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The good news is I finally found some time, amid all my music-making, to get back into my sewing room. The bad news is this garment will probably never be worn again after its two minutes on the runway.

You may remember my posts in the past about my many enjoyable sewing experiences with my heart-of-my-heart grandson, Boston. Just to clarify: He now prefers to be known as Celeste and referred to with feminine pronouns. So here we go …

I always feel elated when Celeste texts me and says she has a sewing project she wants to work on with me. So while my initial reaction to her text the day before her spring break was elation, my next thought was WHAT?!

Celeste enjoys her French class at Ursuline, but this practical if cynical grandma is questioning the real benefit of the project their teacher assigned to tide them over for spring break. (Wait. Isn’t spring break supposed to be about the break?)

Here’s the way I understood this project: The students were each to come up with a concept and a name for a fashion company, create some designs, create a look book, then make one of the garments, which would be presented during a class-time fashion show the Friday of the week after spring break.

Huh?

Celeste named her company L’Usine de Denim. It would be garments and accessories made from denim. Her first designs were a sleeveless shift dress with belt and a hairbow. (At this point in her personal discovery, she’s all about the bows.)

We talked about how to proceed. I searched through my pattern stash, chose the Textile Studio Basic Dress as something easily customizable, and then headed to JoAnn’s, where I spent $36 (!) on fabric, thread, a zipper, and thread. [I’m the grandma; I’m at a point in my life where I have some disposable income. What about these parents who are paying to put their kids in parochial school and they have other kids at home and typical family expenses. How tough to have their kids assigned a project such as this where they’ve got to spend time and money to accomplish it. I’m shaking my head ….]

Celeste had chosen or been assigned a model for the fashion show, and I had no idea of her size. How could I make a dress for an unknown body? And the model didn’t know her measurements. The most I could learn was her bra size, from which I discerned her “full bust” size. I grabbed an old sheet from my “rag bag,” an extra zipper from the stash, and quickly made up a “muslin” Celeste could take to her model for her to try on. I heard back from her on Monday afternoon that the size was okay, although it needed to be shortened, as she’s only 5’1″.

I finished the dress Wednesday night, whipped up the belt after my opera rehearsal on Thursday, and ran it to Celeste’s house. I’m still waiting for a picture from the fashion show and reassurance that all was well.

P.S. Friday afternoon report: The model was sick today, so another, much smaller girl wore the dress for presentation. These model for whom the dress was made will be there on Monday to wear it. I am told there were lots of compliments on our work. Yea.

P.S. Monday morning report: The model made it in today, and Celeste took a photo for me. I think the dress looks pretty darned good on her, for my only having known her bra size and height!! Happy Grandma.