Sunday, June 13, 2010

The Sun Quilt dress.

In the early 90's, some of my sisters and I used to occasionally work for our grandfather's shirt company making the swatch booklets of all the fabrics.

Every day on our way to lunch, we would pass this gorgeous children's wear shop. The owners of the shop sat at the back and made the clothes that were sold in the front. They were the coolest, most fun and unique children's clothes I have ever seen. They looked like they used lots of vintage fabrics and they looked like they would be such fun to wear.

At the time I dreamed more about how much fun it would be to work in that shop and sew those great clothes than I did about dressing a kid in them. I didn't think to buy any of those gorgeous clothes because having kids felt like a long way off for me then and I probably assumed they would still be there, sewing and selling those great clothes when I needed them.

But they aren't.

I have googled them over the years but haven't been able to find anything.

This quilted, reversible dress is my ode to Sun Clothing.

I think it is the type of dress those girls would have made.

When I showed it to my Mum, she told me it was the type of dress we wore when we were little.

The other day I went to the fabric shop intending to buy some wadding stuff to quilt a dress with, but when I saw this parka/sleeping bag looking fabric, I couldn't resist.

It was a shortcut but it also made me feel strangely happy and reminiscent of childhood days.

I sewed it to this fabric which I found at the Daylesford Sunday market a few months back.

I cheat quilted it by sewing along the white pre-quilted lines on the blue side.

Then I bound it all in brown.

I love the fact that she is dressed for this freezing cold day but isn't weighed down with a hundred layers.

I think the Sun girls would have liked it too.

42 comments:

  1. I love the blue side & hooray for memories!

    *fingers crossed that by the magical powers of blogland someone that knows someone that knows those Sun Girls will read you blog & put you in touch... hey... you never know... it's a small internet world...*

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  2. Bee-you-tiful! Kate I was admiring some pre quilted solids a few days ago and thinking I would hone my sewing skill's a bit before I tried to use any, But I was envisioning a cute light jacket. I love the patterned side.

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  3. I love that you have created something that brings back such wonderful memories for you as well as being used and loved today.

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  4. That is just so gorgeous! How snug & warm too...lovely memories...

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  5. This brings back memories for me too - really love it!

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  6. Hi Kate The quilt dress is gorgeous, I bet your little one is as warm as toast !

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  7. Oh my this whole get'up is absolutely adorable!!! Love it and even better that it evokes great memories.

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  8. How adorable is that first picture of your little one with the plaits! So happy. She reminds me of a Mabel Lucie Atwell illustration. Love the dress too!

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  9. Too cute Kate, nice and warm too now that it's freezing, brrr!!
    Lizzie
    xxx

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  10. Just beautiful Kate. I love the memories that brought you to make it.

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  11. What a sweet dress, would be nice and warm too.
    I wonder, can you still buy that quilted fabric?
    Maybe just stumble upon it in an op shop, made into something else. Must keep my eyes out.
    Lovely memories.

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  12. So so lovely. Great dress and such a nice connection to you've made to a time past. Totally ace.

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  13. Oh wow, how great is that!! I love what you did with it =) It is nice to have 'em warm without all those hundreds of layers, and even nicer when it came out so pretty and full oof memories =)

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  14. That is so cool (in a warm and toasty way). I am TOTES making one of these for my daughter. I would make one for myself if I could be sure of not looking like Michelin Man.

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  15. That is so cool (in a warm and toasty way). I am TOTES making one of these for my daughter. I would make one for myself if I could be sure of not looking like Michelin Man.

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  16. I love it! That red fabric looks great too. I wonder why you can't get patterned quilted fabric? It would be much easier for you.

    Now although it's very wet over here, it's still not very cold. No hats yet for us. It was actually very hot in our house this afternoon and I let our girls wear their sundresses for a party we had. Can you imagine that??

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  17. Kate.. we loved Sun clothing too
    :-) they made big people clothes too..from recycled jumpers and chenille and they sewed random big spots onto tops :-) ohh we loved them. i had a blue chenille dress heehhee...and farmer boys fave beanie was a recycled jumpers sun hat. nice memories...
    Peppers dress is cool...i mean warm :-) especially the red side.
    x manda

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  18. Totally adorable Kate, love the little duckie applique in the same fabric as the reverse! Sun CLothing would be proud to have that in their collection xo

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  19. That is super top! I think it just might be my favourite yet. I think i also want one to me but I suspect i have said that before once or ten times?

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  20. Looks great, reminds me of the clothes we used to wear as nippers in the 70's, it's making me nostalgic.

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  21. So inspiring! Love the dress, and the story! I think I want one for me! (It kinda has a Japanese style feel to me.)

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  22. it's just so cute!!

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  23. That little outfit is just super awesome! I love it.

    Hugs XX
    Barbara

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  24. What an adorable little jumper (that's what we called them when I was young in the U.S.) and perfect for your fall weather. You are always fo clever with your sewing projects.

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  25. Love the story and the dress Kate, just adorable.

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  26. How adorable! It looks like such a pretty and comfortable thing to wear when the weather is cool. And such a great story behind it, thank you for sharing.

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  27. I wish there was still shops like that. How magical would it be to have a whole street of seamstress and tailors. Kate, I thank that dress is one of the best yet. I LOVE It!!! xx

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  28. cute ... love the red and white one!

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  29. ridiculously cute! Clothing and children! Loving these clothes... wish they were in adult size...!!

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  30. I bet it's super warm!! Cute work, love Posie

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  31. Oh how lovely Kate! And your little girl is super gorgeous.

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  32. Lovely, Lovely dress!! I think this one is my favourite now :-) Kate do you make your own binding?

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  33. you totally sold me when you made it reversible and RED!!

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  34. I love this dress! Perfect for cold weather without being weighed down. Lovely memories too!

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  35. This is adorable Kate - so clever of you.

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  37. I think my husband's cousin used to own Sun Clothing. He now has a retro homewares business. I love the dress!

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