Seven Dwarves Dress

Today while going through a pile of sheets, I found these - the seven dwarves (minus Snow White). I had them when I was a kid, and then my sister had them and then they moved to the extra bedroom and were forgotten. Forgotten till I was in there one day and decided that a quilt made from childhood sheets was something I just needed to make. But I didn't really need the whole sheet for that, so the rest was set aside and when I found it today I knew I had to give it life.

It's perfect to make something for Helena, but I wasn't sure what. Then I found this dress that I already know fits her well.

So far, sewing patterns have only failed me, so this time I just used the dress as a guide. I cut out a front and a back, hemmed the bottoms, and added a backing to the front of the dress (it's almost see through in the light). I used an old receiving blanket for the backing. Then I sewed it together inside out and viola.

Then she woke up from her nap and Richard and I tried it on her and it wouldn't go over her head. D'oh! Back to the lab. I ripped out a shoulder seam, hemmed both edges, added a button and made a buttonhole.

And then it fit!

Closeup of the button...

There are Barbie sheets from the same quilt project itching to be made into one of these, but I think next time I'll put backing on the whole thing.