.....and Exhale!

There are times when I catch myself holding my breath.  Yesterday, when a customer walked into my market booth to see the dress I had made for her, what one of those times.  She had picked out the base dress last weekend, and left me to the rest.  Of all the dresses she had to choose from, she picked the one that I had nothing to match in my vast closet of ethnic fashions.  So on my way home I went by a thrift store that I can usually count on in the ethnic clothing department.  And yes, I found something to match.
Matching is fine, too, but that doesn't mean that the customer will like what I do, what I envision, and how I turn that into something unique (but not scary) to wear.  So I put the dress on my dress form and threw the Indonesian robe over it, so that I could look at it while I was working on other things, and see what kind of inspiration came to me as far as putting this puzzle together.
After a couple of days, I started cutting and pinning, thinking all the while about the customer - what items she was drawn to in my shop, her build and general way of dressing, her attitude.  I don't know her on a personal level, so I was going on impressions, and trying my best to channel a little of her spirit.  And I put the puzzle together, put it on a hanger, and took it to the market yesterday.
When she walked in the booth, I was definitely holding my breath, as she had to step around a display rack to see the dress.  She took one look at the front and was so happy, excited, in love....that I knew when I showed her the back of the dress, she would really flip, as it was the true 'big feature' of the dress.  She love, love, loved it...and was not going to try it on till she returned home.  So there was a chance that it wouldn't fit, as she had never tried even the un-embellished dress for fit.
After a long day yesterday - up at 5 a.m., market till noon, errands and rain and not home till about 5 p.m. - I eventually turned on the computer to check my emails, etc., and there was an email from her.  It would have to be opened for me to know the verdict, however, so more breath-holding...well, she loves it, it fits perfectly, she's so very pleased.  And after a long day of holding my breath....I sighed, smiled, and exhaled....and with that, I bid you peace...