I’m super excited to be part of the Spring Bloom Blog Hop today! When Amanda from Bella Caronia sent me a photo of her fabrics early last month to see if I’d like to be one of the #springbloommakers it took me all of 30 seconds to reply back – “Yes, please!” Spring Bloom is Amanda’s first collection with Windham Fabrics and I am honored that she has let me play with it! (P.S. Scroll down for the giveaway so you can play with it too! Thanks Windham!)
This Bella Caronia collection seemed to me like I should create a project where several prints were mixed. A quilt would have been great, but since it’s not my strong suit I went with dresses. Dresses with lots of bright pretty colours and mix-matchy prints all in one place – just like a garden!
I decided to make the Ruffled Plaid Madness dress I drafted a few years back – only not in plaid this time. I’ve always wanted to make this dress again and I’m so pleased with how they show off Amanda’s collection! Thankfully our semi-rainy day photoshoot turned out ok too. Just like in spring, flowers bloom with the rainy weather – and apparently flowery fabric too!
Windham Fabrics kindly offered to send me whatever yardage I’d need for this project, but when I sat down to choose I got a bit stuck – so many options! So I let the girls choose their favorites (which happen to be in their favorite colours) and I think they did a great job. It also ensures that they extra-love the finished product. Though, thinking back, I don’t think I’d have a hard time selling layers of ruffles, puffed sleeves and a super-twirly skirt to these girls!
Making this dress turned out to be an exercise in “not forgetting something” that involved this crazy chart and lots of highlighting. With so many ruffles, each skirt front requires 4 or 5 tiers, each one with a ruffle and an under layer to hold it all together. That means lots of pieces, and LOTS of tiny 1/8″ rolled hems. I have never been more grateful that my Janome came with a rolled hem foot. And now I really, really know how to use it. Practice = Perfect – or at least very close!
Since I am a glutton for punishment I made my design based on looks, not “ease of creation“! These dresses curve down to the centre on the back bodice and up on the front bodice I remember going a bit cray-cray drafting the front ruffle the first time. Thankfully everything was already drafted so I could stitch the eight curves per dress so much faster this time around!
These dresses needed to be fully lined, so I also got to work with the new-to-me collection from Marsha Derse called Palette. I love her previous fabrics and the “not-so-solid” batik-like look of these fabrics really soften the colours.
Can I just say that I am super proud and a bit ecstatic over the invisible zipper fabric matching! When I cut matching fabric for the backs of the dresses I was super nervous I couldn’t match it properly – especially with the zipper right in the middle of the back seam! I felt a tad like MacGyver and with some “fabric, a glue stick and an iron” I managed to match it so amazingly well. It’s even a really simple process – really. I know you probably don’t believe me, so I’ll be writing a tutorial about it for sure! (Hint: It’s all in the glue stick!) *edit: I wrote a tutorial that is now available here.
A huge shout-out and congratulations to Bella Caronia on their first collection! And thanks so much to Amanda and Windham for including me on this hop. I’m sew lucky! (pun intended!) There’s still a week of amazing projects in this blog hop! Check out the schedule below:
April 20 Windham Fabrics Snip-its, Bella Caronia Blog ~ April 21 Leah and Bea Koch – Wintergreen and the Bee ~ April 22 Nell Timmer – Nell’s Notions ~ April 23 Jessica Darling ~ April 24 Kristy Daum – St. Louis Folk Victorian ~ April 25 Sherri Sylvester – Thread Riding Hood ~ April 26 Cindy Wiens – Live a Colorful Life ~ April 27 Krista Hennebury – Poppyprint ~ April 28 Felicity Ronaghan – Felicity Quilts ~ April 29 Casey York – The Studiolo ~ April 30 Janice Ryan – Better Off Thread ~ May 1 Deborah Moebes – Whipstitch ~ May 2 Bella Caronia Blog That’s a Wrap
Windham Fabrics is generously giving away the above amazing fat quarter bundle of Bella Caronia’s Spring Bloom Collection! This giveaway will run from April 25 – May 1, 2015. Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter – and if you don’t have Facebook to sign in with, just use your name and email address. There’s a “click to enter” no social media login entry too!
Disclaimer: Windham Fabrics sent me this fabric free of charge in exchange for this blog post. I always give you my own, uninfluenced opinion, and would not accept a project I didn’t love! Thanks for reading.
