Kindred Spirits: Anne and Diana

Can you remember reading Anne of Green Gables for the very first time? I was 10 or 11, visiting Emerald Isle with my family, and had packed the slim paperback from a box of hand-me-down books from my favorite aunt. I had no idea that behind the plain green cover was a kindred spirit of the first order. Anne, of the carrot red hair and solemn gray eyes, understood the secret of a happy girlhood: that a rich imaginary world could provide a buffer against the heartaches of growing up.

My sewing for Kindred Thread this month is my love letter to Anne, that plucky red-headed heroine of L. M. Montgomery's fictional universe. First, for Kindred Thread Limited Edition, we have a pair of reproduction 19th century school frocks designed especially for Anne and her "bosom friend" Diana Barry. Anne's dress is sewn up in a somber dark chocolate brown floral, while Diana's is a sweet pink stripe. Both dresses come with pinafore-style aprons and heart-shaped jewelry: an etched brass locket for Diana and a pink enamel pendant for Anne:


And I'm even more excited about this month's offering for Kindred Thread Modiste: an exquisitely detailed replica of Anne's Brown Gloria Dress given to her by Matthew Cuthbert on her first Christmas at Green Gables. Hand-crafted of Swiss silk-finish cotton batiste, Brown Gloria is a girl's fantasy of puffed sleeves, pintucks, cascading frills, silk ribbon, and ruffled lace:


The Anne and Diana Dresses are nearly sold out, with only 1 set left. Anne's Brown Gloria Dress is now live on eBay, with bidding open until Saturday, May 14 at 8 PM EDT. In the meantime, if you're not yet acquainted with Anne, the full text of Anne of Green Gables is available for free on Project Gutenberg. Read it with a box of tissues!