Thursday, November 7, 2013

and then I sewed her a dress






This morning Miss Jazzy announced to the breakfast table that she had no dresses. Not a single one. Miss Pepper has a whole cupboard full, Miss Indi has a few special ones, but not her, none.

To be honest, I had thought she was done with dresses. I had thought she was at that age where she would live in her jeans. But no, apparently not.

It might have been the warmer than usual weather. It might have been the new school. It might have even been just to make a middle child point.

But I heard her.

And this afternoon, after we had done most of the chores but before we gathered the girls from school, I pulled out some bits of fabric I thought she might like, and I got to work.

I cut out a dress that I make for Pepper often; Mixy-matchy sleeves and bodice. But I don't think I've ever made a 10 year old a dress, and the entire time I was just guessing. Wider here. Longer there. Bigger all together.

When she came home from school I showed it to her and she said she loved it, but she would try it on later. And then later, she said even later. And later.

Until it was almost dark and it just had to be then.

So she left her role as dress maker in the game she was playing with Pepper and put it on.  She looked in the mirror and turned this way and that. Then she made a funny face and stood there tugging at it.

Finally she declared that she liked the back better than the front and that she just wasn't sure. But she gave me 10 minutes in the forest with my camera, so I was happy.

I'm hoping to make her another, a bit bigger, with less pink and maybe a bit more of an a-line style, some time very soon.

But the sewing, I really, really loved the sewing. And now my mind is racing with summer sewing possibilities…twirly skirts, flowy dresses, crochet details and maybe even something for me…yay!

I love, love, love that creative buzzy feeling. I reckon you probably know the one I mean. It's the best!

What have you been making?
I'd love to know.


Big love
xx

36 comments:

  1. just gorgeous, lovely both daughter and dress

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  2. I am in love with the back of the dress, I would wear a dress made entirely of that fabric! every day, you've got me wanting a patchwork dress

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  3. It's beautiful! What a lovely thing to do.

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  4. Such a clever Mummy ...Thea x

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  5. Love the dress - just perfect for summer. I hear you on the buzz of creativity and the energy that comes with it. I try to incorporate handmade items into our Christmas gifts so I've been pottering away on quilted polar fleece blankets (far more practical for the rough and tumble nephews and Queensland heat, but topping them with material and quilting means I get to indulge in my love for patchwork and personalise them) and little bits and pieces. There's appliqued shirts for the younger crowd, pencil cases for the teachers, camera strap covers for the photographers, embroidered aprons for the grandmothers, shell wind chimes for other grandparents (with shells the 2 year old helped me collect and select of course). And then there's the side projects, Halloween costumes, birthday gifts, baby gifts, shorts out of his favourite material, a pillow case to match his naptime blanket.

    Making sparks creativity which begets more making - it's a cycle I succumb to regularly and honestly, I adore it.

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  6. I recently rediscovered my sewing machine too. Loving making a few things here and there. And hoping to do some Summer sewing for sure :)

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  7. Its gorgeous Kate!
    It must have been so nice going back to making a dress!!
    And it was worth making this one - it sounds like you have been inspired.xx

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  8. Oh to have the time to sew.... I would love it so much!! I recently made Romi Some pants and a little top I would love a whole day uninterrupted in my studio to sew and play.

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  9. And I love the 4th pic down, and the dress of course!

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  10. Looks great, especially with gumboots!

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  11. "Unknown" was me, my husband fiddled with my computer settings!

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  12. I totally know the feeling Kate, isn't it fun! P.S. I went on a day trip to Daylesford on Tuesday with a girlfriend and saw your husband and your little Pepper while I was having a chai at Beer and Breakfast! First Sorrento noodle shop, then Tuesday... felt a bit like I was star spotting! (And I mean that in the least-weird-way-humanly-possible). Have a lovely week. Lucy

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  13. How timely that I have stumbled on to this. I am just now putting off making my eight year old a dress. Overwhelmed with the anxiety that she will think it is too babyish, or worse still, make her look too grown up! I think I might be overthinking it............ Thanks for the inspiration to just get cracking.

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  14. A new birthday bernina is waiting for me on my sewing table. itching to find a bit of time to take her for a spin!

    ... and happy birthday to you too for last week my scorpio friend. hope you had a gorgeous day.

    rachel xx

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    1. The dress is super cute and yay for you for winging it and working it out as you go. I have a pile of summer projects ready to sew too, don't you just love that crafty feeling?! Really love your blog btw. Thanks for sharing you life.

