Simple Shift (Simplicity 4927) and Simple Wrap (Style Arc Kate)

Little sister is busy catching rolly pollies.  That tidbit loves bugs.

 Little girl really loves this fabric found at Joann's a while back.  It has pink poodles on it and I think is a twill- its a little stiff but I'm hoping with a few washes it will soften.  Its Simplcity 4927, an "Its so Easy" pattern.  The pockets are from a vintage pattern and look adorable when made with stripes but I knew she'd prefer the pink with polka dots.   

 I love the A-Line shape of this little dress, its just sweet.  The fit is really good, I used a size 6 (for reference she is almost 7 years old and I can't be bothered to go in the other room and check her chest circumference) with size 7 length.  Turned out a little long but that's better than too short.  The button at the back neckline is a pink cat.  The construction was simple and I think that this is the kind of dress I wish I could get her to wear more often- just so darn sweet. 

Now for the Style Arc Kate dress.  I have needed a basic, simple, knit wrap dress pattern in my pattern stash for a long time but I have completely avoided most of the knit patterns out there because the necklines all look crazy low cut. 
So enter the Style Arc Kate wrap dress.  It comes in three sizes when you order the PDF on Etsy and that sounded good to my ears but the only draw back is the sizes aren't nested so if you have to make size grading changes then you have to tape together a few sizes and lay them on top of each other, arggg.  So needless to say I made a straight up size 8 when technically I should've used a size 10 in the hips.  But it worked fine and I love the result!  The neckline does not plunge and everything stayed in place with the skirt today when I wore it to work.    

 As far as construction, I made the ties longer so I could tie them in the front.  I used a zig zag stitch (just in case I had to pick out stitches) for the entire construction and stabilized the neckline with 3/8 inch clear elastic.  I stabilized the hemline on the skirt and front hems with fusible tricot cut into strips.  The neckline stays in place really nicely and I don't have to pin it together with a safety pin like I do with my store bought wrap dress.   I read a lot of reviews of this pattern on Pattern Review and they all said the pattern was really long so I took about 3 inches off the bottom before I cut out the dress.  I am 5'5" and the length was just right, in fact I probably could've taken only 2 1/2 inches off and that would've been a little better.

 The fabric is from Hancock's fabrics and I think I bought it at 90% off so it was perfect to do a trial run on this pattern.  I don't think this fabric has any spandex or lycra content.  I can see one or two more of these in my future, especially a black one- oh yes that has to happen!  So, if you are looking for a simple to construct, higher neckline wrap dress, this might be the one for you! 

My husband really loves this style on me and I love it too, but I find it intriguing the style dresses that he loves me in versus the ones that I love.  Always a little of a conundrum to me!  But this is the same man who called my palazzo pants, "Hammer time" pants so I take it with a grain of salt!  That man, he keeps me smiling.