Well over a year ago, I bought a dress for Ava Scarlett to put away until she was bigger. From the moment I saw it in the store, I loved it – a sleeveless brown knit A-line dress with a cowl neck. Cozy looking, completely adorable, and totally wearable. Sadly, it was about $45, and I wasn’t going to spend that on a dress for such a small kid.
Months later, while stalking through Zara (after Christmas sales, I think) the beloved dress had come down in price to about $15, which was a steal, and they had one in the right size.
It’s long in length, and has large armholes, so I reasoned it would fit for probably two full years, at least. I snapped it up and skipped all the way home.
Here comes the sad part…
The damned thing is itchy even though it’s soft to the touch. (I HATE when that happens!) She wore it over black leggings and a black turtleneck, but the cowl neck rubs her under her chin and drives her completely nuts after about five minutes of wear. (I’m not sure what it’s made of – I cut the “itchy tag” out ages ago.)
Anyway, since I can’t bear to part with it yet, it’s just going to hang out on the little dressmaker Judy I have in the children’s room. Until she’s too big to wear it. Or, at least until I come into a bit of fur trim I can have sewn into the neckline, maybe. Would that even work? Ack, I’m so annoyed.
At least it’s tres adorable, even as decor… I belted it with one of Oliver’s cast-offs. *swoons*
Got any ideas about how to save this dress? Anyone? Bueller?!
itchy things make me cranky and cold- can’t blame her-
can’t say I can come up with a solution but a $15 mistake is nothing!
Uch, I KNOW how that happens too! More recently, I’ve been putting whatever the offending item is right into the donate pile if it’s itchy or whatever. But I really want to save this dress if I can – it looks amazeballs on her too. Poo!
Good idea Anny….I hate when that happens though! I have a fave sweater that I wear once a year – because I forget from one year to the next why I don’t wear it…
Oh! That’s a good idea… I usually do wash all their clothing once before wearing – you know, it’s better to – but come to think of it, I’m not sure if I can recall ever putting it to flat dry… hmmmmm. It was AGES ago though. Anyway, I’ll try that tonight and see if it makes a difference! Thanks knitter-Anny, my darling!!
I’ll look for some – I suppose in a fabric store, as opposed to a craft store, right? I’ll have to ask my mother to sew it – I’m a disaster at these kinds of things. :{
Have you tried giving it a bath? This may sound strange, but as a knitter I can tell you that certain fibers really soften up after a nice soak in Eucalan/woolwash or even a capful of mild shampoo. If it has wool or alpaca in it this could make enough of a difference to make it wearable…
I know. I’m not really a saver-of-the-too-small-clothes, but this dress is just too freaking adorable…
Ack. But… it’s so wonderful!!? Lining in the neck – yes, we’ll see.
Line the entire cowl neck with matching or contrasting felt! Put a funky stitching design on the sewing and will look grand and take away the itchies. Cheap and soft! Off you go, buy some felt. I’ve done it once already for Emma and she loved it. If you get the pliable felt it will lay against the cowl lovely. Just avoid the stiffer felts used for some crafts.
Yeah yeah, this biatch is a craft creative genius I tell ya!
i think nikola might be right…but can’t we keep just ONE???? promise???
Line it or let it go.
Issokay. These things happen.