Sew, Mama, Sew! is hosting a Flower Power Contest . This is right up my alley because I adore sewing and flowers both. It’s a perfect match and a fun contest to join.
My first entry is this pansy ensemble that I made for my daughter. I used an old pattern, copyright 1989, by Simplicity. It’s number 9231.
I love this pattern. I picked it up on a clearance sale back around 1990 when I was still in highschool. I made a number of these sundresses for gifts and now I have the pleasure of making them for my daughter. The pattern fit perfectly last year but this year the bodice didn’t fit quite right so I substituted the bodice pieces with those from a nearly identical, current Butterick 3477. This combination fits her perfectly.
The purse is my own design, reminiscent of the beaded pansy purses that were popular at the turn of the century.
The dress and purse are both made mainly from quilting solids as well as a few patterned scraps of fabric. After making the basic sundress, I drafted a pansy applique and appliqued pansies in a range of purple shades and yellow along the hemline, both front and back. There are 16 pansy appliques total.
The purse is also appliqued, lined and has an attached leaf on the side of the purse strap.
I have included the patterns that I drafted for both the sundress appliques and the pansy purse.
Pansy Outfit.pdf
The directions for the purse are as follows:
1. Cut out fabric using pattern. Additionally, cut the upper petals, two center pieces and lower edge piece out of Stitch Witchery or other material used for applique. Note: all seams are 1/4″.
2. Fuse upper petals, two center pieces and the lower edge piece to the main pansy body to form the front of the purse. Applique raw edges. I used a tight zig zag on my machine for the applique. Using the same zig zag stitch, outline the center most petals of the pansy.
3. With right sides together, sew the purse front and back together leaving the top open (stop at lines on edges of pattern piece). Clip curves.
4. Repeat step 3 with the lining except make sure to leave an opening along the bottom edge for turning as well.
5. Cut a strip of fabric to use for the handle of the purse measuring 3 1/2″ wide x 17″ long. Fold fabric, right sides together, in half length wise and press. Open out strap. Bring raw edges to center fold and press again. Fold in half and edge stitch down both sides.
6. Insert lining into main purse, right sides together, aligning the upper openings. Pin strap on one side, between the lining and main bag, reach into the purse from the other side and grab the other end of the strap and bring it to the side seam and pin. Then stitch around upper opening.
7. Turn purse through opening in bottom of lining. Slip stitch opening.
8. Press purse nicely.
9. With right sides together, sew around the perimeter of the leaf leaving a small opening for turning. Turn, press, edge stitch. When edge stitching, I stretched the fabric a little in order to give the leaf edge a slightly ruffled look. Then using the same tight zig zag as you did for the applique, stitch a vein down the center of the leaf.
10. Attach the leaf to the purse where the strap meets the body of the purse.
11. Hand sew a piece of Velcro at the top of the purse to keep it closed.
It was fun to have an excuse to make another spring/summer outfit for my daughter. Thank you Sew, Mama, Sew! And thank you to my beautiful little model, who was mostly cooperative. She wasn’t entirely happy with her photographer for the whole photo shoot though. Fortunately, Daddy was the photographer, not Mommy!
Check back Thursday or Friday for my second entry!