Red Riding Hood

I’d like to introduce you to my little Red Riding Hood. She’s not roaming through the woods to see Grandma, but forraging for baguettes and pastries on Saturday morning in the city.

Though she might need to hide from the occasional wolf,

she also has time to practice for her ballet class.

The minute I received my copy of the long awaited Little Things to Sew, I knew this cape would be perfect for the upcoming auction at my son’s preschool. Moonstone has an arts-based curriculum, and the children are creative and imaginative little people who enjoy dress up. Though whimsical, it’s also perfect for everyday wear in the spring and fall. It’s sized in a 3-4T  for your preschool Riding Hood.

Though I can picture this cape in navy corduroy for the Madeline look, or in black velveteen for Christmas festivities, I knew that the first time I made it needed to be in classic red. For spring, I chose linen in a bright red for the shell. Linen is a durable fiber with lovely drape. And since my Red Riding Hood is a stylish, urban adventuress, I wanted an equally daring print for the lining.

I found it at Spool, purveyor of just such fabric. Spool has kindly donated a gift certificate and one of their artfully composed fabric bundles to the auction. I settled on “Singing Forest” from Jay MacCarroll’s newest collection. It features a floral design overlaid with a bright graphic dot. This was the perfect foil to the traditional red – a woodsy themed print by a Philadelphia artist!

When my Red Riding Hood goes on an adventure, she doesn’t have time to worry about her nice clothes. Her cape is machine washable. She also needs her cape to be fully reversible, so that she can change her mind at a moment’s notice.

This cape is very much a one of a kind item. The projects in Little Things to Sew are copyrighted designs and intended only for personal use, though I have permission from Oliver + S to donate it for the auction. You can’t buy this at a boutique or craft fair or Etsy shop or anywhere!

The auction opens on March 19^th, 2011 and closes on April 9^th, 2011 and 11:59pm. Certain items - including my cape! - will only be available at an exciting live auction event on April 12th at the restaurant Distrito. Moonstone will use the proceeds to create scholarships, provide professional development for staff a well as make improvements to the school building. Moonstone, Inc. is a non profit organization and your contribution is tax deductible. To bid on my cape, the Spool gift certificate, a session with Amanda Hall Studios or many other exciting items and experiences, click on the link in my sidebar.

If I've overdone the number of photos here, it's because I had so many wonderful shots I simply couldn't decide! This is my very favorite project to date and I'm just thrilled to have it documented so beautifully. I want to thank Amanda Hall Studios for these exquisite photos and for all the fun we had on location at Washington Square Park last Saturday.  If you are blown away, as I am, by how Amanda captures these fleeting childhood moments with such fine artistry, visit her site to see more of her work and learn how she can tell your family's story. Amanda Hall Studios is auctioning a photo session, which will surely be a hot item. I also want to thank “my” little Red Riding Hood, the lovely Miss I next door, for her tireless modeling. I hope they will both visit again soon!