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  15. I love the mix-match of fabrics! My 11 year old is always asking for dresses (I've never sewn her one though) and yet... she is most often seens in jeans and a tee shirt, no matter how full up with dresses her closet is. I think she just likes to look at them.
    Her dress turned out lovely, and I do know that creative buzzy feeling well. It's been missing from me lately, but I hope it comes back soon.

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  16. Oh that middle girl of yours is just adorable. I love her wild and free spirit that shows in those gorgeous photos of her, the slightly hippyish/boho braid in her hair and the dress you made for her. Tell her from me, a big thank you for allowing the photos to be taken, they have given me a real lift this evening.
    Anne xx

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  17. Totally off the subject, but I got a copy of your book for my birthday yesterday!

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  18. Just made my babe a little tunic (I'm calling it the Funky Chicken Tunic) out of adorable fabric by Monaluna. I didn't follow a pattern either, just based the sizing off another of her outfits. I also need to make mine more of an a-line next time. The little babe is wider than I thought!

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  19. I am totally with Miss Jazzy. The back of this dress is awesome! I wish I could "whip" up a dress just like that in an hour or two... You are very talented.
    Xxx
    Annette
    My Rose Valley

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  20. I love all of the dress! It and the pictures remind me of "California dreaming" (on such a winter's day, though of course it isn't winter there!) Loving the vibe. How I wish I could sew! Xxx

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  21. I adore the back too. My parents had that sheet set when I was a wee small thing - it brings back so many fond memories. Cuddling up to my dada mostly.

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  22. Gotta love when creativity zaps the brain.... go girl! ♥♥♥♥

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  23. Gorgeous dress Kate!!! I miss sewing! I need to makey girl a dress like that! Lovely photos xx

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  24. It's lovely, she's a lucky girl! I haven't been making anything, but I keep pulling things out to start and then not starting! x

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  25. I love when you get into "whip up a dress mode"! They are always inspirational, so pleased she still wants these at ten. mel x

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  26. The colours in this are joyous Kate! My big girl doesn't want anything sewn for her and I'm sad, but she's wanting to do her OWN sewing and I'm happy! Miss 9 still loves home sewn and Mister 7 cried when his crazy coloured home sewn short wore out. I did a bit too. All three kids had worn those shorts. I think he deserves another pair!

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  27. Love the dress....I would love to be able to make wearable things, but alas I think its not to be....I think I sew too fast and don't plan well enough! My boys, especially the middle one love The sound of music, and the homemade clothes out of curtains....I often threaten I might make them all suits one day!

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  28. i adore it! and me.....vintage curtains with some amazing additions that i will share soon on the blog xxxxx

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  29. It looks great. But her reaction might be another reason you stopped sewing her dresses, they aren't easily pleased at 10 are they!

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  30. It's lovely and the photo shoot so fun to see the results and grateful she let you shoot them Dusk works really well for picture-taking; I have found the light to be genuinely soft.

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  31. The dress is beautiful! I love looking at what you create - its very inspiring. Today I am making a felt case for my new phone and hope to spin up some wool later on. Thanks for making my morning reading so motivating!

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  32. Dresses, I've been making birthday dresses. one for my 25 year old (did I really say that? 25 already?) and one for my sweet 16 tomorrow baby, with a splash of vintage lace hand made by her great gran at the neck.

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  33. Hello Kate. I have just discovered your blog via Attic24 and am reading through your archives (and loving it!). Your declaration of how you "really, really loved the sewing" resonated with me. In a past life (before children but it really does feel like a past life!) I sewed ALL the time, not only did I make a living from it I sewed everything that I wore. Then there was a sewing hiatus of about 12 years brought on by two babies, relocating to Victoria (from QLD), getting a 'real' job. Now I am sewing again and I really really love it, the creative process just makes me so damn happy. Even though a sewing session has to be VERY planned, I no longer have a sewing room so the machines have to be set up at the kitchen table and cutting out happens on the kitchen bench. So I have to have the project sorted before I start, which has forced me to plan the projects and hence I can be pretty productive in my sessions. I hope you got to sewing some things for yourself :)

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  34. Oh, I love it -and she is wearing my brother's doona cover on her back (I had the blue and red version) I still remember changing over from sheets to doonas. It was a huge thing.

    I am sewing in all the ends of my NZ road trip blanket and knitting a wrap. On the sewing front, dresses for me and shorts for my girl. Have my crafty mojo on accelerate at the moment.

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Thanks so much for stopping by...

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Kate XX

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