A Very 5 & 10 Christmas

Who’s up for one last Christmas post?  I’m finally getting around to showing you the dresses I made for my girls this year.  Luckily they’re not very Christmassy.  I didn’t want to spend the time making three dresses that would only be good for one month out of the year, especially since all the girls suddenly grew out of all their dresses.  Why do they keep doing that?I used the 5 & 10 Designs volume 1 pattern for all the dresses.  I planned on making all of them a different style, since this fun pattern includes 10 different styles, but I ended up sewing them up factory style and it was just easier to make them all the same.  I fell in love with this colorblocked look back when the pattern first came out and I’m so happy I finally got around to making it.  Colorblocking never disappoints.  I had intended to use colors that at least gave a nod to Christmas, but I was forced to pick from the solids available at my local shop.  I ended up doing a play on primary colors with fuchsia, cobalt, and gold.  I think it’s a fun bold statement, and each color matches each girls’ personality so well.  My 5 yr old did mention something about not wanting to wear pink anymore though, which passed as quickly as it took her to put on the dress, but did cause raised eyebrows.

I can’t say enough about this pattern.  It does include 10 totally different variations on one bodice pattern, but the possibilities are so much more than that.  Once you see what these 5 crazy talented ladies have come up with, you’ll be inspired to put your own twist on things too.  A blank bodice pattern in sizes 12 months – 10 years is kinda like sewing gold.  I made sizes 2, 4, and 6 for my just turned 2, 5, and 7 year olds.  The bodice fits generously, so you’ll get plenty of wear out of it.  I did extend the skirts on the two bigger sizes since they seem to just grow vertically these days.

These were actually the 3rd, 4th, and 5th 5 and 10 dresses I made.  Earlier in December I was commissioned by someone locally to make two for the daughters of a missionary family.  Of course I didn’t photograph them before sending them off, so you’ll just have to take my word for it.  I included the cap sleeves and the peter pan collar that are part of the pattern for them.  The only change I made when it came time to sew these three was to draw the cap sleeve into the bodice to save myself some steps.  You can do it either way and it works great.  Keeping the sleeve cap separate means you can use a contrasting fabric though.

5 and 10 Designs now includes a free supplemental sleeve pattern so you can also sew up some short,  3/4, or long sleeves on this bodice.  I’ll regretfully be using that next year when I’m forced to grapple with the depressing and inevitable season of winter again.  For now, we’re enjoying year-round use of these dresses while we can.

If you don’t have it yet, go grab your own copy of the 5 and 10 Designs Volume 1 Pattern.  You’ll never regret having such a versatile resource at your hands when inspiration strikes.  I was given the pattern to review, but all opinions are, and always will be, my own.