Since the month of June is known for its roses, over the past few weeks, I’ve added fabrics and wallpaper to my catalog that feature roses and stripes. The collection is now pretty much complete! Discover all of my current designs here, in Floral Roses.
And yes, it’s July now (click here for my Patriotic Americana designs), but first, I really do want to stop and smell the roses with you! Our June weather turned out weird; too hot one day, too rainy the next. But overall, we experienced cooler temps, and the local roses are still quite happy.
Cherry Pink Roses and Stripes
I found the roses that inspired this first collection at Hamann Rose Garden, on North 27th Street just south of Capitol Parkway (across from the Sunken Gardens). Cherry Parfait roses are some of the most perfect roses on the planet. I love the way the petals shade from a deep cherry red to a pale cream color in the center. Oh, and how they also smell amazing.

Isn’t this the most gorgeous and perfect Cherry Parfait Rose?
That rose inspired this toddler dress design
(as well as a coordinating collection of fabric and wallpaper)

Sewing suggestion: This cute little toddler dress features a cherry pink and white striped bodice with solid sleeves and a rose print skirt. Click on this image to be taken to the catalog page featuring these floral and striped fabrics.
Yellow Roses
For my fabric and wallpaper designs inspired by yellow roses, I couldn’t pick just one flower. I found a collection of blossoms ranging from light cream to almost orange that created a beautiful medley of color.

Aren’t they gorgeous? Which one is your favorite?

Sewing Suggestion: pair an orange floral bodice with a striped skirt and solid orange sleeves. From my yellow roses collection.
Red Roses
Truly red roses are challenging to find. This climbing rose grows small, very red flowers, and I don’t know its name.
I found it growing up a trellis in Mom’s yard several houses ago.
Inspired by this red rambler rose (name unknown), I also created a fun fabric and wallpaper collection featuring red roses and stripes.

Sewing suggestion: Pair a cream floral bodice with blue striped sleeves and a striped floral skirt. From my red roses collection.
White Roses and Stripes
Last, but not least, my collection of white roses and stripes was inspired by Darlow’s Enigma, a very small white rose with a large bushy habit and a deliciously sweet scent. Darlow’s Enigma is surprisingly thornless, but the bugs really love it. Sadly, these bushes have been removed from the rose gardens in recent years. Maybe because of the bugs? So sad…

Darlow’s Enigma, tiny thornless roses
These cute little white roses work well with a variety of colors. If you need a color not currently available, contact me with the hex code, and I will be happy to create more florals and stripes for you.

Sewing suggestion: Pair a bodice and sleeves featuring capri blue wiggly stripes with a matching floral skirt in capri. From my white roses collection.
The white roses collection also features bonus designs inspired by Moondance Roses (not shown here).
Toddler Dress Patterns
I really like learning new things! Lately, I’ve been teaching myself how to create fabric mockups so I can show you more ideas on how to use the fabric designs I share here. The toddler dresses shown above came from a Youtube tutorial created by the Mockup Art channel. For free printable sewing patterns for babies and toddlers, I also recommend visiting this link.
If you want to sew this specific dress, I regret, but I can’t find a link to a pattern. However, you can make your own!
Prep the pattern pieces
- First, find a long sleeve toddler tee in the right size or a little larger.
- Next, carefully cut the front, back, and sleeves of the tee apart on the seams.
- Lay the pieces out on a stretchy piece of fabric right side up following the fold down the center of the fabric.
Cut out your project
- Then, trace the pieces, allowing for at least an extra 1/4 to 1/2 inch of space around every piece, and 3/4 inch extra at the neckline and the sleeve cuffs.
- Now cut these pieces out.
Sewing the bodice and sleeves
- Pin the front and back together with the unprinted sides out, and baste (large handsewn stitches) at the shoulder seams.
- Snip small vees into the edges of the front and back neckline, and roll and pin. Then, iron flat and make any necessary adjustments before sewing using a stretch stitch.
- Now, sew the shoulder seams with the same stretch stitch before pinning in the sleeves and sewing them.
- After that, measure, pin and hem the sleeve cuffs to the right length.
- Now, with the project still turned inside out, pin down the side seams and the long sleeve seams on each side. Sew, and remove all the pins.
Assembling the skirt
- For the skirt: use a sewing tape measure to measure the width of the bodice at the bottom hem. Multiply this number by four to get the width of the panel for the skirt.
- To find the length of the skirt, have your toddler model the top part of the dress and measure from the bottom hem to an inch or two above the knees. Add another inch for seam allowance.
- Now, measure and cut out that panel.
- Gathers can be created by sewing a straight stitch along one edge.
- On your sewing machine with the tension set one setting looser, set the stitch size to a 3 or 4.
- Do not “lock” the seam at either end. Leave the thread ends long.
- Gently tug on one of the threads while pushing the fabric away from it along the seam and keep spreading the gathers out.
- When you have enough gathers so that your panel’s top edge is almost the same length as the circumference of the bottom opening of the bodice, pin the panel’s side seam, and sew it.
- Then pin the bodice’s bottom hem to the gathered edge with both printed sides out.
- Sew and finish that edge with a stretch stitch.
- Lastly, pin and hem the bottom edge of the skirt.
- Make sure you’ve removed all of your pins before letting your toddler wear her new outfit.