Pattern Review: The "Anywhere Dress" by Go To Patterns

I've been sewing up a storm lately and I'm excited to finally show you some completed projects.  These are two play dress for Miss S.  I really wanted to make her everyday clothes that can handle lots of movement and outside play.  The big pattern companies offer shockingly little in this category.  McCalls seems to think that little girls need closets full of frilly dresses that were in style a generation ago.  Not this little girl.  After much looking, I settled on a pattern from GoToPatterns.  This is my first experience with PDF sewing patterns and let's just say, I had my doubts, so I'd like to offer my thoughts on using this pattern.

But first things first.  Doesn't my Little Miss make a wonderful model?  She's just getting old enough to take instruction from the photographer.  I had her spinning around and reaching up to the sky.  We both laughed a lot.  At least half of the pictures were too blurry to use, but as every mom knows, if you take thirteen million pictures, one or two will turn out.

Pattern Review:  The "Anywhere Dress" by GoToPatterns

*Please Note:  I bought and paid for this pattern and have not been offered anything in exchange for this review.

A Versatile Pattern

I really like the simplicity and versatility of this pattern.  It's perfect for building a little girl's wardrobe.  The four sleeve options are a great start, but don't be boxed in.  I achieved two very different looks out of the same pattern through simple colour blocking and the addition of a coloured band at the bottom hem.  You could make this dress longer (as in maxi dress) or shorter (as in T-shirt).  You could embellish it with top stitching, trims, buttons, pockets or appliques.  You could add a belt or sew ties into the side seams.  You could get really brave and reshape the neckline or skirt.  So many options; one simple pattern.

On that note, I should mention that this pattern is drafted in one piece front and back with no seam at the waistline.  To achieve the colour blocking on the purple dress, I cut the pattern at the "lengthen here" line and added seam allowances to the bodice and skirt pieces.

Preparing the PDF Pattern

Printing and piecing the PDF pattern took some time, but wasn't difficult.  Every page has lettered tabs to match up, so match them and tape it all together.  Done.  This pattern prints in black and white, using different styles of dashed line to differentiate the sizes.  I found this a little hard on the eyes, so I traced the lines for my size in coloured highlighter to make cutting easier.

Sewing with Knit Fabric

If you haven't worked with stretch knit fabrics before, I strongly recommend reading the tips included with this pattern.  They're very helpful.  I used a slight zigzag stitch on one dress (my vintage sewing machine doesn't have the lightning bolt stitch often used for knits) and a double needle on the other.  I've had good results with both techniques in the past and both worked here.

Sewing the Pattern

This is a simple dress and it comes together very quickly -- an evening or two.  The cut pieces fit together as they should -- always a good thing -- and there is no complicated sewing involved.

I would have liked to see some markings on the pattern (I'm talking about the notches and dots that help line pieces up evenly).  They can be easily added by a marginally experienced sewist, but their absence could lead to less than satisfactory results for beginners.

Overall the assembly instructions are clear, the accompanying illustrations are simple and helpful, but that lack of detail shows up again.   There are no indications, for example, to trim bulky seam allowances, clip curves or press seams in specific directions.  These are little things that add up to a very big difference in the overall quality of the finished garment.  Again, anyone with a little apparel sewing experience will know to do these things, but beginners won't.

Fit of the Finished Garment

I made a size 2T for my tall, skinny almost-two-year-old.  As you can see in my pictures, it fits.  There is plenty of space for movement through the shoulder and sleeve areas.  The dress, as cut to pattern, falls at the knee (see the purple dress).  Great.  I did hit one snag, though.  It didn't go over her head.  I discovered this at just the right moment -- after sewing the neckline but before sewing the side seams.  Because the pattern uses a facing, I was able to easily add a keyhole in the back with a button closure (see my pictures).  This may not be an issue in the larger sizes, but if you're sewing for a toddler (they're known for having big heads) I strongly recommend adding the keyhole.

Conclusions

Preparing a PDF pattern takes a little time, but isn't complicated.  The sizing and fit are appropriate, except for the trouble I had getting it over my daughter's head.  Be sure to test this and add a keyhole if necessary.  Experienced sewists will see this simple dress come together quickly and can have fun customizing it.  The lack of pattern markings and overly simplified assembly instructions, however, make it inappropriate for beginners.  This is too bad, as the pattern is advertised to be "perfect for beginners".  

Overall, this is a good little pattern.  It's a simple, versatile dress that will fit into any little girl's wardrobe.  I am sure to make it again and will mostly likely try other patterns from this designer.

