A very crafty prom dress

Brie and her mother, B.G. Watson, search online for shoes to go with Brie’s unique prom dress. Watson’s disabilities prevent her from working, leading to Brie’s creative solution for a prom dress.  (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

Brie Fainblit shows a piece she didn’t end up using for the dress, made by stitching pull tabs together with black yarn. She and boyfriend James are also attempting to make a matching vest for him to wear to the event.   (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

Brie’s creation, months in the making.  (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

Jars full of pull tabs separated according to their color, shape or size, as well as string to crochet them together with and other craft essentials, are carefully organized on Brie’s dining-room table.   (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

Family friend Ezequiel Gonzalez comforts B.G. Watson, Brie’s mother, after she became emotional talking about not being able to provide for her daughter. “I just feel bad that I can’t give her the basic stuff. It’s embarrassing for her when we’re collecting cans,” Watson said, to which Brie replied, “I don’t mind.” They rely on Watson’s sister, Sylvia Davalos, who lives with them and works two jobs to support them all.   (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

Brie’s boyfriend, James, washes a new batch of pull tabs they received from family friends, to begin sorting and working with them. The tabs have to be washed and then carefully dried so they don’t discolor.  (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

James washes a batch of pull tabs, the second step in the long process on the way to creating a unique prom dress for Brie -- and, they hope, a matching vest for James.  (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)