Pattern Review: Butterick 4110

Butterick 4110

Sizes S-XL (13-30 lbs)
Baby Girl dress (4 views), Romper (4 views), Hat and Bloomer

My Experience and Description:

I just completed a really fun project! It was a classic baby girl dress with a big collar, like the ones my Mom used to dress my sister and I in when we were little. After every seam, I held up the dress "oohing" and "ahhing" over the little details and trying to get my husband to do the same thing.

The dress was a gift for my baby niece, they might use it for her baptism in November.  I wanted to use solid white because of the occasion and I also wanted it to be wintery enough for November-no, linen, thin cotton, etc... So I went with a lightweight corduroy trimmed with white crocheted cotton lace, it feels so soft on both sides and I really love the way it turned out.

I thought this pattern was very well written and easy to follow, the finishing turns out professionally and it looks nice inside and out. I like that there are several different options to choose from included in the pattern. No collar, pointed collar, scalloped collar, round collar, long, short, romper, bloomer... I actually made a pattern piece for a square collar. I just used the pointed collar and added straight lines from the shoulder and the point, meeting at a right angle. (I left the back in a point)

I love that the dress closes with buttons rather than snaps or a zipper, there's something very impersonal about a zipper on baby clothes. I will definately be using this pattern for gifts.

There are so many things you could do with this pattern. It would be precious with a white cotton collar and a flowered, striped or gingham print cotton for the dress. There are so many options and it's a very versatile pattern. It could be made in velvet for Christmas, bright patterns for a birthday party, and you could add embroidery to the collar. I really love this pattern and I give it...duh duh duuuuhh...

Five Spools! (out of five)



Things you should know about Butterick 4110:

1) There is a good bit of hand finishing involved. The dress is partially lined, so the bodice lining has to be slipstitched to the waist seam. It would be easy to add a full lining, but it will take a little finagling around the button placket.

2) When sewing/folding/cutting for the button placket, have a good example of a completed one beside you. I find that it's hard for printed instructions (even good ones) to show those kinds of things in the right scale and dimension. I like to have a good example beside me to keep from sewing then ripping over and over again or cutting where I shouldn't cut.

3) Double check all the seams at the neck and waist before you hand stitch the lining, I had sewn a little to close to the edge of my collar the first time around and had to take out all my handstitching to fix it. YUCK!