Five Dresses in Seven Days

I have scheduled a few blog posts for after my baby is born.  This is one of them, I am really not that productive when I have a newborn!

I think it's fair to say that I became obsessive about sewing my daughter Oliver and S dresses the week before the scheduled birth of my third child.  I know I have felt stressed and anxious about the event, and have worried that I will really give up my sewing hobby for quite a while once I have three children under the age of five.  In deciding what to focus on in the last few days that had some "free time," I felt strongly that making Charlotte some new clothes would be a good use of my efforts.  She's only going to be a little girl for so long and she really likes what I make her.  I have so many bags and quilts, and didn't want to start a brand new, long term project.  

This Family Reunion pattern was probably the most difficult Oliver and S pattern I've done yet, but I adore how it came out and I am sure I will revisit it again.  I used some Briar Rose and a pink solid from my stash.  I love the fabric choices but I am sure it won't be her favorite dress because it doesn't feature any kind of animal.  

(Yes, she is sitting on a "bench" that is really meant for flower pots.  Not too comfortable but she couldn't be dissuaded).

I was scared of doing pin tucks for the first time but it was the collar that gave me the most trouble.  I think it was the stiff texture of the pink solid that was the problem.

I love the look of the buttons down the back.  I also love how easy it is to make buttonholes on the sewing machine, I am definitely not afraid of that feature anymore.

I hadn't really planned to make another Rollerskate dress, but I had already prewashed this Japanese Snow White fabric and there wasn't enough material to make a Family Reunion dress out of it (my original plan).  So I whipped this up fast, using a Chicopee print for the collar.

So here they all are: five Oliver and S dresses made in seven days.  The funny thing about them is that she has been excited about each one, but still wants to wear that darn Lizzy House catface Rollerskate dress!  Kids like what they like and Charlotte can be particularly stubborn.

In case you are curious, here's my personal rating of difficulty for these Oliver and S patterns, from easiest to most difficult: Rollerskate, Hide and Seek, Library, and Family Reunion.  None of them should scare you, they are all a lot of fun and this week of crazy sewing really helped me come to peace with my serger.

 Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts at Finish it up Friday.

(I didn't do a "stash fabric used" notation for the other dress posts, so I am catching up here)
Total stash fabric used in (the dresses posts): 6 yards
Total stash fabric used since 1/1/15: 50 yards
Total stash fabric used to date:  56 yards