Sheridan's Flower Girl Dress

{Entry Written by Mama}

Ever since Meredith first learned, almost 4 years ago, that she would finally have the sister she had prayed for, she has said that she wanted Sheridan to be her flower girl, should Meredith marry one day.

What a special blessing that Meredith's wedding is occurring when Sheridan is at the perfect age to be absolutely thrilled to be a flower girl. Although normally quiet in public, Sheridan will tell complete strangers that she's going to be a flower girl. When she discusses the upcoming wedding, she usually says, "At Meredith and my wedding...." We have to remind her that really just Meredith is marrying Stephen and that she will continue to live with us for a long time!

As I began to search for a flower girl dress for Sheridan, I found that the ones I most liked were way out of our wedding budget so I began to study them closely and wonder if I might be able to make one myself. While pricing fabric, lace, sequins, pearls, and ribbon, I quickly understood why the dresses I liked were so expensive.

Inspired by Meredith's wedding dress story, I wondered if I might find a wedding dress at a thrift store and be able to use the fabric and laces to make an inexpensive replica of the flower girl dresses that looked so special online.

If anyone ever followed me around a thrift store, they would surely assume I was not completely sane as I often, when finding just the exact thing I was hoping for, thank the Lord out loud as if He were standing right next to me. Such was the case when I found the most beautifully embellished, satin wedding dress that could be used for creating a flower girl dress for Sheridan. It was $34.99 - not too big of an expense should the project be a flop.

Since the dress was a women's size 12, there was plenty of fabric to work with. I figured it would be easier to keep the hem line and other tailored angles in tact, so I cut the various pieces of the gown down to the size of one of Sheridan's sundresses that I used as a guideline. The wedding dress had such beautiful details in the covered buttons and exquisite sequins, lace, and beads so I tried to preserve them when reconstructing the dress.

The final stitches were made today as I tried to figure out how to "bustle" the train so Sheridan can run around at the reception.
I'm not known for quality sewing skills so I'm sure Sheridan will be leaving a trail of pearls behind which were not securely reattached during the reconstruction. I just hope she'll fair better than Oliver, Sullivan, and Harrison who went with Meredith to our area's annual Civil War Ball a couple of years ago. They left in Civil War Soldier costumes made lovingly (not skillfully) by their mother and returned as those wounded in battle with rips in shoulder seams and, worst of all, splits clear through in rear pants seams!