When I saw this fabric, I may have let out a deep sigh. It's just so pretty. It’s all my favorite colors in a beautiful floral print. Plus I love wearing brushed cotton! I also knew that my little lady would love it too. A matching set was definitely in order! For me, a Helen’s Closet March top and for the girl a Wren dress by Chalk + Notch.

I had so much fun sewing these two garments! Partly because sewing cotton is such a joy to sew with (especially following my last few slippery projects) and partly because both these patterns are so well thought out. Helen’s Closet and Chalk + Notch are definitely my go to sewing pattern designers these days. I’m often bored by the construction phase of sewing. I’m all about the idea and the finished product, but both designers make the actual sewing process interesting and fun. Every step is so well thought out.

So fabric first! I was literally tempted to just bind the edges and use this fabric as a blanket. It is so cosy! Despite being a cotton twill, this fabric is lightweight and has more drape than I expected. As one would expect from a cotton, it gathered and pressed well. I love a fabric that does what it’s told! I also love that the print features cotton blossoms as well as other little abstract flowers. I am all heart eyes for this color palette! I love how the fabric paired with the patterns I chose.

The Wren blouse and dress is quickly becoming my favorite pattern. I love that it comes in both kids and adult sizes. I’ve now made two for myself and one kids version. The lantern sleeve is so beautiful and the drop waist skirt is such a fun trend. For my little girl version, I went for the dress with the full length lantern sleeve. I have to say my favorite part of sewing this dress was the facing! It’s so cleverly designed. I was really confused, but instead of trying to figure it out my own way, I actually trusted the instructions and it came out so beautifully! The little lady wanted to help at every step and was over the moon when I let her choose the buttons. She chose well!

The March top is a loose fitting dolman top with gathered sleeves in two lengths and two peplum options (there’s a dress too). I opted for the straight peplum and the shorter sleeve. From the line drawing, I thought the March was constructed with princess seams for the square in the front, but it’s actually an interfaced bib laid over the main top. I think this has a very cool effect in a solid fabric, especially if it was some texture, but was kind of lost on my ditsy print and just uses a lot of fabric. Next time I might just do a normal facing since the wrong side of the fabric shows when the tie is open. Again, I think the pattern works best with a solid fabric. Still I really like my top and it was so fun to make. Helen has a way with her instructions where you just feel like she’s in the room with you.

In general I tend to pride myself on my individuality, but when it comes to clothes, I LOVE matching with others. It makes me feel connected to the other person, especially if it’s something I make for them or something we make together. Even though the little lady will quickly outgrow her new dress, we get to wear something together for a while. I’ll treasure it while I can.


Make Breakdown

Pattern: Chalk + Notch Mini Wren Dress (long sleeved dress version)
Size Range: 12 Months - 12 Years (18-29.5”chest)
Fabric & Notions: 1.5 meters Marvella Brushed Cotton + Six 14 millimeter buttons + 0.25 meter interfacing
Design Modifications: None
Fit Alterations: Cut bodice and skirt pieces at size 4 length
Size: 3
Difficulty: Intermediate
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Pattern: Helen’s Closet March Top (straight peplum version)
Size Range: 0-30 (33-58” hip)
Fabric & Notions: 2 meters Marvella Brushed Cotton + 0.5 meters interfacing
Design Modifications: None
Fit Alterations: None
Size: 18
Difficulty: Intermediate

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