A Possible Addiction?

Are you the type of person who gets into things and just can't let them go? In short-- are you an addictive personality? Every so often I come to terms with the fact that I apparently am. It happens with many things like when I start removing fallen leaves from the yard and driveway. I can't just let them be as soon as I see more come down.

Fortunately, with the farm, I have learned to not look at Farm Boss's territory because if I did, I'd constantly be trying to get things organized (not a happy idea for him or me) as he is not an addictive personality. He can just let things be. I would like to be more that way, but since I am this way still at 66, I doubt it's going to change anytime soon.

My latest example for addictive responses has been the Barbie doll dresses. It seemed so simple when I began. Scraps of material. Make some simple clothing. My granddaughter will be happy-- and she would have been.

After I had used my own fabric remnants, I began to think they weren't really the best ones for historic clothing. Oh I made them into dresses, skirts, blouse, accessories like a full length cape, apron (of course, pioneer woman), some shawls, and even a pair of pants which weren't likely pioneer woman attire unless they were men's. Well heck, an independent minded pioneer woman probably wore such when need be.

The thing was that I knew there had to still be better fabrics out there; and on one week-end, I found them. Quilting squares are the perfect size for a Barbie dress with wonderful colors, small patterns. Even more perfect they happened to be on sale at a dollar a square (about 18" x 22"). So I picked out 8. It's a wonder I stopped then.

Walking out of the store, I felt the emotions of a Midas who had found his her stash but wondered what she had been thinking to want it. That would have been bad enough, but I soon realized these dresses were going to require lace to really look right. How can you create fancy Barbie pioneer dresses (notice how this project is growing more complex) without lace.

I was still sure I had bits of lace here... except wherever I had packed them away, I have no clue. In stores, small laces turned out to be harder to find than I had anticipated. The ones I did find though were so pretty. I knew they would add so much to the next set of dresses. It's not like I'd have to sew up all eight dresses right away...

The first day, I made three...

It has definitely become a bit of an addiction, learning how to make hats (women of that era had to have hats), creating different styles, making them what I would have loved to have when I was a girl-- and it's a back killer for a woman 66. I think maybe if I got the sewing table down from the attic that it would be better.

Can you see this project growing by leaps and bounds? Somebody has to put a stop to it. After I used up the first quilting fabric, I bought more. Farm Boss is no help as he thinks the results are cute. He even made Barbie a western style vest and has helped me with some hand stitching (he's good at it). This project has forced me to do a bit of needle and thread work also (I'm not good at it).

Practically speaking, my home here is not well set up for craft projects. It's not even well set up for painting. I have my easel and paints in one end of the living room which means it's always in the way. Now I am going to add sewing?

Definitely I have to beat this habit before my granddaughter becomes swamped in Barbie outfits and my back demands I take it to the chiropractor.... Except it has been fun and better than listening to the news. I guess that's how all addictions start and grow-- justifying and ignoring the physical cost.

Because I wanted to have a record of the ones I made, I photographed them when I was finished and loaded them into a Picasa album. These are not all 20 0utfits as one I held back because it was a learning version. Although I could have waited for Christmas to give her these, she's growing up so fast, can I afford to wait?

[Barbie outfits]

I am not sure whether to file this under the category of proud or what was I thinking!