Sewing for "Kids"

I got a call this afternoon as I was leaving the gym:

“Mum, you know that dress you were going to make me for the first weekend in December?”

“Yes, the Vogue one? Have you found some fabric?”

“Would it make big difference if I wanted to wear it over labour weekend?”

If you’re in New Zealand you probably thinking exactly the same as I was – labour weekend; as in the day after tomorrow?  Since I thought I had another five weeks for this dress this “deadline adjustment” did throw up some scheduling challenges.  (That she refers to a “Project Runway” moment, without the trip to Mood)

It got me thinking about sewing for kids.  I know a number of bloggers have recently entered the world of motherhood and have sewn and knitted some cute outfits, which they will place on their cute child when the time is right.  Sewing for young children can be fun, ‘cos you can pretty much make what you like and they will wear what they are told.

A few years ago a bought a border print of tigers.  I had no real excuse, unless I was pre-menstrual at the time, I can’t recall.  Once I got it home I realised the error of my ways (I mean, come on, I’m pushing fifty, pictures of animals on my clothes should be in my past).  The fabric lay unloved in my stash for at least four years, silent next to much more grown up fabrics that conjure up images of sophisticated outfits.

Last week a close friend came round with his granddaughter (11) and she rummaged fascinated in my studio, had a play with the embroidery machine and dropped hint after hint about making her a dress, until she finally gave up and asked.  She wasn’t fussy about what she wanted, so when they left I listened carefully to my fabric stash in search of something that would suit an eleven year old girl.   

This poor fabric had obviously been waiting for an opportunity like this for years, and wasn’t going to let this one pass by.  It shouted out gleefully, “Me, me, me”

Without further ado a simple dress was whipped up for the charming granddaughter.

I guess this counts as another Frocktober dress.

I’m sure that those of you with sons are sitting back and smiling, after all, you child is hardly likely to do that.  Don’t be so smug.  Flashback to a text exchange with my son two years ago.

“Mum.  I’ve just got home with a pair of jeans that need taking up urgently.  Where are you?”

“On a live-aboard boat in the Marlborough Sounds”

“When will you be home?  I really want to wear them tonight”

(The Marlborough Sounds are a four hour boat trip and a ten to twelve hour drive from Auckland)

Even the boys do it.

Back to the immediate “scheduling adjustment”,   I could have just laughed, and if you don’t have kids I’m sure you’re thinking that’s just what you’d do.  Instead I did a mad dash round a few fabric shops with the camera, rushed home and Gimped the best three fabrics and emailed them to offending daughter:

Yes, I’m going to drop my third Frocktober dress, get the fabric she has chosen (the third picture) in the morning and make a start.  She is available for fitting for an hour tomorrow evening and wants to wear the dress on Saturday.

…and I’m going to do it.  See the word SUCKER stamped across my forehead? 

Does anyone else get roped into these daft projects?