A Minor Accomplishment

I know, I know. I've been terribly neglectful with this blog. I can make all the excuses in the world. Basically, life is busy, and for a few weeks, this blog took a back seat. I hope not to be as negligent in the future.

Anyway, today, I achieved a minor accomplishment. I finished sewing my daughter's First Communion dress. I started in in February. In my defense, I took about a month off from working on it. My goal was to get it done by Easter. When Easter week rolled around, I had it all done with the exception of the button loop/button on the back and the flower trim. The flower was vexing me. My daughter was set on it, and try as I might, I just couldn't get it right. I tried talking her out of the flowers. That didn't fly. She was set on that stupid flower, and I was at a standstill. Well, today, I conquered the flower, and it's my favorite part of the dress!

I wanted to make her dress for the experience of doing it together--shopping for the pattern and fabric, sewing, measuring, being together. Well, I did most of it on my own, with my daughter begrudgingly returning to the dining room for fittings. But, in those times when she sat at the table with me, making cat toys on her sewing machine, I knew that it was all worth it. I'm carrying on a long tradition of sewing. I grew up with my mom sewing. I still have a few of the dresses that she made me. I loved (and still do) fabric, which is probably why I like to sew. My grandmother (on my dad's side) was a gifted seamstress and made everything. Her daughter (my aunt) also sews and made her daughter's First Communion dress, as well as her dress for my wedding (just as my grandmother made my aunt's dress for my parents' wedding). I don't know that my daughter will want to sew, but it will not be for lack of exposure.

My daughter had a few requirements for her dress: puffed sleeves (I think she's secretly channeling Anne Shirley), long, sparkly, a flower, and a bow. In the planned project, she was getting it all except the bow. The sparkly component will be the death of me. She picked a fabric, organza-like, that had silver glitter on it. Which is now EVERYWHERE in my house. It will be the death of me. On the other hand, the fabric was easier to work with than normal organza or chiffon, so I am learning to deal with the glitter. My uncle questioned the use of glitter in a First Communion dress, but rest assured, it is not gypsy or Vegas glitter--it is really just enough to give a sheen to the dress from afar.

I went on Pinterest and found a tutorial for a veil. The veil took me less than an hour to make and is perfect. My daughter has ultra-fine hair that defies most styling products. Her go-to hair accessory is a headband. Rather than try and make her hair do something it's not meant to, I put the veil on a headband.


I am so pleased with this project. I have no formal training and don't claim to be a seamstress. Maybe in another life, I would have pursued fashion, but for now, it will stay a hobby. My daughter is happy, and I'm happy that I could give her everything she wanted. Most of all, I'm so proud that I am done with two weeks to spare!




Comments

  1. Beautiful . Thanks for sharing.

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  2. That`s great you managed to finish the communion dress on time, just as you wanted and fulfilled your daughter`s requirements. I know how girls can be selective in their dress choices. We decorated our simple communion dress with ribbons and lace last year.

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