That Personal Touch

Rolling fabric on a wooden dowel to get it ready for the pleater.


My Amanda Jane pleater. Fabric gets fed through the rollers. Several threaded curved needles are used to make the pleats.


Pleated fabric. See the yellow running thread. This helps hold the pleats together while I’m smocking and is also used as a guide for the placement of the pattern. Once the design is complete, the holding threads are removed.


Close up of the design on last year’s Christmas dress


This week I’ve been trying to get Danielle’s smocked Easter dress started. In the past I have been much further along at this point, but I sent my fabric through the pleater nine times before I was satisfied with the result. The gingham I’m working on demands extra precision, since it accentuates any mistakes or irregularities in the pleating.

A friend at work let me borrow one of her daughter’s old smocked dresses just in case I don’t get Danielle’s finished in time. It’s this borrowed dress I’m using as inspiration for one I’m making. So if I already have a dress to use, you may be wondering why I’m trying to make one just like it. Well, I have to return the dress I borrowed and I want one that I made that’s just Danielle’s to keep. Sure, I can buy a cute little smocked dress at a specialty shop, but it wouldn’t have that personal touch. This project is yet another confirmation I’m a little crazy and more than a little sentimental.

I had to finally admit last year that there was just no way I could keep up with making Danielle’s birthday dress, Easter dress, matching mother/daughter outfits for Mother’s Day, and Christmas dress. I wish I had more time to make all of Danielle’s dresses, not just for special occasions, but realize I’ll only be able to make three dresses a year and keep my sanity.

My mom made most of my sister and brother’s clothes (including pajamas) while they were growing up in the late 1950’s and 1960’s, and she wasn’t a stay-at-home mom. When I came along in the early 1970’s, Mom had pretty much given up sewing. Lana is now in her early 50’s and really wishes she had some of the clothes that Mom made – especially ones that were made for her baby doll. Fortunately, she at least has all the handmade Barbie and Skipper clothes Mom made (with the original Barbie and Skipper dolls to go with them) and we have quilts Mom made from leftover scraps of fabric.

Whether it’s meaningful to Danielle later that I made her special occasion dresses (or ever have granddaughters to pass the outfits to) doesn’t matter; it’s important to me that I did it.

Colorado Ski Trip

We've been back a couple of weeks now, but things got crazy so I haven't had a chance to post.

Instead of giving you all the "boring" details, here's the Reader's Digest condensed version of our trip. The pictures speak for themselves anyway.

The kids were very excited about their first plane ride. However, Danielly had a change of heart at the last minute and I had to carry her on the plane screaming (she was screaming that is, not me). She finally settled down once we were on the plane and began a barrage of questions all starting with "Why". I get so air sick and hate flying. Nothing I brought for her on the plane occupied her. Next time I'll know better - either she needs a great sedative, or I do.

Although Denver and the surrounding areas had been having unusually warm weather, we were able to play on a the still frozen lake and found enough snow in shaded areas to throw snowballs.



We skied Loveland with Aunt Janet. Danielle wanted to play in the snow more than ski. Aden was very enthusiastic, but eventually got frustrated late that afternoon when he was getting too worn out to ski any more. The adults didn't get much skiing in, but we really didn't expect that would happen anyway.

Because of the lack of snow near the house, we stayed in Frisco for part of the time. Aden built his first snowman, made a snow angel, and went sledding with Uncle Philip.

Scott, Aden, Uncle Philip, and I skied Copper while Danielle stayed and played with Aunt Janet. It snowed the night before and most of that day. Great powder! We got in some great skiing that day. Aden went to ski school, but still doesn't know how to turn or stop yet. That will come eventually with practice and ski school again next year.

Janet and Philip are wonderful hosts and made everything that much more enjoyable.

So what was everyone's favorite part of the trip?
Aden: Making a snowman.
Danielle: Playing with Aunt Janet while everyone else went skiing.
Scott: Getting private ski lessons from Uncle Philip.
Jennifer: Getting away from work for a week, great conversation, and skiing between trees for the first time on Copper.

Also noteworthy: my mom had a heart cath performed while we were out in Colorado. They found all four major arteries were blocked. They stented her right coronary artery that day, but didn't want to do anything else unless absolutely necessary. She's doing a little better, but still very weak. She could use everyone's prayers right now.