Hydrangeas - The Upcycle Big Pay Off

A few years ago I met a woman at my daughter's gymnastics class that said, "Oh, you sew?  Would you like an old bridesmaid dress?"  I replied, "Ugh, sure.  Free fabric, I can be ridiculously cheap."  That was three years ago.  And, up until this afternoon I've been storing this rather large (skirt yardage, not dress size) 1980's purple hydrangea garden bride's maid dress in hopes that I would someday find the perfect project.  Three long years, this dress has been sitting there folded at the bottom of a stack of rather unloved fabric castoffs. 

As I checked my inbox yesterday I read that I had a client who was looking for a hostess gift.  She wanted a set of tee towels in pink and purple hydrangeas, could I help her out?  I immediately thought of this old dress sitting in the bottom of a fabric stack.  Ahh, the ultimate payoff for me...storing something for years and then finally having an opportunity to use it.  In my world, that is Christmas. 

So here it is, upcycled bridemaid dress which has now become lovely little hostess gift towels to hang in a  kitchen.

  See the crocheted trim?  Also sitting in my sewing room for years.  I met a lady a few years ago who gave it to me hoping I could use it somehow, someday.  I could swear she told me her mother or aunt hand crocheted that trim.  Even though I could never get it to work on a bag, I simply couldn't toss it if someone took the time to crochet it.  I have personally tried and failed crochet 101 about 3 times now.  I have to appreciate someone who had the patience.

If by some chance the bridesmaid of that original wedding ever reads this, please know your garden party dress lives on, cleaning one cook's hands, but lives on nonetheless.  It's making me think about calling my bridesmaids and offering to make that horrid black taffeta number I made them wear in 1991 into tablecloths.  Karmic payback.