Foundations

There is a project that I have been desiring to work on for quite some time. This summer, I came across this website and this pattern and I fell in love with the concept, so I attempted to sew my own repurposed clothing for little Rebecca. I did not do so well- her first T-shirt dress came out a bit lumpy and bumpy and off-center...but I made her wear it once anyway. The second attempt was created with a free online pattern, and I fared a bit better. But all I really wanted was the Sienna Dress pattern. I would hesitate each time I visited the website, my inner cheapskate balking at spending $13.05 to purchase a pattern. But last week, Beau said to me (as I was laying on the couch on a Saturday afternoon, of course)

"Have you noticed you have not been doing much nesting yet?"

(What I heard- "The house is a disaster area and I was looking forward to that OCD burst you have gotten twice before where you actually deep clean our home.")

"Oh really, buster? Well, let me show you something...." (that was just in my head).

So I have been gutting the closets of clutter and mess for the past week. Seven giant trash bags have gone to Goodwill so far, and three big bags sit in the garage, waiting for the next garage sale.

To wrap up the story, my dear husband decided to get in on the purging action as he was watching football last Sunday. He brought out his T-shirt drawers and began dividing his shirts into piles. I asked him if I could have his "to donate" pile in order that I might refashion them into dresses for his little girl. He happily obliged, and I mumbled something about having to buy the pattern to actually complete my project. He, bless his heart, told me to go ahead with my purchase, which I did immediately.

Anyway.I finally got to complete the project I have been waiting six months to do. The right way. I am a former pattern-eschewer who has discovered a deep love for the surety and comfort of following someone else's well-thought-out instructions.

The dress was completed with only a slight problem with the darn collar. I cannot wait to do my next one. I bothered a friend last night at Bible Study with requests to bring me T-shirts so that I could make her daughter a dress. I want to make for my niece with my brother-in-law's swimming shirts. I really want to make more for Rebecca, but as I was going through the pile, I discovered my husband's affinity for gray and pondwater-green...not the light and lively colors I would dress my two-year-old in.

So, if you are getting rid of old T-shirts, do let me know. : ) The girl who created the pattern is selling a limited number of licenses, so I would be able to legally make them to gift or sell.

We were both glad that Beau didn't have to officially part with his old Coachella T-shirt.