The Portion of my Inheritance

Aria was very specific this year in what she wanted her Christmas dress to look like.

She tried several times to explain it to me, struggling through the details. I asked her to draw it, and she tried but couldn’t quite get the message across.

So, I headed to Harry Hines Blvd. in Dallas with a friend in search of the perfect fabric.

I found a red stretch knit along with a satin fabric covered with fabric roses. I also planed on including red tulle in the layers.

I laid the fabric out on the bed and called her in to look at it and I could tell immediately that she was unsure. She felt like I had misunderstood her directions.

I explained how I would sew it together and I could see her processing it carefully as I spoke, her eyes carefully searching the fabric as I described what her dress would look like.

She finally agreed to trust me even though I could still see the uncertainty in her face.

I did understand that she wanted layers, so I gathered the lace on top of the tulle, with the tulle being longer than the lace, and made three rows for the skirt.

The rose fabric was big so I only used it on the bottom front. It is beautiful but a little bit goes a long way.

The back is lace, so I lined it with some shiny stretch fabric. It closes at the top with a dragonfly button.

The sleeves are 3/4 length lace.

When the dress was completed, she seemed happy with the outcome, however I am still not sure that it is the same dress she had pictured in her mind.

I think mammy and Aria may be working on some designing skills to be sure that we will be on the same page next year.

And of course, no dress would be complete without Ruby Slippers.

And this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair; ram skins dyed red; badger skins, and acacia wood. Exodus 25:3-4