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Home > Books > My Forever Dress My Forever Dress posted January 13, 2011
I'm constantly looking for children's books about sewing — not necessarily instructional, but more historical and inspirational. Penelope's still too young for most of the instructional books out there, and while I hope she'll want to sew along with Mom some day, she's far more interested in story books.
Yesterday, at the library, I stumbled onto a promising book in the stacks. With a title like "My Forever Dress," I was expecting a tearfest. Before I even opened the book, I had the entire plot written out in my mind: someone makes a dress for a child, child grows up and out of the dress, dress is neglected and then one day the dress has a new life for her own child. Then someone gets old and dies. Thankfully, this book isn't melancholic at all. Instead, it's a cute little story of a dress that a (youngish) grandmother makes for her grandaughter and, over the course of four years, the dress is adapted and modified to fit a growing girl. A couple aspects make this book charming. One, the illustrations are beautiful. The artist uses found materials (old letters, fabric, vintage patterns) in her collages which adds a nice texture to the pages. Secondly, the message of the book is about recycling old materials to make new things. At one point the greening aspect gets a bit too much with some knitting propaganda ("I don't have to use my sewing machine"), but I'll let that pass. Third, the little girl reminds me of Penelope.
A definite recommendation for small children who are interested or exposed to sewing!
All the author needs is a treadle sewing machine! :-) Thanks for the post!
Reminds me of a full-length nightgown my grandmother made for me when I was about 5 or 6. I wore it for years until it was more like a shirt. It just got softer and softer with repeated washings. I wish I kept it, but after years of wear I think my mom finally got rid of it.
There’s a very sweet book called “The Purple Coat” about a little girl named Gabrielle who’s grandpa is a tailor. I bought it before I had a daughter (because my name is Gabby too) and now that I have one it’s even more special. Check it out at the library :)
There’s also a book about a tailor (I think it’s called “The Tailor’s Vest”) and it’s about everything his vest is transformed into as it wears out. Has a nice old country feel about it.
Oh thanks my grands love me to read to them and I am always looking for good books they might like.
kateljordan@gmail.com
What a sweet story! One question – what’s ‘knitting propaganda?’
If you haven’t come across it yet, you might want to have a look at The It-Doesn’t-Matter-Suit by Sylvia Plath.
Startingtoknitagain.blogspot.com
there is a book by shirley hughes ‘ellas big chance’ which is a jazz age retelling of cinderella in which ella is a seamstress. it has the most gorgeous illustrations!
My Forever Dress | The Sew Weekly - Sewing & Vintage Lifestyle Home
Home > Books > My Forever Dress My Forever Dress posted January 13, 2011
I'm constantly looking for children's books about sewing — not necessarily instructional, but more historical and inspirational. Penelope's still too young for most of the instructional books out there, and while I hope she'll want to sew along with Mom some day, she's far more interested in story books.
Yesterday, at the library, I stumbled onto a promising book in the stacks. With a title like "My Forever Dress," I was expecting a tearfest. Before I even opened the book, I had the entire plot written out in my mind: someone makes a dress for a child, child grows up and out of the dress, dress is neglected and then one day the dress has a new life for her own child. Then someone gets old and dies. Thankfully, this book isn't melancholic at all. Instead, it's a cute little story of a dress that a (youngish) grandmother makes for her grandaughter and, over the course of four years, the dress is adapted and modified to fit a growing girl. A couple aspects make this book charming. One, the illustrations are beautiful. The artist uses found materials (old letters, fabric, vintage patterns) in her collages which adds a nice texture to the pages. Secondly, the message of the book is about recycling old materials to make new things. At one point the greening aspect gets a bit too much with some knitting propaganda ("I don't hav
e to use my sewing machine"), but I'll let that pass. Third, the little girl reminds me of Penelope.
A definite recommendation for small children who are interested or exposed to sewing!
All the author needs is a treadle sewing machine! :-) Thanks for the post!
Reminds me of a full-length nightgown my grandmother made for me when I was about 5 or 6. I wore it for years until it was more like a shirt. It just got softer and softer with repeated washings. I wish I kept it, but after years of wear I think my mom finally got rid of it.
There’s a very sweet book called “The Purple Coat” about a little girl named Gabrielle who’s grandpa is a tailor. I bought it before I had a daughter (because my name is Gabby too) and now that I have one it’s even more special. Check it out at the library :)
There’s also a book about a tailor (I think it’s called “The Tailor’s Vest”) and it’s about everything his vest is transformed into as it wears out. Has a nice old country feel about it.
Oh thanks my grands love me to read to them and I am always looking for good books they might like.
kateljordan@gmail.com
What a sweet story! One question – what’s ‘knitting propaganda?’
If you haven’t come across it yet, you might want to have a look at The It-Doesn’t-Matter-Suit by Sylvia Plath.
Startingtoknitagain.blogspot.com
there is a book by shirley hughes ‘ellas big chance’ which is a jazz age retelling of cinderella in which ella is a seamstress. it has the most gorgeous illustrations!