And TVCT again!

For the 3rd year in a row, someone from our TVCT group won the Quilts Creation section!
in 2014 it was Kate Crossley with her working quilted Grandfather clock.
in 2015 it was Mavis Walker with her chess set of quilted dolls.
and in 2016 it is Jane Bonney with her cope inspired by the finding of the bones of Richard III.

All That Remains

I claim some responsibility because I told her she had to enter!

But now we will have a gap in our exhibition at Bristol in November... But for good reason as it will travel with other winners to Ally Pally, Harrogate and Dublin. Another member Sandra Newton won the miniatures, but I couldn't get close enough to get a photo! You can see a photo of her piece and of all the winners on the Festival of Quilts site.
Kate Crossley got a 3rd place in the Quilts Creations, too. I didn't have enough time this year to see much other work and if it was our group or not.

I also introduced Jane to Wendy Gardiner who runs the fashion show, suggesting she enter the cope. So that was another chance for people to see her work!

The cope will be back for the exhibition when we go to Excel next spring.

Golden Grace in the Fashion Show

I really enjoyed the Fashion show this year at the Festival of Quilts. Besides the fact that they did a very good job and that the models knew how to show off the garments properly (from a different place). I had my friend Helen Cowens there as my guest. How lovely to look at the clothing with someone who also sews/drafts/designs herself. and how fun to look over at each other on certain things and find that we were both thinking the same thing! so then elbowing and laughter.
I don't see Helen often as she lives in the North of England/nearly Scotland. But I hope she enters next year. Her gowns are lovely.

It was special to see my gown up there.
I just got one photo of the front

and one of the back.

I did get pearls and beads on, but these photos are zoomed in a great deal, so they aren't showing so well. More and better completed photos to come.

Something on Saturday - Golden Grace

The gown is finished! Well, it already was, but now it has pearls.

Now, I have a few days to relax, not worrying about finishing things off in the poor light of a hotel room.
but, I can also add a few more extras here and there because I want to and not because I have to.

back to my own work

After hours of sewing on beads and sequins that were falling and kept falling off of the wedding gown (no.1), I finally got it finished. And today it was collected. Much falling in love with it all over again on her part.
Much joy to see the back of it on my part!

I don't know why I struggled with this. The alterations I had to do were simple, but the threads holding the beading were worn from being a shop model. This added to the complication that they had run the threads along for sometimes 3 or 4 inches under the surface of the lace with out a stop stitch. So, when a sequin had caught in the lace, the weight of the gown would pull the threads. Areas were puckered when she first brought it. and with all the pulling, something had to give! so the thread did ...
and then the sequins and beads slowly came unsewn. Being me, I couldn't just let broken threads hang off, completely unbeaded motifs remain amongst partially beaded ones. And the thought of it still shedding them as she went down the isle! I think I did major repairs on almost all the motifs!


Anyway, after a nap, I thought I would read a book. But my gown won out. And so I have spent a joyful afternoon sewing pearls on the gown (yes! for some reason it was totally different!)and listening to the cricket! And it was more like a summer day today, which probably helped.

I have already got halfway down the front as well!

I will be working on wedding gown no.2 next week. (My closest friend's daughter) My friend has been doing the unpicking, and there are no beads/sequins. Hurrah!
But somehow I think this one will be more joyful. I think I would rather (if I need to do alterations.) do them as a gift than even for reduced rates for friend's daughters.

But I think, judging from this, that I enjoy making my own designs and seeing them come together under my fingers.

Here is a photo of the lining at the point where all the seams come together in one spot.

You can see there is an inset seam to deal with on front and back, too! But love the putting together of the puzzle. I wouldn't probably do it on a quilt, but a gown...yes.

2000! and more of Golden Grace

So, I have just passed my 2000 post! The last month or so I have been rather patchy with posting, but I got there in the end.

I mentioned yesterday that the Gown has a proper name now. Golden Grace. I frantically got back to sewing when I returned last week and was able to get the gown to the point where it would Look like the final product. Took photos and sent them off to be used in the catalogue.

So, a few lace motifs need the netting trimmed away and a few need to be stitched down better. The sleeves are draped and pinned into place and 'just' need stitched in position.
The lining is sewn, but only added at the neck, so I could turn the raw edges to the inside. However, it is pinned into place, rather than edge-stitched, and just sort of hanging inside!

