When life hands you lemons... make matching outfits.

This spring, life handed me some lemons. Only these weren't the kind of tart lemons used to make lemonade. Rather, they are fabric lemons with not a touch of sourness to them. These lemons are big, juicy, yellow fruits with green leaves, dotted across a slightly stretchy, mostly cotton fabric, and sold by the yard at JoAnn's Fabric store. I found the bolt of lemons on my pre-sewing class trip to the store to buy supplies. I was immediately smitten with the print. So smitten, in fact, that I opted to make 70% of my beginning sewing patterns in the print. For the other beginning sewing outfit - a pair of scrub pants for my sister Claire - I chose a green strawberry print cotton. I must have been craving fruit salad when I went shopping.

The first lemon print project - a simple tube skirt - resulted in something a bit larger than I expected. Actually, MUCH larger than I expected. The original plan was to give the skirt to my sister Ellen, but upon seeing its size I knew she would not wear it and I would have to keep it for myself. This, however threw me into a conundrum. If I continued with my plan to sew Sam a shirt in the lemon print, AND if I kept the lemon skirt for myself, I would be committing an incredible fashion sin... I would be creating MATCHING HUSBAND AND WIFE OUTFITS!!!

There are very legitimate unwritten social rules about families dressing alike. It is absolutely adorable for brothers and sisters under the age of five to be in matching outfits on special occasions. Every now and then, there is something kind of cute about a mother and child wearing matching outfits at Christmas. It is even acceptable for entire families to wear outfits in the same color palate and style when sitting for a family portrait. However, it is distinctly unacceptable for husbands and wives to dress alike, unless it is Halloween maybe.

Nonetheless, I made the lemon shirt and kept the lemon skirt. I am proud of both, especially the shirt. Look at the great collar! And don't forget to admire the straight and professional buttonholes. Plus, now Sam and I are equipped in case we are ever invited to a "dress like your spouse" party... or a "dress like a lemon party." You can never be too prepared.

What could be cuter than a husband and wife in matching outfits? Watch out world, here we come, and we are bringing lemonade! Pucker up.