Turning Mistakes Into Treasures
On Friday I shared a few sneak peeks at a 19th century Regency gown I had recently made. Over and over the one thing that people said that they loved the most was the six button back. I’m gonna share a secret. Those buttons cover a HUGE mistake.
This is what the back of the gown should look like. Three buttons.
Three. Not six.
You see I have a problem with my own body image. It goes back years. I struggle with thinking that I am bigger than I actually am. Can anyone relate? So even though I measured myself, when it came time to cut the pattern out I said: “No way is this going to fit me.” So I went up two sizes. Two. Then I sewed for several hours. On the second day of sewing, I began attaching the bodice to the skirt. I took it off the mannequin because it wasn’t fitting.
I carefully, pins and all, put the dress on myself. It was huge! Sigh. Any good seamstress knows that at this point it was too late. So I just kept sewing.
One of the last steps was to add the button closure. I stopped. If I moved the buttons several inches over the dress would fit. But the back of the dress would look horribly lopsided.
I considered doing this and then photographing the dress from the front and side only.
Unless…
Unless I simply added three more faux buttons to the other side to balance it all out.
Upon finishing the dress the Fashionista said: “I LOVE the back!”
Mr. Décor said, “The buttons are great!”
They didn’t make one single comment on the scalloped overlay on the front of the skirt that I spent two hours on to get right.
All that work and the corrected mistake turned out to be the eye-pleasing feature.
Hmmmm. Humbling. It makes you think…on many levels.
Laura
I love this dress! So pretty and so elegant! It's going to look great on you.
Love the dress! The color is spectacular.
Laura Ingalls Gunn…was your maiden name Laura Ingalls? Too cool. Are you a descendant?
Every detail of this dress is amazing. I love it.
So beautiful Laura! How funny about the buttons but they really do add something so special to the gown. You did a fabulous job on this!
The dress is absolutely gorgeous and the six button feature at the back is the best mistake you've made 😉
You realize, and you must ;), that we in the peanut gallery have only seen the back. Now I'm looking forward to the carefully planned front. If those glorious three extra buttons were an afterthought, then we're in for something great!
Very pretty and no one would ever know that you made a mistake.
hugs
Sissie
It's lovely Laura, and I love the way that you have taken a life lesson from this – it's so true that we all make mistakes, and the One who created us can make something beautiful of us in spite of it all.
Love this!! Thanks for sharing from your heart and your dress (and you) is beautiful!!
The dress is beautiful and the way you corrected your mistake is nothing short of brilliant!!