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Friday, June 27, 2008

VINTAGE HANDKERCHIEF DRESS TUTORIAL.....



Recently my husband swept me off for a real treat, a week at the beach for my birthday! (In case you are wondering, I just hit the big 45!) Since it was my birthday week I got to do a lot of stuff that I like to do, like spend an extraordinary amount of time picking out handmade paper and browsing high end antique stores, a decorator showroom, and flea markets along with lazing and strolling on the beach, collecting shells, watching fireworks each evening from the pier, snapping photos, and dining in seafood heaven.


At one of my favorite antique stores in the area I saw the most darling way to display vintage hankies. This lady made these little hankie dresses and had them hanging on a jewelry display rack and they were stunning! They looked like a Barbie clothing store. I found myself sliding the little hangers across the bar like you would real clothing when you are shopping. I did not copy her design, hers were just plain cardstock and the dress bodice was drawn differently with no extra embellishments, hers were only line drawings of the dress details.

YOU WILL NEED:
A hankie
a six inch by 3 inch piece of cardstock that matches your hankie
8 inch piece of wire
embellishments of your choice
8 inch piece of ribbon
glue (I used hot glue)
repositional double stick tape
scissors
fine tip black marking pen
pencil
iron


*press your hankie flat then fold into a square and press.

*fold the 6 inch by 3 inch cardstock in half so you have a 3 inch by 3 inch piece.


*using a 3" by 3" scrap of paper, sketch our your dress design and cut it out, with a pencil lightly trace your pattern onto the colored cardstock, the fold will be the shoulders of the dress.

*cut out your design, be sure and leave some of the fold on each shoulder uncut.


*on one half of the dress, using the black marking pen, sketch your dress details.

*embellish if desired ~ I glued on a lace collar, lace trim on the bottom of the dress front, buttons, and a tiny silver heart at the neckline.

*bend wire in half, twist about eight times, bend twisted end over a pencil to curl, twist curl to the side to form the hanger, spread out the remaining ends, attach to the inside front of the dress, you may need to clip off the ends, then secure with a bit of glue, allow to dry.


*line up your hankie with the inside of your dress and secure with double stick tape on the front, the inside fold, and the back, press in place.

*Tie ribbon around the waist to close the dress onto the hankie.NOTE: This project does not damage the hankie, the low tack tape comes off easily.


What to do with a little hankie dress:


Imagine this darling as a gift tag!
It could be hung in an empty frame with the wall color making your little hankie gown pop!
Go a step further and giver her arms and a head and make her into a paper doll!
Hang a whole row of them across the top of a window for a sweet window treatment!
These would make great gifts for a ladies luncheon!
This would also be a great item for you art swappers out there!

This would be a great way to display grandmother's collection where you could enjoy your family heirlooms!

Blessings,
Sandy

38 comments:

Rosa said...

Dear Miss Sandy,
Happy Birthday!. Your husband is so sweet!!
I love the hankie dress, so darling. Thanks for the tutorial, I'll have to make one!!
Take care, and thank you for stopping by my blog,
Rosa

Vee said...

That is the sweetest little dress I've ever seen. I think I know what I'll be doing with some of my hankies now...so adorable. Thank you for the "how-to."

Your give-away gifts are so generous and so beautiful. My goodness! Who wouldn't want to win?!

Thank you so much for all the hard work that has gone into this blog-athon. "I Remember Laura" has been incredibly special and has honored her legacy in wonderful ways. I tip my cap to you, Miss Sandy. You're a peach, and a doll, and an all-round good kid! (Even if you are 45.)

Anonymous said...

Oh, those are all wonderful prizes, and I'd be happy to win any of them! There is not much that has been handed down from my family, but I do have a few treasured things. I am the memory keeper for my family and want to have things to pass down to my children.

That little dress made from the hankie is just adorable!

Paula said...

I have thoroughly enjoyed your I remember Laura Blogathon. My mother and I took a trip one summer visiting the homes of Laura. It was a wonderful memorable holiday. I have been tracing my family tree the last few years and have been able to go back to the late 1500's. I would love to win one of your giveaways to add to my family tree research.

Thank you for taking the time to do this wonderful Blog-a-thon.

Paula

Anonymous said...

Miss Sandy, That is such a cute little hankie dress. I've been reading all the Remember Laura blogs and it's really been very interesting. Please add me to your drawing. Thanks Vicki Page

crafty diane said...

Happy Birthday Miss Sandy! 45's not bad. I'm 48. I just love all the wonderful give away gifts. Helen Steiner Rice is one of my favorites. One of her poems really inspired me during a rough time in my life. I love the hankie dress, too. My Aunt Vivian gave me a beautiful hankie that my uncle had bought her when she was young. I can't wait to make a dress out of it!
Thank you for all the hard work you have put into the Laura Ingalls Wilder blogs. It has been so much fun reading them.
Have a Blessed Day,
Diane

Decor To Adore said...

Dear Miss Sandy,

What a sweet way to make a presentation of a lovely hanky. This one will be filed away in my craft file immediately.
I appreciate how detailed you were in your instructions.
Such a sweet visual treat!

RainyPM said...

Dear Miss Sandy,

What a beautiful tribute to Laura. I've loved going back and reading the posts for this month and following links to other readers' own memories. I didn't see this until last night when I followed a link here from Melissa Wiley's blog, but I did write a Musical post for this week's theme and linked to it under that post.

Karla Cook @ Roads to Everywhere said...

How exciting! What great giveaways... and such a neat craft idea!

Anonymous said...

