Handmade Wardrobe // Rosebud Ruffles

Both dresses : mashed up/self drafted

fabric: rosebud cotton poplin from Measure Fabric

Penny’s sunglasses:  Mini Made Co

Penny’s sneakers: June and January

my purse: thrifted Free People

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i am so so so soooo in love with how these dresses turned out! 

I have actually had this idea for this squared neck ruffle dress in my head for YEARS. literally years. I think I saved an inspiration photo in 2016. I don’t know why I waited so long to make it happen, but I’m glad I did wait for this fabric. When I first laid eyes on this little mini rosebud print from Measure Fabric, I immediately started thinking of this dress again. It just couldn’t be more perfect! It’s a cotton poplin, so more of a shirting fabric. It is a little bit translucent in direct light, so I lined the whole thing. 

As far as the pattern, I started with the Tessuti Fabrics Romy top just to get a starting point for the shape of the top (but altered it a bit) and then kind of just self drafted the rest. And then I kind of just eyed/self drafted Penny’s mini version. I was a little worried just winging all of it, but it was actually pretty simple and came out just as I was imagining! 

Penny thinks the little rosebuds are strawberries and keeps calling them our strawberry dresses 😂.  

Handmade Wardrobe // spring blooms for two

 my dress: Closet Case Patterns Kalle shirtdress

Penny’s dress: Hello Dear Kids pleated top dress

fabric for both: floral twill c/o Measure Fabric

Penny’s jacket: H&M 

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When the ladies at Measure Fabric gave me a peek at this fabric, they suggested the Kalle shirt dress as a good pattern fit, and I loved the idea so much, so I rolled with it! I had never made the pattern before, but it has been on my list. It came together surprisingly fast, for being a collared, full placket shirt with clean finishes on the inside. Also, It is a little shorter than I normally like my dresses, but that’s my fault for not making a muslin or testing out the length before cutting into my main fabric {face palm}. But nothing some little shorts underneath, or leggings on cooler days, can’t fix! 

And the Measure ladies were right - this fabric was perfect for the project! It’s a twill that has enough weight to be pants or shorts or a skirt, but still a beautiful drape to work as shirt dress or pretty skirt. It’s got a slightly slubby texture, yet a silky soft touch, and it sewed up like a dream. Probably why I was able to zoom through it so fast! 

And of course, with a little maneuvering and puzzle piecing, I was able to squeeze out a matching look for P. I ran out of fabric for the pleated front piece, so I used some scraps of this cotton/linen dotted fabric that was left over from a random project. I actually like the contrast even better than if I would’ve used all the floral fabric!