I was really excited when I found this adorable panda knit fabric in Nippori Tomato for 200 yen per meter. I had something for my daughter in mind when I bought it. Since she is active and likes playing outside, I wanted to make something simple and easy to wash. This long-T dress was the perfect candidate! The pattern is from my favorite kids pattern designer, Yuki Araki. Some of her works have been translated into English (you can read review here), but for this dress, I used Japanese version, titled “Yuki Araki’s Girl’s Clothes (セレクト版 荒木由紀の女の子のお洋服）, which I borrowed from a local library. Yuki Araki’s designs are girly and classic. I still love the coat I made for Kiko from her book back in 2014.
Nothing much to mention in terms of construction of the dress. It is pretty simple to sew and it took me two hours from tracing the patterns, cutting the fabric and finishing up the dress. The dress has a back slit for easy neck opening and gathered neckline in the front. The neckline is finished with the same fabric (not cut in bias since it is knit fabric and already has stretch). I added the snap button in the back neckline and black bow to cover the stitches. For my four-year-old, I cut size 120. The length was shorten by about 7cm not by choice but by the fabric limitation. I only bought 1m of the fabric and now regret not buying more in different colors (they had the same print in blue and green!). 
Pattern | Yuki Araki’s Girls Clothes, “Long Sleeve Knit Dress” (荒木由紀の女の子のお洋服から 長袖ニットワンピ）
Size | 120 for 110cm height daughter
Modifications | Shortened the length by 7cm, added a bow on snap button, and added elastics on sleeve hems.
Make it again? | Yes! Actually already made another one in black and white stripes. It is a versatile pattern for daily wear. 
とってもかわいい柄のニット生地を日暮里トマトで見つけたので、普段着用ワンピを作ってみました。
なんとちっちゃいパンダさんがたくさん！
ピンクのみ1メートルだけ買ったのですが、他の色も買っておけばよかったとちょっと後悔。
1メートル200円と、破格でした。
型紙は荒木由紀さんの本から。
図書館で借りました。
荒木由紀さんのデザインは、クラシカルで女の子らしくて、きちんとしていて、好きです。
このワンピは娘もお気に召したようです。
Find me elsewhere:
Last year, I was asked to make the costumes for two J-pop singers’ re-debut. The group was originally made up of six girls, but they reduced the number to two. To celebrate the re-grouping, they performed at a live house in new outfits. I don’t have a much experience in sewing costumes save making myself a 
Here is my sketch for the costumes. 
Above is the cape muslin. I drafted the pattern based on 
昨年末、某J-POPアイドルのコスチューム作りをお手伝いさせていただきました。
Sewing for my four-year-old is fun. It has become much more fun than when she was a baby. She has ideas, opinions and wants to collaborate with me to make her own special garment (What I made for her in the past 
Both Kiko and I were happy with the finished dress, buuut I made a crucial mistake. Can you see the nicely finished french seam on shoulder outside? This is what happens when I work at night in dim light. I placed the finished top panel inside out. Oh well it’s for a child and she will grow out of it quick.
娘に結婚式お呼ばれ用に作った真ピンクのワンピ。