FOUNDATIONS REVEALED COMPETITION ENTRY
Princess Una
(click images to to enlarge)
Other Credits
April Payne (photographer)
Outline the story …
St George and the Dragon as retold by Margaret Hodges has been one of my very favourite books since childhood. Gifted to me by one of my uncles, it helped inspire a deep love of fantasy and fairy tales. One of the reasons I love this story is its consistent message that good triumphs over evil. The story of the brave knight conquering the evil dragon to free the people of the land from the beast's relentless destruction and falling in love with the princess is a story of hope. Almost immediately upon discovering the theme for this years competition, did creating a dress for Princess Una's character come to mind, and while the final garment has differed much from my original ideas, I truly feel this dress displays her character. I chose gold as a symbol of Una's status as a princess. The color gold also symbolizes St. Georges victory over the dragon. In choosing the colors in the flower circlet, I wanted something that complimented the color of the dress and further represented Una's character. With Pink as tenderness and hope, spots of purple for royalty, and sprigs of white for purity. I hope that you too are inspired by this stories characters in the fight against your own evil dragons.
Outline the construction…
The dress is constructed using gold Silk dupioni flatlined with medium weight white linen. It was entirely hand sewn with silk thread using running back stitches, back stitches, and felled seams. The neckline was finished using a narrow strip of straight cut linen and the hem was simply narrowly turned up twice. The circlet is constructed using faux flowers, floral wire, and floral tape. The flower circlet was a fun skill to learn and a great creative palette cleanser after all the ups and downs of the dress as it only took an afternoon to complete. In total this dress consisted of around 6 mockups and at least 19 major changes in a course of 2 months. Four of those mockups were for a self drafted pattern using Morgan Donner's method that refused to fit how I wanted. After 4 weeks of frustration I purchased Reconstructing History’s pattern RH017 and finally had success! However upon undoing the mockup to transfer the changes to my pattern, I realized I had fit the dress backwards and my mockup was frighteningly different than the pattern. I cut a new mockup and tried fitting it correctly this time but it refused to cooperate and I ultimately went back to my crazy backwards mockup that somehow fit amazingly. Along with Morgan Donner’s youtube channel and Reconstructing History’s pattern I also referenced The Medieval Tailor's assistant.
A beautifully made dress and I’m so impressed that it was entirely hand sewn! I love your flower circlet too.
I loved that book growing up! This whole dress is lovely but I’m really impressed with the fit of your sleeves.
What wonderfully detailed work. Also, handsewn AND 6 mockups–this was a labour of love and it shows in the finished garment. You must be so proud!
This dress!!!!!!!
You have crafted something with such elegance and delicate simplicity, I am in love!
I’m so inspired by your dress, mega props!
P.S will you sew one for me? pretty please 😉
What a beautiful sewn dress. Love the gold colour.
I love this! It’s really very well done! Thank you!
JUST WOW! All the mockups were worth it! This dress is so elegant, and the gold dupioni is so rich. The fit is perfect. Enviable and outstanding design.
how pretty! a pre-raphaelite dream.