Saturday, May 2, 2009

Tabitha's revamped summer frock

I finished Tabitha's new dress today. It might look familiar as I was working on it last autumn. It originally was a winter dress with coat sleeves, but the sleeve pattern was off and after I tried to fix it and they still weren't right, well, it got put away for a while. ;-)


So I took the sleeves out and re-cut them into the loose sleeves they are now and trimmed them with waved braid. It's the 100% cotton trim that I got from E-Bay a while back; it is shaped somewhat different than modern rick rack, closer to the original stuff a little bit. The color combination is period correct for the 1860's, even though it seems pretty raucous for modern tastes. I also put 5 growth tucks in the skirt rather than my usual 3, it's a sure bet that they will have a growth spurt the minute they get a new dress! ;-) It does have a waistband, though it's hard to see; the waistband has the stripes going horizontally instead of vertically as they are in the rest of the dress. I've done that several times and I really like the way it sets off the waist.

There is a discussion over at the Sewing Academy about sewing for others. The recommended rate is between $25 and $30 an hour as advised by those who do/have made a business out of it. I timed myself when sewing the trim onto the sleeves, it took me an hour and 20 minutes to do them both. At that rate I'd pay around $40 just for the trim, not counting the actual dress construction (and the trim on the bodice!) and fabric. Dear me! I find that very motivating when I'm tempted to think that sewing is a waste of time. But regardless, it's my job to make sure the children are clothed, I suppose I should call it my duty since that's really what it is. I'm thankful for the many sewing, crafting, painting, quilting, doll making, history loving fellow bloggers who continually inspire me to approach my duties with renewed vigor and inspiration. Thanks to all of you!

9 comments :

  1. Oooooh, I just love this dress! So lovely and the puffy sleeves are delightful :-)

    Lots of love,
    Sommer

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  2. Your daughter looks adoreable in her dress. I love the color!

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  3. Dear Mrs. G,

    The dress looks lovely! I am glad that you were able to re-use it.

    The slevees look really pretty.

    blessings,

    Lady M

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  4. What a beautiful daughter you have! I wish young ladies looked like this all the time. The dress is wonderful.

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  5. You have lovely daughters. This dress is one of my favorites I think. I love the 5 growth tucks and the color combo is just wonderful!

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  6. Beautiful job, Paris! And, where did you get her shoes? They look so pioneer-ish, which I love!

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  7. Tabitha is BEAUTIFUL!!!! You did an awesome job!!
    Brooke

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  8. Very pretty! I think that orange and blue is gorgeous on a sunny day! Nice work!

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  9. Thanks everybody! ;-)

    Zebu, I buy the girls' boots locally at a store in Kidron. They are leather and though a little spendy, they are worth it because they last *forever*! They get passed down and when/if they wear out we get them resoled. I've only ever has to resole 1 pair. They look really good with their winter dresses but we usually oil them and put them away for the summer.

    Paris

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