Miss R's Christmas and Birthday Sewing Done!

 For some reason I really had trouble photographing this dress.  I opened the curtains, but it is cloudy outside.  I turned on the lights and used my flash, but you still can barely see the bow at the waist line made from the same black velvet that I used for the bodice.  As you see, Miss R is getting a more trendy dress, just like her big sisters are getting.  The skirt of hers is made from a synthetic blend of "I don't know what", but I was assured that it was washable.  It has the look and feel of a flocked taffeta. Her big sisters' dresses are also supposed to be washable.

 I thought maybe you could see the bow better if I took a close-up, but I don't think so.

 Here's the back.  Even though the belt hides the waist line, and you can't see where the zipper comes together, I promise that it met exactly!!!!  I was so excited, because this one was the easiest of the three invisible zippers that I put in these dresses.  I used to use them all the time when I was a teenager, and they had just started manufacturing them, but with these little girls, I usually use buttons.

 Miss R's skirt is bubbled.  Here's a peek at the underside.  I used netting between the skirt and the lining to give the poofed look.

 For Miss R's birthday, I made this very poofy skirt!!!  I didn't use the pattern directions, and for once, I wish I had.  I was supposed to make the skirt and then make a crinoline slip separately, but I thought that it would work just as well to sew the netting directly to the skirt.  It really made it way too poofy.  Believe it or not, this skirt was even poofier than it is now!!!  I sewed the tulle layers down to the lining about half way down to take some of the poof away!!!  You might be able to see the white lining a little bit.  I took this picture from an angle aiming up so that you could see more of the tulle, etc...   Anyway, I lined the whole thing with this really soft, smooth, unknown, sheer fabric that I had bought a few years ago to make an angel costume for our church's live nativity.  This fabric felt so good to the touch that I thought it would feel good against Miss R's legs.
I bought the white shirt and embellished it with the same fabrics, as you see.  I also got some white tights.  I'm hoping to find the right shoes to go with this trendy little skirt!

Since these three sister dresses are sleeveless this year, I am trying my hand at crocheting caplets for them to wear.  This did not photograph well, either.  (I need to go back to my sewing room where I usually take my pictures.)  I don't know if the girls will like them or not.  They may just wear cardigans.  I really don't know why the dresses for Christmas are sleeveless, and yes, I know I could have put sleeves in them, but the dresses the girls showed me that they liked were sleeveless, so sleeveless they are. (I do believe that was a run-on sentence!)  I've noticed that lots of women's dresses are sleeveless all year round, too.  {I don't do sleeveless, EVER, so I have a hard time buying dresses for myself.} I really don't know much about crocheting, but I'm learning.
I'm going to share a few more photos from the wearable arts fashion show:

 

This shows the fabric in Miss J's dress better than the photos in the post about it.

 

Two little sweethearts!

                                                                  And, two more!

 This dress and others of this style were made by a lady from all vintage laces, doilies, slips, etc.......  They were amazing!

 These dresses were made by students of fashion from Thailand!!!  One of the ladies on our committee goes there every year to teach.

This is a coat that was made by Rachel Clark who is world renown amongst quilters!!!  A. MA. ZING!