A Swap to Keep the Cold Away

 I recently participated in a winter holiday swap, and this is what I sent one of my partners.

It was originally going to be a dress for Anthea, but I didn't like how it turned out, so it sat in purgatory for a long time. The swap gave me the idea to give the dress a new home to an owner who'd use it.

My first order of business was to remove the skirt and add a waistband, as I didn't like how high it was originally. As I couldn't find more scraps of the fabric, I took some white cloth and embroidered a design to coordinate with the print. Here's a detail:

Isn't the flower/snowflake look pretty?

 I also added tuck to the bodice so it fit closer, and took out a panel of the skirt as the fullness was a bit hard to control.

This partner specifically asked for a coat. Once again, I decided to rehome a seldom used garment.

It's a pseudo-Victorian style I adapted from an American Girl sized pattern. It has big ol' sleeves and a crocheted border.