"Little House on the Prairie" Dress

An eighth grader who is on the puppet team and in our youth group at my church asked me to make a "Little House on the Prairie" type dress for a play she's going to be in at school on April 23rd.  I adore this young lady, and there was no way to say "no" to her.  So, I bought two patterns and showed them to her.  The first shows the one I hoped she would pick, but I knew she wouldn't.  It is basically a loose fitting gown with elastic around the neckline and a sash tied around the waist.  My thinking was, " There would be no fitting issues with this choice." 

 Of course, she wanted the more fitted style.  I knew she liked this burgundy, dark-reddish color.  I chose the fabric, hoping she would like it.  She does.  So, on Wednesday, I made the bodice and took it for her to try on at church that night. 

I had changed the front of the bodice.  I added the contrasting piece on the front, and I left off the collar (which was a stand-up choker-type collar - I imagined her choking throughout the play).  I added the placket , buttons, and lace.  So, I just decided to add the same contrasting piece and lace on the back.

I then decided to add a deep border of the contrasting fabric and lace around the bottom of the skirt.  

It isn't finished.  I still need to hem it, but she hasn't called me with that measurement yet.  If I had been making this as a REAL dress, instead of a costume that will only be worn once, I would have put buttons on the back rather than a zipper.

I hope she likes it.  I'm going to try to go to her play.  I'll take photos of her in the dress.  She may not want me to post her photograph, even though, indirectly I already have.  She was holding one of the puppets in my post about the puppet wigs.  

This young lady is proof that there are some incredible youth out there today.  Our media just seems to zero in on the troubled ones.