Monday, November 29, 2010

Resuscitating Old Skills

You know what this means don't you? It means I am going to do some sewing. This is kind of scary in it's own way as I haven't made a garment in years. Oh I've done repairs & a little patchwork & appliqué work but as far as constructing a complete garment goes - I think the last dress pattern I bought was probably about a size 4 year old.....for Gabriela, who is now 13.

What it also means is that somewhere along the way I have become blissfully unaware of the price of dress patterns, so much so in fact that when Gabriela was trying on prospective dresses to wear to her brothers wedding & suggested that she really would like me to make something for her I blithely said 'yes'. Admittedly the dress she liked didn't have a lot to it & we could both see area's where we would improve on both the style & design, but I may not have been so amenable if I'd known a pattern to get the basic shape was going to cost me $20.00!

Then there was the fabric, & the fact that I couldn't find where my tape measures were & needed new machine needles. Yep, it would have been half the price to actually buy the dress we saw. But then again she wouldn't have a unique dress, tailored completely to her tastes & made especially for her by her Mum. And that last part was the key point, she wanted me to make something for her in an age where kids are increasingly all about labels & what stores their peers shop at this little sweety wanted me to make her a dress.
I'm flattered & honoured. Lets hope that I live up to expectations!!





2 comments:

Sharon Driscoll said...

Hey Deb - I see we both have the sewing machines out. What a wave length...WOW. I'm sure you will make a beautiful dress. I had to go to the store for needles myself and nearly did a back flip myself when one of the patterns was
$18.00. When did THAT happen? I just bought some purse pattern yesterday to try and shou;ld have put it back but didn't find out until I was at the register. Now I'm looking for free purse patterns on line.

Deb said...

Sharon - We must be on the same wave length.I'm relieved that I'm not the only one that was shocked at pattern prices.lol!
I've bought some 'boutique' style purse & patchwork patterns in recent years & was aware that they were getting up there ( around $10 - $12)....but the major mass market brands such as Simplicity, Butterick & Macalls etc were all well under $10.00 the last I looked. What a shock!!
I recall that Vogue were always more expensive than the others - I shudder to think what they are at now.