I've just about completed my last project for the LIW Art Swap. I'll have my pieces in the mail to you this weekend. I've loved your interview with Laura Ingalls Gunn! And your how-to-instructions for the hankie dress!! Thank you, thank you! I've given some real thought to starting my own blog and including all the things I am passionate about as you have done with yours. Thanks for the inspiration!
Nicole Amodei, Chesterton, IN

Sandy said...

Victoria, I got your email and you are entered! Thanks for the sweet email!

Trini said...

Thank you for hosting the LIW blog-a-thon. It has been fun!

What a darling idea for the hankies! Thanks for sharing...

And, happy birthday!

Cape Cod Washashore said...

What a fabulous way to display hankies! I have a little bumper crop of them and this would be a lovely way to show off my favorites! =)

Your Monday posting idea sounds like alot of fun! If I have a moment I'd love to chime in! =)

Lynzee said...

My sister directed me to your blog and I'm so glad she did. I only with I had some vintage hankies now so I could try your project idea right away. Thanks for sharing!

bluemuf said...

Happy belated birthday Miss Sandy. What a lovely way to celebrate. Your husband is a sweetie.

Thank you so much for the tutorial this is a lovely way to show and give heirloom handkerchiefs.

Hugs Karen

Ele at abitofpinkheaven said...

Sounds like your birthday was WONDERFUL...all favorites things of mine to do, anyway! I have seens a similar design where the hanky is the skirt, only this was on a card. Love the journal. I did get the baskets at TJ MAXX. I would love to find the fabric, as I have a small couch I would like recovered. How fun it would be if it matched the baskets! I might have to look for the pillows at least.

Cindy Is Crafty said...

I hit the 4 and the 5 back in April. Whoa...it is kind of scary.

Anywho, great little hankie dress. If by chance you pick me for the giveaway you can pay it forward to the number right after mine.

FrenchGardenHouse said...

Thank you so much for having the I Remember Laura blog-a-thon. I have so enjoyed it. And meeting the sweetest member of the family has been the best, she is an absolute treasure, isn't she?

Wishing you a lovely weekend, dearest friend.
xo Lidy

Jessi Nagy said...

hey there doll!!
what fab giveaways!!
so gorgeous!!
and that dress what a great idea.
just darling.

oxoox,
jessi

Paris Rags Romance said...

Thank you so much for the lovely comment! I love your blog:) Hugs, Kimberly

Miss Rhea said...

Oh I love the hankie dress !! What a wonderful way to display them !! Your handmade journal is so precious !! Count me in. :)

Mistress Meeyee said...

What a great giveaway! Cool!!! I would love to win any of the prizes!

Kimberly said...

Dear Sandy,
This has been such a fun blog-a-thon and I have enjoyed participating in the art swap as well. Thank you for all the time you've devoted to this.
I LOVE your journal!! Great job on the collages and now I must go add some ribbons to the spirals on my Everything Books. Too cute! Of course, the hankie dress is delightful as well!! So fun. Have a great weekend.

Melissa @ The Inspired Room said...

Sandy, this has really be a fabulous event! I've enjoyed the posts and contributions, so much inspiration! Your giveaway is fabulous! Thanks for all of your hard work, it really has been fun, I've seen so many wonderful posts everywhere!

Happy weekend!

xoxo
Melissa

Shopgirl said...

I am a newbie to your blog, so I had alot of looking to do. I learned so much, and found myself returning for more. It is good to look to the past, you can learn so much. Mary

Fete et Fleur said...

It is always such a pleasure to visit you Sandy! The hankie dress is wonderful! I will try this with some of mine. Your giveaway reflects what a generous and loving spirit you have.

Blessings!
Nancy

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Happy Birthday!
Those hankie dresses are just adorable!
Penny

Sandy said...

Catherine,
Thanks for the sweet email, I threw your hat into the ring!

La Tea Dah said...

Thank you for this wonderful pattern! I love hankie ladies! And now I know how to make one!

LaTeaDah

3rdEyeMuse said...

oh my! what wonderful prizes you have put together - stunning.

and that tutorial is really terrific. thank you soooo much for sharing. :)

hope to see you soon, ~M~

3rdEyeMuse said...

ps - happy (belated) 45!

Carrie said...

Thank you for the Laura blogathon. It has been a fine event - inspiring,educational, and lovely.

gma said...

Love this idea!!!!
:-)

Anonymous said...

Happy Belated Birthday! What a wonderful give away. I truly love the idea of passing things along. Recently my aunt gave me some pieces from my Great-grandmother that she brought from Ireland. Everytime I look at them I remember where we came from, how we got here and the memories we will take with us. I only wish I could be a little fly on the wall when all of these beautiful crystal pieces were used....I can only imagine...with my memory keepers.

Hugs,
KAREN EILEEN

Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME said...

The little hanky dress is adorable. I will have to try that! Thank you for sharing how to!

Aelwyn said...

Thanks for hosting the blog-a-thon! I really enjoyed participating the weeks that I could as well as reading everyone else's posts.

The give-aways sound wonderful!

Edie Marie's Attic said...

Hi Miss Sandy!
Thank you for the fabulous hankie idea! I must have a hundred hankies that were my Grandma's, my Mom's and my Aunt's. What sweet gifts the hankie dresses would make for nieces and great nieces! Thanks!
Hugs, Sherry

Anonymous said...

I just loved this post! (sorry just catching up as I didn't want to read any of the I Remember Laura's blogs during the art swap) I am also the memory keeper in our family. I also have a few journals (hand written) that I've started quite a few years ago.

I also love the idea of the hankie dress, my Mom tats and she puts tatted edging on flowered hankies and what a wonderful way to display them. Thanks!!!

Hugs!!!

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