This spectacular sundress was made by my friend Judy for her granddaughter. The pattern, Sunshine on my Shoulders, is from Kari Mecca’s very popular book, Sewing with Whimsy. Judy, of course, varied the embellishments somewhat to suit her personal taste.
The little ladybug button, the pearls and beads she nestled into the rick rack flowers on the bodice as well as on those that hang from the rick rack bow, add to the charm of the rick rack flowers.
The pattern is unfamiliar to me, but whether or not it included an embellished back yoke, Judy’s trim and cluster of flowers make the dress almost as lovely from the rear as it is from the front.
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One of the most interesting features of this dress is the embroidery machine made rick rack. Using the designs from www.ZippyDesignZ.com, Judy made all the rick rack for the dress except for the white jumbo.
The beauty of making your own rick rack is that you can make it in any color. So often, I’ve gone to the store in search of a specific shade and come away empty handed. Equally often, the rick rack is available only in 2 ½ yard cuts in a package. That is a real handicap when edging a 45″ square receiving blanket or trimming anything that requires greater length.
She made 26 yards of green rick rack alone, on her Babylock Ellegante with the continuous border hoop. As it turned out, she didn’t need 26 yards for the dress, but she was enjoying the process so much that the yardage just flowed to that length before she measured it!
I love this dress and I love this machine made rick rack. Judy’s creation may thwart my de-stashing efforts.
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