SLPco Showcase Featuring the Lexi Maxi Dress!
SLPco Showcase is a new series at Simple Life Pattern Company Blog featuring the talented fans and bloggers who create quality garments with our patterns. We are excited to share Kasey’s gorgeous Lexi maxi with you today.
Hi, I’m Kasey! I, like many of you, am a sewing addict and fabric hoarder! I started my own sewing business, Ruby Rue Creations, three years ago and focused mainly on making custom clothing for others. While I still make custom clothing, I discovered that I enjoyed sewing for myself and my family even more! My main focus now is testing patterns, improving my photography skills and trying like mad to keep up with my two kids (who are now 5.5 and 4)! If I’m not sewing, you’ll find me running around at the park with my kids and husband or camping out with friends and neighbors!
As a huge fan of SLPco for some time, I have swooned over all of the beauties that you talented ladies have created. The gorgeous fabric, the strappy sandals, the flowery headbands…I mean, what’s not to love, right?!! I was hooked on the modern designs that were still classic and timeless.
Well, today, I fell in love with Lexi. I’ll just start by saying the entire time I constructed this dress, I secretly hoped it was for me and not my 4 year old! I mean, maxi and pockets…no words!
So when I was asked to sew up Lexi for the Showcase, I was over the moon! I sat down with my 4 year old, Ruby. She has been choosing her own clothes and coming up with specific things for me to sew for her for the last 2 years. I don’t dare make an outfit for her without consulting first! So we sat down together and I shared the options with her. She went straight for the maxi skirt option. I’m guessing it’s because she thinks it makes her look more grown up…you know, like 5 instead of 4!
When I went to the fabric store to choose the fabric, I wanted something bright and colorful to suit Ruby’s boisterous personality! I found the perfect combination, discovered it was on clearance, and ran home to show Ruby! She instantly hugged it and insisted I sew it up immediately! The fabric I chose was a thin quilting cotton that almost had a voile feel to it. I knew it would give the perfect flow that I was looking for without adding a lot of bulk.
The one thing that I love most about knowing how to sew, is that I can make garments for my children that have a custom fit. Ruby is pretty average size, but volleys between 25th-50th % percentile for height and weight. She has a slightly longer torso. So after holding up the patterns to her, I chose to make a size 2 bodice with the straps of the size 3. One tip that I was given before sewing Lexi was to make sure that the straps didn’t pull upwards in the back (it was perfect advice). A tip that I would also offer would be to baste your straps in place along the back bodice. Try the bodice on and then you can make slight adjustments before completing the bodice construction. Also, before sewing on your button at the end, mark the spot for the button and try it on. If it’s too snug or too loose, moving the button is an easy fix!
The only other modification that I made to the pattern was to hem it an extra inch. As I mentioned earlier, Ruby is longer in the torso and shorter in legs! I wanted it to come close to the ground, but not drag. I mean, she’s 4 … she has a lot of running and jumping to do and I didn’t want any tumbles from the length of the dress!
So after those modifications, I ended up with a perfectly fitting dress and a VERY content and proud daughter!
