We interrupt regular programming to bring you this special episode of... Unselfish Sewing!!! (imagine one of those big Hollywood voice over voices).
Can I make a confession? I am a horrendously selfish sewer. Hell, who am I kidding? I'm an incredibly selfish knitter too.
I just can't get as excited about making things for others, as I do for making for myself. Especially for small people who outgrow clothes quicker than you can say "where on earth did my toddler go?" . It's just so thankless.
But when conversations start going like this...
Enter stage right... Me with a new piece of fabric/yarn
Miss M: Is that for me??
Me: Ummmmm... No.
Miss M: Who's it for then?
Me: Ummmmm.... Me.
Miss M: Again!!!!???? (said incredulously)
...you just can't help but feel it's time to make someone else feel special
So I let Miss M loose in my (very modest) stash and she picked this piece of fabric from Alexander Henry's 2009 fabric collection called "Piccolo". I actually won this piece in Jorth's birthday giveaway in 2012. Lucky me! Miss M dove on it immediately.
I pulled out my trusty True Bias Toddler Swing Tank (size 2T) pattern and continued to hack away. That thing is pretty much re-drafted entirely now since Miss M is a size 4. This is such a good shape for a basic dress and one that quite suits Miss M.
To break up the strong fabric design I decided to add some broderie anglaise trim to the armhole for a bit of "flutter". I think that was the winning bit in Miss M's mind.
I used some leftover orange and cream bias binding from the stash to finish the neck and armholes and a perfect blue flower button salvaged from some old garment or other. I love stash busting and re-purposing, it almost feels like it's free!
And really, in the end, how could I resist this happy customer's face??
And now it's back to our regularly scheduled program of Selfish Crafting...