My friend’s husband joined the army recently and he’s been away in Basic Training for the past couple of months. She hasn’t seen him at all, and has only gotten to speak to him a couple of times for brief intervals – about 15 minutes in the past two and a half months!

This coming week he graduates from Basic and she’ll get to visit him before he starts AIT. She asked me to make a new dress for her to wear when they go out, something beautiful and flattering to her newly-pregnant shape, something summery and comfortable. This is the custom dress I created. It has princess seams with godets below the hip for a full, swingy skirt. I cut it a little roomier than her current waist measurement, but with a tie back, so that she can adjust the fit depending on how much her figure changed between taking the measurements and seeing her husband. The hem falls just below knee length, and the sleeveless bodice should be comfortably cool in the summer heat.

Have a Happy Fourth of July everyone! My sincere thanks goes to all those fighting for our freedom, and for all the wives and children back home whose sacrifices are just as important.