Button bands down the front

Once I got going with these combinations, I started looking for matching buttons.  It was so fun to find buttons that would complement the fabric choices.  Here are some of the combinations I came up with.  

I made this dress with the blouse with an elongated skirt.  I added a waistband and straps to make it look like it's a jumper over a blouse, but it's all one dress.  I love how this turned out.  To get here, I went through the following tries first.  

I thought I'd make 3/4 sleeves with this elongated bodice dress.  Look at the cute lace I found!  I used it at the button band and sleeves.  I didn't have very much of it.  I used matching yellow buttons down the button band.  I love how it turned out.

I made a blouse like with the jumpers and added a contrasting skirt to make it look like separates.  This has long sleeves and lace at the button band, sleeves and collar.  A wider lace embellishes the hem.  I thought it looked funny without a waistband on the skirt.  

I made this one next, adding a waistband.  This one has short sleeves, but the same formula as above.  Although I didn't need to add lace at the hem to make it longer.  

Ribbons for the win

 I love using ribbon in these designs.  Sometimes I want to use a really wide ribbon.  How do you do that on a miniature dress for a doll?  I had to try some things to find ways to do it.  Did I get away with it?

This is a pretty big bow on the front of this dress, but then again, the flowers are pretty big too.  I added some lavendar lace into the sleeve hems and dress hem.  

Again, a really wide ribbon that's balanced by really big flowers.  

This little bow adds a pop of color at the center front waist.

I love this 'stitched' ribbon I put into a bow at center front.

I had fun making this basic dress with lengthened bodice and skirt.  I added those triangle buttons in the bodice to add interest and reflect the yellow in the bow.  

Here's another lengthened bodice and skirt dress with a huge purple bow at center front.  I added the matching button for extra interest.  

Here I added a collar and sleeves with a coordinating color to make it look like a jumper.  The ribbons are sewn down the center front as if they were buttons.  I was tempted to cover their centers with buttons, but decided against it.  I like this look a lot!  

These dresses make me really happy.  

Fun with Rickrack

I had so much fun pairing my scraps of rickrack with cute small fabric designs.  Here are some of the dresses I made using rickrack to trim the sleeves, waist or bodice using my basic dress pattern.  

I couldn't resist this cute bear fashionista fabric I found in the scrap bin at BYU-Idaho.  Paired with my brown rickrack, it came out darling.

Another scrap fabric that screamed to be 'dolled up.'  I made the sleeves and neckband out of white to imply that the cupcake dress is a jumper with a blouse under it.  

This busy floral was fun to make.  I used rickrack on the waist, sleeves and hem.

Can you see how I sewed the buttons on with a 'flower' stitch?  I used green for the stem and leaves, and white floss for the flower made out of a French knot.  

I used two different yellow rickrack for this, pairing them both on the hem.  The sleeves got the wide and the waistband got the narrow.  

With this tan and red floral dress I used a narrow rickrack on the sleeves and above the hem.  It covers the hem stitch.  A big bow at the waist gives the dress a focal point.  I added about an inch to the skirt length on this dress.

For this dress I added an inch to the bodice length.  I used rickrack on the sleeves and hems to give the scalloped look.  

I also added a narrow button band down the front with rickrack in the seam on both sides.  I love this look, although the busy fabric obscures the effect.  I added a bow at the center front waist.

I thought I'd try lengthening the sleeves for this dress, as it has a Christmas look to it.  I added rickrack above where I would put the elastic in.  I like the look of the rickrack there instead of in the sleeve hem.  Note that I parallel that look in the dress hem.

I also added a button band on a lengthened bodice.  There is rickrack in each side of the button band, but it is hard to see with the busy fabric.  I also mirrored the vertical lines with rickrack on each side of the button band.  

So many options with just one pattern!!!  I having a blast and using up my little bits of rickrack and ribbons.