The Santa Dress

Boy, it's here! December! Can you believe it??

And it's zipping right along. I have a million things I want to make and sew and, honestly, if I get one homemade gift made for my son and my daughter, I'll be happy. The days just do not slow down at all and I'm already up to my elbows in school, dance classes, playgroups, etc. Oh, and did I mention my daughter has dropped her nap?!? That was her 3rd birthday present to me. Thanks, kid.

 

Last year, I finished up my second of two quilts on Christmas Eve (!), literally cutting it to the last minute. I really don't want to be doing that again... But last month, I did manage to eke out a Christmas play dress during a recent visit from my in-laws. After a couple weeks of not sewing anything, I was given an entire morning to myself to hit the machine. This pattern for an apron knot dress by Romeo & Mae had been sitting on my desk for weeks, waiting to be made.

For this dress, I used leftover fabric from those Christmas quilts. The only "new" fabrics were the big skirt piece and the bottom trim (stars, and Santa on his sleigh - lovely), both of which came to me a couple months ago through Freecycle. So do you want to know the (quick) story how I came to purchasing this lovely pattern?

Here it is: I've been reading and renewing and renewing and renewing this book here for weeks. 

 

And I sort of fell in love with the baby on the front cover (so cute!) along with her dress. Perhaps that's what frequent exposure does to a person. I started looking closer at that baby's dress and thinking...I want to make that. So with a quick search online, I found it. Isn't it a cute dress?? I think it has a sort of country cutie look to it. Or Little House on the Prairie feel. I don't know. It's like the opposite of those gorgeous satin dresses that are popping up out there (which I wouldn't mind making as well!).

Anyway, I got all the pieces cut out during my free morning and also sewed up the bodice. The rest I fit in here and there over the next couple days. We call it The Santa Dress.

I think my daughter just spotted him... it's fun to believe! 
So before I go ahead and start making my homemade gifts for the kids, I was wondering -- Do your kids appreciate YOUR homemade gifts (clothes, quilts, toys, etc.) for them??
Happy sewing!