A Very Special Dress

Though the calendar may still say January now, these pages fly by before you can believe it.  If you have a special occasion coming up this spring...First Communion or a wedding in the family...it's time to start planning now.

Last year, my goddaughter, Grace, celebrated her First Holy Communion, and I made her dress.    Grace had definite ideas about the style and length she wanted.  She wanted a simple scooped neck, short cap sleeves, embroidery on the bodice front and a sash in back.  She also asked for a bow on one shoulder, but it really didn't end up working with the design.

Ordinarily, I'm not a quick seamstress.  Planning, measuring, embroidery, etc. take time and careful consideration.  But I had a smocked Easter dress to make first, and then I whipped up an everyday dress for Grace, to try out the pattern's fit.   So this dress needed to go together quickly, and it did.

For fabric, I was very fortunate to have yards of silk dupioni on hand...a gift from my aunt.  I made an overskirt of organza and used that for the sash as well.  

For the embroidery, I used my own designs.  I use this same cross when I'm making baptism garments.  Here I've made silk ribbon roses around it.  

I used the Children's Corner pattern "Jane Anne" and drafted a new sleeve of my own.  It's completely lined.  It sewed in pucker-free my first try!!

Here I'm gathering yards of organza.  I ended up hemming both skirts by hand.

I found these perfect buttons at Sarah's Fabrics here in downtown Lawrence.

I have to say Grace was the sweetest, best-dressed little girl in her class!