So, now that I have had a breather (not! I have been typing up proposals for workshops and all sorts!) I will get back to the finishings...well, as soon as I get the flags cut for the bull for the Engage! with Art event. And there is the matter of sewing on enough pearls to make it look special.
Oh, and I'd really like to do a bit of quilting on it...and...

Golden Gown - 6

Thinking about the embellishments whilst the lining is being sewn

Pearls!

Golden Gown - 5

and more pleats for a train

Not sewn at the top yet. But laying over the back of the gown.
A bit of inspiration from Watteau or sack back gowns

Golden gown - 4

Sewn together

Front

getting there

Back

a bit of pleat thing going on

Golden gown - 3

Lace panels sewn in

a complicated angle at hip level.

Golden Gown - 2

Lace covered panels

This is the back mid and side panels

Golden gown

Or that is what I am calling it for now.

Deadline has been moved forward for photos...now due for 15th June. Oh. and I am not available all of next week. Oh. and I hadn't sorted the pattern, let alone cut it out!

So, right out straight the past couple days and I am about finished cutting out. The green bit may not come into it. Sometimes something is an inspiration but then it goes back in the cupboard to inspire something else another day.

I couldn't pattern match to my preference because of the amount of silk I have. So, I am overlaying lace on some of the panels, which will take care of the pattern matching.

Tomorrow I am going to start sewing to see where I get to. If I can get the basic garment done for the little photo going into the brochure, I can then add any embellishments after the photos as long as I keep them subtle. The silk speaks for itself, really.

Busy times

I have been quilting away at the Ramshackle piece. I managed a system with my long table behind the machine that works better than I have had to deal with previously.

I was also doing some consolidation of fabrics so I could make a bit more space in here - or at least get the boxes off the floor.

I was delighted to discover some pieces that will work well to make my gown for Festival of Quilts this year.

I had the golden yellow silk for nearly 25 years. A remnant for £3 a metre! I hadn't been able to think of anything to properly work with it.
But, in the cupboard where the lace was kept, I found this lace remnant had slipped behind a box. Oh! It is just the right colour for the pale part of the silk!
And then I remembered I had just re-sited the pale green translucent fabric and knew it would be perfect to 'line' the lace. Otherwise, the lace wouldn't be so effective from a distance on the catwalk.

So, now I am getting very excited and chomping at the bit to get the other projects out of the way so I can start!

And coming up, Lilac and Lace will be going to Sandown. (National Quilt Championships) So, if you are going, look out for it!

Young designers

At the Fashion Show at the Festival of Quilts, they had work by some young designers from the Inkberrow Design School. And I do mean young!

They first came out under a patchwork Dragon they made.

But this lad really impressed. He is doing his own pattern cutting!

He did the drafting for this suit!

I spoke to his mum afterwards. She says he has his own mind about things and is already really focussed. But a little like someone in this house used to be, can't see the point in learning things that he doesn't think would help him in that goal! But oh well, he has plenty of time to learn.

Lilac and Lace update

Services resuming...I was at Festival of Quilts last week and have been catching up since I returned. I have tried to post but something was not working.
Today I have Googled why, only to find that the new Windows 10 with special browser which The Thoughtful Man uploaded while I was away, does not support Blogger - or Blogger doesn't support it..or something. So, I am using a different Browser to get the photos up. Grr. Apparently something is in the works to get them to talk to each other again.

ANYWAY...

As you may remember, the gown Lilac and Lace was going to be in the Fashion Show at Festival of Quilts.

Let's just say. It was in the fashion show.

Words have been said about the fact that it was lumped in with a couple other designers all classed as a Bridal Collection - which they weren't - and no mention was made of who made it (me) nor was the blurb read out which I had submitted.

I won't go into all the rest, but the lady who organised was appalled and 'plans are afoot' and all that. And I have been specifically asked to do a gown for next year.

So, I am adding some of the photos I took before I went.

A positive thing to come from it all? Zandra Rhodes also had work in the show....

=^D so there.

I have had work in a fashion show where Zandra Rhodes had work!

And so it is finished!

Yesterday was a hospital day, but I finished the 'eyes' part of the hooks and eyes.

