just wanted to say your website is fabulous. I've been contemplating making a dress for 18 months - even did a course and bought a pattern - now too small of course! Always been too chicken! But we're getting desperate for a dress. Your website is so helpful and encouraging - especially your story. So here goes!
I would like thank you for your wonderful site. I have found it priceless. A special thankyou for your fantastic link to information for the Australian Irish Dancing Championships 2006. The info is extensive, extremely useful and has been available early so that we can make travel arrangements with plenty of time. Look forward to visiting Canberra in September.
Thank you for making this site. It is a great resource for first time dress makers such as myself and my mom.
I am just emailing to thank you for all the time you have spent providing info for the 2006 Australian Champs. I am planning to take my daughter to her first Nationals and having this information available is making it much easier to organise. I have passed on the link to your site to others who are also wanting to start planning early. We haven't had any info from our dancing school as yet except for the Consec link and with the Australian Champrionship site still not updated your info is all we have.
Let me first tell you, I love your website! I have two daughters that dance, two daughters in college, and one engaged to be married September 2006. As you can imagine, I don't have an extra thousand dallars (or two) to spend on two solo dresses. With the wealth of information on your site, I actually feel that I could actually make one of these dresses!
Firstly, may I congratulate you on such a wonderful site, (which I just happened to stumble across by accident.) You have put together so much information for the competitors and their parents, and for the first time ever I feel like I am not going to go to next year not knowing a damn thing....like every other year !!!..lol. You deserve a medal !!! Obviously been there done that...lol You have and will make it so much easier for so many people including me with such wonderful information on your site
Just remember ... STRESSED spelled backwards is DESSERTS! Thank you so much for posting the designs.
I find your site to be a great resource - I only make a few dresses each year - but I do keep an eye out on whats happening on your site, and particularly like your new featured designer page!
I found your sight very helpful when making my daughter a new dress. I can sew but trying to design was beyond me so your free designs were a godsend. I have just finished and now attach photo of finished dress as requested on your sight. I hope other Mums have the courage to go for it and make dresses for their daughters.
Firstly thank you for a very helpful and informative website. As the mum of a six year old Irish dancer, I just could not afford to have dresses made for her (even if she is very petite and doesn't grow much!). I don't usually sew, but after much encouragement from other mums at my daughter's dance school, I decided to give it a go. Thank you again for your inspiration. I'll no doubt be back to your website in another year or so.
You sight is great, and I have found it very helpful!! I have just finished my first dance dress using one of the free designs on your site. It turned out great, I am so thrilled. I made it for my daughter. Many thanks for your work of keeping the site up and your new articals on designers. Keep us the great work!!!
Colleen, thank you so much for your amazing website. As I'm sure many before me have been, I am proficient seamstress who finds herself the mother of a young ID. Your website is now bookmarked on my server as the source for anything dressmaking!
Thank you so much for your wonderful, helpful, inspiring and enjoyable (I could go on!) website. I wanted to tell you how much I appreciate all the effort you have put into ensuring that that first experience of irish dancing dress-making is less daunting than it would have otherwise been! You’re a gem! I have just finished my first dress (for my six year old daughter) using one of Susan Gowin’s designs from your website, and I’m sure I couldn’t have come this far without your help!
I am a mom who is considering making a solo dress for my 14 year old daughter. I went on the internet 6 months ago to see what skills I needed and if it was possible. Your site has been so valuable. I don't now if I will attempt it, but having so many beautiful designs available is
wonderful. Thank you for creating your site!
Thanks for the lovely visit. Great site...the links were wonderful. Lots of ideas and sources. Have a Happy New Year.
While surfing the net for information on how to make your own Irish Dance Solo costume I came across your website. I found your website to be very informative and helpful. My daughter has been Irish Dancing for just over four years and I have always thought I should attempt to make a dress. Unfortunately, last year when she really needed one I didn't have the time to dedicate to this kind of project, so I had a local seamstress make one for her. After seeing her dress at several different stages of assembly I felt even more certain that I could make one. I knew it would be difficult and time consuming but a couple of months ago I found your website and was inspired by the free designs and sample dresses previously made with them. So, along with my daughter's helpful suggestions on colors and materials I took the plunge and made a dress. As my daughter already has a suitable costume at this time, I made a dress in a smaller size for a class mate of hers who needed one. I truly want to thank you for not only inspiring me but for your generosity in sharing not only designs, but information as well!
