LLK Style: Special Occasion 2019

Spring and Summer Special Occasion 2019

Spring and Summer are the seasons when many of us truly get creative planning and sewing special occasion dresses for weddings, family, and celebratory events. Our sewing rooms are filled with tulle, fancy fabrics, beads, sequins and other embellishments. We search for the perfect trims and buttons to adorn dresses that will stay in our memories and photos for years to come.

Whether you love the latest trends in children’s fashion or prefer the classic and timeless style, we hope to inspire you to create unique dresses for your special moments in life using Little Lizard King patterns.

Here is what we have created this year!

Amsterdam

Isn’t this dress simply alluring? Larisa O´Brien created this glam gown using the Amsterdam pattern. For the bodice and the top layer of the skirt she used special occasion fabric from her fabric stash, cutting the bodice according to the pattern and adding width to the skirt. To give the dress an extra “WOW” factor she used 40 yards of tulle for the under skirt, and made the underskirt 3” longer than the main skirt. We dared her to make a statement, so for the final touch, Larisa added 4” horsehair braid to the main and tulle layers. The end result is breathtakingly beautiful!

Augusta Dress & Oxford Skirt

A Summer Bohemian Wedding was the inspiration for this standout; Richelle Hernandez fully embraced the ethereal vibe making a vibrant, beaded Augusta for the dress and a modified Oxford circle skirt overlay. To achieve this beautiful ombre effect, she cut the skirt pieces using different colors of tulle. She chose the skirt width based on the size chart and the model’s measurements, and Richelle created a tiered effect using multiple skirt lengths from the pattern— sizes 12 months, 3, 7 and 14 years in varying color tones going from lighter to darker. Stunning isn’t it?

This artful masterpiece easily transitions to everyday attire! When the party is over and the last dance steps are taken, the Augusta Dress transforms into a colorful piece that promises effortless chic without sacrificing style.

Lexington

It never hurts to try something new! When dreaming of a fancy dress, Carla Meyer immediately picked up the Lexington pattern! She kicked it up a notch by hand dying the fabrics to achieve the exact color she envisioned. Carla constructed the dress bodice following the pattern tutorial and created a half circle skirt using the length of the maxi dress mentioned in the pattern. She matched the skirt width to the circumference of the bodice. For a melodramatic effect, Carla elongated the back of the skirt by 4.5” and covered the entire skirt with double-layer strips of 3” long gathered tulle placed in rows evenly spaced 2” apart.

The dress could not be more perfect for spring celebrations, summer weddings, or a high style photo session in the city!

Kensington

Classic and timeless! Shanna Perkins created an heirloom style dress that is made to impress! She used the Kensington pattern with a full lace overlay for a couture look that intersects elegance and vintage style - perfect for weddings or sweet soirees. The skirt has two layers of tulle for extra fullness and an alluring Albany sash. Picture perfect and a family keepsake! The only thing sweeter than this new dress is the little miss!

Augusta

A little bit of sparkle and shine with lots of elegance! Amira Miles chose the Augusta pattern for this statement piece. She put a spin on a monochromatic look by adding a sequin overlay for the dress bodice and a burst of star studded sparkle. Amira cut 2 layers of tulle for each layer - one tulle layer and one star layer. The result is red carpet worthy in a glitzy party dress that is high style and fashion forward!

Albany & Arendelle

Terrah Connell makes her mark with this spring floral dress creating an Albany bodice and a modified Arendelle skirt. This dress is so much fun that your girl just might beg to wear it again and again. Terrah really turns up the style game by using two lightweight layered skirts; a double skirt featuring 3 tiered layers (instead of two) and the last layer is a high-low skirt, a separate piece, Every skirt layer is made with horsehair braid. This dress combines fashion, fit, and flare! Terrah added a pettiskirt beneath and ties the look together with a sweet surprise sash on the back.

Misthaven, Stirling & Arendelle

Don’t be afraid to think outside the fashion box! Mai Anh Tran opted for the romantic look using a combination of patterns. Misthaven encases the framework of the bodice with a Stirling pattern accent. To achieve the tiered Arendelle skirt style, Mai Anh combined a variety of skirt lengths, one for each tier - sizes 12 months, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 14 years. Every tier is made with 3 layers of tulle, and the skirt lining was created with a solid satin fabric, size 6. This magnificent dress is highlighted with a Pettiskirt beneath and an Avonlea sash (using the full width of the fabric) for an extra long, dramatic effect.

Bellevue

Rebecca Dolan gave the Bellevue a dress refresh with a soft and sweet variation! She stitched this dress with dainty flutters and a subdued shade of pink that created a romantic, girly aesthetic. She only made minor modifications to the pattern, simply lengthening the skirt to maxi length and using an intricate patterned overlay, adding more depth to the look and taking her sweet ensemble from everyday to stand-out.

Malibu & Cape

Fairy tale princess! Few things excite seamstresses more than beautiful fabrics and trims! Rachael Alcon selected white crape satin for the bodice, flutters, ties and hip plumes, and incorporated pink satin on the straps, elastic casing and skirt lining of her Malibu dress. The main skirt was lengthened by 4” and includes 8 layers of pink tulle.

We’ve always loved the hip plumes on fairy tale princess dresses, and these were such a simple addition. To make the hip plumes, Rachel cut half circles using this simple formula: 1\4 of the skirt width by 1\2 the skirt length. From there, she hemmed the straight edge, gathered the curved edge, and placed and basted the hip plumes to the bodice before adding the skirt.

Rachel added length to the ties for a larger bow in the back and hand-sewed white flowers and pink pearls to the front of the bodice for a sweet finishing detail. The Cape pattern completes this fairy tale look, made in a beautiful white chiffon with pink flowers and white pearls. It is unlined and finished with a rolled hem for a soft, airy feel.

Stirling & Mod

Mai Anh Tran put the spotlight on two of our favorite designs. She combined the Stirling maxi with Mod sleeves without any pattern modifications. The airy sleeves paired with delicate fabric details on the maxi overlay create an elegant result. This design strikes the right balance of relaxed and ethereal to complete the look and pack a huge aesthetic punch .

Sorrento

Feminine and flirty! Special occasion style meet tween girl. Nothing says summer fashion like sundresses and bare shoulders! Debbie Clifton fabricated this beautiful dress length Sorrento with a maxi length chiffon skirt overlay, creating an ombre effect and breezy hemline. She really upped her style game by adding a floral trim to the straps and waist of the dress. The end result is demure and tween approved!

Albany

Elegant and dreamy! Every little girl dreams about being a flower girl one day! Rachel Iafigliola designed a look that lives up to the special occasion! She used the Albany pattern and added a lace overlay to the bodice and a tulle overlay to the skirt to create a universally flattering silhouette. Rachel extended the skirt length by 3” to make this beautiful creation wedding-worthy! Now this sweet girl is ready to celebrate the newlyweds in style and swirl and twirl the night away!

Albany and Birmingham

Classic style and clean lines complement these ensembles . To create “no frills” stylish wedding guest dresses, Niina chose the Albany and Birmingham patterns for simple elegance. She started with a neutral palette and added five layers of tulle on both skirts plus a ruched band over the Albany´s front bodice to make the look more compelling. The ruched band was fashioned just like the Lexington dress design.