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I don’t get to sew dresses very often, but this week I made two with the Tofino pattern from Little Lizard King. It’s a cute, twirly dress pattern for knit fabric.
Carriage House Printery is testing a new fabric-cutting service, and I got to be one of the first people to try it out! They partnered with Little Lizard King to offer a few patterns that you can buy precut. You simply choose the pattern, your fabric, and the size you want. They send you everything cut out and ready to sew. I got a size 14 Tofino in a heavy, double-brushed poly fabric.
Here’s a pic of the finished project on my cute model:
One of the most time-consuming tasks when you’re sewing is cutting out all the pieces you need. So, this fabric-cutting service from Carriage House Printery is an interesting idea. If you’re sewing for someone who fits within standard sizes, it could save you a lot of time. I was able to whip up this dress in under two hours because everything came ready to sew.
Note: Right now, Carriage House Printery’s fabric-cutting service is in beta. If you want to try it, you’ll need to join the Little Lizard King group on Facebook to find the order form. If people like the service, Carriage House Printery will add the option to their website.
Tofino Dress Review
CLICK HERE to Get the Tofino Dress Pattern
Pattern Description: Above knee, twirly dress pattern with a full circle skirt and four sleeve options. The bodice is lined.
Time to Sew: 2-3 hours
Difficulty: Intermediate
Format: PDF, but I got it precut from Carriage House Printery
The Tofino was the first pattern I’ve sewn from Little Lizard King. Overall, I thought the instructions were easy to follow. However, I rated it an “intermediate” pattern because cutting out a full circle skirt and lining it up in the right place at the waist would be challenging for a beginner.
One great thing about the pattern is that the bodice is lined. You don’t have to worry about messing with a knit neckband and it prevents the top from looking transparent. I also like the high neckline. However, I do think the dress is too short. Because of the way the circle skirt is attached, the hem is higher on the sides and drapes into a V in the front and back. It’s a nice style, but tall models would probably want to wear leggings under it.
Any knit fabric will work with this dress pattern. The first dress I made was out of a heavy, double-brushed poly. It made the dress heavy, but it felt super cozy! The second dress was made from a lightweight, polyester-spandex blend. Here’s a pic of the second dress:
If you’re looking for a twirly dress pattern, I think the Tofino is a good pick, but you may want to add some length to the skirt. What do you think? Do you like the pattern?
