The Sage Dress and Top by Modkid
/Hey y’all, it’s Jackie. Here in southeastern VA, we still have a couple weeks of summer vacation left, but we are starting to plan for Back to School wardrobes. Miss 10 is heading into 5th grade this year and her fashion preferences are maturing. This is why we love the Modkid Tween patterns in our house! The latest release, the Sage pattern, is just grown-up enough to satisfy her tastes, and youthful enough to satisfy my tastes for her.
Miss 10 has been learning how to sew between my sewing projects for some time now. She’s graduated from sewing pillowcases and pajamas, so I presented her the opportunity to sew the Sage for herself.
We discussed taking body measurements and using those measurements to determine what size to cut. Modkid pattern sizing charts are based on finished measurements. Miss 10 measured the exact same as the size 10 finished measurements, so after explaining wearing ease we chose to cut a size 12. Ever the studious one, she also asked about finding the grainline as she pinned her pieces to her chosen fabric.
The pieces fit together beautifully and her seams were remarkably straight, so I only helped with the topstitching and with the insertion of the snaps. She made a fabulous peplum top that is as pretty on the inside as it is on the outside. In fact, because the bodice is lined, one version of the pattern is fully reversible. Sadly, when discussing ease and sizing, we erred on the side of caution and the top was too big. Isn’t it beautiful though? She’s still quite proud of herself and is looking forward to growing into it.
The Sage is designed to have a very close fit, and the ease in the bodice should be minimal, meaning that in this instance we should have made a size 10. Miss 10 wasn’t feeling a second attempt, so Mama sewed the size 10.
I tell y’all every time that Miss 10 is anti-dress, but we reached a point this summer when she realized that none of her few dresses still fit her, so we agreed she needed a couple new ones. Because of that, I cut our second Sage as a dress, using a length of lighter weight denim. I used a golden tan thread for the topstitching so it would really pop. Thread seems so simple, but it truly has the ability to take a garment from “drab to fab!” Having made it once before, the construction of the dress went quickly and smoothly. I chose to insert heavy duty snaps in both versions, and it was great fun hammering them in to secure them. I think the use of the golden snaps compliment the topstitching and give the dress a finished look.
Miss 10 is delighted with her new dress and has decided she’s going to wear it on the first day of school this year. That’s high praise indeed!
Cassie is sewing the Elizabeth Dress By ModKid Designs. This dress is perfect for the upcoming holiday parties!