Ottobre 4/2010-19

The nerdlet likes to wear dresses.  She pretty much has refused to put anything else except a bathing suit on since she could point and grunt.  When I received my first set of back issues of the Ottobre magazine, the nerdlet asked me to make her a jumper.  It was pink and I thought she was asking for it because of that, but when we went fabric shopping, she pointed to a burnt orange and asked for the jumper in that color.  I've made it first in this black linen print because I didn't want to mess up the orange.  I'm sort of regretting this because this is a complicated pattern.  Not that it was difficult to make, but there are a LOT of intricate steps.  I sort of love it and sort of dread making it again.

My first time shirring.  It was a lot easier than I thought it would be, though I did think it would shirr and stretch more than it does.  I'm also worried about it bothering the nerdlet's skin.

The front.  There are eight pleats at the top, a second button placket, and four pleats on each pocket.  The pocket bows are much more complicated than I feel is necessary for a four-year-old.  And the pockets are gathered to shape before being sewn down.  I don't think that you can really see any of those details in the picture, but I think it looks kind of impressive in person.

The back is shirred at the bodice and the legs are shirred all around.  

I'll try to get pictures of the nerdlet in it tomorrow if she's actually willing to put it on.  I may offer to put it on the bear cub first so that she'll volunteer and be eager to wear it.