I love instant gratification projects.  I really do.    If I can wing it without a pattern, that’s great.  If I can use a simple pattern, that’s okay too.  I was looking for some ideas for easy summer sewing for my girls when I found the link to Made by Petchy’s infant pinafore on Craftster.org.

It seemed simple.  One pattern piece and a few steps.  And some bias tape.  I considered making my own bias tape, but after I determined that I needed, oh a yard or so and I was using my much coveted, treasured and out of print Heather Ross Mendocino fabric (check it out on Etsy! $27 for a set of 6 fat quarters.  That puts it at $18 a yard.  Lots more than I paid for it when it first came out, but I’m digressing and I intend to talk about Heather Ross fabric in this post anyhow).  So, anyhow, I bought some bias tape to match because 1) I’m lazy and 2) I wanted to use as LITTLE of my fabric as possible.

I know it sounds weird to actually not want to use your fabric, but I can’t really justify buying more of it at $18 a yard.  And I love it.

(Yeah, I got that app too)

I would consider my sewing skill to be intermediate and this went together for me in about 30 minutes.  I haven’t used bias tape in a long time and I forgot how nice it was to use and how nice the finished product looks when you use it.

I followed the pattern and  instructions exactly as written, but I omitted the wooden beads.  I didn’t have any on hand, saw no reason to buy any and think it looks just as nice with only the knots at the end.

I may sew a pair of bloomers to go under this as there’s no way it will actually work as a dress on Baby Bee.  I might also pair it with a pair of cuffed capris.  Or both.  It seems pretty forgiving through the chest (it gathers on the straps) so it would probably be great for a gift too.

And now onto Heather Ross.

If I could only have one person’s fabric in my collection, I’d pick Heather Ross.  Mostly because the designs and drape of the fabric is just perfect.  I do have some of the cotton lawn fairy tale fabric, which is much lighter in drape than this and some of the kokka that is heavier, but for the most part Heather’s cotton fabric feels just like this fabric does and it is a dream.

THere seems to be some sort of disconnect between Heather and the people who own the licensing for her fabric as she said some time ago that there wouldn’t be any more new stuff from her for some time.  Then, she announced that some of her designs would be available at Spoonflower.  It’s beautiful and it. Is. Pricey.   I’m not sure what the drape is like on any of the Spoonflower options,  so I don’t know if I would be LUV with them like I am with what I currently own.