Tried and Tested: The Sally Dress by Shannon Cook of Luvinthemommyhood!

Well hey there!  Yep, I took a vacation.  It was fairly uneventful and full of naps :)  In short, it was BLISS.

My girls go back to school next week, so there has been a flurry of back to school sewing going on here, including some pattern testing.  I was one of the lucky few picked to test Shannon Cook's adorable new pattern, The Sally Dress.  I've been a huge fan of Shannon's for a long time, and was so thrilled to test this sweet dress for her!

(photo credit: Amanda Buechler Photography)

  I really can't say enough good things about this pattern.  The construction is great - my favorite part are the perfectly finished seams - great when you don't own a serger or for kiddos who don't like raw edges rubbing against their skin.  The fit is slightly retro, and the big pockets are fabulous for holding treasures :)

I made two Sally dresses - one in a 6 and one in an 8 and the fit was great on both of my (skinny) girls.  The 6 is a little roomy on my teeny tiny 6 year old, so I think it's probably true to size.

 

 My girls love the twirl factor of this dress, and I love that it's a great, classic dress.  The pockets make it fun, and I think the shape of the neckline is just adorable on little girls.  I think it would be super cute in corduroy or chambray for the fall, and even velvet for a winter dress.  And of course, this would be heavenly in a nice voile for eyelet for summertime. 

 

 I really like the way the bodice comes together.  All of the edges are encased in the lining, which is a really nice feature.  I chose to make sleeveless dresses, but I have the longer sleeved version cut and ready to sew for my oldest...stay tuned for those pictures! 

Want to get your hands on your own Sally Dress pattern?  You can purchase here or on Shannon's shop.  And don't forget to check out her blog this week for more pictures from all of the other testers.

Thank you again, Shannon!  What a fun dress to sew!

The facts:
Pattern: The Sally Dress by Shannon Cook
Size Tested: Girls' 6 and 8
Fabric used: The floral and geometric print are from Millie's Closet by Riley Blake, and the red chevron is Riley Blake too.  I lined with the bodice with white muslin since that's what my girls prefer.
Thoughts: This is a great dress pattern for an experienced beginner.  I like the fact that you don't need to finish the seams - they are all encased!  I didn't do the sleeve option on this test, but have since sewn one up and the fit is great on that option as well.  I do wish that the pattern went to a 10 or 12, but it will be easy to figure out the measurements for that as my girls get bigger.