My mother used sneaky, underhanded tactics to teach us how to sew.  She started with embroidery.  "You mean you can make pretty pictures with thread?  WOW!"  (Come to think of it, she used similar tactics to each us to cook!)  Since Easter is Sunday, here's what I'm working on--

The colors are Grace's choosing, and the fabric is a pricey pale pink batiste that I found at rock bottom prices online.  While easier on the budget than some at retail, it didn't cost me much, and will be my last fabric purchase for a while since finances are really shaky right now.  I have to find a way to finance my habit!

Really, the Easter dresses are simple this year.  Because they're batiste, I hacked out a slip pattern to go underneath.  Because semi-sheer needs a slip.  I know they're impossible to buy anymore, and when you do find them, they cost.  But I'm doing a simple a-line white cotton batiste slip with adjustable straps. No lace, to avoid the "itchies", no fancy work.  Just utility.... that can go under most of their dresses. 

We're going ahead with the usual Easter plans--a big dinner, Easter baskets, and an Easter egg hunt for the kids.  It's mostly so we can spend time together as a family.  We've always been close, and hard times have a tendency to draw us together.  We've, unfortunately, had plenty of those, though not as bad as this one.  And due to preplanning, I have everything we need for it in the house.

The pattern for this came from Simplicity 2461. 

The pinafore, or "apron" as Grace would say, has been changed into a slip with a pattern hack.  I like that it comes in both 4, which Gracie needs, and 1, which Nikki is on her way into growing into.  I'm changing the sleeves to banded, because Grace complains that elastic sleeves pinch. 

The embroidery is from another pattern, that I purchased to make fancyish rompers for Alex to wear to church.  The bunnies were the girl view, and I just borrowed the embroidery pattern from it.  I kinda like the fact that it's just outline stitched with french knot details.  And yeah, it's by hand.  Supposedly, my 1965 machine will do embroidery, but I've never found the extra hoop or needle plate that will allow it.  And even then, it would require experimentation!  So it's by hand for me.  And luckily, this type of embroidery only takes a couple hours!