Sewing

I am very grateful for all the time and effort and example of my Aunt and Grandma in teaching me how to sew. I know I could not even think about attempting to sew if it were not for their tutelage and influence.

However, there are times when I want to tear my hair out while screaming! This pattern wasn't too difficult, just very involved- the older girls' dresses have a FULLY LINED dress (so you're sewing two dresses, really), plus there's a poofy underskirt ruffle that makes the dress skirt flare a little. That was a pain, too. So was the fact that I bought every inch of material they had on the bolt and I still came up short. That's one of the reasons why Miranda has short sleeves. The other is that I didn't want to hunt to find a pattern that would make her sleeves long. The velvet cumberband on the dresses were also a pain. I admire my Aunt even more for sewing me and my sisters matching (but different colored) velvet dresses for her wedding. WOW!

Still I am very pleased with how they turned out. Even better, and what makes it ALL worth it, is that the girls really enjoyed wearing the dresses. If they ever stop liking what I sew, I WILL NOT put myself through the work. I'd much rather buy.

Speaking of which, I think I actually came out ahead- so far as costs goes. Not so far as time is concerned.









These last two pictures of our family are photoshopped. I didn't like the background we had- Travis thought a "white" sheet might look good draped in the kitchen. I was dubious and thought a high flash in front of the tree would be better, but I acquiesced. (See the background for Miranda's and Zoë's individual pics?). So, I cut and pasted us in front of our bushes. It isn't life-like since we would only be about 2 feet tall if we really looked like this in front of the bushes. But, it makes a cute background...