Skirt with ribbon detail good look for 11-year-old

Dear Vicki: My 11-year-old daughter is going to a wedding with us, and I want her to dress up. She is adamant that this not be a “little girl” dress, so help me find something she will like. Thank you so much. Cindy B.

Dear Cindy: I think this skirt might be something she would like — a simple skirt with ribbon trim detail at the waist. You can use a fabric she loves and top it with a nicer T-shirt in a beautiful color. Butterick 4722 is sized 7 to 16 and has five other styles, so there are lots of chances for you to find a look that both of you can agree on and that makes her feel that the world sees her as a bit more grown up.

Dear Vicki: Can you clear up a mystery for me? I get so mixed up about hand-sewing needle sizes when I am at the store; there are so many different sizes and types. Does it really matter what I use to sew with? I have needles in my pincushion, and I have no idea what they are. So I don’t know what I have been using; I just know some of them I hate. So the problem is, What do I buy now when I need more that I will like? Please educate me. Peggy R.

Dear Peggy: Most of us hem clothes and sew on buttons with whatever is around, but here is a little help. A very popular type is “sharps” because they are slender, but they have a small eye that can be difficult to thread. Size 8 is handy. The higher the number, the finer the needle, so size 10 is better for silks. Embroidery needles have longer eyes, but the shaft is also longer, so it is a bit more prone to bending.

There is a website you can go to that has a wonderful primer for you with illustrations and suggestions for uses (it can be printed out): www. KariMeAway.com. The John James professional assortment that I give away every week has every size identified in the package.

Each week I share a reader’s tip and thank him or her with a set of 100 fine English hand-sewing needles from John James. The tip this week is a repeat, from Eileen Hulsey, of Kirkwood, Mo. She writes:

“My grandmother taught me how to remove blood stains when I prick my finger. Put a short piece of white thread in your mouth and moisten it with saliva. Now put the thread on the blood stain, and the stain will dissolve. This only works with your own blood.”