I actually purchased this pattern directly from Carpatina and purchased the Peonies fabric that they had reproduced for this occasion myself and I was so surprised on how realistic it looked. I sewed this pattern, with the fabric for a Magic Attic Doll (Heather) for my niece Lydia last Christmas. I sewed the dress, with a yellow underskirt in satin, added buttons of salmon on the outside, crocheted a light pink snood to hold up Heather's hair underneath the straw hat that I purchased from Thimbles and Acorns on Ebay or Etsy, glued the peonies that I purchased separately on top and used a hat pin to keep it in place. I presented it to my Lydia who is not a little girl, but a 20 year old young woman and still loves me to sew for her doll, and she just about fell over with love and excitement. I found the pattern to be a bit tricky where it came to angling the skirt back at the bottom. I finally used a ruler and figured it out to make a slope level to make the back of the skirt longer than the front area. I think that was the only part that was tricky for me, otherwise it was a delight to sew for the Magic Attic doll. It brought out her beautiful coloring in her cheeks and eyes and my niece said she loved it so much she didn't want to take it off of her doll, ever. We both love Historical costuming on dolls. I do complicated fashions for her doll since she loves History and because she appreciates my sewing abilities. I need to plan to sew something for her Heather this year to surprise Lydia. Maybe the Brunswick jacket and skirt? Possibility? Easy to follow instructions, make sure you read it thoroughly before hand and understand how to put it together before cutting nice fabric. Use muslin if you must and understand how it is suppose to be put together. I recommend all of Carpatina sewing patterns because they are Historically accurate and look so nice and professional when completed. You won't regret it.
