Year Of Dresses: Open Back Baby Dress

Hello, Rachel again.  Welcome back to the next installment of Year Of Dresses where I intend to sew a new dress or skirt each week for a year and share it hear with you.  Make sure you come back each week to catch pattern modifications and fun tips and tricks.  We've also made it easy for you to pin this post to Pinterest for easy reference at any time! Hover your mouse over any picture and a big Pinterest logo will pop up, click on it pin this post with that image. Also, if you didn't get a chance to follow me on Bloglovin last week make sure you click through so you never miss a great post about getting more out of your TDD dresses!

This week is for the babies!  I love patterns that are great for everyday play and this one is a definite winner!

Don't get me wrong, I love fancy dresses too, but there aren't as many opportunities to wear them as I like Sweet Pea to be able to play freely most of the time.  Open Back Baby Dress to the rescue.  It is sweet and cute while great for the playground! Not to mention it is an incredibly quick sew.  I can easily whip one of these out after the kids go to bed and still get a full night's sleep myself.

Open Back Baby is ingeniously designed to be fully reversible for two great looks in one dress. Because it is completely lined that also means there are no seams to finish, they are all neatly tucked away inside the layers. I fell in love with my fabric and decided to use muslin for my lining.  I just knew I wouldn't want to hide this fabric!  I love the open back look on babies and toddlers, it is simply sweet.  It is also perfect for showing off a cute Ruffled Diaper Cover.  The clean lines of the Open Back Baby dress makes if my favorite pattern for adding the frills of ruffled diaper cover.

And who ever said frills couldn't be practical? The short length of this 'dress' makes it wonderful for everyday play.  There is no skirt to trip on!

Don't bananas make all toddlers happier models?

You may have noticed those buttons on the back. I chose to add two small 1/2" buttons with button holes instead of a button and elastic loop.

This is very simple to do.  Omit the elastic loop when sewing the main and lining together but otherwise complete the dress as per the pattern.  Then place two buttonholes that begin 1/2" from the edge on the left back piece and align them horizontally with the "corners" of the back.  Sew buttons about 1" from the edge and also aligned with the "corners" on the right back piece.  Because I did not intend for my dress to be reversible I simply sewed the buttons as normal; however, for a reversible dress you will need to use four 1/2" buttons.  When choosing your buttons make sure that they have the same number of holes (2 or 4).  Shank buttons will not well for a reversible dress.  Place your buttons back to back with the dress in between.  You will need to add a spacer between the buttons such as a matchstick, otherwise your buttons will be too tight to fasten.  Attach your buttons then of course remove the matchstick.

Simple as that, your Open Back Baby Dress is ready for playing! Swing, slide, run around, pick some flowers, ride a tricycle!

Not pattern related at all, but who can refuse a shot of these cute little pink toes!

Is your weather not quite warm enough for this summer outfit yet, or as changing as ours here in the Pacific Northwest (seriously, 80 degrees one day and 50 the next...)?  You will be happy to know that the Open Back Baby dress is cute paired with leggings too! Ruffle bum leggings anyone?  I didn't have any, but skinny jeans worked!

 

So go make one, or two, or three!  Get your pattern here if you don't own it already.  They will be staple in your summer wardrobe and easily fit into a busy mom's sewing schedule!

• Sizes 0-24 months
• Beginner level
• Reversible for two looks in one dress
• All enclosed seams
• Instructions for button and loop or buttonholes both included