My sister will be having her third baby in the next few weeks and I really need to get my act together and make something for my new niece. As I was flipping through my sewing books, I came across an old favorite, Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing for Baby. I received this book last year while living in Korea and fell in love with the Simple Dress pattern because, well, it really is a simple dress to make.
I actually made this dress last year for my niece's birthday [my sister's 2nd child]. I chose a soft, lightweight cotton from my Jin Market fabric stash, perfect for the hot summers in LA. I opted to make a contrasting bias tape for the armholes and neck. And instead of sewing in a loop of elastic or ribbon at the back opening I opted for a simple button + tab closure. One of the great things about this style of dress is it can easily turn into a tunic once the baby gets bigger.