Free Penny play suit turns knit dress

Frances Suzanne are the organizers of "Flip this pattern". I love the concept, everybody who is sewing along starts with the same pattern but you are encouraged to tweak it in your own way. I have seen very creative and inspirational results, but I have never sewed along yet. This month is "Free for all month", which means that there is not one pattern, but every free pattern or tutorial out there. This was a month that I had to participate in.

The pattern I chose to flip is the Penny play suit from Shwin & Shwin. I love the curved arch contrasting two different fabrics. The lines of the Penny play suit resemble the line of the Meggie Mae dress (designed by one of the Shwin sisters). The dress has covered shoulders but you do not have to sew sleeves. The Penny play suit is a free one size pattern. The pattern is supposed to suit a 12-18 month year old. The pattern is intended to have the upper arch in woven fabric and the lower part in jersey.

I flipped this pattern into a dress for my middle daughter. Knits require a bit tighter pattern than wovens and I guessed that the Penny play suit 12/-18 month woven top would approximately fit my three and a half year old in knit. I was almost right, it wasn't approximately, the fit was spot on. I put the top piece on the Princess Castle pattern (Ottobre 3/2013) that I used earlier this week and it fitted exactly, mental high five to self.

I turned the pants part into a skirt part by combining the upper arch of the trousers with the skirt part of the Princess Castle dress. Finding the right angle was a bit of a challenge but it worked out. I omitted the zipper because this is not a necessity with knits. I lined the bodice part with the same knit. I added the side seam pockets from the Fawn Lily dress and I also used the folding technique I learned when making that dress to neatly finish armholes and neckline in case of not using a split back piece.

I constructed the dress for 90 percent with my lock, only the bottom hem and gathering was done with my sewing machine (I know I could gather with my lock, but I prefer to do it one my sewing machine). I did not gather over the entire arch, I left a few centimeters ungathered on both sides. The gathering is great for my toddler (decreasing) remaining baby belly. For the hem I used my double needle with two different color thread for the bottom hem.

The fabrics are both from the frog prince line of Lillestof, so no creative pairing there. The hair piece I crocheted two years ago but is not usually worn because it is a bit heavy.

When I made the first pictures my daughter was holding is a very awkward position, then I realized she had seen big brother photo shoot and wanted the same picture as he had got. She tried to put her plush toy on her shoulder herself.

I love to hear what you think of my creations. Feel free to leave a comment in the language you prefer (although Google translate might have to assist me if you choose something different than English, German, Dutch or Hungarian).