Ah, the holidays…that lovely time of year when we all make pretty dresses and then wear them twice before relegating them back to the dart recesses of the closet.
Admittedly, I don’t usually make holiday dresses for my daughter and myself each year for exactly that reason. But when I had the opportunity to feature the Love Notions Bluezette dress (affiliate link), I decided to break my non-sewing December tradition!
The lovely thing about the Bluezette dress (affiliate link) is that it’s simple enough and comfy enough that once the holidays are over, they can go straight into the closet rotation. Particularly for N, who is certain to have grown out of this dress by the time December rolls around again next year, that is always a prime consideration when I’m choosing a pattern.
N’s dress is the basic sleeved bodice. I wanted a skater dress look for her to mirror my own dress. So rather than using the included gathered skirt, I swapped it out for the Skater Skirt (affiliate link). That modification was easy peasy and the dress went together really nicely.
I chose a forest green velvet for her dress. I knew it would be both festive and look amazing with her hair. I’ve never worked with velvet before, so I did a bit of googling to figure out how to finish and hem it. As I learned, velvet requires a hand-stitched finish. So I spent an evening sitting in the front of the TV hand stitching the hems on her dress. Luckily it turned out really well and she loves how soft it is!
My dress is the Ladies Bluezette in the sleeveless, banded view with a circle skirt. I cut the slimmer bodice since I don’t care for a blousy fit. In this view, the Bluezette is a basic skater dress. Like most skater dresses, it went together in nothing flat! And I made it even easier on myself by skipping the lining and using the facing pieces as bands. The finished look is a little more casual, but I don’t mind that at all.
The fabric on this dress was a real b&#$% to work with! It’s a stretch suede and it brought static cling to a whole new level. I managed to tame it to the point that the dress is wearable through a combination of safety pins on the hem, keeping it on a metal hanger, and liberally applying lotion all over my legs and underwear where the dress was sticking.
But ultimately I like it quite a bit. The fabric is interesting, the color is good, and I really like the fit and drape of the skirt. Which I left unhemmed, by the way. Because I just couldn’t be bothered 🙂
How to make the add-on into a topper:
I also took the free add-on bodice pieces and used them to make myself a coordinating topper! This hack was so ridiculously easy that it almost feels wrong to call it a “hack.” To make this topper, I simply extended the center front of the front bodice piece by about 1 inch and cut two front pieces.
I attached the front pieces to the back and then attached the sleeves per the pattern instructions. To finish the edges, I simply turned them all under and topstitched them down. I’m not a fast sewist, but I doubt it took me more than an hour from start to finish on this one.
N and I will get to wear our new holiday dresses on at least three occasions this year — to two versions of the Nutcracker ballet, and to Christmas Eve Mass. I think she’s pretty happy with our “mommy-and-me” dresses too.
And of course little brother just couldn’t be left out of the pictures. But I can’t object to such a cute little photo bomber!
The Bluezette is on sale today only, so be sure to pick up your copy here (girls) or here (ladies)!
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Pianoforte Jumper
$12.50 -
Sale!
Barrington Boxy Tee
Original price was: $12.50.$5.00Current price is: $5.00. -
Sale!
Sew a Knit Tee Course
Original price was: $25.00.$0.00Current price is: $0.00. -
Men’s Band Camp Shirt
$12.50 -
Band Camp Shirt
$12.50 -
Timbre Peasant Top & Dress
$12.50 -
Clearwater Summer Essentials
$12.50 -
Chorus Top and Dress
$12.50 -
Crescendo Jeans
$12.50 -
Treble Clef Coat
$10.50 -
Bass Clef Coat
$12.50 -
Aurora Tunic and Dress
$12.50 -
Clef Coat
$12.50 -
Encore Skirt
$12.50 -
Frankie Polo
$12.50 -
Sideline Sweatshirt and Hoodie
$10.50 -
Tailgate Sweatshirt and Hoodie
$12.50 -
Largo Cargos
$12.50 -
Octave Coat Course
$25.00 -
Tinley Shorts, Skirt, and Skort
$12.50 -
Juliet Top
$12.50 -
Lenox Top and Dress
$12.50 -
Duet Trousers Course
$25.00 -
Coda Quilted Coat
$12.50 -
Metra Blazer Course
$25.00 -
Legato Jeans
$12.50 -
Legato Jeans Course
$25.00 -
Saltwhistle Top and Dress
$12.50 -
Kids’ Tempo Sundress
$10.50 -
Aria Button Down Shirt, Tunic & Dress
$12.50 -
Aria Button Down Course
$25.00 -
Men’s Thomas Track Pants
$12.50 -
Lincoln Top
$12.50 -
Fraser Cardigan
$12.50 -
Sale!
Arlington Sweater
Original price was: $12.50.$5.00Current price is: $5.00. -
Tempo Sundress
$12.50 -
Metra Blazer
$12.50 -
Kids’ Compose Robe
$10.50 -
Compose Robe
$12.50 -
Breckenridge Henley
$12.50 -
Girls’ Sunday Romper
$10.50 -
Ladies’ Sunday Romper
$12.50 -
Vivace Dolman
$12.50 -
Octave Coat
$12.50 -
Men’s Game Day Jersey
$12.50 -
Ladies’ Game Day Jersey
$12.50 -
Kids’ Game Day Jersey
$10.50 -
Sprint Muscle Shirt
$10.50 -
Melody Dolman
$12.50 -
Summer Basics Tank & Dress
$12.50 -
Sale!
