Sarah's Colonial Dress

I finished Sarah's dress!!! I have never been so excited to finish a project...seriously, I could hardly go to sleep last night for wanting to get up and look at it one more time...sounds silly but I just couldn't believe how several yards of fabric, a sewing machine, notions, and some help from my mom could produce a dress so cute!! I managed after much contemplation to finally get started Thursday ...the much contemplation involved figuring out which side to lay the fabric on and which side to lay the pattern on (blush). After I got it laid out and pinned, I started cutting away...with that finished, it was on to the actual sewing. Ouch...my lack of knowledge was glaring me right in the face...basting? stay-stitching? darts? gathering? OH MY!! So, off I went to view how-to videos on youtube. Thank goodness for the "infonet".... :) I put the five bodice pieces together ..realizing to my utter dismay that I had incorrectly cut the notches in as opposed to out...now who knew which way they were supposed to be cut???? Well, now I do...in hindsight. sigh... Anyway, I was supposed to put interfacing (whaaat?) at the top and gather the skirt...and then I realized, "Oh my word!!! It has a ZIPPER????" You have to be kidding me. What a nice way to break in my sewing experience. So, I called my mom and pleaded with her to help me out just a bit...and she caved and came over for a couple of hours yesterday. She showed me how to gather, put the sleeves on, and sew a zipper!!! Yeah! I am a visual kind of person...helps to see what I'm supposed to be doing. Anyway, I got it hemmed and had time to add the trim last night. I loved adding the lace and bows ...that's the fun part.

Okay, now for the heart part...I gotta tell you...seeing Sarah in that dress makes me sigh. It is soooo little girly and feminine. Makes me wish again for days gone by. I mean, just look at her...she looks like a LITTLE girl...not all this "cool" stuff they make for little girls now. It looks so innocent and sweet. I think the clothes make the attitude alot, ya know? You put a little girl in something that resembles an adult "sexy" outfit...little mini skirt and glitzy top and she takes on a different persona...I've seen it. So, I'm thinking, just as with little girls, maybe it works that way with big girls too. I was thinking last Sunday as I was getting ready for church...what am I dressing for? It's a humbling question...one that has a risk of exposing you to yourself :) What do I have in mind when I put this particular dress on? Is it that I think it shows my form well? Is it that I think it makes me look pretty? Do I ever contemplate modesty? Do I consider how it portrays me or the persona I may take on while wearing it? Made me think a little more while preparing to go to my Savior's house. ...I mean, that is why we go right? To worship Him...not to be seen, not to shine, not to show off...we go solely for Him and the fellowship with fellow believers. I don't know...you know how the old ways...picking green beans, making old fashioned dresses...it just sets me to contemplating :)