Why You Should Sew Your Own Holiday Apparel from the View of a thirteen-year old
Hi, I am Nan’s daughter, Anna. I’ve never actually done a blog post before, so bear with me. Over the course of thirteen (almost 14) years, my mom has been making me clothes. Whether it be a pair shorts to run through the backyard in, to an elegant dress for wedding, or even Halloween costumes, my mom has made it for us. As I have gotten older, I have been making more of my own clothes. Actually over the summer, I made myself a top, and wore it like every week.
(that’s me on the left in my shirt – Deer & Doe Datura blouse made with Liberty Mauverina and cotton eyelet)
I know that sewing can get super boring sometimes (at least to a thirteen year old), but the results are SO worth it. Also, the things you make don’t have to look like they were made for a 100 year old grandma (I mean they can if you want them to, but…). My top was super fun and cute. It was white see-through lace at the top, and had a bunch of bright fun colors on the bottom.
(that’s me about 4 years ago – Children’s Corner “Louise” with a modified neckline and cap sleeve)
This is one example of the dresses that my mom made for me. It was my cousin’s wedding, and I was her flower girl; between my mom and my aunt, all of the bridesmaids dresses were handmade, so I needed someone to make me a dress too. Conveniently, my mom volunteered. I picked out the fabric (with the aid of the bride), and then decided on what I wanted the shape to look like. That is what I love about making your own clothes, you can do whatever you want. After the dress was finished, my mom decided that taking pictures of me and the bridesmaids would be great publicity for her shop (hence the picture of me). A few months later, there was a bridal show, and my mom took me to model a new flower girl dress. The new dress was the same pattern, except purple with white ribbon around the collar and the sleeves. Over the holiday season, if you have any parties to go to or anything like that and you don’t know what to wear, make something. Even if you have an old dress that you like but wear it way to much, or it is way out-dated, remake it in a different style.
This is an example of what I was just talking about. These dresses were pretty much made out of the same pattern (Indygo Junction’s Urban Prairie Dress: white Swiss dot and French ribbon on left and Liberty tana lawn in Mirabelle ), except on the second one, the ribboned part (waist line?? I really don’t know what it is called) was dropped lower, and the fabrics were changed. I wore the second dress as a christmas dress, vs. the first dress was a summer rehearsal wedding dress (it was a different cousin who was getting married this time).
Above are just a few examples of my favorite homemade Christmas outfits. (The blouse is Lila Tueller’s Funked Out Peasant Blouse for teens made with Anna Maria Horner Four Square and solid River Rock voile. The skirts are my mom’s own design). If you do choose to make something for Christmas or Hanukah or Kwanzaa or any holiday in the month of December, just remember to have fun, if not making it, then wearing it. I promise that it will be worth it!!!
Happy Holidays!
– Anna