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10 must-have handmade toddler dresses

Updated: Aug 6, 2020

Looking for handmade baby and children's clothes in the UK? Check out Popsy and Mama's latest handmade toddler dresses. All made lovingly, by hand, in England.

Handmade toddler dresses from Popsy and Mama



I'm still feeling overwhelmed by the wonderful reaction to Popsy and Mama's summer shop opening. Thank you all so much for your orders. It really means the world to me!


Sorry if you didn't get a chance to put your order in this time, the shop will reopen again soon. You can keep updated with shop opening times by following Popsy and Mama on Instagram and subscribing to the Popsy and Mama blog.


Let's talk handmade baby and children's dresses...

In the meantime, I want to talk about handmade dresses. Sewing dresses is one of my favourite things to do - bar rompers of course!


Many of the new summer prints really lend themselves to dresses for babies and toddlers. Popsy and Mama has over 5 styles of dresses including the:

  • Gathered Dress

  • T-Shirt Dress

  • Cocoon Dress

  • Bespoke Made To Order Dress

  • Pinafore Dress

As much as I love all the styles, I do have some favourite prints for dresses. I wanted to use the blog post this week to share these with you.


Perfect accessories to go with toddler dresses

Make sure you read the blog to the bottom as I've also shared some new accessory ideas that look fabulous with the dresses!


So, here they are, Popsy and Mama's 10 must-have handmade toddler dresses.


Have a lovely weekend.

Sam x


 

Top 10 HANDMADE TODDLER DRESSES


  1. Somewhere Over the Rainbow Dress

  2. Hidden Key Pinafore Dress

  3. Land Far Far Away Dress

  4. Do You Believe, Fairy Print Jersey Dress

  5. A Sunny Trip Short Sleeve Gathered Dress

  6. Bluebell Pinafore Dress to last all seasons

  7. Bespoke Made-To-Order Dress

  8. Enchanted Forest Dress

  9. Starry Night Hare Long Sleeve Dress

  10. Far Away Tree Dress


#1 Somewhere Over the Rainbow Dress

Rainbows have become an even more popular symbol in 2020, and rightly so. Every time I see a rainbow it makes me smile and feel a sense of togetherness. It's no wonder the Popsy and Mama rainbow prints were extremely popular for June's shop opening! The 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' print has to be a favourite of mine and I particularly like it in the T-Shirt Dress style. If you like rainbow prints you might want to also check out Popsy and Mama's handmade rainbow clothes for children blog post.



#2 Hidden Key Pinafore Dress

Was 'The Secret Garden' a favourite story of yours? It was mine! Which is why I asked one of my print designers to create the 'Hidden Key' print for me. I love reading popular old-fashioned stories to Poppy and 'The Secret Garden' we really enjoy together. The film is also a hit. We're excited to see the new movie that's being released this year. Popsy and Mama launched a NEW Pinafore Dress style for the summer collection and I do think the 'Hidden Key' print works well on this design.

#3 Land Far Far Away Dress

Think Cinderella, Princes, castles and magic! The 'Land Far Far Away' print has been designed so little people can look at their clothes and create a story of their own with the characters they see. Here we have our adorable Brand Rep Cici from @saiyan_and_cienna wearing Popsy and Mama's NEW Pinafore Dress style in the 'Land Far Far Away' print. So beautiful!

#4 'Do You Believe' Fairy Print Jersey Dress

There's something very magical about fairies. Poppy has doors and houses for fairies and often lets her imagination run wild thinking about the adventures they get up to. I hope she continues to believe in magic for a very long time! The 'Do You Believe' print really lends itself to dresses as it allows you to see a lot of the detail. I particularly love it on the Gathered Dress style. Wands also launched as a NEW item in Popsy and Mama's summer collection, and they look even more special when made in prints to match your little person's outfit. The Wands can be personalised with initials and names too!

#5 A Sunny Trip Short Sleeve Gathered Dress

The 'A Sunny Trip' print just squeals summer fun and giggles! The mix of colours with the bunting, sun and hot air balloons makes me smile a lot. Short sleeve dresses are perfect for the summer as you cover up your baby and toddler's shoulders from the sun, without them feeling too hot. The Short Sleeve Gathered Dress is also made in a stretchy cotton jersey fabric so your little people can move freely and be comfortable in the heat. Our Brand Rep Ruby-Mae from @1mama_2littlehumans looks very happy in her Short Sleeve Gathered Dress in the 'A Sunny Trip' print here!

#6 Bluebell Pinafore Dress to last all seasons

Okay, so I know the bluebell season is over, but that didn't stop me falling in love with the 'Bluebell Leopard' print. There's something about floral prints that I'll always love. It looks particularity lovely here on the Pinafore Dress where you can put a short or long sleeve top underneath depending on the weather. The Pinafore Dresses have been designed to take you all the way through the seasons because of their versatility.



#7 Bespoke Made-To-Order Dress

If you're looking for an extra special dress for your little person, then the Bespoke Made-To-Order Dress is for you! I launched this dress at the start of the year and it has been designed for special occasions such as birthdays, christenings and other celebrations. The Bespoke Dress is made especially for your baby or toddler and I promise it will be unique. If another customer has ordered the dress in the same print you'd like, then to make sure yours is different I'll sew an extra pocket, choose a different lining, or create a unique collar or hem. I guarantee your little person's dress will be one of a kind. Here's our wonderful Brand Rep Elowen from @dippydodah wearing the Bespoke Made-To-order Dress in the 'After Every Storm' print.

