Well, we’re done.  It took some time and a little frustration on my part.  (What do you mean you don’t understand the perfectly clear directions??!?!?)  But my daughter is thrilled with her little sundress.

It was quite the learning experience for me, being the first time I’ve coached my daughter through the process of choosing a pattern, fabric and notions through to putting in a zipper.  I must say, she found the directions very confusing at times.  This was potential material for an argument, so I finally suggested she fold them up and put them away as I would tell her what to do next.  It was better in the long run – she learns by watching and picked up on things very quickly with no fussing after that.

I did goof in the measuring of her, though.  We cut out a size 4, but the bodice insert was too small, so I ripped out all her sewing and had her cut a size 8 and interface it.  Then I sewed it back together for her.  She was a bit discouraged at the prospect of having to do it all over again.

Then we put in the zipper.  An invisible one would have been ideal, but I didn’t want to go there, because that would have meant I would be putting it in.  I wanted her to learn how to put in a zipper.

So we purchased a regular zipper, and she put it in using these steps:

1. Machine baste the side seam.
2. I pinned the zipper into place along the seamline.
3. She hand sewed it in place using a prickstitch the length of the zipper, keeping the length of the stitches and the distance from the seam constant.

I think she did a pretty good job for her first zipper!  Then she finished the dress by machine instead of doing a hand sewn hem.  She just wanted to wear the dress and not bother about the finishing.

There you have it!  I’m very proud of her, and she’s pleased with her dress.