The Gift is Finished

I'm happy to report to you that I finished the smocked dresses this afternoon and will deliver them to my daughter tomorrow afternoon. The baby shower is next Saturday. I always make smocked dresses in size two or three so that they can hopefully be worn more than once. Too much work goes into making them to make them in a size that a child will outgrow very quickly.
The pattern I used is McCall's #3531 in size 3. I used view D and added pieces to the smocking insert and then cut out the yoke. Also, I added the ties in the back because I like that look.

A Gift in the Making

Several weeks ago my daughter asked me to make smocked dresses for a friend of hers who is having twins. This friend loves fashion and I happened to have a smocking plate with pocketbooks on it that I thought would be perfect. After calling several quilt shops in my area I found the fabric to co-ordinate with the smocking. Today I completed the picture smocking and will immediately begin the back smocking which holds the pleats in place. Hopefully by the weekend, I'll be able to start the construction of the dresses. I have to have this project completed by September 18, 2011 which doesn't give me too much time.