Vintage Style Chambray Pinafore With Anchor Buttons

I've been busy making little girls dresses for a shop I'm opening on Etsy. Actually the shop has been there for a long time but hasn't had anything in it since I made a few upcycled baby cashmere sweaters over two years ago.

It started this week as an idea to make some baby dresses for my daughter's school auction from some unused fabrics in my stash. Then I started thinking about what I really want to make and now my head is full of little dress ideas for the Country Chick Handmade Shop and The Patchwork Craft Fair in LA in November where I signed up to sell. Country Chick Handmade dresses will be inspired by vintage styles and I want use vintage fabrics as well, but in fun ways.

This little dress is one of my first creations that I'll be listing. It's a little pinafore style inspired by the 1940's. It has a set in waistband, a square neckline, a button back with vintage anchor buttons and a ruffled bodice and skirt. I made the pattern in sizes 1 to 5 but have since made some changes to it so I'm not sure if this is the style I'll be listing yet. I have to sew up the other design first.

Below is my inspiration!

This chambray fabric was bought in downtown LA. I need to take another trip down there to find more because I really like chambray. It has a little bit of a work wear feel to it and I like how it balances this otherwise very feminine style. The anchor buttons are vintage but I have plenty more in my stash. Those were a great find. I have so many cool vintage fabrics collecting dust, It's about time I use some of them. I wonder if I will ever get through all of my fabrics in my lifetime.

I woke up very early this morning and went to the flea market where I found lots of bright, vintage 60's and 70's fabric pieces I'm going to make my dresses with. I got an incredible deal and came home with a big pile of small pieces. I'm so excited! Like I need more fabric.

 Our corn is getting so big! Of course it will all ripen at once and we will have it coming out of our ears. Literally.

The set in waistband  requires hand stitching on the inside to look smooth on the outside with no stitch marks. This style takes longer to make. It's one thing I'm wondering about. Do I make something simple but hopefully still cute to keep the cost down or do I make something more detailed and time consuming, then have to charge more? And will people who don't sew understand these little things that drive up the cost of time and labor? I've seen so many extremely low priced baby clothes on Etsy I wonder how the designers can afford to stay in business. As a consumer, I don't expect handmade clothing to cost the same as clothing mass produced in overseas factories. I know it will cost more and I'm OK with that. How do you feel about buying handmade clothes?

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