My First Sewing Project

I decided to create a child's dress for my first sewing project. I chose to create a dress because my specialty is formal design. My journey on this endeavor first began at Wal-Mart. I bought sewing notions and a Simplicity sewing pattern. The pattern that I chose was Simplicity's It's So Easy: It's Simplicity pattern no. W2688, pictured below:

As you can see on the cover of the pattern packaging, there are two types of dresses that can be made from this pattern - w/puffed sleeves and sleeveless. I chose to make the dress with puffed sleeves because I wanted this project to introduce me to a fairly wide range of sewing techniques.

I opened the pattern and realized that I didn't understand the markings on the pattern nor the terms used in the instructions. This was all foreign to me. So, I got online and did my research. First, I came across a website called Sewing.Org . This website hepled me to decipher my pattern. However, I knew I needed further help. So I referred to my trusty Singer Complete Photo Guide to Sewing. This absolutely helped me. However, I am a visual learner, so I needed even more help. One day, a light bulb came on in my mind. It occurred me to look for tutorials on YouTube. It was there that I discovered Threads' Teach Yourself to Sew Tutorials. These tutorials have been teaching me to sew. I love Judith Neukam so much that if I ever have a daughter, I might name her Judith,lol.

Once I got sewing I made my first dress:

This dress is a size 5. I had my walking doll model it because she is the size of a 3 or 4 year old child. She's 3ft tall. The dress isn't perfect. One sleeve is not as full as the other and the gathering isn't completely even. However making this dress has taught me the mechanics of sewing. I learned many valuable sewing and construction techniques. Now, I am working on the sleeveless version of this dress.