You’ve puzzled over the deformed scribbles of my pencil, you’ve followed the twisted skeins of my writing. You’ve even feasted from afar on the fruits of my baking labor. But never before has Faerye.net shown you…the products of my needle and thread!

Being, as I am, and as you cannot failed to have noticed, quite mad, I decided that the departure of a kind, generous, patient and invaluable co-worker from the Land of Office for the Land of Mommy required a really extravagant gesture. Therefore, I bought some galloon-edged eyelet and a baby dress pattern (the baby’s gender is known). I also needed some species of adorable floral fabric, perhaps in the calico family, but this was Fraught with Peril. Can you imagine going into the largest clothing fabric store outside New York—heck, or even one of the many quilt shops dotting the precincts—and trying to choose JUST ONE adorable calico? The thought is terrifying. I’d be there for a week, leaving at closing and coming back at opening. I’m a vacillator. I’d end up sobbing in the middle of the store surrounded by 15 sprigged florals, wailing, “Can’t someone tell me which one is cutest?”

So, I did what we all do at some point in our lives—probably, at several points—and put the whole decision in the hands of my Mom. My mom, the gifted quilter, has an extensive, nay, prodigious supply of fabric, and soon enough she sent me an adorable pink floral with which I am well-pleased. It was also she who contributed the mom-knowledge of what size/age I should make the dress for. After all, I don’t want to do all this work only to have it outgrown in a week! After a great deal of labor and learning, here is the result:

But wait! I’m not done gushing or bragging yet, so there are more pictures. (Hey, cut me some slack, I’m going to direct my mom and other sewing-type people to this article! Plus, I may never see it again!)

Here be the dress by itself:

Here be some more general pictures:

Here, last of all, are some detail shots. In case anyone wondered what the heck “galloon eyelet” is, here you go. Eyelet is fine fine cotton with embroidered holes in it. Galloon eyelet is the same, but with an embroidered lacy edge:

Looks cute, less hemming :)

And here is my first ever buttonhole:

And here is my third ever buttonhole. Little smoother, eh?

See, Mom? I still remember the embroidery stitches I learned from you when I was little!

Anyways, I am very proud (in case you missed that somehow) and excited to see what the mom-to-be says at her shower tomorrow. I learned a lot!