sewing challenge

Happy Monday Lovelies!

I’m so so so excited to share with you today’s blog post! Today is actual a TWO-FER day. 🙂 I wanted to share with you my entry for Tamara Kate’s ABC Nature Walk Sewing Challenge with Michael Miller using the newly released (just today actually) Mori Dress & Top by Elegance and Elephants.

I was super excited to be one of the testers chosen to test the Mori Dress & Top by Elegance and Elephants, because look at it! It’s absolutely lovely! (Yes, the hem is turned up intentionally, I wanted to show off the contrasting peek-a-boo hem facing. 😉 )

The Mori Dress & Top PDF Sewing Pattern using Nature Walk Fabric from Tamara Kate for Michael Miller Fabrics

“The Mori Dress and Top is inspired by the soft, whimsical characteristics of Japanese Mori Kei (forest style). The delicate flounces are inserted into princess seams to create a dramatic silhouette that will twirl just about as much as the beautifully gathered skirt. The fully-lined bodice has no closures or visible seams. Sizes range includes: 6 months – 8 years” – from elephantsandelegance.com

Initially I wanted to mix and match different fabrics from the collection, but I also wanted to highlight the Alphabet Panel Print so I decided to keep it very simple using only Michael Miller’s Cotton Couture White, and the Alphabet Panel print. The whimsical nature of the dress plus a sweet flower crown (which I made too)  definitely made me think “nature fairy”.

Yes, the dress is definitely a gratifying sew, as the instructions are clear and easy to follow, and it really only takes a couple hours to come together, but the best part of this project was the fact that Abigail was so involved. Even though, Tamara Kate, features a dress on her blog with the alphabet panel on the border already, but I couldn’t get the vision of this dress out of my head (and we all know how these stories end lol), so I decided to do something a little extra with the fabric.  I was undecided on whether I should use silk paints, dimensional fabric paints, or mod podge and glitter, until Abigail said, “Just let’s use them all mom!” ….and I thought, WHY NOT!??! So we did! (haha)  We sat at the computer and googled together what certain things were so we could get an idea of the colors, and she had a lot of fun deciding what shape or animal got which medium. (sidenote: It really was so much fun watching her get so involved and sharing the process with her, we both learned a bunch of new things. For example, did you know that an Indigo Bunting  [used for the letter “I”] is actually a bird?!? Truly, it will forever be one of the best memories of us.)

So first I applied the silk paints per her instructions, (lol)

The Mori Dress & Top PDF Sewing Pattern using Nature Walk Fabric from Tamara Kate for Michael Miller Fabrics

and then the dimensional paints.

The Mori Dress & Top PDF Sewing Pattern using Nature Walk Fabric from Tamara Kate for Michael Miller Fabrics

We let those dry, and then Abigail added the glitter. She said it was the “mostest fun ever in ever” lol.

The Mori Dress & Top PDF Sewing Pattern using Nature Walk Fabric from Tamara Kate for Michael Miller Fabrics

Instead of hemming like I would normally,  I decided to use bias tape for a hem facing which I think compliments the dress nicely, giving it a sweet little peekaboo contrast – which just happens to be the exact lime green on the panel for the “C” as well.

The Mori Dress & Top PDF Sewing Pattern using Nature Walk Fabric from Tamara Kate for Michael Miller Fabrics

I’ve probably gone on and on long enough right? Let’s get to the action pics then! Since the fabric collection is called “Nature Walk” …going on a nature walk was only fitting so off we went to find some nature.

The Mori Dress & Top PDF Sewing Pattern using Nature Walk Fabric from Tamara Kate for Michael Miller FabricsThe Mori Dress & Top PDF Sewing Pattern using Nature Walk Fabric from Tamara Kate for Michael Miller FabricsThe Mori Dress & Top PDF Sewing Pattern using Nature Walk Fabric from Tamara Kate for Michael Miller FabricsThe Mori Dress & Top PDF Sewing Pattern using Nature Walk Fabric from Tamara Kate for Michael Miller FabricsThe Mori Dress & Top PDF Sewing Pattern using Nature Walk Fabric from Tamara Kate for Michael Miller FabricsThe Mori Dress & Top PDF Sewing Pattern using Nature Walk Fabric from Tamara Kate for Michael Miller FabricsThe Mori Dress & Top PDF Sewing Pattern using Nature Walk Fabric from Tamara Kate for Michael Miller FabricsThe Mori Dress & Top PDF Sewing Pattern using Nature Walk Fabric from Tamara Kate for Michael Miller FabricsThe Mori Dress & Top PDF Sewing Pattern using Nature Walk Fabric from Tamara Kate for Michael Miller Fabrics

Isn’t this dress just the absolute sweetest thing?! There’s so many things to love, the flounce sleeves, the dainty princess seams, and most of all the fact that there are NO closures, it slips right over her head. Perfect for the preschooler who insists on doing everything herself *cough cough* …I won’t call any names…but her name begins with “A” haha.

Since the Mori Dress & Top was just released today, there is a special introductory price if you use the coupon code “MORIDAY” at checkout, and will be valid unit Wednesday –  I’d snag it up if I were you! 😉 You can also join the Facebook group HERE to see some gorgeous renditions of this beautiful dress! That’s it for today guys! Thank you so much for stopping by!  I still have to share with you my actual tester photos for this dress, so I’ll talk to you soon! xoxo

love-candice

The Mori Dress & Top PDF Sewing Pattern using Nature Walk Fabric from Tamara Kate for Michael Miller Fabrics

4 thoughts on “The Nature Walk Sewing Challenge + The Mori Dress

  1. This is so beautiful and delicate! I adore it in white and want it for my girls. Perfect for easter, spring, summer, the beach. She better wear this all the time!

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