A confession with a pretty dress

Hi, it's Merav from Baby Hobbes Design, and today I would love to introduce The new Mia by Simple Life Pattern Co. Or as I simply call it the "Yes I Can make a tiered maxi dress with sewn in bands, an tie-back and make my own bias tape" pretty blue dress.

When I was picked to test the Mia pattern, I was given a handful of choices on which version to try. I could choose the skirt or top length, with or without bands, tiered or straight.  I almost agreed to the less time consuming choice of the simple skirt. Frankly during the testing days, we were sharing a household with a teething/cranky/up 4-5 times a night little monster, and I just didn't know if I really had the energy for a 'new challenge'.
I went looking in my fabric closet for inspiration, when a 1-year old cut of Batik fabric that I bought on our road trip last Spring, called my name. I immediately unfolded it and knew that in order for me show it's breath of colors and dimension, it needed to be manipulated into a tiered dress.
I also knew that I am in for the long-haul as I NEVER sewn a tiered dress, let alone one with sandwiched-in bands, and I am shamefully going to confess here that I never made bias tape. Up to now I either used pre-made or I faked it by cutting salvaged strips, not on the bias.
So I made the commitment and stood at my cutting table with 10 little zip-lock bags so I could separate the tier of skirt fabric, bands, bias tape and bodice. A pack of sandwich sized zip-lock bags and a marker is always a good 'tool' to keep by my cutting table as I often find my self cutting long strips of fabric and hoping not to mix up the sizes. It's so hard to tell sometimes if something is 3.25" or 3.5 inches.
I must add that cutting into my Batik fabric was the hardest part of this pattern. It is beautifully written along with precise step by step pictures detailing every aspect of this pattern. This dress is NOT meant to be a fast sew; I think I spent 4-5 hours including cutting time. What it is MEANT to be is a NEW silhouette that creates wonderful fluid lines and opportunity to display fabrics and make creative choices. Oh, and the matching (true) bias tape. I am a believer.
Check out the Mia and the new Megan pattern bundle and come back here or to my Baby Hobbes Design  page and share your creative dress.
I am so proud for taking on the challenge and ending up with my "Yes I can make a tiered dress with sewn in bands, an tie-back and make my own bias tape, Dress" It's such a beautiful dress, and my 5 year old (who wears a size 3 in most handmade designs) Just loves it too.
Till next time,
Happy Sewing
-Merav