Anna's winter dress - cutting

This week, I'm making one more dress from Frozen, Anna's winter dress, cape and little hat!  I'm sorry, but I can't figure out an easy way to make her ball gown without a bunch of new specialized pattern pieces.

I will again use that basic, versatile, costume dress pattern that comes in three size ranges.

The pattern for Child 3 - Girl 14 is #3725.
The pattern for Misses 6 - 22 is #3723.
And the Plus size is #2354 and it comes in 18W - 32W.
Each line is a separate link that will take you to Simplicity's site.

Even though it's a child size dress, everything I'm doing will work for any of the sizes.

To make this dress you will need: 
* Black fabric for the bodice (I used a suede cloth)
* Light blue broadcloth for the sleeves, collar and faux blouse front
* Royal blue for the skirt
* Fusible interfacing for the collar
* 5/8" light blue ribbon, tiny piece, for faux blouse front
* Flexible braid for the upper and lower edge of the bodice and armhole (about 1/2" wide)
* 4 colors of broadcloth (medium blue, aqua, green and pink) for skirt and bodice motifs), the medium blue is for the scalloped band at the bottom of the skirt, so a fair amount of that color is needed
* Purple and yellow thread for dots on the bodice (embroidery thread if the dots are hand sewn)
* Paper backed fusible webbing (Wonder Under or Heat'n'Bond)
* and a zipper!

Now as far a quantities of each, you can either over estimate using the back of the pattern envelope as a guide, which is what I did and now I have a bunch of extra fabric or, if you have time, the smart thing to do is make all the pattern changes and then do a trial layout before going shopping to figure out how much fabric and trims you actually need.

The only pattern piece that needs to be changed at this point is the front bodice.

Trace out the size you will be using.

With a ruler, mark in the stitching lines, 5/8" in from the cutting line.

Draw in the neckline you think you want. (find some images of the dress for reference)

"Try it on" ... meaning, hold it up to the person you are making the dress for.  It is really impossible to see how something like a neckline will look on a three dimensional figure when it is lying flat on a table. 

Change the shape, if needed.

Cut the front pattern piece apart along this line.

So the little upper part can lap under the main part of the bodice, it needs an extension added.  Tape on a scrap of paper and then draw a 1" extension along the bottom and side edges. Remember this piece will be cut on a center front fold.

Now the pieces are ready for cutting.

Then, these are the other pattern pieces needed from the envelope, back bodice, band collar, sleeve, front skirt, side/back skirt.

Since this dress does not go to the floor. Measure your Anna and determine the length.  Again, find some images of the dress from the movie.  I made this one end a the lower calf. Fold the skirt pattern up at the length chosen.  Only add a 5/8" seam allowance at the bottom, not the 1 1/4" hem suggested.  The bottom of the skirt is going to be finished with that band of medium blue fabric cut in scallops. 

Read carefully what you should cut at this point.

Of the black fabric: front bodice (that you've altered) and 2 back bodices
Of the light blue: 2 band collar pieces, 2 sleeves and the little faux front blouse (pattern you made)
Of the royal blue: front skirt - on the fold and 2 side/back skirts (these two pieces should be shorten as described above)
Of the fusible interfacing: one band collar piece

Tomorrow the fun and games ... more motifs!

Actually, I don't think this dress has as many as Elsa's coronation dress. That one was crazy.