Nordstrom Kids Knock-Off

For archival purposes, I’m putting my recent guest post at Craftiness is Not Optional up here on my blog.  If you missed seeing it there, here you go!  I have to say, this is a project I am really, really proud of!  No tutorial, since I just started and didn’t stop until it was done, and even took pictures unshowered and in my jammies I was so excited it was finished and adorable.  Can I say that ticking is awesome?  Yessiree, it is.
The Iris and Ivy Pencil Stripe Dress from Nordstrom Kids really caught my eye.  Adorable, but not to frilly.  Who doesn’t love a good pleat and some ribbons?
For our household, a $48 dress for a toddler just doesn’t cut it.  And it isn’t in the munchkin’s size.  Oh, but hey, don’t I know how to sew?
 


I loved the stripe on the Nordstrom dress, and found the perfect alternative with ticking.  Ticking is typically used to cover pillows and mattresses, but since this is 2011, we make dresses with it- it is comfortable, medium-weight, durable, and looks great when it comes out of the wash.  It came in several subdued colors (including a fun yellow!), and the munchkin requested blue stripes.  Blue is her favorite color.  If you are looking for ticking at your fabric store, you can typically find it with your utility fabrics, like Insul-brite.  Or, just ask someone :).  We paired the ticking with some natural broadcloth for the bodice- sturdy, but light, even when it is lined.  I used a Simplicity Pattern for the bodice, but we all know Jess has lots of instructions on how to use existing clothes to make a pattern!


The longest part in making this dress was the pleats.  First I had to figure out how to get 5 pleats across the front of a 13” (about a size 4T) bodice.  The pleats ended up being 2” wide with 1/2” space in between.  There are 5 pleats across the front, and 4 in the back (2 pleats per back section) to make room for an invisible zipper.  It took a lot of ironing, measuring, and pinning to get them to look decent!  After getting them all in place, I sewed a stay-stitch across the top of the pleats, and at the waistline so they’d stay nice and pretty.  After my pleats were done, I sewed the skirt pieces together, and then attached them to the bodice.


The ribbon in the original dress is Satin ribbon, but if you have ever sewn on Satin ribbon, you know how the stitch marks can pull, snag, and pretty much destroy your beautiful looking ribbon.  So, we went with grosgrain!  I sewed the ribbon on, then hand-stitched the ribbon bows and flowers on top.  The flowers are from a large bunch at Hobby Lobby.  And, lest you worry about the ribbon ends, we melted them with a lighter so they wouldn’t fray.


We also are a sleeve-wearing family, and since I thought this dress might not be as cute with a t-shirt under, I just added sleeves to the bodice using the same broadcloth.  They are loose and airy for lots of playing!


The center ribbon extends all the way in the back to tie in a cute bow.  It cinches her waist and helps the bottom of the skirt poof out a little more! 


And now we have a comfortable Nordstrom Knock-off!  I always buy with coupons, so this dress cost $10.  A little better than the original $48, wouldn’t you say?

**Linking this to 733 Knock-off Contest!