Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Sew What?! Christmas on the Patio: A Holiday Squaw Dress

(Source)

Living in Southern California leaves us fairly immune to "weather" (boasting? why, yes, I am).  Here we must rely on the traditional colors of Christmas as the only major indicators that the season is upon us.  You know, the classic palette of gold, orange, brown, and yellow...GOLD, ORANGE, BROWN, and YELLOW?!?!?!  Okay, question my orthodoxy if you must, but wouldn't you take a second look if whilst browsing the second-hand store you came across 9.5 yards of this crazy, Christmas-themed trim?


There are times in life when even $1.91 is too dear to waste on something frivolous - good thing I don't consider 9.5 yards of woven, lamé, Christmas trim a frivolity.  I'm sure people much smarter and more clever than I could have figured out myriad ways to employ the trim.  To me, however, there was only one option - a Christmas squaw/patio dress.  What better way to celebrate both the holiday and our temperate winter weather than Christmas on the patio?

Even a tree going up in blaze isn't enough to faze Mary.  What a trouper.
p.s. My camera stinks.  Any suggestions on a good, moderately priced replacement?

If you have never made a squaw dress, I recommend against it.  It takes an unholy amount of ric rac to achieve the desired look which translates to hours spent in front of the trusty, old Bernina (which actually gave out halfway through) applying the dang blasted stuff!  And then there are the gathers!  $1.91 for the trim may not have been too dear but $100 for a proper gathering foot for the sewing machine was.

I'm still having PTSD-induced nightmares about miles of gathers and ric rac!

And then there is the fully-lined bodice in which one must sew a total of twenty darts - twelve of them at the elbows!  The ELBOWS!  Never able to leave well enough alone, I also made a matching belt with covered buckle.

It was a good excuse to use this vintage Jiffy Buckle.
Warning: 50+ year-old adhesive from an iron-on
 "Magic Pattern" is best left "un-ironed-on."

Again, I leave it to much smarter/more clever people to just go out and buy ready-made clothing - especially when said clothing is for your crummy kid sister!!!

The living room of our pals, Bobby and Amber, was the perfect backdrop for a photo of Mary in the new dress.

It may not be red, green, and white -  or even blue and silver - but it was fun to turn the traditional, tri-color, Christmas color story on its elfin ear.  I honestly thought that Mary would receive a bit of good-natured ribbing at the unexpected color combination but everyone seemed to really like it!  Did you make or assemble a cool holiday outfit?

I only left myself enough time to clip on my vintage "Merry
Xmas" colonel tie.  Fortunately, I was in great company with
 our pal, Dave, and his "Season's Greetings" neckwear.

Boy, oh boy, I have a lot of holiday themed posts that I wanted to do but I'm running out of time.  Christmas is very much just around the corner.  Here's wishing you and yours a very joy-filled holiday!


Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

29 comments:

  1. Wow! I am impressed. I think you need to be on Project Runway and do some crazy challenges. You'd be my fan favorite :-). Merry Christmas and thanks for a great year of blogging!

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    1. Thanks Jamie! Although, I would be far outclassed on PR! Thanks for your support! Merry Christmas to you too!

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  2. Mary is so danged lucky to have you sewing for her all of the time! That dress is beautiful. And I love your string ties - sweet.

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    1. I keep telling her that but she just won't listen. I'm not sure that I quite pull them off, but I love string ties! Thanks!

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  3. That outfit is awesome! I would never have the patience to make one of these. You'll have to come to NM sometime. Fiesta dresses can be found under $20!

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    1. Thanks Jana! Maybe I'm complaining a little too much. It wasn't as hard as I thought, but I won't be making another one any time soon!

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    2. I don't think you're complaining too much. That is A LOT OF WORK!

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  4. wow wow wow! mary sure is one lucky lady to get so many great things made for her! i wish my brother was crafty! that dress is pure christmas perfection!
    i have lots of christmas stuff I want to post too, but I don't know if I'm going to make it before the big day! I still haven't decorated! and i feel like i for sure bought a string tie like that earlier this year....now where could I have put it?

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    1. Thanks Rae! I LOVE string ties; if you find yours, I would love to see it! For someone with so many amazing Christmas decorations, I would have expected you to start decorating in the middle of summer! I must say that it is not about the decorations though, it is about the love in your home. Between you guys and those pups, it seems like you have that in abundance! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

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  5. Incredible! You have amazing determination Tiny, I would have been put off by seeing all thouse darts on the pattern.

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    1. Thanks! I have left very few unfinished projects in my wake...I wasn't about to be foiled by ricrac and darts!!

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  6. You're able to do all that AND spell "faze" and "trouper" correctly! I'm not sure which talent is more remarkable.

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    1. Even if I hadn't, I know that I can count on your intrepid editing skills!

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    2. I'm waiting for someone to come out with that good old compliment, "Mary would look good, even dressed in a potato sack!" and soon, you would be trimming and gathering on potato sack material.
      (Or did I miss that, in some earlier Adventure of Mr. Tiny?)

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  7. Woweeeeeeeeeee that is amazing and so beautiful! You are one super talented man, Mr Tiny! I wish I had a super duper brother like you, who would also make me amazing dresses!!!! Merry Christmas!!! xxx

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    1. I wish I had a super duper brother like me too! Hahahaha!!! Actually, I have two super duper brothers! Thanks and Merry Christmas to you too!

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  8. You rock as always, Merry Christmas to you and your family!

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    1. Thank you! That goes double for you! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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  9. That sqauw dress is so lovely! I am always so impressed by your talent!

    HRF

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  10. Two things:
    1) That dress is amazing! Adorable! Your sister is truly a lucky gal :-)
    2) A camera recommendation: my ancient digital camera decided to suddenly give up the ghost a couple months ago, and I had to quickly and cheaply replace it. I bought a Nikon COOLPIX S8200 and I am thrilled with it! It came in at just over 200 bucks, in a little kit which included a case, battery, memory card and charger. It takes great pictures (especially with the macro setting), has a zoom lens, it's tiny and lightweight, and best of all it's really easy to use...very intuitively designed. I couldn't recommend it more!!
    Plus, right now I bet you could score a great deal somewhere :-)

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    1. THANKS A MILLION!!! I kept thinking that with all the picture taking I do, I should get a big DSLR but I can't even figure out a point-and-shoot. Thanks for the recommendation and thanks for liking the dress!

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  11. MR. TINY. YOU HAVE OUTDONE YOURSELF. I can't believe the trim, but even more, I can't believe the finished product. What an idea! What a dress! It was worth all the rickrack and heartache. That your-friends'-living-room picture of Mary is just like a vintage advertisement. Merry Christmas!

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    1. Aw shucks...Thanks Lisa! I almost like the dress well-enough to make another - just not any time soon. Bobby & Amber do have a pretty great house, don't they? Thanks again and Merry Christmas to you too!!!

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