I absolutely love the new Cowl Neck Dress and Sweater pattern from Heidi & Finn! Easy to cut and sew; adorable, cozy, warm, and practical for my daughter. What is not to love?!
I had the opportunity to be part of the testing team for this pattern and the results were great from the start. The dress and top pictured in this post are from the original pattern run. Changes made during testing include a slightly slimmer cut on the bodice, the option of a band at the bottom hem, shorter sleeve length in smaller sizes, and a larger cowl in larger sizes. I used the optional ties in both the dress and top I sewed, which can be tied to the front or back. The dress also looks great without the ties, or with a belt. Butterfly appliques are an option included in the tutorial, and several other testers added adorable appliques of their own. Your choice of knit fabric can be used for this dress ranging from a thinner knit to fleece. The cowl
will take a different shape and hold depending on the fabric. I could make these over and over again, and I'm sure I'll make several each year for my own daughters and as gifts!Another bonus: the pattern does not require a lot of fabric (especially in smaller sizes). I made both my versions out of a sweater weight knit - the dress is from the Doodles collection at JoAnn's and the purple top I made from a 1/2 yard remnant I purchased at a local specialty fabric shop. It is buttery soft and warm, and the remnant only cost $4.00 (which is WAY less than I paid for the first two yards of that fabric I bought for myself a few months prior!).
I really appreciated the way the tutorial has you hem the sleeves and bottom (if you do not use the optional band at the bottom). By finishing the edge of the fabric (with serger or zig-zag stitch - I used serger for one and faux serger for the other) and then hemming, you are able to avoid having the bulky hem that a double-folded knit edge often leaves. It's little things like this, her method of measuring the cowl neck to make sure it fits correctly (it varies with types of fabric) and similar touches that make this a pattern that is satisfying to make and looks great when finished.
Features:
- Easy to follow pattern, quick sew
- Slim cut body
- Option for long/short sleeves
- Super comfy large cowl neck
- Optional long ties sewn into each side can be tied in the front or the back for a different look.
- Dress pulls right over the head for easy dressing.
- Optional sweater length, bottom band, long or short sleeves makes this a really versatile pattern
- Can be made in any type of stretch or knit fabric (interlock,jersey sweatshirt material or fleece etc.).
- BONUS- butterfly applique patterns are included to embellish your dress
- No serger needed - instructions for both serger and sewing machine are included in tutorial
i absolutely LOVE your fabric choices! I would totally wear both of those myself :)
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