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Do You Want to.... Build an Elsa Dress?


 "Do you want to build a snowman?"

 Or, more recently, do you want to sew an Elsa dress?

 Whether you have children or have listened to the radio in the past 6 months or seen one of million sing-a-long Frozen videos on YouTube, you KNOW that the Frozen phenomenon is huge. No pun intended (really), but the movies' popularity has snowballed (heh heh) into crazy obsession for both parents and children alike.

 I should have known that my friend Noelle would be the first one to ask for an Elsa dress! I wish I were better at staying on top of trends and holidays... but in all honesty, I never have that stuff done in time. I know the *smart* crafter is already sewing Christmas stockings and decorations this time of year, but I am still in that day-to-day, complete each order kind of schedule.

 Our search for an adequate pattern at the craft store was frustrating... nothing Frozen. And nothing that could be adapted to look just right. Yes, I am sure Disney will release a sewing pattern eventually (but maybe NOT before this Halloween if they are savvy!), but Noelle and I were disappointed in our choices.

 But Lo! and Behold!, a search on Etsy led me to Joy2Sew and her adorable patterns. The design was perfect!  BUT - she only sold it up to size 5/6 and we needed an 8/9! The tragedy!

 After a quick inquiry, Joy responded and reminded me exactly why Etsy sellers are the coolest. She was developing the next sizes but needed prototypes and feisty almost-9-year-old models to wear the dress! Thus began a very enjoyable partnership and I am happy to report that I made a beautiful Elsa Frozen dress. She gave us the pattern to use in exchange for some sewing work, pictures and feedback.

 And Brianna thoroughly enjoyed performing as Elsa at her birthday party!


Look at that cake! (I had nothing to do with it.) 





 I must give credit where it is due: my friend Noelle picked the perfect colors and fabrics for this dress. And it's always her inspiration that pushes me to the next level!

 Joy2Sew's pattern was incredibly easy to follow and very well presented. It was the first time in awhile that I had tried a "new" pattern and not ended the evening with many curse words and frustration. I had recently been working on some shorts for my son and while the sewing itself wasn't beyond my comprehension... the pattern sure was! We are moving into an age where traditional Simplicity or Burda patterns aren't good enough. I have had far better experiences with PDF files either as free tutorials or for sale on Etsy.

 But I would caution anyone that wants to make this dress... pay the extra money to get a quality pattern. I can tell that Joy puts a lot of time and energy into getting the directions just right. Please visit her Etsy shop and check it out!

 And if the thought of sewing your own Elsa dress gives you hives... please get in touch with me! :)


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