FOUNDATIONS REVEALED COMPETITION ENTRY
Ephemeral
(click images to to enlarge)
Outline the story …
”There was never a day so misty and grey, that the sun was not somewhere above it.
There was never a mountain top so bleak, that some little flower did not love it.”
This dress was made to convey the ephemeral part of nature, the beauty that only last for a short moment and how that just makes it that much more special. I found inspiration in the mornings that are clouded in fog and how the light that cuts through makes the wet grass sparkle like a million stars. For a brief moment everything is magic. When I see the light through the thin veil of white linen or catch the reflections from my little dewdrop buttons - I feel that magic.
I wanted to incorporate nature even more with the things that literally feeds on light - flowers. When you think of flowers you’re probably imagining lots and lots of color but I wanted them to be subtle, embroidered in white so you might just catch a glimpse of them or maybe not even register it. Just like how we can enjoy their beauty for a summer, a week, a day but sometimes we’re standing right on them - totally oblivious.
I don’t have to sell you on the beauty of the natural world, the light in all its forms or the flowers that grow because of it. I just hope you feel it today, in looking at my dress or just outside your window.
Outline the construction…
Being my first ever dress I started how I usually do when I know little to nothing - way too ambitious. After weeks of research I was grounded to the point of almost quitting right then and there. But instead I did something better, I did something!
I thrifted a blouse pattern (Stil 6880) that had the princess seams and bishop sleeves that I wanted. In the end I used it like a rough guide, having never drafted or fitted anything before it just gave me an idea of how everything should fit together. It took me six mock-ups for the bodice alone, six great lessons.
For the sleeves it was much the same story, only that this time I enlarged them by about a heckton of puffy goodness and freehanded the embroidery, just like on the belt.
Everything is sewed by hand except for the princess seams and part of the belt. I wanted there to be little to none visible stitches so I flatlined the bodice and flat-felled all of the seams except for the armholes and waist where I instead used bias binding on the gathered fabric. All new techniques to me!
Since I was using a linen tablecloth as my fabric I wanted to incorporate its lace and have it running down the center of the sleeves and down the sides of the skirt. I was upset that I didn’t get the circle skirt I wanted, in the end I love that I didn’t waste anything.
So many whimsical details, love the embroidery
Thank you so much! I had a lot of fun with the embroidery and I feel like I need to stop myself from adding it to everything now, like I’m eyeing my curtains at this point 😅
I love this dress so much! It makes me think of flowery meadows on warm and light summer nights.
You are just the sweetest! I’ll make sure to frolic around some meadows this summer ☺️
Elegant
Thank you, honestly think it’s a first for anything I’ve made to be described as elegant!
This is beautiful! Really good work!
Thank you!
Lovely handsewing! The embroidered flowers are well done and the white on white make them elusive like the fog.
Thank you SO much for this sweet comment, so glad you picked up on the feeling I was trying/hoping to convey!
“I didn’t think I could do anything, now I want to sew everything.” -I am so excited for what your future sewing adventures have in store!
I love your dress and especially love how you made as many mock ups as it took to get the fit how you wanted – you’ll go very far with this attitude for future makes.
Incredible work all around 🙂
It’s pretty unfathomable to get compliments from someone who’s makes I’ve been admiring, thank you so much for that! ❤️
So very graceful and pretty! I love it!
Thank you! Glad you weren’t there to see me fall of a ladder and a chair, that was not so graceful 😅
White on white is like a whisper. It was the perfect choice to convey light.
Can’t describe how much I absolutely adore hearing that the message came across! Thank you ❤️