#8 Enchanted Forest Dress with matching Crown and Wand

What better way to spend an afternoon than running through the woods in the 'Enchanted Forest' Gathered Dress and matching Crown and Wand! This picture from our Brand Rep @1mama_2littlehumans makes me want to be 3 years old again (I think)! The Enchanted Forest print is delicately designed with toadstools, fairies, snails, rabbits and trees. Your toddler can make up lots of stories when looking at all of the characters and objects. Popsy and Mama's Gathered Dress can be made with short sleeves or long sleeves.



#8 Starry Night Hare Long Sleeve Dress

The 'Starry Night Hare' is one of my favourite prints of all time. Poppy and I love looking at the stars at night and this print always reminds me of these moments we share together. Long Sleeve dresses are always a hit with Popsy and Mama customers, I guess living in the UK we don't get many months where the sun is shining every day! The Long Sleeve Gathered Dress is perfect for breezy summer days and chilly winter adventures worn with tights or leggings underneath.

#10 Far Away Tree Gathered Dress

The Faraway Tree books are a huge hit in our household, which is why I asked one of my print designers to create the 'Far Away Tree' print. I'm so delighted with the final design! Here's our gorgeous Brand Rep Elowen from @dippydodah wearing the Long Sleeve Gathered Dress in the 'Far Away Tree' print. The Gathered Dress can be ordered with short sleeves too.


 

Perfect ACCESSORIES to go with your handmade dresses


So, now you know my favourite handmade dresses from the Popsy and Mama collection, here are some ideas for making your toddler's outfit look even more gorgeous with accessories!


Working with a Nepal-based business providing fair trade jobs for women

I've recently started working with a company in Nepal that provide fair trade jobs for disadvantaged women and single mummies. The company makes beautiful 100% wool accessories and home decor, and all of the items are made using the ancient technique of felting.


The accessories from the Nepal-based business will be available to buy all year round from the Popsy and Mama shop, even if the handmade clothing shop is closed.


The full felt collection includes bags, purses, hair clips, fairies, wall hangings and dream catchers.


Here are some of my favourites that will look just gorgeous with the Popsy and Mama dresses!


Made from 100% sheep wool these felted cross-body bags come in five designs. You can choose from the Hedgehog, Bee, Fox, Owl or Ladybird design. The strap is felted in the same wool and the bag closes with a zip. There's also a black cotton lining. The Small Felt Bag is 10cm x 12cm in size, so perfect for family strolls without getting too heavy!


The 100% sheep wool Felt Purse comes in five designs. There's the Hedgehog, Bee, Fox, Toadstool and Butterfly to choose from. It has a zip with a pom pom to make it easy for little hands to open and close. It's also lined in black cotton to keep treasured pennies and keepsakes safe. Simply gorgeous!


The finishing touch to any outfit is a hair accessory! These 100% sheep wool Hair Clips are guaranteed to add a level of extra cuteness to your toddler's outfit. You can choose from felt Bees or Ladybirds, which are attached to black hair clips. They are 6cm x 6cm in size making them a perfect fit for your little person's head.


 

SHOPPING with Popsy and Mama

How to find your perfect bespoke dress


If you've not shopped with Popsy and Mama before you might be a little confused by how the shop works. To save your time and help out, here are my tips for finding your perfect dress pronto!


Step 1: Choose your print

The first step is deciding what print or prints you like. Popsy and Mama has over 30 prints to choose from and all of them are unique. You won't find them anywhere else! The shop is always being updated with new prints, so make sure you keep in touch on Instagram to hear about new releases. Once you've chosen the print you like, CLICK on it...


Step 2: Choose your handmade dress style

The next step is choosing your preferred dress style. Popsy and Mama has over 5 handmade dress styles including the Gathered Dress (long and short sleeve options), Pinafore Dress, T-Shirt Dress, Cocoon Dress and the Bespoke Made-To-Order Dress. Once you've decided which one you'd like, CLICK on the style name from the drop down menu...


Step 3: Choose your size

Now you've chosen your print and your dress style, CLICK on the drop down size menu. Popsy and Mama's handmade dresses can be made in sizes from 0-3 months to 6 years. If you have any questions about sizing, you can check the Popsy and Mama Size Guide or drop me an email.


Step 4: Pay for your order

The final stage is the CHECKOUT where you put in your delivery details and pay for your order. Please be aware that I am one Mama sewing your lovely clothes, therefore your order will arrive between 4-6 weeks later. I don't ever rush anything and always make sure your clothes are perfect, so I do hope it's worth the wait!

Founder of Popsy and Mama
Me, Sam, and my daughter Poppy
More of my handmade baby and children's clothes collection

Thank you for reading this far. You really are the best! If you've enjoyed this post then you might also like to read my other posts about handmade clothes for babies and children:



Something to make you smile

Finally, before I go I wanted to share with you an article I recently stumbled across. It's about a toddler who was dressing up every Thursday as a different key worker for the Clap For Carers appreciation. It really made me smile and feel all warm inside. I thought you might enjoy reading it too!


Take care and see you next week,

Sam x




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