An unspoken tradition of Lent in our house is the Making of the Easter Dresses. Though it tends to be biennial rather than annual, I often find myself sewing something special for myself or my small daughter during the weeks leading up to Easter. The weather is usually still cold, but our long-sleeved, often dark-colored winter clothes seem inappropriate for this celebration of Ultimate Rebirth, and my daughter and I boldly sally forth to church in airy short-sleeved frocks whatever the weather.
Buying new clothes for Easter was very common long ago; it was considered good luck, and presumably was a welcome indulgence after the self-denials of Lent. Even Shakespeare mentions this tradition in Romeo and Juliet; Mercutio, teasing Benvolio about his bad temper, says “Thou – why, thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a hair more or a hair less in his beard than thou hast… Didst thou not fall out with a tailor for wearing his new doublet before Easter?” (Act 3, Scene 1)
I have several dresses in my wardrobe that have been worn one Easter and never again, so I’m going to risk bad luck and wear an “old” Easter dress myself; but I am sewing something new for my small daughter (who grows so fast that new Easter dresses are more necessity than indulgence.) I couldn’t resist a grayish-blue lace I found at the store; she described the style she wanted. I’m using a pattern from Fiona Bell’s Sewn With Love as a starting point; this book has a lot of very beautiful special-occasion garments for children, many of them inspired by vintage clothing.
As you can see, I have a lot of work left to get this dress ready for Easter!
In Due Season 