Swing Trumpet Dress

I made another dress for my girl using the pattern from Ottobre Summer 3/2012 issue on Trumpet Dress.  The pattern is a lined dress with pleats front and back and princess seams on the bodice with gathered shoulder straps. The sizes that is included are for older kids with the smallest size at 128cm so that's is just nice for my 8 year old.

I love the fit of the dress and I think the lining pattern piece will fit well as a dress on its own.  I use Aqua Tree and Swing fabric from Michael Miller for the shell and some grey cotton fabric as lining. It's very pretty and I regret only getting 2 yards from Fabricworm.  I also use the grey fabric for the waistband and the fake piping along the princess seams.

The instruction was really bare minimum like all Ottobre pattern so I had to think hard at some point, especially on the part of sewing the straps and turning the lining etc. In the end, I think it would be easier to sew only one end of the gathered strap to the bodice and then attach the other ends after you have turned the lining insides. Similar to what the Cambie's instruction on sewing the strap. I like the strap as it really reminds me of my cambie.

I also had trouble sewing the pleats as I accidentally fold the pleats into the seam allowance and had to unpick the seams twice in order to sew in the zipper.  I totally give up sewing the pleats for the lining and went for a quick gathering instead. It was just as nice and much faster, imho. But the pleats are very nice with the split in the front middle and the side seams as well as just below the 2 princess seams. Makes it very twirly.

I think the princess seams are also flattering for skinny girl like mine.  She didn't get  a chance to wear it yet as I'm thinking maybe this Sunday she can wear to church.  Until then, here's the back view. So pretty don't you think? Pity it doesn't come in smaller size cause my younger one kept saying "where's mine? not fair!" : (

Updated with photos of my girl in the dress.