Designer's Challenge - Candy Castle Patterns

I am so excited to be able to share this secret! Today, Candy Castle Patterns is kicking off the Designer's Challenge Series. This is a series where each day, a new designer releases a new pattern that is challenging to them in some way, whether it be completely out of their normal design style, an outside-the-box idea, or just plain difficult.

Without further ado.......(insert drumroll)......

I present The Mini Bubblegum Dress and Swing Dress Doll Pattern!

Yep, that's right!!! Now, my girls can dress their dolls in matching Candy Castle Patterns dresses!

I had so much fun being part of a super secret testing process. AND, the testing process was where the designer behind Candy Castle Patterns discovered even more challenges than she originally anticipated. You see, she lives halfway across the world where 18" are scarce (read: none!) and she had to import one. So she got her doll and got to work and the Mini Bubblegum Dress and Swing Doll Dresses were born.

I had just enough of my Riley Blake chevron and plain navy fabric leftover from when I originally reviewed the Bubblegum Dress. So my 4 year old's doll Willow would soon be matching! I finished most of the bodice and went to show my husband and discovered..... uh, this bodice would not be able to close properly. I messaged the designer and said "It doesn't fit." During our exchange, we discovered that the doll she imported was different than the doll I had. Hers had a full plastic torso, ribs, and everything. Mine was a rectangle, poly-filled torso with a wider chest circumference. See the difference HERE. (Luckily, I had enough fabric left for a redo ... I don't normally use coveted fabric for a first fitting in the testing phase. Whew!)

So, to add to the challenge, she had to redesign the pattern using my doll, on the other side of the world. Thank goodness for modern technology and Candy Castle Pattern's ability to design because the result is a perfect fit!!!

The Mini Bubblegum Dress and Swing Doll Dress each have a hemmed version and a bias-trimmed version. Because I was trying to get as close to a replica of my daughter's dress, I chose the hemmed version of the original Bubblegum Dress. The construction is very similar to the Bubblegum Dress and Swing Dress, but the doll version also has the option of a velcro closure instead of ties. I chose the velcro closure as my 4-yr old isn't quite to tying bows yet and this would allow her to play independently.

The verdict?! My daughter squealed when she found Willow all dressed up in a dress matching one in her closet and ran to get it on. She had quite a fun time posing for pictures in the front yard too :)