We interrupt regular programming to bring you this special episode of... Unselfish Sewing!!! (imagine one of those big Hollywood voice over voices).
Can I make a confession? I am a horrendously selfish sewer. Hell, who am I kidding? I'm an incredibly selfish knitter too.
I just can't get as excited about making things for others, as I do for making for myself. Especially for small people who outgrow clothes quicker than you can say "where on earth did my toddler go?" . It's just so thankless.
But when conversations start going like this...
Enter stage right... Me with a new piece of fabric/yarn
Miss M: Is that for me??
Me: Ummmmm... No.
Miss M: Who's it for then?
Me: Ummmmm.... Me.
Miss M: Again!!!!???? (said incredulously)
...you just can't help but feel it's time to make someone else feel special
So I let Miss M loose in my (very modest) stash and she picked this piece of fabric from Alexander Henry's 2009 fabric collection called "Piccolo". I actually won this piece in Jorth's birthday giveaway in 2012. Lucky me! Miss M dove on it immediately.
I pulled out my trusty True Bias Toddler Swing Tank (size 2T) pattern and continued to hack away. That thing is pretty much re-drafted entirely now since Miss M is a size 4. This is such a good shape for a basic dress and one that quite suits Miss M.
To break up the strong fabric design I decided to add some broderie anglaise trim to the armhole for a bit of "flutter". I think that was the winning bit in Miss M's mind.
I used some leftover orange and cream bias binding from the stash to finish the neck and armholes and a perfect blue flower button salvaged from some old garment or other. I love stash busting and re-purposing, it almost feels like it's free!
And really, in the end, how could I resist this happy customer's face??
And now it's back to our regularly scheduled program of Selfish Crafting...
Very cute, that is a great print. I agree, sewing from stash does feel 'free', especially if it's been in there a little while :)
ReplyDeleteI accidentally let my daughter see this... "Oh that's so cuuuuuuuuute!". "What do you like best about it?" "The frilly bit and the line down the middle [of the back]. And the pony tail."
ReplyDeleteLooks like the perfect not too girly fabric for a dress for a daughter - great choice. I suspect I wouldn't do any unselfish sewing at all if it weren't for the huge amount of cajoling my daughter does - and then the guilt over not sewing for her brother or dad or anyone else!
She looks adorable!
ReplyDeleteVery cute! I'm on holidays right now and under the auspices of 'unselfish knitting' I'm making my first ever rather crappy baby hat for a friends almost due bub, but really I'm just learning to use dpn's for some cardigan sleeves for me me me! I hope you've been rocking those shorts all over town!
ReplyDeleteThis is just too cute. I love the lace on the sleeves. I reckon that's your unselfish sewing done for the year now !:)
ReplyDeleteWhat a doll! Such a sweet little dress! I'm totally with you on the selfish crafting. On the other hand, you should probably savor these years when she actually wants to wear things you made - I'm pretty sure that sentiment will evaporate all too soon!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely dress! I have the same conversations with my daughter too, she's always asking me just how many more things I need to make for myself before I sew her something!
ReplyDeleteI love trying to sell that it was "free" to my husband, who just rolls his eyes and wanders off!
ReplyDeleteToo funny that your daughter liked the ponytail. Tell her it's call a "sprout" in our house as it sprouts from up high on the head :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Christy!
ReplyDeleteUgggh, DPN's. I tell you, magic loop. I hate DPNs sticking into me and trying to juggle 3 or more sticks. It totally turns me off small circumference work. I'm knitting some fingerless mittens right now to get the magic loop ingrained in my brain.
ReplyDeleteAnd yep, I totally rocked those shorts on Sunday and weirdly got a few random compliments. Win!
I'm going with that Kirsty, I've done my bit. Oh hang on... I did promise P another Negroni and I've had the fabric for a year. Not sure that one is going to be let slide...
ReplyDeleteYou're right Gail, before long she'll be saying "how embarassing, I'm not wearing home-made". Hang on.... YAYYYYYYY! Selfishness will be wholeheartedly encouraged then. Bring it on! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's such a guilt trip isn't Kristy? The beauty is the items are so small (comparatively) and therefore they seem to take very little time to make up. That means we can get back to selfish sewing pretty quickly really. Yay!
ReplyDeleteThat came out lovely. I would love to make a dress for my little cousin. She loves dressing up and I have yet to sew something not for myself! Haha, just another selfish sewist.
ReplyDeleteThank you! At least pieces for little people seem to take little time. For unselfish sewing it lets you get back to yourself quicker!
ReplyDelete