Smocked Dress

This was something that was actually a test run for later, but I was so happy with the way it turned out, that I just continued to make it. I wanted to test out smocking material to make a little dress for Sienna. It's actually pretty easy, I didn't use a pattern, but you don't need one. All you need is measurements.
1. Measure around your little girl's chest. Take one inch away from that, and cute 4 peices of elastic to that length. (I used 1/4 inch elastic)
2. Cut a peice of fabric that is about twice the length of the elastic. Crop it wherever you want it to hit on her leg.
3. Hem the top BEFORE you start sewing on the elastic.
4. Sew the elastic to the fabric by stretching it as you sew it down, so that the elastic reaches the end of the fabric. Continue with all 4 pieces of elastic, and this will create the smocked look.
5. Hem the bottom.
6. Fold in half wrong side out so that elastic edges meet.
7. Hem and sew the sides together.
8. Turn right side out, and you pretty much have it, all you need are straps, if you like, which I just did by sewing strips of material each side (one below right shoulder in front, one below right shoulder in back, etc.) and tied them together in a bow where they meet.
9. I put ribbon around the bottom, but you can do whatever you want!
*You can buy fabric at most fabric stores that has already been smocked, which might make this a bit easier. However, doing it yourself allows you to have whatever fabric you want!