Busy, Stormy Days

The electricity faltered and flickered a couple of times today, but stayed on.  It's just as well, because, after days of wind and downpour, I'm less excited about stormy weather and the resulting days indoors.  Don't get me wrong, Miss S and I are west coast girls.  We don't mind getting rained on -- that's what gum boots and Muddy Buddies are for -- but this wind is something else.  We're starting to feel a little house bound.

How do we make the most of indoor days?  With projects, of course.  This is a little sneak peak at something I'm working on for my Etsy shop.

And this is a tunic dress that I started for Miss S.  I'm only just now getting my gumption up to sew for her.  Part of the trouble is that a pattern costs as much or more than an off the rack outfit, never mind fabric and notions.  But I want to sew for her, so I'm making extensive changes to an old dress pattern borrowed from my mother-in-law and hoping to end up with something Miss S and I will both be happy with.  Fingers crossed.  This is new territory for me.

Here's a little sunshine on a stormy day.  Miss S's project involved playdough and cookie cutters.

What do you do on indoor days?  Looking at the weather forecast, I'm pretty sure I'll need some more ideas.

Feeling Blue

I like blue.  It makes me feel tranquil and content, perhaps because some of the nicest things in life are blue.  The summer sky.  The sea.  My daughters bright eyes.  These dried hydrangea flowers are still blue as blue can be.  It's a good thing I brought them in when I did, because the last few days have brought enough rain, wind and hail to tatter the garden.  

While Miss S naps, I'm working this bundle of squishy blue yarn into a set of baby leg warmers.  Last night the urge to crochet took hold.  I really wanted to start a new sweater for Miss S, but that requires more than scraps, which requires planning ahead.  Instead I dug out the pattern for these little leg warmers and settled in.

The pattern, by the way, is one that I bought a while back from this Etsy shop.  It's a sweet design and, after a little experimenting to get the gauge right, I'm finding the pattern easy to follow.  I might even make a pair for myself as the pattern includes an adult size.  Maybe they'll be blue.

  

Animal Key Ring Toddler Toy, a Tutorial

Do you know a little person who will want to handle this mini menagerie?  I'm pretty sure that Miss S, at one year old, will appreciate the varied shapes and colours.  She hasn't actually seen them yet, and she won't for another week as I'm busy laying in a stash of car seat-friendly entertainment for a road trip.  I'll let you know how they go over.

This toy is appropriate for very young babies (make it into a mobile or hang the animals from an activity bar) as well as for older toddlers who could name the animals and engage them in imaginative play.

What You'll Need

• a fabric panel or print with animals that can be cut out individually*
• heavy-weight fusible interfacing
• quilt batting
• matching ribbon
• large binder ring (the type that opens on a hinge; look in an office supply store)

*Choosing suitable fabric is important.  Look for quilt panels or applique panels where the animals are meant to be cut out.  You could also use a fabric with a large print (like this or this).  And don't limit yourself to animals; make a ring of pretty flowers or fruit or geometric designs.  Finally, I used a printed cotton panel that included reverse images of each animal.  This allowed me to make double-sided animals, but might be difficult to find.  Consider using an animal on one side and coordinating fabric on the back.

Ready.  Set.  Go.

Roughly cut out two reverse printed animals (or an animal and a backing), leaving lots of extra fabric around the edges.  Apply heavy-weight fusible interfacing to the back of each.

Sandwich a piece of quilt batting between the animals.  Right sides should face OUT.

If you're using reverse printed images, make sure they are lined up perfectly on top of each other.  This is a little fiddly, but worth the effort.  If you're using a coordinating fabric backing, your job will be much easier.  secure the three layers together with pins, then hand baste with contrasting thread, taking care not to baste too close to the edges.

Cut 2 inches of ribbon and fold it in half to make a loop.  Place the loop wherever you want the finished animal to hang from (see next picture) and insert the cut edges of ribbon into the middle of the sandwich (NOT on top as shown in the picture).  Secure with a pin.

 

Use a sewing machine to zigzag, through all layers, around the animal shape.  If your machine allows for it, lighten the pressure on the presser foot to make it easier to maneuver the fabric. It's ok to stitch over the animal itself a bit.  It's ok to lift the presser foot when the needle is down and rotate the fabric to get around a tight corner.  

I took care to keep my stitching well inside the darker blue area of my cutout so that no lighter blue would show in the final product. Depending on your fabric, this may not be an issue for you.  

Remove the basting thread.

Cut out the animal shape, leaving only a narrow margin around the stitching but being careful not to cut it.  When you get to the ribbon tab, cut the top and bottom layers separately (see picture) to avoid cutting off the loop.

Ta Da!  Make as many animals as you like, then use the loops to attach them all to the binder ring.  Your little person can play with them all together like a set of keys, or you can separate them for different games.  Either way will be loads of fun, so get sewing, and be sure to let me know how it turns out for you.