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Lorraine's Porch Geese With Handsewn Outfits
Lorraine's Porch Geese With Handsewn Outfits
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Lorraine's Porch Geese With Handsewn Outfits
A 23-inch porch goose, dressed and ready, in a dress sewn from Lorraine Stauffer's own pattern.
She ran the alterations shop on Main Street in Ephrata, Pennsylvania for thirty-one years, and there was a goose in the window the whole time. The shop closes October 31st. This is the last series she plans to make.
- 23 inches tall (58 cm) — the standard porch-goose size, the one the old dress patterns were cut for
- Soft fabric body on a weighted base — stands on her own, no stake, no assembly
- Dress included and already fitted — not sold separately
- Two designs to choose from — Harvest Leaves or Thanksgiving
- Elastic neckline, double-turned hems, lace trim — sewn from Lorraine's own pattern
- For a covered porch, an entryway or a windowsill — she's cloth, so keep her out of the weather
- Final series — Stauffer's Sewing & Alterations closes October 31st
Thirty-one years in one window
There has been a goose in the front window of Stauffer's Sewing & Alterations since March of 1995. Her name is Gertie, and every six weeks Lorraine changed her outfit, and people on Main Street in Ephrata set their calendar by it. She was never once out there bare.
Lorraine taught home economics for eighteen years before she opened the shop. She started sewing goose dresses because her mother kept one on the porch — and when her mother died in 1994, the goose came home with her, and it was February, and the bird had nothing on.
What she actually makes
She doesn't make the geese. The birds come in on a pallet, the same as everybody else's, and they always have. What is hers is the pattern, the fabric, the cutting and the sewing.
Every bolt gets washed twice before she cuts it, so the colours don't bleed and the seams don't draw up. Every hem is double-turned — folded twice, then stitched — so there's no raw edge anywhere to fray. There's elastic at the neckline, which she learned the hard way in 1998, when a dress she'd spent four hours on went over a neighbour's fence and was never seen again. And the wing openings sit slightly forward of where you'd think to put them, because cut where they look right on the table, the dress hangs crooked on the bird.
Why this is the last one
The building sold in March. New owner, new terms, and her lease runs out October 31st.
But that isn't really why she's stopping.
„That just made me decide something I'd been putting off for two years. In a good week I'd cut and sew sixty dresses. Sixty. I'm seventy-one. My shoulder tells me about it every night.“
She's not putting the machine away. Neighbours will still bring her hems and she'll still do them, at the kitchen table now. What ends is the series. She cut for a full season before she knew it was the last one, which is why there's more here than one small shop could sell in the weeks it has left.
„I'm not done sewing. I'm done sewing sixty of anything.“
Lorraine will tell you where to stand her, and she's not gentle about it.
A covered porch, an entryway, a landing, a wide windowsill — anywhere she stays dry.
„She's cloth. She is not a lawn ornament and she was never meant to be one. Put her out in the open weather and you'll ruin her in a season. Keep her under the roof and she'll still be standing there when your granddaughter is grown.“
Cleaning. The dress comes off over the head. Spot clean, or hand wash cool and lay flat to dry. Wipe the goose herself with a barely damp cloth.
Storing. Fold the dress flat rather than hanging it, and keep her somewhere dry over the winter.
The Final Sale
The Final Sale
Message from the Artist:
After years of making things by hand, our workshop is closing. These are the last pieces we'll ever ship. Every item on this page was made slowly, carefully, and with more love than any factory could replicate. Nothing rushed. Nothing outsourced. Just real craft from real hands.
We're proud of every single one. We hope they find good homes.
When they're gone, they're gone — and so are we.
Shipping with UPS / USPS
Shipping with UPS / USPS
Free shipping across the United States
- Delivery time: 7–14 business days
- Insured: Every package is fully insured
🌳 Carbon-neutral shipping with UPS / USPS
800+ Happy Customers
Excellent 4.9
What Lorraine's customers are saying
Freqquently Asked Questions
Is this one goose or two?
Is this one goose or two?
One. Each order is one goose with one dress, in the design you choose. The photograph showing both is there so you can compare the designs.
Does the dress come off?
Does the dress come off?
Yes. It pulls off over the head, and the elastic neckline is there so it goes back on without stretching out. Some people order both designs and change her over for the season, which is how the whole tradition worked in the first place.
Can I return my order if I don't like it?
Can I return my order if I don't like it?
Of course. We stand behind everything on Cedar & Tin 100%. If you're not happy, neither are we. Just shoot us an email within 90 days and we'll make it right — no hassle, no headaches.
How are your products made?
How are your products made?
Every single product on Cedar & Tin is 100% handmade — crafted by hand, using only premium quality materials. We're proud to carry on a tradition of craftsmanship that has been passed down through generations.
Got another question? Here's how to reach us.
Got another question? Here's how to reach us.
My wife and I personally respond to every single email — as fast as we possibly can. Whether you have a question about your order or just want to talk craft, we're here.
You can reach us:
- Mon – Fri: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (CT)
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (CT)
Email: info@craftfolk.com