Birthday wishes...

I am busily preparing for the big kiddies birthday this week. Party dress making is in full swing. A quick try on and she was in love yay! After leaving her in her room to get dressed I ran back in to her crying. "What is the matter?" I said...."Look mum, look at all these clothes, none of them fit" she replied. I looked her up and down to see her attempting to squeeze her arm through the hole of a dress that was barely long enough to cover her bottom. I was sure that dress fit her the other day.

I think I have taken my mini child for granted, she has remained pretty much the same size since she was 3 (she is now turning 5). Gentle growth spurts in height just meant that clothes gradually got shorter, but most things I made her were quite long originally, all was good in the world - til now that is. I swear she has grown a foot in the last few months.

On a side note, I have been struggling in the lead up to her birthday for what to buy her. She isn't into anything other than Frozen and an international shortage of their paraphernalia quickly put a dead end there. I have been racking my brain and scouring the toy catalogues looking for inspiration, but nothing - til now that is.

My daughter turned to me whilst attempting to climb out of her very stuck, mum made dress and said "Mum, how come you have all that pretty fabric and you never make me any dresses or skirts anymore. I wish you would make me some again, some that fit me". My heart sunk, thinking of all the hours I have been pouring over the sewing machine creating for others - knowing full well that she had laid claim to certain fabrics for a dress or a skirt. Then I quickly saw the opportunity in front of me...mum made clothes for her birthday. Why had I ignored this golden opportunity up until now. I know that these requests could disappear in the near future when I will create for her, to which she will turn up her nose and request something bought from the store.

So a couple of busy nights and we have a full circle skirt. There is a great tutorial for these by Dana of MADE (sorry I don't know how to do the fancy links) http://www.danamadeit.com/2008/07/tutorial-the-circle-skirt.html I used to just use the equation and throw it together before discovering her easy to follow tutorial.

Then I created a T-Shirt twirly dress which follows the same principle as the circle skirt.

Then a simple, yet sweet little gathered skirt.

Nothing particularly hard, but they will all put a big smile on that kiddies dial when she sees them this week. I just hope I have left enough room in these for any more growth spurts that maybe around the corner.