Child's Rapunzel costume, simplicity 2065

My Rapunzel pattern arrived in the mail yesterday and I couldn't wait to get started so had a look in my cupboard and came up with some lilac poly cotton and lilac organza! Wasn't I lucky! So I set to work and read the instructions...hmm an awful lot of fabric needed!! So I had a look on Sewing.patternreview.com
And read a few reviews, the bodice runs small apparently so I cut a size 5 for my 3 1/2 year old (I figure she will get a lot of wear out of it) I also didn't want to put in a zip so I cut my back piece on the fold, out of a pink knit that I had in my cupboard, I also cut the centre panel in the bodice out of the knit. So it be easy to pull on and off.

Now, I don't know why there are so many skirt pieces in this pattern, I only had enough fabric to cut 2 front and side panels from my poly cotton, and the same from the organza, so omitted the front skit pieces entirely, I don't even see the need for them!!
I also didn't want to do the grommets and ribbon, it just seemed way too fiddly, so I laid my trim down in a criss cross pattern and managed to sew it together neatly by French seaming as I am not lining the bodice.


I ran out of my pink trim so for the sleeves all I could find was a pink stretchy lace, Archie is helping to keep the lace flat!! ( actually he was a pain and kept on playing with it!)



I actually found the hardest bit was French seaming the sleeves and the bodice to the dress, the sleeves turned out good but when I sewed the bodice and skirt together it was a bit lumpy, from all the gathering and the organza as well.
when I get my overlocker sorted I will probably redo that bit. Anyway here is the finished dress. This picture was taken before I got to hem the bottom part, as Skylar had been waiting all day for the dress to be finished. Voila







So all in all, I didn't exactly follow the instructions, I skipped the long sleeve entirely and only used the bodice, sleeve and side/front skirt & over skirt pieces, the pattern could have been made so much simpler and easier! But my daughter loves it and I will probably struggle getting it back off her so I can sort the hem out.

Xxx