The dresses are wonderful! The girls are too sweet. I love the return of the Humming birds. My favorites. Of course warm weather is great, too.
Such sweet dresses and such happy pictures! I love the still crisp wheater in the morning with the warming up throughout the day and just to see the awakening of the nature. The popping up of flowers and green leaves is so wonderful.
Love the dresses – you have such sweet models! I love Spring – enjoy that I have more time outside to walk my dog and garden!
My favorite thing about spring is the petrichor scent. That lovely aroma of earth released by melting snow. The dresses are gorgeous, as are the models!
The dresses are gorgeous. I love that the days are longer and there are flowers everywhere.
I love all the flowers and blooming trees. The girls dresses are lovely, well done!
OMG, that pattern matching is incredible!!!!! Wow! My favorite thing about spring is the photo ops with flowers :). And taking pictures of my work is so much easier because the light is better!
my fave part about spring is the flowers and the lambs jumping around in the fields!
Lovely dresses! So bright and cheerful!
Can’t wait for all the spring flowers-it’s still a bit cold here.
Beautiful dresses sewn to perfection!! Your models are delightful and soooo sweet!!
My favourite part of Spring is the longer days and warmer weather!!! Finally after 7 months or so of winter, I am more than ready!!
Those dresses are gorgeous! May favorite thing about spring is the promise of warm weather and sunshine. Thanks!
Not only the beautiful flowers and blossoms and the finally green grass after 6 months of winter, but the fact that the sun is still up 8PM. Winter gets so crazy long and dark, I love the amount of LIGHT we get in the spring!
Sweet Dresses, beautiful fabrics.
I love to hear the robins singing — especially in the late evening.
I love being able to have my windows open – my house gets so stuffy in the winter!
HELLO, such sweet little dresses!
Thanks for your blog+giveaway too!
HAPPY SPRING!
HELLO, such sweet little dresses!
Thanks for a neat giveaway!
I love the colors that spring brings. Lovely dresses. Thank you for the giveaway.
I love the longer days and seeing those first signs of green after winter. Spring is one of my favourite seasons!
Beautiful dresses for your beautiful girls, Sherri! Thanks for the inspiration and fun giveaway.
You did an amazing job on these dresses. I’m impressed that you designed the patter – and the zipper insertion is perfect. I have no idea how to even start doing that. Really pretty dresses. Congratulations.
Thanks so, so much Peggy! I am super pleased with the zipper matching 🙂 So excited to share that tutorial soon I hope!
The dresses (& Models!) are GORGEOUS!!!
Favorite parts of Spring are getting to see all the flowers, trees, yards…waking up..blooming, leafin’ out & green!! Greens everywhere..shades & shades of green! 🙂 The sunshine & breezes..hanging clothes on line..open windows & digging up garden! 🙂
Love the warmer temps and being able to have the house opened and fresh air in.
Love spring because everything in the gardens start greening up and looking fresh.
Cute dresses. I love seeing the spring flowers and of course being able to be outside more often.
I love the daffodils & tulips! Your dresses (and girls) are so cute!!! I remember when mine were that little (they are turning 12 & 14 soon). They grow up so fast!
I love to see the new flowers blossom after a rainy winter
Well, one of my favorite things about spring is little girls in swirly dresses, and yours are utterly charming — both the girls and the dresses! I’ve got two daughters, one with straight blonde hair and one with brown curly hair as well.
love the warmth and going barefoot!
Lovely, as usual! 😎 You make dresses like that look sooo easy, but you don’t have me fooled….lol. The girls are their usual adorable selves. I think you’ve got 2 budding models on your hands…
xo Linda
Awww… thanks so much Linda! I look forward to your comments 🙂 They were time intensive for sure – but the girls love them so much it was totally worth it! 🙂
My favourite is part about spring is seeing the crocus come up in the lawn. Cute dresses!
Oh what sweet dresses… the girls look very happy modeling them…Thank you for the giveaway…Lovely fabrics….
The dresses are so pretty and you did a perfect job on the zippers! I’ve never installed an invisible zipper.
The dresses are just as beautiful as the little ladies! My favorite thing about spring is having the windows open and letting the fresh air in! It’s been one loooong winter!
