Daddy's Little Girl

Today was Father's Day, something of a non-holiday in my life since my own dad has been gone thirty years, almost as long as I knew him. So today as I thought about my dad and went on with projects of my own, I thought I'd share what an eclectic day it was.

After our church service, which is outside in the summer under the oak trees, my husband went off to an assisted living center to conduct a worship service and serve communion. I thought it would be a good chance to get the house ready for summer by a big vacuum job and rolling up rugs, cleaning the hardwood floors, and washing the tile floors. I like the cooler look of fewer rugs in the summer but I hate all the moving of furniture, etc., but now it's done. Then I started making some of the little girl dresses I had cut out and have waiting for me to sew up. Using Simplicity 2828, I made up this little cutie in just a few hours:

Simplicity 2828 size 3

I used the blue fabric left from the dress I was making for myself and found the cotton eyelet panel in my stash. I wasn't sure about how I was going to sew it all together but the pattern lent itself to it so nicely. The bodice was lined with the same fabric and I only had to treat the lace like it was part of the bodice until I sewed the skirt on. Thinking about how it might wash, I made all of the seams flat felled so there would be no raveling to deal with or the seams were all inside, as in the bodice. I got out a serger for the edges of the back seam so they would be extra nice, too. I'm very happy with this version of a "daddy's little girl" dress.

I go from cleaning to sewing to stripping in the garage. That's right, I go out to the garage to strip furniture. Up next is the cabinet from the Phoenix sewing machine, a compact version with a chair that I've already refinished so now I better get the rest done. The old finish came right off and was so quick!

Cabinet for Phoenix 283

I only did the top lid (both sides) and the top opening where the machine sits, but might do the sides, too. It's going to look pretty stunning when it's done, all for that marvelous Phoenix.

I tie this all together because my dad was handy and I think he would approve of my sewing machine hobby/business and did support my learning to sew. I might have spent the majority of my day quietly working, but I was thinking about my dad, too. Thanks, Dad, for being my dad, all those years ago.