Back at me

Since I never got to this year's Easter dresses I pulled out a few my sisters saved for me from my wedding. 

For the weeks leading up to my wedding I worked on them learning the art of french heirloom sewing and hand embroidery.  I took a week long course in Alabama with Martha Pullen to get me started and was grateful to my friend Diane who helped me finish them just in time.

There were so many hours involved that it actually qualified me for the last 1 credit needed to finish my clothing and textile degree at BYU.  I was especially happy to have been able to stay in Michigan and complete most of those hours in the company of my sister Julie who was going through chemotherapy at the time.  I toted those dresses everywhere with me and even the nurses on the pediatric floor began following my progress.

I think I did enough handwork for a lifetime because sadly I have not had the urge to pick up an embroidery needle since (except for the felt fruit and my last Easter flop ).  Maybe I've lost the patience and attention it requires to actually make it look good, maybe I just haven't had the time.  Either way I'm glad I have these two dresses to save.

They've held up great considering it has been over 11 years!  I used swiss nelona batiste and hand dyed cotton laces that are of such great quality that I'm hoping these dresses will pass to future grandchildren.  

The girls are wearing them with the puffy slips I made last year and it is especially fun to see how much they resemble their older cousins when they were 3 and 4.