Ah the maxi dress! Annie loves them, and I love sewing them for her. A maxi dress on a young girl is such a statement piece. And with fabric as bold as we used for this one, it’s no wonder she’s been wearing it every chance she gets.
For this maxi dress we used the Uptown Downtown Dress pattern by Sew Straight & Gather. We are making the size 10 for Annie this spring. There are so many different options on this pattern that it’s easy to use it over and over again to create a whole flock of dresses! On this one we used the cowl neckline, maxi length, elbow length sleeves, and pockets.
The fabric is one Annie and I both fell in love with in the fall. It’s from Raspberry Creek Fabrics CLUB line, and we love the stripes and flowers together. Even though it’s from their fall line, I think the dress works as a spring and summer dress too.
Annie is growing so fast, I’m not sure it will still fit her in the fall! Or it will probably still fit her around, but might not be maxi length anymore. That won’t stop her from wearing it…she wore this one well after it wasn’t maxi length anymore!
This fabric is no longer available, but here is a fun Art Gallery Fabrics knit with stripes and flowers in similar colors:
Art Gallery Skopelos Jersey Knit Paparounes Crimson Fabric
Or this one in fun, bold colors is also an Art Gallery Fabrics knit with stripes and florals.
Art Gallery Spices Fusion Jersey Knit Paparounes Spices Fabric
I convinced Annie to have a cowl neckline because I wanted to put a more saturated color by her face. She’s so fair, that I knew she could use the pop of color at her face to bring out the pink tones in her cheek. We used some double brushed poly fabric in wine color, and it drapes perfectly for the cowl.
But Annie really is in love with this whole dress, even though she wasn’t convinced about the cowl at first. She thought it might be too hot in summer. I reminded her of this one I’d sewn her with a cowl, and how she’d worn it in hot weather sometimes too.
Of course Annie had to test out the twirl factor as soon as she put it on! It passed with flying colors! The width of the hem at the bottom of the skirt is so generous, that it really makes this maxi dress fun to wear. And twirl!
Leave us a comment, what do you think of stripes and florals together?
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Skirt Fixation 
When will Annie be doing her own sewing? ALL your youngins’ are SEW adorable I can hardly stand it!!! I once wished we lived closer or knew each other better due to being a size zero at one time & had LOTS of clothes & shoes, (in VERY gently used condition), that would’ve prob fit your girls except that they ALL prob have so many inches on me that by the time they fit the britches, they would’ve been high waters if not pedal pushers, clam diggers, whatever y’all call ’em in y’alls neck-o-th-woods!!! I STILL do wish we lived closer cuz I’m pretty sure your newest sewist could prob teach me a thing or two!! I LOVE this dress on Annie & you both have Fabulous taste in fabric as I am such a hound for stripes & flowers on the same bolt! Keep it up Ladies, you’re doing a KNOCKOUT job as far as I can see from here!! LOVE Your Site!!!!
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