Not Your Average Wedding Gown

I must admit that I actually prefer non-traditional wedding gowns. Traditional ones are very lovely; do not get me wrong. However, I like something a little more unusual. This recent client of mine presented me with the opportunity to construct something somewhat out of the ordinary when it comes to wedding attire.

It is for a second wedding, and she wanted to be different. She looked at all the traditional nuptial couture and was unable to locate what she wanted. That is when she contacted me. Since she could not even find a picture of what she had in mind, she sent me what she called a "rough sketch" (which is a whole lot better than anything I could draw). This was my introduction to the project:

It is a two-piece dress. The bodice is a strapped corset; the skirt has an uneven hemline, with the front higher than the back. She said that she was thinking of a champagne shade of fabric. I told her I thought it would be beautiful. The material she ended up getting is more gold than champagne, but I think it made a gorgeous gown.

The bodice is boned with ribs on nine of its seams; it will not lose its shape. It is trimmed with the skirt fabric, and the same fabric was also used for the lacing. (The small picture at the top shows a detail of the bodice brocade and solid trim.) The skirt has a darker gold lining, which adds a little interest and subtle emphasis to the high/low hemline.

The wedding is scheduled for September, but my client was quite happy to have the dress taken care of early. She was decidedly pleased with how it turned out, saying that it is even better than she expected to be. Now that makes for job satisfaction.

Good Cause Epilogue

Remember the dress I made for the Sticks to Bricks silent auction? Since it did not fit the mother of the man who won it, I got to make another one. She tried on the one that was at the auction and decided that she would like the neckline raised a little and that she would prefer sleeves. (The original was sleeveless.)

She also wanted a different fabric. The fabric I used for the first dress was a pale lavender polyester; she wanted something a little more breathable, and she mentioned that she likes blue. However, she did not wish to vary the color very much from the original, since that one had made her son think of her. I set off to the fabric store to see what I could find.

I returned with an absolutely gorgeous piece of blue cotton, which is pictured at the top of the post. It has a pretty texture woven into it, and the finish on it makes it wrinkle-resistant. It has somewhat purple undertones to it, keeping it near the spectrum of the original fabric. It made a lovely dress.

The bodice is lined with a lightweight white poly/cotton blend. She was delighted with the fabric I chose, calling it a "happy medium" between the material used for the first dress and the color that she prefers.

I was quite pleased with how it all turned out, and so was she. She told me that she would wear it for her birthday. Additionally, her son was gratified because he was able to get her just what she wanted, making a happy ending for everyone involved.

Retro Baby

You know what is an adorable combination? A cute baby and a vintage pattern. The dainty styles of the older clothing are so sweet. This darling little dress was made from an original 1950s pattern, and it complements its wearer delightfully.

The fabric is a cotton calico with royal blue roses on a light blue background. The bodice has four little buttons down the front. The puffed sleeves and gathered skirt add plenty of snuggly fullness.

See what I mean? The girl and dress make a delightful pair!!

Ties inserted at the side seams make a cute bow in the back and allow for some adjustability in the fit.

It is so much fun to make old-fashioned little girl clothes!!

A Case for Protection

No, I have no connections with the mafia.

Most of my projects are fairly typical, but every once in awhile, I encounter a proposition to make something a bit more unusual, such as constructing aviation headset covers for a pilot whose equipment was scratching the canopy of his plane. Those kinds of things present a special challenge, because I have to completely design the item and then figure out how to make it. It was in such an instance that I worked on the subject of this post.

My client has a son with an extremely rare metabolic disease, and he uses an assistive communication device. Because he can be a bit rough with the things around him, my client wanted a protective cover for his Vanguard. She also wanted it to be thickly padded enough that he would have to use his fingertips on the screen and not just rest his whole hand on it. She and his teacher made a foam frame to fit around the front and sides of the machine; my job was to enclose that frame in fabric in order to keep it on the Vanguard and to provide additional padding for the back.

The foam is about an inch thick. I cut slots in it where it goes over the top of the screen so that those working with the boy can still access the buttons at the top, but the nylon fabric covers them so that he cannot manipulate them. The back of the case opens to allow access to various necessary ports needed for connection to computer and charging devices, as well as a hook that enables attachment of the machine to a stand. In the photo, you can see the D-rings on the sides for use with a carrying strap.

The challenge of making something like this is always exciting, but the thrill of being able to provide a satisfactory product is simply wonderful. It was especially so with this project, since it helped a special boy and his family.

June is Bustlin' Out All Over...

'Tis the quintessential wedding month. I am not sure why. Here in the South, it is the beginning of hot, humid weather. It must be pleasant enough in other places, though.

At any rate, weddings are fun, no matter what time of year they take place. I had the privilege of sewing for one almost a year ago (a June wedding, to be sure). Among other things, I got to put a bustle in the bride's gown.

For those of you who have not a clue what a wedding gown bustle is, I will explain. Gowns with trains look lovely going down the aisle. The yards of trailing fabric are just so romantic. They can also be a safety hazard during during a reception, not to mention a damper on one movements. Thus, a bustle is contrived as a way to get all that extra material out of the way--while still looking lovely. (And, yes, certain types of wedding gown bustles do bring to mind the bustles once worn by Victorian ladies to--uh--"shape" the backs of their skirts.)

This is the back of the dress, unbustled. As you can see, the train on this gown is not very long. Still, the bride wanted to be unhampered for the reception. Because of the very simple, elegant style, a typical underbustle or overbustle, while getting the extra fabric out of the way, would have disturbed the clean cut of the design. Instead, we decided to go with something a bit unusual but extremely pretty.

The small photo at the top of the post is a close-up of the bustled gown. The shirred effect is achieved by means of "drawstrings" (ribbons) in casings, much like a balloon shade. I handstitched the casings to the inside of each of the three back seams in the train. If you look closely at the larger picture above, you can see that the dress has a sheer overlay. Since it, too, had to be gathered when the ribbons were pulled through the casings, I stitched it to the dress along the seamlines. (The overlay has seams just like the dress.)

After the ceremony, the ribbons were pulled up through the casings and tied to loops sewn above them (also attached at the seams). The resulting cascade preserved the simple beauty of the gown and left the bride free to enjoy the reception.

Here she is, dancing with her new husband. The bustle received a lot of compliments. Everyone was delighted with how well it turned out, not least of whom was the lady herself. That makes it all worthwhile.

Nature's First Green is Gold...

It is not, though, a hard hue to hold when it is incorporated into a pretty dress. Actually, the dress is gold with a green vine, but that is a mere technicality. I think Mr. Frost's rhyme still applies.

This particular creation is a combination of two different decades: The sleeveless bodice is a modification of a 1950s pattern; the A-line skirt is from a pattern printed in 1976. The span of a score of years or so, however, does not detract in the slightest from the nice result.


It is also a combination of a couple different needlework techniques: sewing and crocheting. If you look closely at the above picture, you can see the pale green crocheted vine that winds around the body from the neckline to the hem. The small photo at the top is a detail of the neckline.


The fabric is a gold brocade, and the leaf pattern is a perfect background for the crocheted vine. Because of the zipper down the back, the vine is actually in two pieces, but the general effect is of one long sprig of greenery. Once again, the subtlety of detail is what takes this dress beyond the ordinary--and contradicts dear Robert's assertion that "nothing gold can stay."