Once, I had a beautiful black cotton dress. It was a '70's dress, very like a Gunne Sax, in crinkle cotton, long, with a flounce at the hem. It was too long, so I hemmed the flounce up to about half its width. The dress was very well-cut, and I wore it for special occasions. A lot. Enough so that I re-dyed it black when it started to fade.
Well, the '80's came, and it was way out of style. We were moving, and I got rid of a lot of old clothes by dropping them off at the Goodwill store nearest me.
Several years later, I was looking around a different Goodwill, and came upon a rack of long '70's dresses. Idly flipping through them, I called out to whoever I was shopping with, "Oh, wow! I used to have a dress just like this one!" Of course, the first thing I did was lift up the flounce at the bottom to check the hem.
It was my work.
It was my dress.
So I bought it.
Wow! That really was serendipity at its best. I wonder whether the Salvation Army will still have my daughter's brand new Jasper Conran, black dress that I got rid of by mistake?! Oops!
ReplyDeleteLast night we went out to get his Lordship an/a Halloween outfit. By this time mostly everything was sold out. We managed to get one of those black skeleton (all-in-one) outfits with the white plastic bones embossed on the fabric.
Well, from past experience we know that nothing even near his age-group will fit him (he is 8). Therefore, when I found an 11-12 size I was so excited. I snatched it up and walked around with it in my arms until he made up his mind. He eventually decided that he wanted it (there was nothing else).
He tried it on as soon as we got home. It was too short in the crotch and cutting him in half, he said. I found an old black T-shirt and fitted a piece in the gusset to give him a couple of extra inches.
He tried it on and it was okay in the crotch but the neck was too tight when he sat down. Then I destroyed a pair of black panties, snipping off the two sides, leaving the elastic attached, and fit them into the shoulder area of the neck. All by hand, mind you!
Now, it fits perfectly. Yippeee!
My eyes felt as though they had been scorched by red-hot pokers when I went to bed.
Sorry, Vero! I should just have written a book.
The didn't have my first husband's family china, that got sent by mistake!
ReplyDeleteWhen he and I split, I asked his grandmother what to do with the china, and she said to keep it--I had earned it by putting up with him for 4 years.
I was so mad! That's what happens when I get friends to help me move!
By the way, great job on the costume!
ReplyDeleteThanks Vero. I hate to admit that I quite enjoyed doing the alterations. It was peaceful and very relaxing. Robyn and Connor were watching 'The Gift'. Not exactly a childs movie, but he said he had already watched it at a friend's house. Scary movies don't seem to bother him.
ReplyDeleteNot suggesting that your work is relaxing, or anything. You are probably extremely pressurised. I can see why you love it so much, though.
I bet that crockery would be worth a mint!
ReplyDeleteThe china was the Victorian version of Spode's "Moss Rose" pattern.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is very interesting to make something work. I had a lady yesterday who was wowed by the fact that I could tear into a gown and make it fit her when she had thought it was too tight.
Ronni, I hope you have fun with Aiden/Aidan, this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI just bet you are the kind of nana who dresses up!
Sorry! Have fun Tuesday, Ronni
ReplyDeleteHi Ronni! My girlfriend sold her beloved condo (her first venture at home ownership) when she got married 3 years ago. They bought a house together in suburbia. Only to find out that neither she nor her husband are enthusiastic homeowners. She jokingly tells me that she has become one of *those* neighbors that everyone points at because her yard is full of weeds.
ReplyDeleteHer husband pulled out the dishwasher to try and set a mouse trap and opened up a geyser by pulling it loose from it's water supply. They had no clue where the shut off valve was and all their hardwood floors are warped as a result.
The next door neighbors sent their teenage daughter over about the 8 foot weeds between their property lines to threaten them with the city.
Anyhoo, you get the point. Her beloved condo just went on the market for 10k more than she sold it to the seller. She just can't bring herself to buy it back. Silly girl.
How cool to get your dress back.
I once bought a multi-colour Fair Isle sweater from th Salvation Army that I'd knitted years ago and given away.
ReplyDeleteWell, there you go, then. See...I'm not nutz!
ReplyDeleteOr...we're both nutz!
ReplyDeleteI've considered that, but I don't think so. After all, I would have bought your Fair Isle sweater, so all it proves is that we both tend to throw away what we shouldn't oughtta!
ReplyDelete