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Saturday, July 2, 2011

Gigi's Circus Dress: Using Quilting Cottons






Last year when I got back into sewing I became crazy about quilting cottons. Since then I've realized that quilting cottons are really lousy to make clothing with. Although they come in great prints and I'm crazy about color and prints, they are stiff as cardboard and have terrible draping qualities. Unfortunately I bought a lot of it thinking I would grow a kids clothing empire and sell my creations on Etsy. As many of you know, selling on Etsy isn't as easy as it sounds. There my fabric sits, taking up a big plastic bin. So I have been trying to use it up by making aprons, headbands, and things for Gigi.
I call this dress Gigi's Circus Dress because I think she looks like a little clown in it. We went to Circus Vargas in Ventura last week and took some photos there. Gigi never stops moving and isn't much of a smiler but that's part of her charm. She is a tough little gal!  She turned two last month. I don't think she is a particularly small child but according to McCall's Pattern Company she wears a size 1 year. So I sewed up the size 1 according to her measurements and it was still HUGE on her. I had to safety pin the back  because the neckline was SO large. I think a size 9 months would have probably fit better. And I KNOW she is not the size of your average nine month old!
McCall's what is up with all your added ease? Do I have to make a muslin for a baby dress? I won't give you this pattern number because I can't find the envelope and I think it was a disaster, although anything looks cute on a toddler. Seriously! OK, enough with my rant.
Have a great sewing weekend!
I"m off to pick up some dining chairs I bought at a second hand shop. I'm planning on painting them with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. This month I will be doing lots of home DIY projects. Things have been getting a little worn around here and it's time to spruce things up. 
We also are going out back now to pick our first batch of nectarines to make some nectarine jam.
So I would love to hear how YOU feel about using quilting cottons for clothing you make. Do you enjoy working with it or not?

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11 comments:

  1. Super cute. Love the clours.
    I'm a sucker for the colours and prints of quilting cottons.

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  2. Cute little dress. Great colors.

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  3. What a sweet dress. I once made a top from quilting cotton for a friend that had three ruffles on it - never again! Ruffles and quilting cotton, what a bad combination. I made the top again in a lighter fabric and the ruffles were so much easier , plus they hang better. This a link to the original top http://minnado.blogspot.com/2009/10/it-took-so-longsimplicity-2599.html

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  4. So cute! Jealous of your sewing skills! I have a hard time sewing a straight line! :) Lovely blog, stopping by from SITS

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  5. It a gorgeous dress! I am quilting cotton (yesterday I made a pillow out of jean (cotton right?)
    soon i will post it on my blog

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  6. You make lovely dresses. Following you.Visit my blog when you find time.
    http://thendralscraft.blogspot.com

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  7. I use quilting cottons a lot. I love that their 100% cotton (especially for summer) and there is such a range of colors and prints to work with.

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  8. It looks like a great dress for an active toddler, but I empathise with you both on the quilting cottons (so many attractive prints...) AND on the pattern sizing - I've had similar Big 4 problems with toddler patterns, but happily BurdaStyle and Ottobre are more realistic with their sizing.

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  9. The dress looks great! I must admit I haven't tried quilting fabrics for clothes - sounds like something to avoid perhaps! (although the end result looks wonderful!)

    I would love if you came over and linked this project to my weekly Round Tuit party at:
    http://jembellish.blogspot.com/
    Have a great week!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success

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  10. Those have to be some of the cutest pictures ever! That dress is just too adorable on her.

    I fell into that trap with quilting cottons when I first started sewing. They are way too tempting!

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