Pillowcase Dresses

Good morning, and isn't it an awesome morning for us Catholics? It feels so good to have a Pope again! Oh yeah! Pope Francis, we love you already! 

Did a little sewing this week, mostly stash-busting getting ready for our trip to AZ next week. Three matchy-poo pillowcase dresses. I don't usually do matchy-poo, but sometimes its hard to resist and  I had just enough fabric for three dresses.  The main fabric is about ten years old. Uh-huh, true dat. Sewing friends, I know how tempting it is to stock up on fabric you like without having a specific purpose, but ... you might just end up with a lot of stock that eventually you don't even bring out to pet anymore. And no garments either. 

Except now I have 3 garments. Bordering on vintage. And, I really like them. The girls love them. Plaid is simple but timeless I guess.

These are a cinch to sew together, there are a thousand tutorials on the web, and absolutely beautiful examples as well for inspiration. I had purchased pillowcase dresses at a farmer's market a couple of years ago, which I used as a basis for this pattern. I didn't want to bother with bias binding on the armholes, so I just folded over twice and stitched a narrow hem. Easy easy peasy, and good enough for a simple sundress. If you do that method, after you turn the first 1/4" over, clip the curves before you turn it over again and stitch. Or else it will not turn over easily. 

I think these dresses will look really cute over a t-shirt or tank top - right now they look a little too bare, but I'm sure in the hot AZ sun they will be ok.

A little story about pillowcase dresses. Are you familiar with the charities where you make pillowcase dresses for girls around the world? One is called Dress a Girl Around the World.  When I found out about such charities, my heart stopped because I thought, finally, a cause I could really get behind! A cause that helps others and involves my passion - sewing! However, after making some general inquiries I discovered that while its lovely to donate dresses, it might be even more lovely to help the local economy of such a country instead - by supporting work of the local women. So, I put my little idea about sewing dresses on hold for now. Maybe help such local women set up shop instead, similar to 3 Chords in Haiti? Wouldn't that be ultra-cool?

Reading this week? Well, I'm still listening to Dracula via the Craftlit App, but I might have to stop. Its really scary. I just finished chapter 8 ... and it might have to stay there. I will say, though, that the tidbits of teaching Heather Ordover gives on each chapter is very very helpful in appreciating the book. So I will switch to another book on Craftlit. Cause Dracula is scary!!

Well, I'm off to a Catholic homeschooling conference/retreat for the weekend. I'm looking forward to some time just to think about our homeschooling path and rhythm and goals and all that fun stuff.  So, I'll bid you goodbye for now! God bless all your creative endeavours!