Rainy days are good for....making dresses!

The West Coast has been battered with rain for the last week.  Of course we haven't suffered nearly the same ravages of Mother Nature that Sandy brought to the East Coast, nevertheless, even I am a little sick of the rain and wind. When it pours non-stop for a week, I tend to hunker down and a work on UFP's (unfinished projects) from my knitting and sewing piles.

Saturday was a Dress a Girl Around the World sew fest, and despite the pouring rain, I wasn't going to miss it.  Thankfully, I wasn't the only gal who packed up her sewing machine and drove in the rain just to gather, chat and create dresses for the little girls in far away countries. We had quite a crowd of enthusiastic volunteers.

I'm starting a pictorial record of the dresses that I make.  For one, when I create a design, I like to imagine a little girl squealing with delight "I want that one!". For me it's important to create something that one of my granddaughters would love, not just whip together "something to wear". Secondly, I pray about the little girl who will eventually get to wear it - prayers for safety, for good health, for self-confidence, for education opportunity. So the photo album will serve to keep them in my thoughts.

I made three dresses yesterday and I returned several that I had made during the month of November. I had taken several "kits" home last month. And you know me - I have to put my creative stamp on everything- so I trotted of to Hancock's and purchased additional bias tape, fat quarters for pockets, ribbons and trims.

 




The original Dress a Girl dresses are made from pillow cases, but you can make them out of any washable fabric. I think I had these striped sheets back in the 70's, only in kelly green, so it was a challenge to make this pillowcase cute!




I also found this yellow pillowcase that had a pretty wide hem at the bottom that added too much bulk.  Solution? Cut it off and make it shorter, add some cute trim and a pocket.  I love yellow and blue together.











The possibilities are endless...some many little girls, so many dresses to make.  Yesterday one of the ladies brought in some pictures from her missionary friend in Uganda.  The little girls were wearing some of the dresses that our group had sewn.  Now that's what I'm talking about - doing something for those less fortunate and actually witnessing the results!

 

 

Another one of those pillowcases that reminded me of years gone by...but it made a cute dress by just adding some bright pink pockets and buttons!

 

 

My fabric stash comes in quite handy for this project.

Every dress must have a pocket.  Yesterday, one of the ladies sized all the finished dresses and slipped a pair of panties in the pocket before packaging them for shipment.  I think the pockets are our best opportunity to add personality to each dress.  I use a blanket stitch to add an applique...

Who doesn't love hearts???

From my heart to yours, sweet child...

Laurel. Loving this...

 

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