While visiting my parents last year, I found a treasure trove of patterns (now vintage!) that my mother had saved after sewing clothes for me throughout my childhood. One of my all-time favorites was this dress with coordinating coat, which I wore for Easter when I was 12 or 13. Mama made the coat in a pink and white floral, and the dress and coat collar in solid pink, both from linen-like fabric. The coat had covered buttons with fabric loops, which must have required a lot of extra time! I wore it with pink slingback flats (and possibly white gloves -- were we still wearing gloves in the mid-1960s?) and felt very special and elegant.
To go WAY back, here I am in my Easter finery at age three and a half. Mama didn't make this dress -- my baby sister was 11 days old that Easter, so she was a little busy! I have to wonder how much attention I paid in Sunday School, wearing that stiff petticoat, hat, gloves, and no-doubt-new shoes.
I continued the tradition, sewing for my children, especially their Sunday and special occasion outfits. I was into smocking back then, and here are their Easter outfits in the late 1980s. Our son looked adorable in smocked outfits until he was four, when he insisted he wanted to wear a suit for Easter!
And now there's another generation to sew for! Here's an Easter dress I made for my oldest grandchild a few years ago. I have sewed a few things for her and my grandson, but I haven't yet sewn anything for my youngest grandchild. I HAVE knitted her a few things, but she's two now, so I need to get back to my sewing machine!
That was one of the most exciting parts of Easter was having Mom sew our Easter dresses and sometimes coats. I loved the new shoes, hats, purses and socks we would get. It made the day so special. I just found some classic photos of my parents and the kids on a couple of Easter Sundays. What a treasure!
ReplyDeleteI haven't sewed much for the grandkids. One family would wear them but the other two wouldn't! Guess they miss out! Glad yours will wear it. She looks so pretty!
Tricia, I was thrilled to see a post from you pop up on my sidebar. ;-)
ReplyDeleteYes, I fondly remember a new Easter dress every year. My mother also made our clothes, and I think I had a dress and coat from the same pattern. I also remember the smocking craze in the 1980s. I didn't have children, so I never did make any smocked outfits. They are so adorable. I hope you kept some of them.
Happy Easter to you!
Love those pictures, Tricia, especially of your own two together. Smocking looks difficult. The only dresses mine had with it were when we lived in Cincinnati where there was a Polly Flinders outlet store in the downtown area, a source of a few smocked bargains. Growing up in Houston it was always too hot for coats by Easter, so those never figured into the outfit.
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