Dresses for Best Friends

My quilting cotton stash is never, ever safe.

It’s under a near-constant threat, and if I buy yardage with an eye for a certain pattern, I have to hide it in the back under something ugly or it finds its way back out to me, held by two sweet little hands and accompanied by, “Make me a dress, mama.”

(Look at her. YOU try and say no. Go ahead, try it. I’ll wait.)

She’s trained me well, and now when I’m in the shop and I see anything pink I think “Dress with twirly skirt” instead of “flying geese.” I think, “I should get enough for the doll, too,” instead of “Queen or full?”

When I posted my zipper-finished picture to our PNQS Facebook, we had such an amazing response. So many of you messaged us to say that you’d love to branch out, but clothes are scary, and clothes with zippers? Well, we might as well post this a little later in October and call it our SCARY HAUNTED POST.

I get it! I used to run screaming from invisible zippers, too. I’d fudge and futz and push and pull, and it was never, ever invisible. I would find myself explaining the crummy zipper insertion and promising anyone in earshot that I really did know how to sew. I was actually quite good at it. Really.

It all changed with Bernina Invisible Zipper foot #35. This zipper took me just over 4 minutes to put in, and it only took that long because I couldn’t believe it was actually only taking that long and I kept double checking that I was doing it correctly. 

The fabric is Dear Stella Polka Dot in Coral from Pine Needles, and while it would also make a fabulous addition to your favorite girly quilt, it’s also now our current most favorite dress in the entire world, and we wear it even when it’s dirty, even when we just wore it yesterday, and we’d wear it in the bath if we could figure a way in without mama noticing. Alas. 

The pattern is the Ileana Dress by Compagnie-M, a Belgian independent pattern designer named Marte who has an eye for little girl fashion like nobody’s business.

So, consider this your public service announcement. YES. You can conquer any clothing fears you may have. YES! We are a quilt shop, but if you take a stroll through the bolts, I bet you’ll find a twirly dress or a bag for you or a skirt or top that you would love to wear…in amongst the quilts-to-be. 

Have you made any clothing lately? I’d love for you to share it in the comments here or on Facebook! 

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