Sara's Birthday Dress and Doll

My niece Sara Rose turned 4 in January - such a big girl now! I asked Maria for gift ideas, and she told me that Sara would like a doll, somewhat like the one I made for Lisa Beth for Christmas, but more of a "big girl" type.

I decided to also make a dress for Sara that would match the doll's dress; after all, little girls' clothes are so much fun to make! I had eyed this fabric every time I went to Walmart, and knew it would make a beautiful dress for a little girl. After all, what's better then something pink and purple? =) I used McCall's Easy Stitch 'n Save pattern 4746. It's a fun dress with a full skirt, just perfect for twirling!

I used a pattern for the doll that Maria found online. It was a little easier to make since I'd already made a doll before, but it's still amazing how long something so small can take to sew! I stitched the face instead of painting it (I'm not that handy with a paint brush!) and made shoes just by trying to fit them, since the pattern for the shoes didn't look very easy to use.

The gift was late for her birthday, since I wanted to give it to her in person. We went to their house last weekend, and it was fun to see Sara try it on. I think she liked her doll as well. :-) She promptly named her "Sara" just like herself. Long dresses always look so pretty, and Sara looked like a princess!

Homemade gifts are always so much more special to give!