Spring is so pretty. I love being outside as much as possible — not too cold, not too hot, just right!
Favorite part about spring is flowers blooming…..all the colors….so beautiful…
Favorite part of spring is flowers blooming….the colors are so beautiful…..
WOW- those dresses are amazing! My favorite part of spring is playing outside with the kiddos without spending 15 minutes getting them into cold weather gear! The longer days are nice too 🙂
I’d say spring gardening is my favorite part, especially new mulch!
I love watching everything go from brown to green! I love these dresses too, they make me wish my girls were still little.
My favorite part is the warmer weather.
Great dresses! Yes, Spring is my favorite especially the new growth.
I love all of the new flowers and trees that bloom in Spring! Thanks so much for the giveaway!
I love to work in the garden planting veggies and flowers. Oh, the dresses are so pretty! Great for spring.
I love the feeling of a rebirth and all the new life.
Those dresses are beautiful! I love the time change since I can garden a bit more
The dresses are just adorable. My favorite part of spring is the warmer weather. I can’t stand the cold and this winter was especially brutal. Thanks for the chance to win.
The smell of blossoms on a sunny afternoon is a sure sign of Spring where I live!
A beautiful job on these amazing dresses! I love detail and these dresses show Amanda’s fabrics in such a great way!
Wonderful dresses and two very happy little girls! Thank you for the giveaway.
I love these dresses. I make dresses for my littles too! I’m glad it’s getting warm enough for them to wear them.
I love tha the world is finally waking up. There is nothing better than looking out your window to see brown and yellow replaced by lush greens. I also love waiting and watching for my tulips to start blooming. It is then that spring has officially started for me.
Oh wow! Those dresses are adorable and pure perfection! I am in awe! Finally when things green up and the air is warm…thats my favorite thing about spring!
Those dresses are too cute!! I love getting the garden planted in the spring!
I love everything about spring – it is My Season. My favourite flowers bloom, my wedding anniversary and my first borns birthday happen. Plus it is time to sew summery dresses for my girls & start sewing Christmas gifts 🙂
i love all the flowers in the spring and i love the moderate temperatures
I love planting my veggie seeds in my garden or greenhouse and watching for them to start growing xx
Love the dresses you just completed, your girls look so happy.
Love the smell of spring! thanks
Those dresses are adorable! And so are those girls. I always look for to spring flowers.
What delightful dresses! The girls look like they love wearing them! My favorite part about spring is cooking and eating outside. We have had a couple days where that is possible.
I love the first sign of green on the tips of trees. Too bad it also brings allergies.
I love the blooming flowers and trees in the spring. The dresses are adorable and the models even more so!
My favorite part of spring is the warm weather and the beautiful spring flowers.
I love all the pretty flowers.
I love watching the hummingbirds. crystalbluern at onlineok dot com
All the debuting fabrics and new designers. Especially the earthy prints, desert, succulents.
Those dresses are gorgeous. My girls would have loved them when they were little and I’m sure yours will wear them lots and lots.
My favorite part of spring is the freshness and the promise of new life. Thanks for the giveaway and the chance to win some of that beautiful fabric.
My favourite part are the wild strawberries, already blooming.
Thanks for the chance.
Love the dresses. I am impressed that you made 2 They are cute, but labor intensive.
They will certainly rival the spring flowers for brightness.
Love the dresses and the fabric the girls chose. Thanks for the chance.
The dresses are beautiful. Your models are so cute! My favorite part of Spring are seeing the trees full of blooms. They’re beautiful.
The best part of Spring – all the baby animals! So cute. Thanks for sharing such a nice project – the dresses are lovely. Notwendy gmail
The best part of Spring is getting outside to walk again after a cold, snowy winter. The dresses are beautiful as are the models!
I love everything about Spring! I wanted to say you are quite the seamstress. Those dresses are beautiful! Your girls look like they love the dresses! Love every one of the pics of them! Great job!
Everything coming back to life! And finally getting my kids out of the house and not going stir crazy stuck indoors.
My favorite part about Spring? The weather is getting warmer (we live in northern WI and the Winters are L O N G!!) and the kiddos can go outside and play! LOL Oh, and everything turning green again is nice, too. 😉
Those dress are beautiful. Thanks for those pictures.
