Friday, May 30, 2008

Because I'm Holly Homemaker, That's Why.

I have to preface this by saying that I am the opposite of Martha Stewart in every possible way (well, except that we are both female). I DON'T sew. I have already told you that I can't cook. I wrote a whole blog on my relationship with mopping. You get the idea.

So that is why it is an occasion worth celebrating when I can actually get the needle threaded on the sewing machine, let alone push the little pedal and produce something.

I had this very 80's (90's? could I really be off by a whole decade?) floral print dress. You know the kind--almost ankle-length, no waist, sash that ties in the back. I've been thinking I needed to get rid of it for years, hesitating to wear it because I know that it's hopelessly outdated, but still unable to trash it because I LOVE the colors and the print. So the other day I finally figured out how to save it: I cut it in half.

The top part I just hemmed, and oila (wah-lah? Did I really take all those college French classes and I can't spell wah-lah?), we have us a tunic top:


Then I took the bottom half and sewed in some casing for elastic and now I have me a two-piece dress:


OK, it's very possible (and the tragedy is that I wouldn't know) that it is still hopelessly nerdy and outdated. But it feels a little better to me and at least it's not ankle-length any more. Yes! I am Darlene Martha Stewart Young without the criminal record! (Although we all know that Martha Stewart would have just bought her clothes in Europe.)

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow, I'm impressed!(and the two piece dress looks nice, too!)

Zina said...

VERY clever! I think it updated very nicely & looks great. I am right with you on having a hard time parting with things that could be salvaged somehow -- although I have been known to salvage something and then change my mind and get rid of it, anyway.

Marj said...

Good idea. I'm going to go through some of those things still in my closet that I can't depart with and see if they can be helped.

Jennifer B. said...

You are so smart! Way to go Martha--you look very cute.

Anonymous said...

Whoa, Mama! I love it. You look dang cute, Dar. I'm SO IMPRESSED.

I'm not sure I can still like you, though, if you're going to sew. Hmm...

Melinda said...

Love it!

I can see why you wouldn't want to get rid of it. The pattern is so pretty.

I must admit: I have a very dysfunctional relationship with my sewing machine. We're headed towards a break-up. Don't blame the machine. It's me. Not it. I just can't sew. That and I keep it locked up in closet.

The relationship just isn't working.