FOUNDATIONS REVEALED COMPETITION ENTRY
1st Place
Granny Weatherwax Goes to the Opera
(click images to to enlarge)
Other Credits
photos by J. Kemp, zhuzhing by K. Shook-Kemp
Outline the story …
Project Inspired by "Maskerade" by Terry Pratchett. The Lancre witches Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg have travelled to Ahnk-Morpork to check up on young Agnes, who has gone to the city to pursue a career on the opera stage. In true operatic fashion, mayhem is imminent, including a phantom. To access opera high society, a disguise is needed...
“My friend here wants a new dress,” said the dumpier of the two. ‘One of the nobby ones with a train and a padded bum.’
“In black,” said the thin one.
“And we wants all the trimmings,” said the dumpy one. “Little handbag onna string, pair of glasses onna stick, the whole thing.”
Madame Dawning [said] “This is rather a select dress shop.”
“That’s why we’re here. We don’t want rubbish. My name’s Nanny Ogg and this here is … Lady Esmerelda Weatherwax.”
[…]
The dress was black. At least, in theory it was black. It was black in the same way that a starling’s wing is black. It was black silk, with jet beads and sequins. It was black on holiday.
“It looks about my size. We’ll take it […] And now we’ll go back into the shop and have a poke around for the other stuff,” said Lady Esmerelda. “I fancy ostrich feathers myself […].”
“Why don’t we get some great big diamonds while we’re about it?” said Nanny Ogg sharply.
“Good idea.”
Outline the construction…
I generally imagine Diskworld fashion to be Victorian-esque, and an early 1880s evening gown could be convincingly described as a “nobby” dress with a “padded bum and a train”.
One goal was to use my stash as much as possible, and shop my trims box. Along the way I learned to bead, and improved some construction skills (read: setting sleeves).
The underskirt was scaled from Complete Guide to Ladies Garment Cutting, 1883 (Grimble, 2004a, pp. 150–151). The hem is supported with horsehair, then faced to the knee with lawn and bound at the lower edge.
The bodice and overskirt are based on an evening gown in an 1882 Harpers Bazaar (Grimble, 2004b, pp. 86–89) merged with a previously drafted bodice sloper. The bodice is of moiré silk-cotton faille (the only fabric purchase), embellished with 2mm glass beads, 4mm sequins, and de-stash lace. It is flatlined, boned, and contour padded.
The overskirt’s pleated flounces, gauged panel, and draped train are of silk taffeta, mounted directly onto the underskirt. The train is supported with net. Pleating, gauging, and puffs are hand worked and mounted.
The balayeuse is drafted from the underskirt pattern, made from cotton remnants, and trimmed with de-stash lace.
The silhouette is achieved by using my existing corset, bustle pad, and petticoats.
References:
Grimble, F. (Ed.), 2004a. Fashions of the Gilded Age, Volume 1. Lavolta Press, San Francisco, CA.
Grimble, F. (Ed.), 2004b. Fashions of the Gilded Age, Volume 2. Lavolta Press, San Francisco, CA.
Ooooh, very Witch On A Mission
She’s determined to get it Sorted Out 🙂
I love the textures you create with the blacks, its very gorgeous
Thank you! I was worried about photographing black on black, that the textures wouldn’t read well enough, so I am glad to know you think they do!
Okay, this dress and I are having a June wedding.
Awww, thanks!
Remarkable, tailoring and the attention to detail is amazing!
Superbly well fitted & created to show off the intricacies of this beautiful black ensemble. The hair, hat, bag & stick makes it complete & mesmerising.
Thank you! This is possibly my most intricate project to date, and the results (and comments) are delightfully motivating!
This is beyond Impressive. Absolutely perfectly constructed.
Thank you so much, you are too kind!
What a fantastic representation of the nobby dress! It really is “black on a holiday.” Nanny’s fortune would have been well spent on this one.
OMGGGG Granny Weatherwax is my favorite. This is so good!
This is everything! <3 I'm sure your headology game is just as strong when wearing this.
Thank you! The beading was an experiment that went better than I had hoped. I’ll definitely be using that skill again!
Such exquisite work! The beading is both subtle and and yet ornate. I am suitably impressed.
Thank you! The beading was an experiment that went better than I had hoped. I’ll definitely be using that skill again!
Absolutely magical !
SO pretty!
That’s just beautiful work and extremely elegant.
Breath-taking in all respects: the interpretation of the character, works(wo)manship, detail, embellishment, complexity, fit, accessories… Wow.
Wow, thank you! Sometimes I think I spend too much time on planning the little fiddly bits, but I think this time it worked out 🙂
Stunning beadwork and complicated bustle😄
So many stunning details and an absolutely perfect fit!
You’ve done Granny Weatherwax proud! Gorgeous work, and the beading… Ahh…
It’s amazing. I love it so much and now I need to make a black on black dress.
Black on a holiday! Madame, you have nailed it! Fits like a glove and looks as fabulous as possible. Great job!
This is fantastic, so beautifully constructed and elegant!
I love your mix of materials and your beading is perfection! If I didn’t know better, I’d think you borrowed this from a museum (or from Luca)! Fantastic job!
Thank you so much for your superlatively kind words!
Oh the fit of this is impeccable! Must have taken a good chunk out of your fabric stash to make as well!
Thank you! I still can’t believe I got so much skirt out of that piece of taffeta. Geometry is the thrifty sewist’s friend 😉
I fear that much of all this incredible work would be lost on “Lady Esmeralda”. I on the other hand am in love with the whole ensemble.
This is a nobby delight onna roll! I love it. So many wonderful details to explore and the fit is fantastic. Well done!
Thanks you! And I’m happy to report that no throats were damaged in the making of this ensemble, just pinpricked thumbs 🙂
It’s just so ornate in the best possible way, Wendy. I cannot believe that you created it (though I should!) It is so beautiful and perfect. Are you sure you are not from the 1880’s? You surely channeled the character, witch Granny Weatherwax. I would have loved to have worn a dress like this. The contrasting white trims and the bead work are exemplary. It’s just incredible. You are so talented. And you look quite the part, I might add…you are indeed a chameleon. Lovely, exquisite work. How fun!!!