Canadian blog hop featuring Pollywoggles

Pollywoggles Cecily Dress sewn by Lulu & Celeste

First off, I just want to say

Happy Canada Day!!

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It’s so much fun being a part of blog tours, and since this one celebrates all sewing things Canadian I was extra happy to be taking part.

Disclaimer: I was provided with Cecily pattern for free from Pollywoggles. Thank you! All opinions are my own of course.

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The Cecily dress is such a sweet dress. I wish I had gotten better (and more!) photos of it but unfortunately I had chosen 6-year-old Silly Bean as my model and oddly she’s less cooperative than her nearly-3-year-old sister Miss V. But it was her turn to have something made for her as I had just finished a dress for Miss V.

Pollywoggles Cecily Dress sewn by Lulu & Celeste

The pattern features full circle skirt and a tie back (which you can see in the photo below). It comes in sizes 12-18 months all the way up to size 10. The circle skirt provides maximum twirl, while the tie back and elastic back waist allows for easy dressing!

I love how the dress turned out!

I had the hardest time choosing fabrics. I wanted something floral and sweet with pink, because Silly Bean loves flowers and pink of course! I decided to go out of my comfort zone and I actually mixed prints! Usually I stick to a single fabric or at the very least use fabrics from the same collection that coordinate. I used Emma’s Garden from Clothworks for the main skirt in the tan colourway. For the sash I upcycled fabric from an old shirt, and the top pink fabric is a lightweight fabric from my stash. The pink is somewhat see-through and has slightly more see-through dots so I double layered the front bodice.

Pollywoggles Cecily Dress sewn by Lulu & Celeste

Fun detail: this dress can be made reversible! I contemplated doing that but it took me far too long to decide on the fabrics for one side, ha. If it’s made reversible all the seams are hidden!

Modifications made:

I sewed a size 5 bodice to a size 6 length skirt (keeping the waist opening of the 5). I also added an extra layer to the front bodice, but treated it as one layer by basting two front bodices together. Also, since I didn’t make it reversible the suggestions are to add a bias trim but I instead did a narrow hem. I basically did method #1 in this post by By Hand London.

Final thoughts:

The pattern was a little tricky, I would say it’s geared for intermediate sewists. Attaching the skirt to the bodice is a teensy bit tricky but it’s not super difficult. Getting the circle skirt evenly attached to the waistband was a bit tricky as well.

Honestly, the pictures don’t do this dress justice. It is so pretty in person! I definitely recommend this Pollywoggles pattern if you have some girly girls who love to twirl to sew for! 🙂

Hey did I mention there was a giveaway? Well, there is just scroll on down a little bit more!

Since this is a Canada Day celebration and all, you should check out the Canadian Flag inspired Maple Leaf Mug Rug I shared last year that was based on my Maple Leaf Mug Rug tutorial.

Canadian Flag Mug Rug

Also, if you want to learn about other Canadian pattern designers you should read the interviews I did last year HERE.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Canada Day 2016 Blog Hop Schedule

Be sure to visit each of these brilliant blogs this week for more on our
outstanding Canadian designers and suppliers:

And, of course, to enter our giveaway for some sweet-like-maple-syrup prizes.

June 24: The Tour Starts HERE at Happy Okapi

June 25: Celine guest posts on Happy Okapi; Marsha @ Seam of my Pants

June 26: Fiona @ Tangled Blossoms Designs; Carla @ Half Dozen Daily

June 27: Sherry @ Thread Riding Hood; Reece @ Happy Okapi

June 28: Nicky guest posts on Seam of my Pants

June 29: Daniela @ On the Cutting Floor; Reece @ Happy Okapi

June 30: Michelle @ Michelle’s Creations

Canada Day–June 31*: Ula @ Lulu & Celeste

July 2: Marsha @ Seam of my Pants

July 3: Keshia @ Sand Dollar Design Studio

July 4: Wrap Up @ Happy Okapi

July 6: Giveaway winners announced

* Yes, we know!


 Head on over the Happy Okapi for discount codes that some of the sponsors have provided the tour!

Lulu&Celeste signature

Canadian Pattern Designer blog tour: What I’ve Made

Ok, so originally my goal was to make one pattern from each of the designers on the tour. But then hubby lost his job and I needed to work full-time for a few months so I barely had a chance to sew (especially since on my days off, Miss V would be sooooo clingy). I went back to working part-time at the beginning of June so I’ve had a bit more free time, but working on this tour took up a lot of my me time so I didn’t have a chance to sew too much.

I did however, manage to sew up the Starfish shorts from Gracious Threads.

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Continue reading “Canadian Pattern Designer blog tour: What I’ve Made”

Tour Stops: Sew Far North and AmandaRose

 

First up we have AmandaRose with a cute Ponderosa dress:

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I love how she played around with the pattern and got her daughter involved with designing the dress! Go check it out here.

Here are the other stops on the E&E tour:

June 25: Sprouting JubeJube – June 27: Mae & K

And don’t forget to read the interview and enter the giveaway here! There’s a discount code too good until tomorrow night, so you don’t want to miss out on that either!

Today is also the last stop on the Closet Case Files tour! Check out the pretty Nettie that Patricia of Sew Far North made:

 

 

 

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She did an amazing job! Go read her post 🙂

Did you miss one of the other reviews? Here they are below:

Gloria June  –  Rebel & Malice

Since it’s the last day of the Closet Case Files tour you don’t want to miss out on entering the giveaway!