Little Niece on the Prairie
A couple weeks ago my niece's school, in Texas, notified the parents the children would be having a "Pioneer History" day at school...in just over a week. They were encouraging the parents to send the kids to school with items or clothing that would represent some part of the homesteading pioneers.
Of course, my niece, Belle, chirped "I want to be Laura Ingalls, Mom."
SIL called to ask if I happen to have a sunbonnet. I have several patterns for sunbonnets, but no, no ready made sunbonnet. With less than 10 days to find fabric, make, and ship it, I knew a handsewn sunbonnet from Aunt Carol was not going to happen.
I also knew that my fellow LIW fan was not going to Pioneer Day in anything less than the full kit - dress, petticoat, pinafore, sunbonnet, button necklace, tin cup, basket purse, 1880s-era penny, lace edged hanky - anything and everything that I could think of that had a connection to the books.
Enter my favorite shopping mall, Etsy. I had SIL send all of Belle's measurements and I started searching for a child's pioneer dress. With such short notice I knew I'd be fortunate indeed if I found a seamstress with a ready made dress that would fit.
Never underestimate the power of a pioneering auntie. I found one charming lady that had a dress made that would fit Belle. It was cream colored with pink and white homespun linen trim. She did not have a pinafore, but she did have three choices of fabric - darker pink or taupe broadcloth or pale pink linen - and she said she could have the pinafore made in time. She did not have, and could not promise a sunbonnet. She did have a petticoat in her inventory and by letting down the two deep tucks, it was the perfect length.
She sat to work lowering the hem on the pre-made dress and making the beautiful pinafore. I started looking for a coordinated bonnet.
I found a lovely bonnet. It does not photograph true to color, but it has a pale, clear yellow background with splotches of cream with tiny pink circles and various shades of pink roses. I thought it would work. It did!
Here's Belle all decked out.
Comments (15)
kacram
petaloid
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