Maddie’s First Dress Project

The moment of truth has arrived, and the news is not good. The dress gets about a C+, which isn't the most auspicious beginning to a costuming blog but there you have...

There's something very gratifying about finally using your stash. But there's more to the satisfaction I'm feeling than that. Old things aren't just old, they're different than their contemporary counterparts. They were...

The first dress for any doll is always a learning dress, because a new doll means fashions I haven’t sewn before and techniques I’m not familiar with. I never use my favorite...

Even after fifty odd years of sewing, drafting a sleeve pattern is still a challenge. It starts, the night before, with trepidation. "Stop worrying," I tell myself as I toss around in...

Some days I need to remind myself that it’s okay to just keep plugging along - even if it's at a snail’s pace. I think we all do. Maddie’s dress is coming...

In the beginning, there was a woman. Her favorite dress was sewn from a lovely piece of single bar dimity - pink stripes, light as air, and adorned with lace. She made...