Dress Making Quotes

“Lib had been working all day at the sewing machine, running up new house-dresses for the womenfolk. When Lib launched into a long seam, she pushed the treadle so fast the whole machine rocked like a boat. The needle ate up the goods like a prairie fire eating up grass. Lib hated sewing and she didn't propose to spend any more of her life than needed to be turning out house-dresses for the female inmates of the Rock County Poor Farm. When she hit a long seam the poor Singer hummed and whined. The seams Lib sewed were saw-toothed, but they were in to stay. She sewed a firm stitch and she put the stitches far from the edge. . .when she held up one of her uneven seams for inspection, she consoled herself by saying, "It'll never be seen on a galloping horse.”
― Jessamyn West, The Witch Diggers

“And then there were their dresses. Fancy cotton confections of candy-colored frills and bows, with puffed sleeves and ribbon sashes. Sally had never seen such dresses before, and for a moment, she felt a little inadequate when she gazed down at her own homemade ensemble, rather plain in comparison.
But then, she'd made this dress herself, she thought. And who was to say she couldn't make one of theirs, too, if she just gave it a try? In fact, if she could find the right material, she was almost positive she could re-create one of these ensembles back in Halloween Town, adding her own special Sally touches, of course. For example, their sashes were practically screaming to be replaced by proper spiderwebs. And a few slashes with a serrated knife would give the puffed sleeves a lovely shredded flair. Her mouth curled as she imagined herself walking past the fountain in her hometown square, sashaying in a swish of silk and spiders. Halloween Town wouldn't know what hit them!
And what if, her mind whirred, others wanted a dress like this, too? She could take orders. Charge money. Maybe even eventually open her own shop. Support herself so she would no longer be reliant on Dr. Finkelstein.
She gasped at the idea. This could change everything!
Feeling almost giddy, she studied the dolls' dresses, taking the time to memorize every detail while happily munching on her sugarplums. Christmas Town was truly amazing, she decided. Even if it was very different from home. And while she'd always be a fan of the grim and gruesome, she saw now that fun and festive was actually pretty great, too.”
― Mari Mancusi, Sally's Lament