Portabello Pixie Claire

I love the Claire pattern from Portabello Pixie but so far have only used it to make the peasant top so when a fabric order from the US arrived with a bundle of Michael Miller co-ordinates I knew I had to try a different version. After a discussion with Princess and Monkey during which they fought over every single print before accepting that there really would be enough to go around, we decided on the Round Apron Dress without the apron for the bigger girls and with the apron for the little girls (Baby and Niece).

And almost a week later, here they are! 2T for Niece, there was *just* enough of the owls left to make the aprons.



18-24 month for Baby, she is trying to spin in the last shot and it was hilarious to watch her copying her big sister.



Size 4 for Monkey.



And finally, size 6 for Princess.


I wasn't convinced about these the whole time I was making them. There seemed to be far too much fabric in the skirts (almost two full widths for the bigger sizes!) and they looked very wide and boxy. Then I put them on the girls, the sash pulled in the extra width beautifully and the skirts twirled enough to get three big grins and we were all sold! There was a lot of work here, nothing was particularly difficult about the construction, it just took a lot of time to put them all together but after seeing them on my girls I will definitely make this version again. I prefer it without the apron so will leave it off all of them next time.