Monday, September 22, 2008

Mary De dress






It was a nice weekend, but I was ready for my big girl to return to school today. It was a busy weekend filled with lots of good time and activities with the kids, but I need to get at least one or two things done around here. That may be difficult to acheive with a two year old whizzing around, but I'm hopeful.

A friend asked me if I was going to post these dresses and I did in this July post. I didn't spend much time on it though, so here is the expanded version. I am embarassed to admit that I really LOVE to make my daughter dresses. It fills me with joy to see her trotting through her day to day activities with one of my dresses on. Whether she is running at top speed (and she runs like a gazelle), creating art work, or playing with her brother I could watch her for hours. It is something extra special to watch her do any of these things in a dress that I made for her. I love it that these dresses are now just a natural extension of her wardrobe. I love not buying from a foreign country for the clothes that I put on her back. I love having made her something that is so sweet and so functional. So... I am always crossing my fingers that she will not outgrow her love of dresses.

Really, I should explain, she is a total "tom boy" if that term can even sum her up. She runs like the wind, she can climb like nobody's business, and she is unafraid of insects, snakes, or really anything else for that matter. She rides a bike in a dress... she will do anything in a dress and to this point has preferred it that way. But I am sensing a subtle turning of her tastes now that she is in public school and it kind of twists my heart. Plus, I really don't have the time right now to "pop" out a dress.

I have this terrible habit that I'll admit. I make dresses from the same two patterns. I love to sew, but despise the time it takes to figure out anything new. I HATE reading directions, but I will do it for necessity's sake. I'd rather intuitively manuever my way through a project. It about kills me to slow down and read the directions. I like the process and the product, not the directions.

These are all variations on the theme of the same dress pattern. I love this dress.... she loves this dress. It's a "twirly" dress and what little person doesn't love to twirl? Plus, it's perfect as a sundress or to layer with a t-shirt underneath. I've been making this dress since size 3 and now she's a big 5. It's called Children's Corner "Mary De". It comes with two seperate pattern sizes so that you can use it for a couple of years. I always feel that I've gotten my money's worth. It is a smocked dress pattern but I don't prefer that, nor have time to learn it. Instead, I substituted the front yoke with the front lining panel and added rick rack, ribbon, or embroidery. The cat embroidery is from Jenny Hart's "Sublime Stitching". The options are really quite endless. Should you ever give this one a try, I'll coach you through the substitution of the front panel.

Alrighty then, I have avoided dishes and laundry for long enough. Plus, I really want to get in a nice walk with my little guy so it's time to scoot. Have a great week, friends!




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