The "Make Do" Dress:

Rayona's birthday dress is now a reality. I didn't think I would have time to make it before her party, but my wonderful husband kept her out of my hair for all of Sunday, and I was able to make it happen. It took me EIGHT HOURS. I don't sew well, and had no pattern, so what do you want, right?

The original dress on which this is based (see earlier post) was called a "Make Do" dress by the woman who sold it to me due to it's depression-era status as well as a large, beautifully mended hole on the front. So I copied it as best I could, and here we have the baby version:




I am really rather proud of this, although I don't think I did any of it the way I was supposed to. This was "BREAK the rules sewing". However, the end result -although very much imperfect - is pleasing none the less. I had a Hell of a time getting the collar to press flat. Even though I had worked out a lot of potential pattern issues in my head, and on paper, there were unforseeable "bunchynesses" that I suppose were inevitable for a novice like me. The good thing about this experience is thatI got many curse-words out of my system, and now feel as though working from a pattern will be like a vacation. I learned a lot.




Initially I had snaps, but wasn't happy with how they made the garment look like something off the rack from Carter's, so I decided to learn how to use my buttonhole foot. Not too bad after a few tries:



I think for the sake of it's heirloom/sentimental potential it deserves exactly these tiny vintage buttons. My placket skills need work, but that's ok. I have made my first baby dress, and that's something considering how scared of my sewing machine I was just a short time ago. I hope she keeps this, and one day when she's older remembers how much her Mama loved her.