Wedding season is upon us, and whether you're making dresses for the flower girls, or just making something for your little one to wear, there are a LOT of choices out there! Almost every little girl loves something that is twirly AND frilly, so today we have a review of Maddie's Dress by Lily Bird Studio! Use Code PRMADDIE, for 50% OFF until May 9th. JaNette and Erica have sewn it up and critiqued it, so I'll turn it over to them!

Hi everyone! I recently made Maddie’s dress from Lily Bird Studio. I’m so glad that this pattern got an update recently. It now goes up to size 10! This is one of those classy types of dresses that is simple but sweet. Perfect special occasion dress! It features a 3 layer circle skirt, sash, and a simple bodice with a 4 button back closure.

I chose silky, lightweight fabric this time. This type of fabric can be difficult to sew but the pattern offers several options to finish the hem. I like the look of a folded over hem, so that is what I chose this time, but I want to go back and try one of the rolled hem options. I like that you can use a regular sewing machine for the specialty hems and don’t have to have a serger. The sash is sewn in the dress at the seam of the skirt and bodice, so just remember to pin that out of the way and you shouldn’t have any problems. I gave this an Intermediate rating because of the type of material used can be tricky to work with. But I also believe an adventurous beginner could be successful too! Overall, I enjoyed sewing this and it took me a few hours from start to finish.

Until next time,
JaNette

Hi, I'm Erica from Lollipops & Paisley. I have always loved Lily Bird Studio patterns for their attention to details. When offered a chance to review the new Maddie’s Dress, I couldn't wait! I bought the original Maddie’s Dress some time ago but have yet to find the right occasion to sew one.

Maddie’s Dress by Lily Bird Studio features layers of lightweight fabric to create a fancy dress for parties, bridal wear or maybe a special event. Sized from 1 year to 10 year, this pattern hits the flower girl range perfectly. This one is definitely for the intermediate and above skill level, or a very adventurous beginner because of the fabrics suggested for the skirt layers; crepe, chiffon, georgette, organza, tulle, etc. or any other light weight fabric. I don't know about you, but the first time I worked with chiffon, it had me calling my machine a very bad name. The same goes for tulle...

This dress is elegant, so I went with crepe backed satin for the bodice and chiffons for the layers and sash. I love the drape and how the circle skirts make this dress elegantly twirly. Whether you have a standard width fabric or 60" wide fabric, the pattern does a wonderful job of explaining how to alter your circle cut to get the desired piece. Lily Bird Studio thinks of everything when she writes her patterns. When you follow her instructions, you press open all seams and create a fully enclosed bodice. She even includes a how to guide for tying a bow!

Even if you don’t have a serger, this pattern has detailed instructions to finish those skirt layers with multiple finished looks. I chose to leave the fishing line of of my rolled hem for a more gentle wave. If you have never done any of these hemming techniques, she has wonderful explanations with pictures at the end of the pattern. The most important thing to remember is to take your time. This is not a quick "I forgot about that tea party birthday this afternoon" sew, but it's well worth the time it does take! So head over to Lily Bird Studio and check out the revised Maddie’s Dress along with all her other patterns!