everyday princess dresses - take 2

Once upon a time, there was a little girl K. who didn't like to wear clothes.  She would get dressed in the morning, but as soon as her Mom wasn't looking the clothes would come off.  This behavior perplexed K's Mom and made her Aunt giggle.  One day while wasting time perusing blogs for quilt inspiration, K's Aunt read about a 'pretty princess sew-along' by Cut to Pieces and thought that maybe K would keep her clothes on if she had a princess dress to wear.  The dresses were made  and it was a success!  K liked wearing them, often changing dresses multiple times a day - but she was wearing clothes!   Time passed and, as little girls tend to do, K grew.  She grew so much that her princess dresses were getting too short, too small, and just plain worn out.  K immediately knew the solution: call her Aunt and ask for new ones.


I thought I'd make just a couple.  One or two of K's favorites.  I took my favorite little people princesses to the fabric store and started picking out fabric.  I'm not really sure how, but fabric for 8 dresses ended up in my cart and I just couldn't put any of them back.  Little girls can always use more dresses - right?

The pattern is a simple peasant dress - Simplicity 2377.   This time I made a few more notes and made actual patterns for everything that I did differently (Rapunzel bodice, Rapunzel sleeves, Tiana skirt, Merida sleeves).  K does have a younger sister and I might be making these for a 3rd time.  My sister mentioned that the ribbon did not wear well, so I 'made' most of the ribbon with strips of fabric and bias tape makers. 

 A fabric explosion occurred in my living room followed by sewing for almost 3 weeks.  (I will spare you a photo of my disastrous living room/kitchen.  Just picture fabric and thread on every surface.)  Here are the dresses:

Rapunzel, Aurora, Tiana, Minnie Mouse.  (okay, Minnie Mouse isn't really a princess, but I love the dress.)

Merida, Belle, Snow White, and Cinderella

My sister tells me that the most recognizable is Snow White and Minnie Mouse (as in random people stop them in Wal-Mart to comment on the dress) - but K knows who all of them are.  The new ones this time are Tiana and Merida.  Tiana because K requested it and Merida just because.  Tiana took some thought - and there is a lot of fabric in that skirt.  The yellow underskirt plus 3 panels that are 'tulip' shaped on top.  For Merida I tried to imitate her 'gathered elbows' on the top of the sleeves.  I think it turned out pretty cute.  I probably should have use a more cream/ecru fabric for it, but I loved the gold with the teal dress.  Hopefully K likes it. 

I have several ideas on an 'Ariel' dress, but I thought 8 dresses were enough.  Plus I'm tired of gathering skirts.

There were many shouts of joy as K opened the box from her Aunt and tried on each dress.  And she lived happily ever after.  At least until she grows a few more inches.

Stats:
pattern - Simplicity 2377
fabric - various cottons from JoAnn Fabrics, a few ribbons, and some lace.  Many thanks to Cut to Pieces for coming up with the idea.