Well, here she is!
Yesterday was Cassie's birthday, and I knew that she has coveted a dressmaker's dummy for a while. Actually I have been searching in a lukewarm sort of a way for a few years; ever since her birthday two years ago actually (eek!).... poor Cassie! Well, this birthday is an important one so I got serious at last. And I didn't want to settle for something tacky; I wanted to get her really nice one; solid, well made, classy, attractive; one to last a lifetime. In my opinion, a good dress form is just about indispensable to the serious seamster. And even if you're not, they can just look nice standing in the corner displaying a funky dress or scarf or necklace too!
Cassie has named her Clarissa. She is the small Lady Valet, from Wm. C. Jackson and Co; an Australian company. She is height and width adjustable. Isn't she gorgeous?!
It couldn't have been easier, I put in an order, paid, and a box turned up a week later on my doorstep. No fuss, no hassles whatsoever.
Well, no hassles if you don't count that it took me a few years to find her, that is!
My first port of call was to check out Dummies WA, the local business that made my own beautiful, solid-as-a-rock Bessie, who has appeared here on my blog loads of times. But her maker has retired and the business is no more :((
I looked briefly at the ones in Spotlight, but they only had some very ugly, very flimsy models, covered in dreadful bright red nylon. Aesthetics are important to me; and of course you can make a stretch knit cover to hide a hideous colour; in fact I will probably make a cover for Clarissa too. But flimsiness cannot be fixed!
So I ventured online.. scary stuff. I'm nervous about purchasing something big and expensive online. I prefer to buy local, deal with a real person, and have the thing right there and then; but I couldn't!
There were some really good European and British companies, which did not seem to post to Australia. And probably would have been astronomical if they had. I found a few really beautiful Japanese ones, but I couldn't work out how to translate the websites.
So I was pretty relieved when I stumbled upon this one. She seemed perfect in her picture online, and she is!
Cassie is thoroughly stoked; therefore so am I :)
Incidentally, Cassie is wearing here her own version of the Burdastyle 05/2010 sundress 114. I made another version of this same pattern for her here, and one for myself here.
Please note: this is not an endorsement; although I am a very happy customer! and I did not receive any freebies or discounts.
Later edit: below, a better picture of Cassie's dress. I forgot I had taken this one, from last Christmas :)
