Kiwi's Dress

Kiwi, one of the girls in my sewing group, has spent most of the last few months working on a dress.

The dress represents the third thing she has ever sewn - she made the sea horse hat pack, then the bucket hat, and now a dress. An impressive feat, considering that up until she sewed the sea horse, she basically had never touched a sewing machine, or sewed anything, in her life.

(Sorry Kiwi, I know it's not the most flattering photo, but I didn't get another one of you sewing)

Her goal was to have the dress completely finished and wearable by December 18, so that she could wear it to a dance party we were going to.

So, once a fortnight (give or take) we have been having sewing sessions. She learnt some things, and I learnt some things about how much information I just ‘know’ about sewing because I’ve been doing it for years. Just reading a pattern was an interesting task for Kiwi, because sewing has it’s own special language. Things that seemed so obvious to me, were perplexing to her. For example, it just seems normal to me that when a pattern asks you to press something, you iron it. But, as it turns out, that is a sewing (and dry cleaning) specific term. Who knew, right?

In walking Kiwi through the dress, I think I learned almost as much as she did, although we learnt very different things.

And, On December 18, Kiwi finished the dress.

Isn’t it pretty?

I love this photo - Kiwi and her boyfriend look so natural in it.

The sweetheart neck line is perfect for Kiwi, and the colours - red with white detailing - are great on her

She was so proud, and rightly so.

Well done Kiwi!

(And, on a sadder note, Kiwi has subsequently moved to Perth, and will be greatly missed.)