FOUNDATIONS REVEALED COMPETITION ENTRY
Ocean of My Roots
(click images to to enlarge)
Other Credits
Kathy Wyland - photographer
Outline the story …
My name is Samantha. I am a singer/songwriter. Nature inspires me as a songwriter a lot, but also nature is where I go to find peace. The blue dress is based off of my family and the ocean. History to me is like a good Agatha Christie mystery. Since history is as vast as the ocean, so between my passions for history, nature and a good Hercule Poirot mystery, I decided to make a dress that is inspired by my family tree.
The Jacket is inspired by my love of music. As a songwriter, music has been a big part of my life. Music has saved me on several occasions. I live with something called PTSD and with that comes severe depression and high anxiety. In the past two years, sewing and music have been my anchors.
My family has deep roots in Celtic Culture so to remember where my ancestors are from, I sewed Celtic symbols on the skirt of the dress and music notes from one of my favorite Celtic folk songs on the jacket. The song is called The Star of County Down.
Outline the construction…
The dress is made up of a blue cotton/linen fabric for the top and the under skirt. The top skirt is a French tulle lace net made in Nigeria in a dark green color. I got my material for the dress off of amazon and my local Walmart. The fabric for the jacket was gifted to me by a woman in my community who no longer sew and who knew I would turn them into something to wear.
The challenges I overcame these past two years are switching jobs for my mental health, my depression in some ways and learning to love the way I look. The dress took a year and some to make must because I was trying to handle my depression on my own. In the process of making the jacket and finishing up the dress, I learned that asking for help when you are struggling with depression or a sewing project is OK and that asking for help doesn't make you weak. In fact, if anything it makes you stronger because just like wolves need a pack to thrive, us people need a village to help us out when we need a helping hand.
Despite all the challanges, you DID IT! And that shell hem is so cute…the dress hides as many secrets as an ocean does.
Thank you so much . This is appreciated so much. I faced one of my biggest fears and challenges. Then to turn around and put that up for the whole world to see . Yikes
But reading your comment reminds me of how far I have come.
What a wonderful dress! It’s like a treasure trove with the decorations at the hem and all around.
So we’ll done! Beautifully executed! Love the color too!
Amazing work Samantha! I love your inspiration and the merging of the ocean and your love of music. Well done 🙂
🙂 Thank you .
You’ve done well! You’ve made a beautiful dress and a delightful jacket. Thank you for entering the contest.