Mani Mina Criss-Cross Chic Dress/Top

I made this top for my daughter earlier this spring (when she was still wearing the clothes that I had made her…now she will only wear her big brother’s Spiderman stuff). This fabric is so sweet and juicy, and I used the pattern from Mani Mina.

Fabric – The fabric I used for this top was Alexander Henry Willows Berries in multi. The pattern is for sizes 12 months through 4T, and I made the 3T. I used 1/2 yard of fabric for the top (the dress calls for 1 yard). I did use the smaller berries print for the bodice. The only other notions I needed was the ribbon and 1 button.

Illustrations/Instructions – There were full-color photos for all the steps. I had no problem following along. The only thing that bothered me about this pattern was that there were a lot of spelling and other errors that could have been easily edited with some proofreading before finishing up the pattern instructions. The author also repeatedly referred to the ribbon as ‘bows’; I hate to nit-pick, because once I figured out what she was talking about, it was no big deal.

Pattern Pieces – There are no pattern pieces to cut out, as the two pieces of fabric needed for this project are cut from rectangular measurements.

All-in-all, this is a quick, easy, and beautiful pattern. I decided to make the top as opposed to the dress because I wanted my daughter to be able to climb around at the park after her brother without her knees getting caught up on a longer dress. There is no need for serging or zig-zag stitching, as all the seams are enclosed. I liked the button closure and the ribbon straps. When I made this, I treated all ends of the ribbon with Fray-Check liquid to make sure they wouldn’t unravel in the wash. The top band encloses the rest of the fabric, which is gathered, so that it has a nice loose fit. I like the style of this top as it isn’t too tight nor is there too much fabric around the body, it’s just right. I didn’t run into anything in the pattern that I needed to change.

Conclusion – This would be a great project for a beginner. It really is adorable, and would make a quick afternoon or evening sewing project.