Coco's great-great grandmother lived in Italy and was no stranger to the art of crochet. She crafted for her young daughter, Coco's great grandmother, a beautiful dress very similar to this one. Every daughter since then has been graced by that dress, and, as you can imagine, it has started to show some signs of wear. Somewhere along the road it got a little felted, its edges are slightly ragged, the color faded. To help protect the original, and to do honor to the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the maker, we decided to make a modern day replica.

This version is made out of Koigu Premium Merino, a hand-dyed yarn with a beautiful drape and a three-season versatility. Coco is three and a half, but wore the original (which is the same size as this one) as a longer dress when she was two and will wear this one for some time to come as a tunic. Considering how much work goes into a handmade garment, I love that this one will last longer than one season. And, who knows, it may last for four generations! Thank you, Coco's great-great grandmother!

For instructions on how to make your own heirloom dress, please visit my Coco's Bobble Dress Project Journal. Thanks! - Whitney

Update on September 3, 2008 by purl bee

We have received quite a few requests for a photo of the original dress that Coco's Bobble Dress is based on, so here it is! Enjoy!!