My Girl's 10 Cent Christmas Dress

We have had a ton of stuff going on- a flurry of visitors, a Thanksgiving to be thankful for, and a serious amount of food.

My third bird! 

We have been recuperating with lots of fluids and a vegetarian diet this past week- I can see my feet...for now. We spent the holiday up at our parents' cabin, and therefore I was limited to sewing only yo-yos for a few days. Back at the farmhouse now, I picked up a project I had cut a couple of weeks ago and began sewing last night. Today I finished my little love's Christmas dress, and I am very pleased with the festive results:

Even more pleasing is the fact that this dress cost me ten cents to make. Yup- the only part I actually paid for was the vintage pattern, which I bought at the thrift store. 

I borrowed this photo [:)] Mine cost ten cents too!

I made view 3, but as I used fabric from a bag of quilting scraps my neighbor gave me, I didn't have enough to cut a full back panel. I improvised, making a back yoke to match the front yoke, and it worked out perfectly.

So, in addition to the free fabric, I used buttons, hem tape, and lace from my late Grandma Carey's stash, and I think she would be very pleased to know that her pretty trimmings were used to make her Great Grand-doll a Christmas frock. 

This hem tape has silver "tinsel" woven in. Perfect!

When I finished the dress, it was missing something. Thank goodness all of the trim at Wal-Mart is made in China!
I passed on all of that, and I found the perfect touch right in a bag of Grandma's beautiful vintage lace.

This pattern went together so easily, and I plan to make my girl several more of these little dresses before I am finished with it. I bought some bias tape thrifting today, and it just happened to be in Gator colors, so she will probably get a team spirit dress next, (her Da and Grand Da are both Gators). Yeah, they aren't doing that well this year, but she can only bring them good luck, right? 

Pictures of my little sweetie will follow soon in her new dress, as we are planning on putting a tree up this weekend and still need to get Christmas cards out. Christmas has been a source of stress and frustration to me in the past, but with our girl here now, Da and I are just basking in the glow of the holiday season, and we are doing our best to be right here now and enjoy all of the good things we have got. I hope you all are just as happy and healthy! I will post those pics as soon as I get 'em!