Indigo Ikat Dress {A-Z Series, "I"} - The Ribbon Retreat Blog

Welcome back to our super crafty and super creative series where we are celebrating nothing but the alphabet ALL month long! I feel smarter already, and we are only on the letter “I”! I never new learning my A, B, C’s could be so much fun! Today, the fabulous liZ from Simple Simon and Company is teaching us all about the letter “I” with an ADORABLE little model and fun little Ikat dress! Ok, class…the bell is ringing and it’s time to take roll, so take a seat and let’s get started!! Enjoy!

Hello!

I am liZ, one of the two Elizabeth sister-in-laws, that blog over at Simple Simon and Company and I am so happy to be here at The Ribbon Retreat again.

(We LOVE it here!!! So many great ideas and fun people…if only we could turn this delightful place on the internet into a delightful place in real life that would be HEAVEN…..)

For this series I was given the Letter “I” and had so much fun thinking of all the “I” related things I could make but finally decided on an Indigo Ikat:

The ikat print that I chose is part of Joel Dewberry’s Botanique line, and you can find it HERE.

(I just love it!)

I thought it looked young, fun, and playful…without looking juvenile.

(Grace after all will be a sophisticated first grader this year 🙂 )

So with the indigo ikat in hand I did what I love to do….mix something modern with something vintage to get a garment that is fun to look at and wear!

For this dress I used a vintage pattern with a high waist and a slightly gathered but not too full skirt.

Vintage patterns are my FAVORITE! The fit is usually terrific and the designs are to die for. (My favorite vintage patterns to use are from the 50’s and 60’s, and I find them down at my local thrift store for less than a dollar!)

And then paring those great patterns with a fresh modern fabric like this one gives your child something they can feel happy about wearing.

If you’ve never sewn with a vintage pattern before or if sewing clothing in general makes you nervous you can check out this post: How to Read A Pattern and it can get you started!

And once you get started….you’ll never look back!

So there it is….my Indigo Ikat back to school dress all ready for the first day of school.

Now all I have to do is figure out how I’m going to let my Grace go away from me all day.

Maybe my “I” should have stood for “I don’t know how I’m going to let her go!” or “I can’t believe school is going to start so soon!”.

Thank you again to The Ribbon Retreat for inviting us over here today. We always love to hang out with you!

-liZ

Isn’t that dress way too cute? I have always wanted to grab my own vintage pattern and turn into a modern marvel just like this little beauty! However, I don’t know about you, but vintage patterns can sometimes seem a little intimidating but with the help of this talented lady, reading a pattern and creating a gorgeous garment, becomes fun and a fabulous hobby!

Thank you liZ for sharing this adorable project with us!! For more incredible, I mean incredible, tutorials by this lovely lady and her fabulous sister-in-law, make sure to visit them at Simple Simon and Company!

There is almost nothing more that I love to dress my little lady in than a super cute and playful dress or skirt. I love her chubby legs and how absolutely adorable she looks prancing, dancing and bouncing around in them. Here are a few more cute, cute, cute dresses and skirts that are perfect for your little girl’s Back to School wardrobe…