Sunday, December 13, 2009

Time for some sewing...


I was sitting here on Friday night wishing I had a new outfit for Liberty. As it is two weeks before Christmas there is of course no money to spare. However, being penniless always makes one very resourceful!

I bought this little red dress at a second hand shop when Liberty was about a year old because it had French words on it. But the dress has never fitted her, it was always too wide or too short.

Freddy gave me this beautiful fabric ages ago and I've been trying to find some other fabric to go with it so I could make something. I've really wanted to make another ruffled skirt from this pattern here. (VERY easy to make!)
I cut the bottom part off the dress and used it for the lower ruffle of the skirt. The best part about that was that it was already beautifully hemmed! I already had that pretty cotton lace that I edged the fabric with.
When I cut the bottom of the dress off it left that pretty little frill around the bodice and I started thinking maybe if the top fitted her I could add some fabric to it. I LOVE frills!

The top did fit (that dress was a very odd size!) so a bit of fabric and another frill made from the leftover scraps from the dress skirt and voila! a new matching top!

Now, anyone with a five year old will know they only wear what THEY want to wear. Thankfully Liberty LOVES the new outfit. She decided she should 'pose' for this photo, lol!

Apparently it's very important to make sure you can fly in your clothes!
The skirt was finished on Friday night and the top on Saturday morning. She wore it very proudly to a barbecue on Saturday evening. I might have to go rummaging in the cupboards again and see what else there is that needs to be used up!
Mercedes

26 comments:

  1. Looks fantastic Mercedes. I too have a massive stash of fabric waiting for the 'just right' project, and I love that you can think outside the box!

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  2. What an adorable outfit! You did such a great job and she's quite the cutie. :)

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  3. How cute is Liberty !!! She looks beautiful.

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  4. What a wonderful little outfit! Liberty looks adorable. You are such a resourceful person :)

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  5. There can be only one thing to say about you Mercedes.... you have a wonderful imagination!
    The dress looks beautiful on 'Miss Liberty'...she is a sweetie!.... and of course didn't you know, it is most important to know if one can fly in ones clothes...lol!

    Linda x

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  6. Clever you Mercedes, Liberty's new outfit looks lovely and by the looks of the photo's so does Liberty..xx

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  7. Wonderful, you did a great job!
    She looks so nice

    Love Sylvia

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  8. You are too clever with your hands, woman and that girl of yours, way cute. :) Have I told you yet I wish I can sew like you?

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  9. Such joy in Liberty's face, she looks beautiful. She'll remember the joy you have given her forever.

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  10. Mercedes, you have very much talent!
    Liberty's fine with her new dress and seems to really know how to fly! ah ah!
    Thank goodness she is a girl who adapts to situations, I know wayward girls, who want to spend much money for a new dress!
    a kiss to the small, beautiful, blonde girl!
    Caterina

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  11. So clever, so seet and so fashionable. Mercedes, you are so good at everything. Liberty is a cutie and she loks so happy. Flying is the first thing that a new set of clothes must do for you. have a nice party Rosanna

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  12. You are one of the two people I know who can make something out of nothing. It is a gift. Liberty looks her darlingest...as usual. How lucky to have such a creative (nevermind frugal) mother. I do envy her. ;-)

    Tabitha

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  13. What a beautiful dress! Liberty looks so sweet in it. What a wonderfully creative way to use a second hand dress in a new way!

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  14. You're genious! That outfit turned out so adorable-- as is the little super-model!
    Hugs,
    Jill

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  15. So very sweet! How quickly they grow up Mercedes. Just looking at you blog photos you can see how Liberty has lost that little girl look and is changing into a little miss!

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  16. You are so resourceful Mercedes, just perfect for the Christmas holidays. And Liberty is so right, what good is a dress a girl can't fly in!

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  17. Mercedes, lovely work!!! Your sewing is perfect and Liberty looks so pretty with it.
    By the photos of Liberty I believe she is growing!!! So lovely!!
    Love
    Meli

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  18. How clever you are ! The outfit is fantastic and Liberty looks very pretty with it.
    It is strange to see her in the garden dressed for summer, here in Orléans it's very cold, so far the weather had been mild for the season.
    Geneviève

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  19. what a wonderful dress, I love thr colours ,the patterns, and it fits so well on Liberty! She is the perfect imagne of a little girl with her new dress. Sure your hands have that magic, but with love things get even more beautiful.
    Congratulations for both
    Love from Portugal
    Ana

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  20. Fantastic.. both the dress, the cute girl and her mother!!!!!

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  21. mercedes,wow you are so clever,and this dress looks beautiful on Liberty! look out for her,I think she is New Zealands next top model!

    X

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  22. Lovely dress! Very smart how you put it together and Liberty looks lovely! She seems to grow in every picture you show us

    groetjes Evelien

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  23. LOL§ make sure I do the samething in the changing room when I try a new dress on!
    You have done a fabulous job!LOVE IT!

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  24. Well done you! They do say that necessity is the mother of invention. If you'd just gone out to buy a new dress, that one would never have happened.

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  25. Nicely done! I love seeing a good remake!

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  26. How very clever...it looks gorgeous just like Liberty.

    And good for you finding something a 5 year old loves to wear :-)

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Thank you for your comments!