have them be the core of your girl’s wardrobe or you could make one with silk or another elegant fabric for a special occasion.