Shhhhh, don't tell her, but this is a little Solstice present for my babe. (I figure she's the only one who can't read the blog. The rest of the gift-making will have to remain hush-hush!). We have a little tradition of mama-made pajamas each year, and this year - hers will come with a bathrobe. She highly covets the boys', made by their Nana last year. I might have to send this one with Steve to work until gift-giving time though, because I know I am going to be oh-so-tempted to give her the bathrobe every single morning and every single after-bath moment for the next two weeks. The temptation to put her in it NOW and squeeze up the adorableness is very, very difficult to ignore. Sigh. I shall try my best. This is not my strength - I nearly always give presents away too early because I'm terrible at waiting to give them.
I remember tucking this pattern away when she was just a little tiny thing. I'm so glad to have found it in time to fit this year. The fabric is a flannel by Michael Miller. I used rickrack instead of the called-for lace, because, well, it was 11pm and there was no lace to be found in my studio. Rick-rack - yes. Always plenty of that around. The fox print under the pattern - an old Munki Munki print - will be the pajamas.
Growing up, we always had the tradition of new (usually matching) pajamas on Christmas Eve. I remember getting a new bathrobe to be a pretty big deal. I adored the one above - it was quilted and likely polyester, with tiny flower prints all over. Funny the tactile memories we have, isn't it?
While looking for the one above, I found this one too, which makes me so happy. There are so many photos of all of us in our matching clothes posed in front of the tree. But these seemingly random ones are my favorites and I'm so grateful to whoever decided to keep them. So much for me to love in here - my grandmother's apron (oh, what I wouldn't give to walk into her house to see her in that - I can still smell it), the matching red velvet clothes, my dad's crazy pants, and me - being the bossy little one that I was. We put on a Christmas pageant every year at my grandmothers big holiday party, and I was the director. Every. year. My cousins and sisters are just about now forgiving me.
Continuing my little trip down holiday memory lane, I'm very honored to be included in the Winter '07 issue of Small Magazine - the beautiful and inspiring online children's design magazine. In this issue, you'll find my Mama's recipe for the not-super-healthy, but oh-so-yummy ambrosia. Canned fruit and marshmallows? Good stuff. Like polyester bathrobes and plaid pants.
