Me Tarzan, You Jamie

Last week I got a call from one of my old baby group cohorts, asking if I could make a birthday dress for her younger daughter's second birthday. Back in the day, when I first starting sewing, the very first things I made were fleece dresses and I gave some as gifts to the mums in our baby group. I look back on these dresses with a mixture of nostalgia and horror. I'm proud that they were my starting block into this sewing life of mine, but also a bit embarrassed that I didn't really know what I was doing (and it shows). This is the one that I gave this particular friend:


She wanted another dress like this one, and although I told her that I don't really make them anymore, she really had her heart set on one. Apparently there's some international embargo on animal print fleece (or so you'd think, I couldn't find any), so I got some leopard print faux fur and made a reversible dress.


One side is just leopard and the other side is black twill with a leopard print heart applique. Not my cup o' tea, but if you're going to do commissions, sometimes you'll make things you wouldn't choose to.

I still wanted to try it on Maia for size and to take some pics for my portfolio. When we normally have a Maia photoshoot, Jamie gets jealous and before you can say 'Gender stereotypes!' some cross dressing occurs. I'm cultivating a pretty impressive Teenage Blackmail Folder. Today, he came running with the scrap of leopard fabric that was lying on the couch, saying, 'I would like dress too! Like Maia's!' I can sew fast, but not that fast, so with a bit of a drape and a tuck, we got this:

Look at Maia's face, you can see her little brain thinking 'What a weirdo'.

She couldn't take her eyes off him. Even as they hung out in our random pointless vestibule.

Those of you without children might not know this, but the best thing about being a parent is you can laugh at your kids. And they laugh too. And the more you laugh, the harder they laugh. It's brilliant, and guilt free-- everybody's laughing and having a good time. Until Dad comes home and makes you feel bad. Game's up, Tarzan.