I just HAD to email you to express my gratitude for all your hard work in putting together your website. I am a fairly experienced historical costumer & artist. I've made hoop skirts and Victorian bustles and designed intricate embroidery for christening gowns and even sewn 1400 pearls on a communion gown but I've been in a right PANIC since my daughter's dance instructor announced one week ago that she is ready for her first feis, at the beginning of this rapidly approaching August! Of course everyone is expecting a masterpiece, and I had no CLUE where to begin. The whole feis process is baffling enough, but the dress itself even more of a mystery! Oh I'd never ever live it down if the seamstress's own Princess danced in a purchased dress. LOL!! In the beginning my web searches only brought up a bunch of defunct links and high priced custom dressmakers, then the Godsend - I found your site! You've saved me my friend. After reading your advice I think I may just be able to do this. :-D
From the bottom of my heart, thank you so very much!
Thanks for the beautiful dress design. If it wasn't for you, this dress never would have gotten going. My daughter loves it.
I am the mom of two Irish dancing daughters. As you know buying dresses is a costly endeavor. Especially with two girls. A few years ago, I attempted to make dresses for my girls. It was a huge undertaking for me. but I did it! I am now starting my 5th dress. I think the hardest part for me is the drawing of the design and picking out the colors. I just spent the last two weeks trying to draw a design for my daughter's new dress. I was surfing the web this morning and as luck would have it, I ended up on your site. How I have gone this long without knowing about it is amazing to me. Anyways, I wish I had know about you and wonderful site sooner. It is a wealth of information. Thank you for your time and the great site....I have bookmarked it for future reference and inspiration.
I live in southern Pennsylvania, USA and just stumbled upon your website and think it is wonderful! I just finished my daughter's first solo dress and wish I had found your site earlier! I did use the Irish Threads pattern, but the hardest part was finding a design. Thankfully, Pat at Irish Threads sold me a design she had recently completed. Since completing my daughter's dress I have had numerous requests/inquiries from other mom's at our school to make dresses. The idea is both appealing and scary. It's one thing to make a not so obvious boo-boo on your own daughter's dress, but when being paid to make one for someone else..... I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of your site, and wish I lived nearby, I think we would get along wonderfully.
Many thanks to you, Colleen, for your wonderful website, and to Rachel for a beautiful design. “Thank you” doesn’t cover how grateful I am!
Thank you so much for this website!
I was sitting at my daughter's dance class yesterday, in Columbus Ohio, USA and noticed that one of the mothers had an Irish dress pattern. I started talking to her and she told me of your website and its from my own homeland! (I am from Brisbane) I talked to my daughter about perhaps making her first solo dress myself and she is actually quite keen on the idea! So this website has been a wonderful resource to discover!
I love you web site. I'm thinking about making my daughter's first prize winner dress. Your tips are very helpful. Thanks!
I stumbled upon your site via the Celitc Flames Irish Dancer Costumers forum. I'm fairly new to Irish dancing (by fairly new I mean I took my first lesson Wednesday!) and am currently going to fashion school. Having seen many pictures of cousins in their solo dresses, it got me thinking that once out of college, I might want to make these dresses, but where to begin? Well, your site gave me my answers! Thank you so much for putting up this site! It has given me such confidence that I can make these dresses! I probably wont try my hand at it for a few years, but still, thank you for putting this site up! The beautiful dresses that you have created are magnificent! You obviously put a lot of love and hard work into each one! Beautiful! Thanks again for your lovely site! I'll check back often!
Thank you so much for your personal reply! I am in awe of your work and your incredible website. It is such a gift to the dressmakers, and young designers. You do such an extraordinary job putting all the best information together in one place! I am currently making a dress based on one of the designs on the site, and will send a picture when it is finished.
I too have been faced with the daunting task of constructing my daughter's Irish solo costume. The first effort was okay and the second effort seemed even more of a challenge. Like you, I have been scanning many a site looking for tips. Recently, I came across your site and what a breath of fresh air! It seems that a lot of people are sewing these dresses but don't want to share any more than they have to. Your site has many wonderful ideas, links, and much hope for the Irish Dance Dress challenged sewer!
Wow Colleen! what talented kids there are out there. ... These kids are an inspiration to others. Love your site, very informative. Well done to you too for encouraging such talent.
I'm writing to let you know that I love your website..... My daughter is 8 and I was looking for ideas for a dress for her...
The dresses looked great to me...well done for trying...I am just in the process of looking for a used dress for my little one and have thought so often"If only I could make her one"...my seamstress abilities are not my strong point as I remember from school needlepoint...Hope all goes well well ..I enjoyed reading your site..
