Lovely Surprise!

Right, We were away in Switzerland, seeing Ramshackle Villages in the St. Gallen Textile Museum.

Then we came back and the next day I delivered Lilac And Lace to the National Quilt Championships in Sandown.
Meanwhile working on the Golden Gown (here after known as Golden Grace) so I could send images for their catalogue - you can't quite see the pins holding some bits of lace in place.

Then all the washing and other life things. So.... not even time to download photos from the camera!

Just to show it was worth it - This is what I found on Sunday when I went to collect Lilac and Lace.

 nicely matching ribbon!

A closer look

So, motivation to crack on with the hidden parts of Golden Grace.
And to catch the blog up.

Busy week

Monday I worked on the wedding gown hem. It needs taking up at least in front. So, removing the galloon lace to re-site it further up meant taking off some embellishments and then unstitching minute invisible thread stitching in some places and normal stitching in others.

Yesterday I delivered Lilac and Lace to Lady Sew and Sew for display during Henley Arts Trail this coming weekend.

Today I have been fusing fabric to begin another Ramshackle. I want to go bigger. I have 2 yards of the top fabric. I did buy an even bigger piece yesterday, but this piece comes first. If I manage it, then I might attempt the bigger one. If not, I might do something like a triptych with it.

Tomorrow I am going to the National Needlework Archive with a few others to take down the Worn Threads Exhibition.

Friday? Probably begin cutting the Ramshackle. I may not show much about it though, because I am toying with the idea of entering a few shows later in the year that would prefer that images are fresh when the show opens. We will see.

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.

trials for beading the sleeve hem

So, the beads.

Here are a few of the trials for attaching and embellishing the flower motifs on the sleeve hems.

And the one I settled on.

One sleeve done.

Only 2 more to do on the other sleeve, but it is bedtime. (Yeah, I almost typed beadtime!)


All of the first four attempts were done on a scrap motif... and of course I unpicked and started again each time.

So, when it came to having a think about the scattered embellishments on the garment, I got wise and decided to just poke some bead needles into the stacks, see what they looked like and so on. It was a lot easier to change! and this is what I think I will settle on.

Sitting beading and listening to the tennis...not on the telly, I wouldn't get anything done!

Okay back to the garment from the broken internet saga

Thanks so much for all the lovely comments. It is very encouraging!

I went missing due to a broken internet. or a bust up between my computer and the internet or something, because A Certain Young Man and The Thoughtful Man both had internet connections. So, Mr Thoughtful has been on the case and seems to have sorted things.

So, lets see. We were talking about sleeves only being pinned on and one not quite wanting to look like the other.

I stitched the sleeves on by hand, after spending time getting them both to hang similarly. I tacked them in place under the bodice part of the armscye. Then I turned under the edge as I went along stitching them with a sort of pick stitch. Sort of, because I didn't attempt small evenly spaced, just the tiny backspace when I did come to the top. Then afterwards, I went along on the under part of the seam and trimmed away the excess.

But the hem edges of the sleeves were not wanting to resemble one another well. This was because of the angle of the flower motifs in the lace. I tried to trim round the motifs a bit for them to make an interesting edge. But because there is a lot of open space, that left the net ground between looking rather raggedy. Eventually I trimmed them both straight and did a narrow hem.

Yet, not at all as pretty as I would have liked. SO, I decided to try individual motifs arranged over the hem edge.

and that works for me.

I have been playing with the embellishment bit now. Not much accomplished today though, as I started out with a very bad head, so gave up, took a migraine tablet and went back to bed. (moving bedroom furniture in 30 degree C weather yesterday may have had something to do with it...I 'know' I can't do that without the result, but the result doesn't come til the next day, so I forget to stop before I have done the damage.)

Anyway, I will show you some of the trialing and sampling tomorrow. Internet providing, of course!

to the photograph stage

So, on Saturday, I spent most of the day on the gown.

The little bolero was sewn up. Lace scallops were added to the gown and the bottom of the bolero.The scallops were already on the back because I had enough to cut it that way, but I had to add them to the front pieces.

front

back

I hadn't got enough of the scallops to put round the neck of the gown as well as the neck of the bolero. So, I decided to attach the bolero and the gown. Another reason was that with all the quick changing that has to take place for the Fashion show, I didn't want the bolero lost or damaged.

And then I played with a bit of the rest of the lace and came up with 'sleeves'... Actually 'drapes' from the top of the armscye.
The first one worked wonderfully and I started on the other side. But at this stage it was near the end of the day. I wanted to take photos that would be close enough to the finished product to send off before the deadline for their catalogue. I also wanted the background to be the beautiful blue curtains in the community centre(covering a large mirror).

