La petite couture

We have a little tradition the wee girl and I.  Each year, come birthday time, I sew a new dress.  A birthday dress.  A dress for the party. This year was no different ... Except this year it wasn't a surprise dress, this year the girl got to choose all by herself.  This year she sat on the floor of the back room and got to go through the box of patterns.  This year she ummed and aahed, perused and pondered, and decided all by herself.  She picked out Style 4060, circa 1973 - my, my, the girl has an eye.  A beautiful pannelled dress with collar. She then plundered the stash cupboard and we pulled out a few fabrics - but she settled on this one - a 100% Cotton Pique that I have lovingly stroked for a while now - waiting for the moment that it would get its chance.  I had the perfect pink cotton for the pockets and collar tucked away.

 That was weeks ago.  It sat cut out but unsewed until a couple of days before her party. She had no idea I had been sewing at night to get it finished. So she still got her surprise.  Her party was on Sunday and the look on her face when I revealed the new dress complete with matching skivvy and tights was ACE... and I did have that little moment where I revelled in her joy ... because one day a dress sewn by your Mama may not illicit quite the same reaction. She even proclaimed after the party that it needed to be hung up so she could where it on her actual birthday (which is tomorrow). But for now it is still the number one reason why I get so much pleasure out of sewing ... it's the giving away of something you have made with love and having it received like you are the Christian Lacroix of Tasmania.  Viva la petite couture, non?