Measurements

{Updated.  With pictures!}

My mom bought me some fabric, oooooh, closer to a 9 months ago to make the girls some dresses.  I've hemmed and hawed over what to do with the fabric and today I finally decided, this shit has to be made before we move this summer.

So here I go.

Because my mom didn't buy cheap wal-mart remnant fabric, not wholly expensive fabric either, but still, I want to do these dresses right.  Make them the right size and measurements for each girl.  Which is what leads me to my dilemma...

Kyra's measurements are barely the width of a three year old, according to the directions.  And by barely, I mean some of her width measurements are smaller then what they list for a three year old but it doesn't list two year old measurements to go by.  Her height measurements are on par with a six year old, however, her torso measurement is that of an eight year old.

Knowing all of that.... how in the hell am I going to make in three year old's dress, long enough to fit an 8 year old's torso but have the skirt short enough to also equal a six year old's full body length?

Lydia's measurements are also the width of a three year old {at least she's right on par, there}, the torso of a 5 year old and the over all height smack in between a 3 and 4 year old's.

Lydia's measurements prove what we already know, she's taller for her age but, otherwise, very average.  Her dress shouldn't be quite so complicated.  Kyra's measurements, on the other hand... what the fuck am I supposed to do with those?  She's completely ALL. OVER. THE BOARD.

I think today, I'll start with the easier of the two, Lydia's dress, and wait for someone smarter, wiser and more experienced then me to chime in.  {Looking right at you Karissa, Joelle and Teresa.}

Wish me some luck or cross your fingers or whatever it is you do to help a person out because while Mom bought a circle/large dot fabric for Lydia, who loves balls, and a grasshopper covered pattern for Kyra, who loves insects, the girls weren't aware of this and picked out the other's fabric as their favorites.  And I don't want to screw up their new favorite loves.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go fret a little while I cut some fabric.

*************

Lydia's dress is finished.  It's not the kind of pattern I wanted to do with the fabric, but it's what Lydia wanted.  Better, I guess, because it was quick and easy.  I made it a 3 torso width, 5 torso length and 3 skirt length.

I then took the dress and tried it on Kyra and, believe it or not, it fit!  Well, not the length, but the width did!  The only trouble was having her push her gangly arms through the torso to the arm holes.  The width would actually be more perfect if it were a zipper or buttoned back.

I wonder how much easier it would be if I make the width a 4 for Kyra's dress?  And if I stretch it to a 5, would it be too much?  Or, maybe if I teach her to put her arms in first, before her head and body?

I'll figure it out, I'm sure.  Either way, I think Lydia's dress doubles extremely well as a super cute shirt for Kyra, don't you think?