Thursday, August 4, 2011

A Dress for Lucy

I made a dress for Lucy. Out of a tea towel I snagged for $2 from a bargain bin a couple years ago.

I do not consider myself a crafty person. I simply have a creative curiosity. I see something and I think, "I can do that." Apart from a hand quilting class I took and crochet lessons from a wonderful woman I used to work with, most of my skills come from one philosophy...

If I were a pioneer woman, settling in the heart of the Appalachians, what would I do?

Genius, hunh?

Or maybe just lazy.

Nonetheless, it's about simplifying and being resourceful. You need something warm to cover you in bed...stitch together materials to create a quilt. Your children need to be clothed...form a dress. There were no instructional videos or craft sections in Barnes and Noble (which I can become obsessed with). But sometimes all the jargon and instructions and technique can become overwhelming and confusing. That's when I strip it back down to my philosophy.

I want to turn this towel into a dress.



I traced the neckline of a dress she already had and made a simple pattern.



I cut out the front and back, sewed the sides together, hemmed the edges, found some lace in my jar of pretty things and stitched it along the bottom, and voila.



Lucy doesn't have any hair accessories, and has been asking for some. With extra strips of the towel I wove a headband to start her collection. While not exactly keeping her hair out of her face, I figure it'll keep sweat from dripping in her eyes on our walks.



My philosophy may sound silly, but it works for me. It does not create perfection. But it does let Lucy rock out in a dress with produce on it.

The point is that I learn something new each attempt and hopefully will keep improving.

It's not very difficult to try with a muse like this.




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