Teaching license
$46.50 – $875.00 -
Gift Card
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Dolce Dress
$10.50 -
Dockside Men’s Henley & Polo
$12.50 -
Resolution Bottoms
$12.50 -
Ladies’ Tranquil Nightwear Collection
$12.50 -
Girls’ Tranquil Nightwear Collection
$10.50 -
North Star Hoodie & Pullover for Men
$12.50 -
Constellation Hoodie & Pullover
$12.50 -
Navigator Pullover
$10.50 -
Serenity Sweater
$12.50 -
Sale!
Girls’ Classic Tee
Original price was: $10.00.$5.00Current price is: $5.00. -
Duet Trousers
$12.50 -
Ravinia Skirt
$12.50 -
Driftwood Henley & Polo Shirt
$10.50 -
Sale!
Classic Tee Shirt
Original price was: $10.00.$5.00Current price is: $5.00. -
Sale!
Girls & Doll Pattern Collection
Original price was: $18.00.$10.80Current price is: $10.80. -
Doll Swing Dress
$0.00 -
Doll Peanut Vest
$0.00 -
Doll Everyday Playdress
$0.00 -
Sonata Dress
$12.50 -
Kayak Boardshorts
$10.50 -
Harmony Blouse
$12.50 -
Presto Tunic
$12.50 -
Thomas Track Pants
$10.50 -
Rockford Raglan
$12.50 -
Acorn Vest with doll pattern
$10.50 -
Oakley Vest
$12.50 -
Sloane Sweater for Girls
$10.50 -
Forte Top & Dress
$12.50 -
Cadence Dress & Top
$12.50 -
Allegro Bottoms
$12.50 -
Rhapsody Blouse & Dress
$12.50 -
Olympia Dress
$12.50 -
Prisma Dress
$10.50 -
Terra Tunic
$12.50 -
Whistler Pull-over and hoodie
$12.50 -
Ladies’ Margot Peplum Top
$12.50 -
Girls’ Maggie Peplum Top
$10.50 -
Sale!
Skater Skirt
Original price was: $9.00.$0.00Current price is: $0.00. -
Girls’ Summer Caye pants, capris & shorts
$10.50 -
Canyon Cardigan
$12.50 -
Girls’ Luna Loungewear
$10.50 -
Ladies’ Luna Loungewear
$12.50 -
Girls’ Tidal Top & Tank
$10.50 -
Ladies’ Tidal Top & Dress
$12.50 -
Ladies’ Summer Caye Pants, Capris & Shorts
$12.50 -
Sale!
Tabitha Top
Original price was: $12.50.$5.00Current price is: $5.00. -
Tessa Sheath Dress
$12.50 -
Vanguard Kit
$10.50 -
Sabrina Slims Pants
$12.50 -
Girls’ Li’l LDT
$10.50 -
Sybil Illusion Skirt Collection
$14.50 -
Sale!
Laundry Day Tee
Original price was: $12.50.$5.00Current price is: $5.00. -
Girls’ Boyfriend Cardigan
$10.50 -
Ladies’ Boyfriend Cardigan
$12.50 -
Ladies’ La Bella Donna Top & Tunic
$12.50 -
Girls’ La Bella Donna Top & Tunic
$10.50 -
Sale!
Pemberley Tunic & Dress
Original price was: $12.50.$5.00Current price is: $5.00. -
Sale!
Posh Popover Collection
Original price was: $10.50.$4.50Current price is: $4.50. -
Wrigley Raglan
$10.50 -
Sale!
Bluezette for Ladies XS-XXXL
Original price was: $10.00.$5.00Current price is: $5.00. -
Ladies’ Lotus Blossom Blouse
$12.50 -
Girls’ Lotus Blossom Blouse
$10.50 -
Miss Mary Mack Tunic
$10.50 -
Maxx-ine Pants & Skirt
$10.50 -
Sale!
Bluezette Dress 2T-16
Original price was: $9.00.$4.50Current price is: $4.50. -
Jam Jam Sleepwear Collection
$10.50 -
Sale!
Willow Wrap Top
Original price was: $12.50.$5.00Current price is: $5.00. -
Willow Wrap Dress
$12.50 -
Blissful Blazer
$10.50 -
Sale!
Origami Tunic & Cardigan for Ladies
Original price was: $10.00.$5.00Current price is: $5.00. -
Sale!
Dashing Vest
Original price was: $9.00.$0.00Current price is: $0.00. -
Sale!
Leggin’s
Original price was: $9.00.$0.00Current price is: $0.00. -
Moto Maxx Set
$10.50 -
Sloane Sweater
$12.50 -
Sale!
Ladies’ Hip-Hop Tank & Top
Original price was: $10.00.$5.00Current price is: $5.00. -
Sale!
Origami Tunic for Girls
Original price was: $9.00.$4.50Current price is: $4.50. -
The Cartwheel Collection
$10.50 -
Sale!
Hip-Hop Tank Top 4T- 14
Original price was: $9.00.$4.50Current price is: $4.50. -
Trendy Tunic for Girls
$10.50 -
Sale!
Tuxedo Dress
Original price was: $9.00.$4.50Current price is: $4.50. -
Everyday Playdress
$10.50 -
Mallory Dress
$10.50 -
Sale!
Ladies’ Trendy Tunic
Original price was: $12.50.$5.00Current price is: $5.00. -
Samson Sweater
$10.50 -
Hazelwood Hoodie
$10.50