All dressed up and noplace to go
I’ve been thinking a lot about pillowcase dresses. I’ve made two before, and enjoyed the process. My main problem is not having all that many little girls in my life to give them to. There’s always sewing for charity and for gifts, and I’ve done both, but there’s also the idea that maybe I could do something nice enough to go in my shop.
I gave that some thought over the last week or so, and came up with a design that involved a vintage pillowcase, natural linen, and a button. (You know that I just can’t bring myself to sell something of my own creation unless it has a handcrafted button on it, don’t you?) Yesterday I spent some time bringing my idea to life, referring now and then to one one of the dress projects in the Craft Challenge book, as a refresher on the basics of pillowcase dress construction.
I’m very pleased with the result! Now what remains is to find some girls of various ages and sizes who are willing to try it on. I have this feeling that it can grow with a child for many years, starting as a dress, and ending up as a shirt, but I don’t want to advertise that unless I have seen it with my own eyes.
I have six-year-old and nine-year-old boys easily at my disposal, but despite promising to chop their heads out of any photographs I might take of them, they have declined to try on the dress for me. Boring Office Guy has gone so far as to proclaim himself too masculine to pull it off – “Even without my head, they’d know I was a boy, Mom – I just look like one.”
Heh. I have a few friends who might be willing to model for me, if I ask them. And maybe they can give me an honest opinion as to whether this is something a girl would even want to wear. I’m feeling hopelessly out of touch on that count. (Those of you who know some female children well are welcome to show them these pictures and share their opinions with me!)
Anyway. I’m getting an itch to make more buttons, and I’m also getting an itch to troll the thrift shop again. What I need to do is combine these urges – go thrifting for beautiful pillowcases, make the buttons to go with them, and spend a few days cranking out a half dozen pillowcase dresses. That would hit the spot nicely, I think!
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Nell would totally model them for you. I’ll drop her off in NJ when we’re driving from Connecticut to PA in a couple weeks, just tell me which exit….
Or you can bring them to Scranton and have a modeling session in the anthracite mines. Very stark contrast there. She can even wear a miner’s lamp on her head–that’s sure to catch the eye.
.-= See Penny’s latest blog post: A Perfect Recipe for the Tomato Garden’s Peak =-.
Oh, that would definitely be quite the visual, LOL! I have a few very local people to approach before we go the anthracite route, but I’ll let you know if it comes to that. Heh.
How cute & pretty! I totally have some models for you if you ever need some – we have five girls ages 2-13. We’re in TX though, but maybe we could work something out where you mail it to me, I take pics and mail it back? Let me know!
.-= See Lisa’s latest blog post: Right now =-.
Oh, wow, all of those girls – how perfect that would be if we lived right down the block!
Thanks for the offer, but I have a few local girls in mind to ask.
I wandered over to your website, by the way, and I definitely think I need to try that flubber recipe!
That dress is absolutely adorable! You should totally put them in your shop! What a sweet way to use your buttons!
.-= See Nikki/whimsylove’s latest blog post: New Arrival! =-.
Thank you for the encouragement!
I will ask my girls tomorrow what they think of the dresses – they are 5 and 3 and very used to giving their opinions! I like them very much though and think you should put them into your shop.
Very cute. I like the use of linen. It gives it a modern flair.
.-= See dani@little fists’s latest blog post: Superheroes =-.
I’m not even a girlie girl and I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that. I’m going to try that in adult size (not pillow cases of course)! Wonderful work!
I have a 10 year old girl. We do live in Jersey too. Well, I’m actually in CO right now visiting but if you’d like a 10 year old who’s still rather small for her age I might be able to help you out.
.-= See Ellen’s latest blog post: Vacation =-.