Instead she has on a pretty sleeveless, short, black dress that I bought for her 8th grade graduation (didn't know she still had it, let alone was able to wear it!) and a polyester long scarf with rhinestones along both sides that I made into a shrug. Again something that she wore in 8th grade, this time to the 8th grade dinner dance. Both pieces are accented with some nice jewelry (out of my collection, of course) a black grosgrain ribbon in her hair and a nice pair of black pumps (the only ones I have managed to get her to buy in 2 years) and she was happy and off to the party.
That's the end result ~ here is the saga....
First, when I called Fabric Mart (www.fabricmartfabrics.com) bright and early on Monday morning, they were very accommodating about sending me 5 yards of the midnight navy sandwashed silk:
Why is it that when I am eagerly anticipating a box of fabric and there is no one home to receive it, that Mr. UPS man shows up early. But when everyone is home waiting on the fabric, it shows up at 6:30 pm!!! Well, I was already peeved and the DD was making noises. I was not happy. I decide to take Friday off and work on the outfit in my leisure so that my DD would have a stunning outfit ~ the party didn't start until 8:00 pm! Wrong!
My manager called me at 6:14 a.m., never a good sign. So I only had the morning to work on the outfit because I had to be in the office by 12:30 pm. The DD that likes to sew was so gracious. She helped me any way she could ~ serging seams, looking for trim, ironing pieces. I had a halter and flowing pants (not quite palazzo's because she didn't want them that big!!!) finished by 10:30 am without shortcuts!
I get the outfit constructed after much complaining by said DD, and the look on her face broke my heart...it was tooo plain! Now both her sister and I had tried to explain that she needed to add trim to the halter top to make it sing! She didn't get it. It is so hard to make a non-sewer "see" how a completed outfit will look. They are so use to someone else making the decisions and then choosing what they like best from everything that is available. So there is now a beautiful stonewashed silk midnight blue halter and pants laying in the middle of the floor in her bedroom as she waltzed out the door in store bought clothes.
I am heartbroken.....
Oh Carolyn,
ReplyDeleteI'd be heartbroken too! After all the trouble to get the outfit made for her, and to have it discarded so nonchalantly! I feel your disappointment...
Oh Caroline, how sad. I too feel your disappointment. I gues right now, you're still pretty heartbroken, but maybe in the coming days you and your daughter that sews can add the "bling". It's hard sewing for non-sewers who have no vision.
ReplyDeleteOh Carolyn, I'd be heartbroken too! I think the non-sewers don't appreciate what you did, and don't have the vision to see what is needed. I've been there.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you can add the bling in a few days, when the sadness has eased off a bit, and it will eventually become something loved.
Gosh, I feel your PAIN! The outfit sounds so elegant and the fabric looks downright delicious! What a shame that she didn't wear it. I bet she'll look at it with a different eye as time goes by.
ReplyDeleteHugs hugs and more hugs!
ReplyDeleteOh dear, it is the "vision thing", isn't it? I'm so sorry you had such a let-down after your emotional roller-coaster ride with this outfit. What heights you had to scale to get the outfit done, and then for her to cast it aside, seemingly without much thought, is devastating. Good for your sewing DD for helping you! I'll bet she gives her sister an earful. I'm sure the non-sewer will come to realize what she's missed with this one, eventually, but it's still hard to take the rejection now. Well, this too will pass, but I'm so sorry you were hurt!
ReplyDeleteTeenaged girls are so unpredictable! Don't feel bad, I'm sure you did a fantastic job!
ReplyDeleteI remember being a teenager once. I could be horrible. Sorry to read about this. I think maybe she may look at it differently later.
ReplyDeleteWhen you are no longer heartbroken, maybe you will find time to tweak it some more and she may come around.
Hugs!!!
Caroline, the outfit sounds amazing. I bet your daughter would have looked so stunning.
ReplyDeleteShe'll appriciate all the work that you put into the clothes for her, when she gets older!
I really can feel your pain! That is why I don't sew for people, who don't do any crafts ( any kind ), because crafters ( any kind ) know how much work is put into things!
Well, you know I just had to go and visit Fabric Mart Fabrics after reading about all of the great fabrics you buy from them. Could be bad - very bad. But in a good way. :-)
ReplyDeleteWell, despite the heartbreak, you still win the prize for best mom! And your sewing DD get's points for her help, too.
ReplyDeleteJust think of all the tasks/favors non-sewing DD owes you now for going to such extremes for something she didn't properly appreciate... ;)
ReplyDeleteThat outfit sounds drop-dead gorgeous, btw, even in it's non-blinged simplicity. However, I bet it will get some trim applied and sing a much appreciated song before long. There are still lots of parties ahead, right?
Well, gosh, I don't know if I'd sew for her again, bless her heart! Maybe that's a kind of mean thing to say but a sewing goddess must put her foot down and not allow her art to be dissed. That's just the way it is YKWIM?
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain! I made everything for my daughter until she was in the 3rd grade. For her birthday I made her a pink jean jacket. You know, all those little pieces with pearl snaps, it looked simply "cute". She opened it and said "You know mom, I don't like pink". I remembered my sister telling me that there will come a point when you would want to strangle your daughter or just walk away. I hit that 'point' and did walk away and have only made a few things for her (always her design-yes she designs but doesn't know how to sew on a button-she's 17). She's notorious for slashing the daylights out of something and bringing it to me to add this or that to it, usually something very heavy she wants to add to something very sheer or light weight. Maybe yours will come around sooner than my has. I wish you luck and have fun with your other daughter.
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