You can see what I meant before about the modesty panel in the lilac fabric. I have hooked the first 2 sets up where the lace is. So, hanging right there are no gaps. But I have the modesty panel just in case there is a bit of gaping in movement of the model.

A closer detail.

Don't mind the puckering. It is because I was pulling things about so you could see the eyes peeking out. In reality you can't see either hook or eye, even when the front is open.

Today I was able to get the last of the lining sewn in. (Well, everything needs a press. or more likely I will steam it before taking it with me in a garment bag in the car.)

Nothing exciting to look at, but since I stitched it all in by hand, well it is exciting to me!

And just to complete the look...

A bit of bead tassel at the top of the walking splits.

I am very tempted to stitch beads along the slits like I do on the little beaded fabric projects. But not now. and not before the Festival of Quilts. Maybe before Henley Art Trail next year when it will get more up close exposure...but I expect I will have settled on it being complete by then!

I am going to get another 'proper photo' at the sewing group on Saturday.

changing focus

I have been stitching the hooks and eyes onto the front opening.

I stitched the hooks down to just be at the edge. Then stitched the lining down to cover.
A similar thing for the hooks, but I have a modesty panel made of the lilac fabric also inserted between lining and gown proper. It will mean that the gown meets edge to edge, but any gapping is not an issue. I have used about 8 sets of hooks and eyes. If this were to be worn for a 'posh do', I would use more. But for a fashion show, you have to keep in mind how little time the models have to get in and out of the garments. So, fewer better.

Just one photo for now because I was catching up on daily beads from being away.
And finalising the rota for the SAQA exhibition at Festival of Quilts...which is not too far away now!

And then I have begun doing the preparation for the next project.
I collected a few images to get ideas of how the subject matter would look. So I have been doing a bit of play work in Paint Shop Pro to get an idea of how I will do the layout.

running up and down

We made a quick journey to York and back to see my MIL. She is doing well.
She has a little flip book with memory quotes on the pages. I hadn't seen this one before, so I took a photo.

Quite like I feel most times!

A bit of recovery time this morning because of the bad headache which follows doing too much. The journey up and back so quickly takes a lot out of me. The place we stayed overnight was very nice, but the bed was rather hard, so that didn't help.

But oh well.

Once I got the head under control, I got quite a lot done for getting the lining inserted in the Lilac and Lace gown.

All pinned in place.

I am hand stitching it using slip stitch. I wanted to get the beads on before the lining so that I would have less bulk to deal with. It is hard to reach up under the lining to stitch things in place! But that means that with the beads on, you can't run it under the foot of the sewing machine. But doing it by hand also means that you can ease it in places like the armscye.

I will talk about the fastenings when I get them sorted. What I am doing I think will work, but I want to see before I talk about it!

edges

Edging on the bottom and side slits

You can see some of the bead stacks on the joins. Subtle.

I used this thread for the edging of the hem, the side slits and the left front edge. The metallic wasn't covering the edge and it looked a bit unfinished. So, I saw this and decided to do a satin stitch finish. It works really well. No fluff and no shredding!

I love variegated threads, and if you have a wide range of them, you are bound to find just what you need for a particular project. And so this Cotton variegated one works really well for the edging on the gown.

I had a reel of thread I always seemed to choose when I was demonstrating when I taught the machine embroidery class. Last year I discovered more like it on the Cotton Patch stand. The label says Gunold cotty you can see more here.

more subtleties

more subtleties (strange word to spell)

beads on the bolero scalloped hem

and detail of the beads on the scalloped front opening

I am also putting beads on the joins of the patches.

I thought it might be too much, but decided to do some along the seam next to the centre front. Basically, you can hardly see them across the room. So, that is great!

It will be one of those details that make the whole when it is on the stage. There will be hint of sparkle here and there as the model walks along.

One of the things you need to think of with a garment is what it looks like when it moves. And in regular clothing how it works when you sit and do more than just stand and look in the mirror.

Subtle beads progress

You can see the look of the beading will be subtle, even up close. But as I said before, will catch the light in the fashion show.

So far, just the sleeve hem beads and some on the scallops around the neck and down the front.

I am hoping you can click on the photo and get a little larger photo. I resize my photos for the blog so they don't take so long to load on whatever device people try to view them from.