rainbows & wildflowers. the edelweiss blog tour

Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links.  And while I did get the Edelweiss dress pattern for free, all the opinions are completely my own.

Greetings all! I hope your summer is going well!  I was asked to be a part of a fantastic blog tour by { affiliate links} Adrianna of the Crafterhours girls and Hey June Patterns for her latest pattern: the Edelweiss dress.  The pattern includes two options for styling: a dress or a tunic.  I thought how fun would it be to do a tunic for a change!  Seems like I'm always making dresses!  Also, Adrianna is one of the funniest, sweetest people on the blogisphere and I heart her very much!

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I love blog tours.  As opposed to testing patterns, where you really shouldn't stray from the original so that the pattern maker can see how their pattern itself looks, blog tours allow your to push the boundaries of the pattern (if you so choose).  And comeon guys, you know I'm all about boundary pushin'!  

My process is not one that obeys logic.  Sometimes, it sparks from something I see on Pinterest or inspired by other fellow bloggers and then I sketch out to transform it to make it my own.  I frequently combine things and almost always sketch grandiose ideas that I have no idea if they are going to work.  Sometimes, I just think strictly about what would be fun for the girls, and then sometimes I just get a spark.  A detail.  Something I feel compelled to try, regardless of whether or not it will actually work.  And frequently I have fails, I am going to be completely honest about that!  

And every time I get started I always sit back, look at my drawing and think, "Boy this'll be badass if I can pull this off!" and then, "Welp, here goes nothin'...!"

blowing kisses and general silliness

So, why am I ranting?  Well because after all the ideas that I slashed and added, the one that inspired my Edelweiss was swirls.  Giant swirls.  As a kid, some people draw doodles of hearts or stars or words, but me?  I drew/draw spirals when I daydream.  Always have.  So I Pinterested spirals and came up nada on my idea.  Ha.  That happens so much to me so I braced myself for a true challenge that I had no idea if it would work.

So, spirals though.  How do I perfectly display them for the Edelweiss?  I came to the immediate solution that I would have to draft a circle skirt to fit the bodice.  Circles and spirals?  That was a no brainer!  But I found two fabrics I loved I ended up piecing the skirt and well, um, adding inseam pockets of course.  I am compelled to add pockets to almost all the things.  And when I don't add pockets, I end up cringing and making a pocket bracelet or something.

The bodice was tricky.  I figured it would be a neat change of pace if I changed up the whole thing but kept the original plan (if that makes sense.)  I eliminated the ruffles.  And I am a sucker for a sweetheart bodice so I redrafted from the original pattern to make one.  

Also, funny note, I made the bodice in the 2T size and the tunic skirt in a 5T... for my almost 6 year old.  I have a rule:  I do not test things for Azriella.  She is not my tester kid!  Her sizing is so off that it makes her a horrible candidate for testing!  Sephira, fortunately, is an average sized kid, so at least I don't miss out on testing altogether! The biggest mistake I see (and have fallen victim to in the past) is when people make things in a size to big for their child because their measurements are out of proportion with the standard sizing that patterns are made.  Remember when I made the Nyan Cat Scirocco Dresses (by Figgy's)?  Azriella and Sephira both had a bodice of 18months!  And yes, I am accounting for ease!  It makes me laugh when I think about the fact that, aside from height, Azriella and Sephira are in the same pattern size (and Sephira will just be 2 on the 5th!)  So there.  My notes on sizing.  

The 2T fits her like a dream!  I did, however, have to make one more adjustment when marking the strap placement.  I am always wary about strap lengths because kids grow at such different rates.  I pinned where they were supposed to be on the back pieces and then fitted them to custom placements while trying the bodice on Azriella.  That way I knew they wouldn't be wonky or angled or too long.  They were toooooooo long... like 4" on each side!  No big deal!  Just a little snip snip!  Then I baked up some little glitter buttons and attached the skirt!  

Oh!  The spirals! I almost forgot!  So, I drew some two inch wide spirals freehand on some freezer fabric the cut it out on folded fabric.  Then I did a different design in the other color.  Then, the gut-wrenching part, I tested to see if they would fit on the skirt.  I had already checked with the paper spirals but you never know till you see them all together, right?!  Once I messed with it enough, I used a boatload of Pellon (no I am sponsored by them, but they make a damn fine Fusible Web that you can buy by the yard) and backed all four spirals.  Then the exhilarating and nerve-wracking part, fingers crossed, I ironed (pressed) those bad boys down directly to the skirt.  Finished it up with some contrast zig-zagging and voila!  Giant spiral floral Edelweiss.  I am completely in love with this tunic!  It is perfect to me.  And Azriella loves it too!  

I had originally planned to add an ensy weensy envelope clutch like I had done for this outfit but this time attaching it to the bodice, but as I choose the rad red vintage waxed cotton for the clutch I didn't feel it looked appropriate on the dress itself.  But it sure makes an adorable bracelet compliment to the tunic I think!

I definitely recommend this pattern!  There are so many ways to expand and customize it and I hope that I and the rest of the tour alongers inspired you to buy and create your own fantastic Edelweiss!  

Thanks Adrianna for asking me to be a part of your sweet tour!  Such an honor!!!

Until next time!