We’re big believers in summer dresses at our house, but we know that every little girl needs pretty, relaxed shorts and tops in her summer wardrobe as well.

When I was working on this new sewing pattern I was thinking about the long, drowsy summer afternoons we spend watching the children chase each other through the sprinklers in the shady part of our neighborhood park. And dinners on the back patio at my sister’s house. And, of course, the annual class picnic, when games are played and everyone celebrates the last week of school. Winter must be nearly over, because I can almost feel the sun on my skin as I write this!

This blouse is my version of a classic peasant shirt. I cleaned up the style a bit, making it less voluminous through the body (all that fabric can swallow a child whole) and less cluttered through the neckline with a simple flat yoke at the front and back. The elastic in the shoulders at the raglan sleeves give it a flattering neckline that still allow it to be pulled on and off easily and provide a good fit. No slipping off the shoulders with this style.

The wide hems at the bottom and at the three-quarter-length sleeves will look especially nice with a lightweight or semi-sheer fabric (I had our lightweight Moda fabrics and Liberty of London lawn in mind here) because they give the hems a little more visual weight and substance. (The other nice thing about wide hems is that they can be let down to get a little extra wear out of the clothing as the child grows.) And lightweight cotton fabrics would be so cool and comfortable in the summer heat.

The shorts are easy to sew and to wear. They have elastic in the back waist so they can be pulled on and off easily, which is important when you’re in the middle of swimsuit weather, right? The details include a faux fly and a wide waistband with contrast fabric at the inside front waistband, just for fun.

The styling is almost a wrap look, and the interesting detail of the facing applied to the outside edge gives you lots of opportunity to show off the curved detail with a contrast or complimentary fabric. You could add a few buttons to the facing near the side seam for a little extra interest, too. I’ll have to show you what I mean sometime soon when I’ve had a chance to sew a few more pairs for S using some of the fabrics I’ve been setting aside for her summer clothing.

It’s finally time to take the wraps off our new spring and summer collection to give you a preview of the line.

This season, we are releasing three new patterns: two dresses and one blouse and shorts outfit.

So, without further ado, here we go.

The Family Reunion Dress pattern is a classic dress featuring pintucked pleats at the front and back, a choice of button tab or ruffle embellishment at the front, and a sweet neckline. The dress has gently gathered short sleeves, our signature hem facing with a sweet topstitched detail, and buttons up the back to complete the look. The dress can also be shortened into a blouse.

The Seashore Sundress pattern features button straps, princess seams, and two almost-invisible little pockets at the dropped waist which are perfect for stashing tiny treasures. The smaller of the two size ranges (6m-4) also includes our favorite bloomers pattern.

The Class Picnic Blouse + Shorts pattern will let you sew a comfortable and cute pair of elastic-waist shorts that include contrast trim, mock-wrap styling, and a faux fly. The matching raglan-sleeve pull-on blouse includes gathers at the yoke, elastic at the shoulders, three-quarter-length sleeves, and wide hems.

The patterns will be available in stores worldwide and on our website during the first full week of April. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to be notified when the patterns become available. Wholesale customers can place pre-orders now by downloading the form from our Wholesale page.

Over the next few weeks we’ll be publishing more detailed posts here that highlight all the options included in each pattern. Check back frequently to see what we have in store for you this season.