Baby Dear

This dress is called the "Baby Deer" dress from the 1/2008 issue of Ottobre, but I like to think of it as "Baby Dear." I have been drawn to this dress pattern ever since I received the magazine, but I just wasn't sure if it was too babyish for my Emily. Every picture I saw of others' Baby Deer dresses were all simply adorable, and I finally gave in and made one for my little girl. The design is simple but appealing. I think this could very well be my Emily's Christmas dress this year.

Pattern Description:
Pinafore dress with buttons at the shoulders and piping trim at the yoke and lower skirt. The picture in the magazine shows the dress with a little deer appliqued on the front.

Pattern Sizing:
European sizes 62-92; I made a size 92. I lengthened the dress by 5 inches.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Same design, but totally different look because of the color and fabric differences.

Fabric Used:
I used a baby corduroy for the main fabric and a cotton woven print for the contrast piping and bodice lining.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
I lengthened the dress by 5 inches. From reading others' descriptions of this dress, I read (and measured!) that this pinafore dress would be plenty wide enough for my daughter. Although I typically would make her a size 98, this size 92 dress fits perfectly with the added length.

I omitted the deer applique on the front of the skirt. Instead, I made a rosette flower with fabric, ribbon and buttons and attached it to a safety pin. This way I can take the rosette off before washing the dress.

My button stash did not yield the right kind of buttons I was looking for, and so I combined two buttons together. Yes, the little red button fit right inside the black button just perfectly. I used these buttons at the shoulders and on the flower embellishment.



Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I might sew it again---perhaps for my granddaughter someday. It's such a cute dress and I do recommend it!

Conclusion:
When I showed the dress to Emily she told me, "Oh! This dress is so pretty!" I think she likes it. : )

~Ruth