Sewing up a storm

(Well, maybe not a storm - maybe more like light showers)

This picture makes sewing look like such a lovely pass time, which it can be as long as it's not mending. I read somewhere that asking a seamstress to do mending is like asking da Vinci to paint your fence. I'm not that talented of a seamstress, but the da Vinci painting a fence reference reflects how I feel about mending. This week I got to sew for pleasure.

___________________________________________________Carmen is playing the role of raggedy Cinderella in a classroom skit coming up. Another girl is playing ballgown Cinderella, because she has a Disney Store dress. Carmen took total responsibility for her costume. She cut up patches of fabric and sewed them on to her brown dress by hand. She thought sewing by hand would look more authentic for raggedy Cinderella.

I maybe need to work on finding a pail and scrub brush that are more authentic looking.

I also took on a sewing project of my own this week. It took me a day and a half, which makes me wonder how my mom got all the sewing done that she used to do. She sewed all of my clothes and all of the clothes for my two brothers closest in age to me (except their jeans, I think) until I was in 4th grade, when I got my first pair of store bought brown twill pants. Clearly with that much sewing to do, she developed some efficiency I lack in the sewing department.

I bought this origami fabric quite a few years ago, just before a local fabric store (Fanny's Fabrics) went out of business. I loved this print, but I wanted to use it for something special, so I stored it. I finally found the perfect pattern for this fabric - a kimono dress! Then began the search for the just right contrast fabric - I finally found the perfect japanese sandals fabric at Cias Palette (on my side bar).

I can't help myself with the self portraits these days, and look at all those pins! Using a solid mass of pins is the only way I know to get perfectly even gathers.

It took me half a day to cut out the dress, which sounds long to me and I was there. Then it took me a full day to sew it up. Ken wanted to calculate how much the dress is worth at my working hourly wage, but I wouldn't let him. I can't put a price on the satisfaction I got from completing this project I've been dreaming of for so long.

Carmen wore her new dress today (not with these shoes - we dug them out of the dress up box just for the picture). She looked so cute with her hair up in a knot held by a hair stick. I might try a chopstick next time, if she'll let me.