An Alabama Chanin-Inspired Scrap Dress-Up Dress

Annie wanted an "Anna" dress (from "Frozen").  Dress-up dresses are typically made of polyester, which she loathes, and are overpriced, which I loathe, so I decided to sketch out an idea for an Anna dress out of scrap jersey.  

I made the bodice piece from old tee-shirts, cut the detail for the embellishments and bindings out of random scraps, and used leftover yardage from a different project to create the skirt.  I made the pattern up on my own, and that is evident in the fact that the armscyes are way too big! 

But it's a dress-up dress, so who cares? Not Annie.

I drew the design onto the bodice with a Sharpie.  The flowers and circles are appliqued on in a most appealing homespun fashion, and I taught myself two new techniques: couching (best technique ever!! so fun to do) and feather-stitching for the binding (I typically use cretan stitch, because I love the structural look of it....but that seemed too geometric for a little girl's dress).

And although the dress is meant to be for dress-up, she has already worn it over her leotard to gymnastics and over a shirt and leggings to art and piano lessons, so I guess it's an Around the Town dress, too.  With her hand-me-down rain boots and a pair of braids, the look is most satisfying for wintry days.