Two Hundred Dresses

Wanda Petronski was a little girl who wore the same dress to school every day. But when teased by her classmates, she claimed that she had one hundred dresses at home, all lined up in her closet. The children's book The Hundred Dresses, written by Eleanor Estes and illustrated by Louis Slobodkin, won a Newbery Honor in 1945. It is a timeless story that teaches about compassion and courage, and the impact of our words. One thing is certain, though. Wanda was an imaginative little girl who drew pictures of her hundred dresses, each a unique design and beautifully colored.

Recently, my husband gave me a book that  promises to be quite inspiring. Sew Many Dresses, Sew Little Time; The Ultimate Dressmaking Guide is written by designer Tanya Whelan. With simple, interchangeable templates and step-by-step instructions, Tanya shows how to make over 200 possible combinations! I have always wanted to design my own clothes, but never had the nerve to try it. I have had to rely on patterns designed by someone else. Now, with this book, I have the guidance I need to be more creative when I sew. I am starting with a very basic design, in a captivating fabric.

Once I get the fit right and become more courageous, I will try some other styles. I won't be making two hundred dresses, but perhaps, like Wanda, I can use my imagination and make some designs that are uniquely mine.

I must be careful to plan my dresses so that they can join my other clothes and become part of my ten item wardrobe. And now that my closet is under control and the needles and thread are being used again, perhaps my next organizing project will be my sewing supplies!