A Tale of Two Dresses

(alternate title: An underwhelming show-and-tell of two projects)

Sometimes fluttery sleeves on a little girl make her look cute. And... other times they just make her look like a Star Trek character with a shoulder pad malfunction....

Please compare:

So I thought, "Well, I only paid $4 for this dress at Old Navy. I can either donate it to Kids-for-Klingons or I can try to "fix" it so that I might actually let Clare wear it."  I got out my scissors and chopped off those flutters.  It's not bad, but it's not great either.  Maybe I'll put it on her once in a while. At lease now she'll be able to fit through standard-size doorways without turning sideways...

Dress project number two is somewhat more exciting, but don't get too worked up.  A few months ago I found a skirt at AmVets thrift store on a 50% off day.  $1.50.  It was a girl's size L (12-14 or something like that??) It was gauzy white with embroidered butterflies and sequins, and was in great shape.  So I bought it, knowing it was 17 sizes to large for Ruth but with the plan that I would turn it into a dress. It was one of those projects that I never would have gotten to... except... a sweet friend hosted a craft night last night.  Do you have any idea how delightful it is to get out of the house and spend a few hours sewing and chatting with friends!  Bliss!  So I had the free time to do the dress after all.

Foolish me forgot to take a picture of the skirt before I took my scissors to it.  But here's the finished project.  I cut off the top waste band and attached it to a tank top that I cut up from the bottom.  It's a tad big for Ruth, but not unwearable. It will fit her again next year and then will be a hand-me-down for Clare!  

Clare's hand in the corner there reminds of the creepy tallisman from that short story
"The Monkey's Paw" - you know that one that you read in freshman high school Lit.   

I think she likes it!