So, photos staged for front and back view so as to see the one sleeve pinned just right.

So, front

and back.

And then it took me several hours when I got home to write the statement!

As you know, I have no problem coming up with words, but trying to trim them to around 50 words "of descriptive text and image - include fabrics, techniques and patterns used." Well.

So, I did go a bit over 50, but not much.

‘Lilac and Lace’
Sandy’s ‘patchwork’ is developed from her own garment design. Each carefully numbered pattern section was cut from taffeta and embroidered satin. Sandwiched pieces edged with zigzag were butted together and joined with a bridging stitch. A friend’s discarded lace fragments are now a graceful bolero topped with a sprinkle of embellishments.

As you can see from what I have told you, the embellishments are still to come. But the photos will not be all that big in the catalogue...and the drama/theatre/surprise will be the sparkle in the darkened room with the spotlights on the gown.

Or that's my story.

And I am looking forward to relaxing my way through July stitching beads and sequins onto the lace and gown. Not an overwhelming amount...just enough for the sparkle on the catwalk look.

I am quite pleased to get it to this point in 2 weeks instead of the month I had planned to have. I sent off the photos and statement late Saturday evening and got confirmation on Sunday. So, yesterday and today I have been getting the sleeves sorted and the lining sewn in.

And figuring out the part of how the model will get in and out of it! At this point, the front in the photo is pinned!

Apologies for the delay

Saturday was a long but productive day. So the next bit of the story has been delayed.

Anyway.
When I was looking for something to make the gown special, I decided to look one more time in the cupboard of shiny/special bits. I thought I had looked at all the purple or pale sea green.
And there was a bag of lace scraps! My friend has an alteration business and these bits came from a prom gown she had made. When the scraps were offered, I knew there would be a reason for them at some point in my life.

And so.

I tried out a few ideas and loved the look of trimming. There was a good length of scallops I could use.

I tried out motifs scattered, but that wasn't it.

So, I laid a length across the back just to see what might happen.
OH yeah! a little bolero.
Too exciting to photograph, I got right onto it.

Do you spot the problem? Not the bit at the shoulder of the front pieces, that was me by-passing several steps, but getting rid of the darts.

The Problem? In trying to be sure I was cutting the lace so that the motifs were going to be on the right level, I ended up cutting 2 fronts!
Oh dear. That was all I had for a big enough piece to cut - or at least if it was not aligned totally differently to the rest.

But I managed to cut it almost the same and patched a bit onto the area under the arm.

So, that is what I was doing late Friday night.
Tune in again tomorrow for more in this story!

nearly there on the gown part

So, I had to take a photo of all of the pieces joined while still somewhat flat.

And then with the shoulders done and a bit of edging work on places like the side slits below the knee and so on. Just enough to give it a bit more definition, but not so much to really stand out.

Front

Back

And now I am very excited because the draw in your breath bit has declared itself...and it is not a lot of time consuming work. I think, at this point, the front closing will work with that plan, too.

But you have to wait for the story for all that because I want to get it to a certain point before tomorrow. We are having the Offcuts sewing group tomorrow, and it is a longer session.

SO, I hope I can get all the work done on the gown. and possibly get photos, as it is a brighter lighter space there. and then I can send in the photos 'before' the deadline. Then, the photos in the catalogue will look like the finished gown.

and with the pressure off, I will stitch the lining in. The gown could be worn without the lining, but I think it will help it to hang better. And the student models won't be scratched to death with the metallic thread.

I could even take it a little further, having extra time, with a bit of 'subtle' beads/sequins. Not that they would be subtle close up, but add just a bit of spark in the darkened room under the lights on the catwalk. The subtle would be that they wouldn't be that noticeable on a distant shot for the catalogue.

a bit more progress

The patching continued and here are the front panels pinned up.

Then after a bit of an auditioning process, some plum/lilac metallic threads used to join the fronts.

You can see how the shaping for the bust has come together. It took a bit of smooshing of the right patch because it had nearly an angle. But it worked.

And the first side front joined up.

This was not without much headache because one of the chosen threads is not coming off the reel as it should, so there is a lot of rigging of stands and all sorts which only seem to work for part of the time. Still I am trying to get the fronts done, and then I can change it for something less temperamental for the backs!
But, no photos because I do have some pride...I don't want to show you the jumble that is at the side of my machine! But, generally I can find what is there, so it works for me.

NEXT: considering what will turn it from a gown of patches to a gown to show and cause that draw in of breath that I look for when the model comes out onto the runway.