green dress : in two parts

Part One : The Dress

"Is that red velvet?  Real velvet?"

This is the first thing girl child said to me this morning, as I was working on the sash for her new dress.

"Can I touch it?!"

Yup, really real red velvet.  Girl child has a love for velvet for the way it feels.  It follows that she completely loathes more affordable velveteen.  Absolutely beyond my regular means, but I acquired two and a half meters of this vintage fabric as a trade for some chauffeur work.

Though they are but a few meters, I have some really lovely fabrics that I can't seem to bring myself to cut into.  I am either waiting for the perfect design or really don't want to ruin it in a sewing mishap.  The red velvet is one that I have been afraid to cut - it feels so divine - but really do want to make a hooded jacket for the girl.

I decided to make a little cut, just enough for a sash, to get over my hesitation.  

This cotton print was sent to me from a reader in Japan a few years ago.  I have been sitting on it, unsure how to use the pretty fabric.  I didn't want to botch it.  Having shifted it a hundred times to get at lesser fabric in my stash, I decided it was time to get over myself.

I'm happy I did.  I love this little number, twirly and flowery for the summer, and, if all goes well, we'll put a blouse under it and call it a winter holiday dress too. 

Girl child is also happy I did. 

The dress pattern used is a modified Chopin (28) from Ottobre, Summer 3/2010.  I'd like to take a moment to let you know that I completely nailed the zipper.  Really, it's a work of art. 

Part Two : The Photo Shoot

But I won't be able to show you any zipper close ups.  While taking photos, we fell victim to the little brother photo bomb. Behold.

Here is girl child.  Posing.

And here is the boy child.  Doing his best to mock us and our silly, girlie photo shoot.

Girl child tries to move boy child out of the frame.

But that doesn't work well. 

If first you don't succeed, try try again.

Boy child is thrilled with all the free rides.

This time she tries pushing him out with a booty block.

Which he counters by getting right in front of her and sticking his arse up at me.

But here's the classy bit.  Girl child figures out that she probably won't win this one, so she just accepts and works with it.

Girl child and boy child.  Posing.