Those are wonderful dresses and beautiful models!! I wish I had little girls to sew for again…even the grands are too big now and into their own styles. Spring brings out my eagerness to plant flowers so it’s time to dig out the hoses, the rakes, the pots and the mulch! Then I can enjoy the flowers all summer.
Longer days; spring produce, like strawberries, asparagus, and peas; flowers; spring rans ….
Extra daylight! I no longer want to climb into bed at 5 pm 🙂
I enjoy the longer light nights, the blooming flowers and warmer temperatures!
I love the greeness of spring. I am always surprised when it arrives and am so in love with the colour outside! (still waiting for it!)
I love that I can finally wear my favorite dresses!
My favorite thing about spring are the flowering plants.
Beautiful dresses – and models too!
Spring is my favourite season – I love the colours and the longer days!
My favorite thing about spring is all the color. Love the dresses!
My favorite part of Spring is that Winter is over!
The girls dresses are gorgeous! May favourite part about Spring is the flowers and blossom.
Pauline
perry94022 at hotmail dot com
Those are some seriously amazing dresses! My favorite part of spring is seeing my girls outside playing again!
Beautiful dresses and fabrics!! You can tell it is spring when the robins show up!
The dresses are beautiful and perfect for a spring day.
My favorite part of Spring is that it is finally warm enough to wear shorts! Oh, and all the flowers and blooms. Those are nice too. Thanks for the chance to win!
I love Spring flowers – best part and the return of the birds!!!
Sherri, please redraft this fabulous, have to make it, pattern under the Thread Riding Hood Inc. banner. Change the fitted sleeve to a flutter sleeve and it is a winner. Love the fabrics 😉
I hope you enjoyed the Festival. Hopefully you had good sales for your kits.
One question? Where was the photo shoot with the stone wall with the twirly dresses? A great backdrop 😉
Tax season is almost a memory, sat out on the patio tonight.
Take care.
I love to watch the birds checking out our birdhouses and seeing who is moving in. Soon there will be chicks everywhere! Thanks for the giveaway.
Love all the fresh colors and shades of green in spring. Cute dresses.
I love the spring blooming trees! Magnolia, forsythia, cherry & apple…
I love the leaves popping out everywhere. Your models are cute.
My favourite thing about spring is the warmer weather that allows us to get out and spend a lot more time enjoying the garden and all the glorious new growth and colour. I am in awe of your dresses. The fabric matching and invisible zippers are just perfect and those ruffles are just adorable. Perfect of celebrating spring. Thanks for sharing and for the chance to win.
Absolutely beautiful dresses on your gorgeous girls! You did a lovely job making the dresses! It’s been years since I made a little girl’s dress. She is all grown up and I have grandsons! Love the fabrics!
Love the dresses and the invisible zippers are a great invention. Thanks for giveaway
Sitting on our back pouch in the mornings, listening to the birds sing and viewing our lovely garden.
Thanks.
Living in the Pacific NW, where it is gray and dreary all winter long, what I love most about spring is the return of sunshine. What is that thing in the sky? Bright and warm and shiny? No wonder it was worshipped in days gone by. I’m about halfway there right now. 🙂
My favorite thing about spring is definitely the flowers and the color. Living in New Hampshire we do have evergreen trees but they are a cold green. When spring greens and colors start up, I feel the relief that spring and more sun brings! coudre at dmdrafting dot com
I love watching the Spring flowers pop up – sometimes right thru the snow! A true sign of Spring. The dresses are just beautiful. So are those precious girls!
My favourite part of spring is the aroma of all the spring blooms!
Adorable dresses and adorable models.
Love being able to open windows and doors and feel and smell the fresh air again. Love the dresses, they are darling. Thanks.
You are so CLEVER! The dresses are beautiful.
Awww, Thanks so much Jeneta! 🙂
I love that everything is becoming green again! And that everyone on our street comes out of hibernation!
Flowers
What a beautiful collection! Such happy, happy colors and designs!
Love all the bright colors in those dresses! Favorite part of spring is when the daffodils and tulips bloom
I love all of the color after the very gray winter. Amazing job on the dresses – they are gorgeous!
My favourite part of Spring is the flowers – I love all the daffodils and tulips – primroses and bluebells – loads of colour everywhere