FOUNDATIONS REVEALED COMPETITION ENTRY
Gown of Winter
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Other Credits
Model: Baylee Hult
Outline the story …
My entry is based on the character of Miryem from Naomi Novak’s "Spinning Silver". Miryem’s father and grandfather are Jewish money lenders. Her father is not a successful one and his business barely keeps them fed until Miryem takes over. Refusing to allow others’ opinions to make her feel ashamed of herself or apologize for who she is, she makes a success of the business and is said to turn silver to gold. Winter is encroaching on the land and the Staryk King, hearing of her abilities, promises to make her his queen if she can prove herself to him thrice. The Staryk are a fey race who thrive in the cold of winter. This is my version of a dress Miryem would wear as queen. At one point in the book she turns the embroidery of her gown from silver to gold and I tried to indicate that using mostly gold thread apart from a few stars and the flowers. The book takes place in a fictional land and does not mention any specific year. It seemed as though it took place in a land similar to Russia so Russian court dresses influenced the silhouette and design of this dress though I was trying to make a lighter, more delicate garment that was less formal and more natural.
Outline the construction…
The dress consists of three pieces: the bodice, the overskirt, and the underskirt. I drafted all the patterns myself and my lovely seventeen-year-old sister agreed to be my model for this project. The overall silhouette I was loosely aiming for was 1890s. I hand embroidered the neckline and sleeves with a pattern that I designed. It has flowers and leaves to represent Miryem’s homeland and also scattered heavily throughout are gold six-point stars so she has a reminder of her family and faith even as she lives in another land so different from her home. It was challenging for me to come up with an embroidery design in a shape and size that suited the dress. I looked at different pieces of embroidery and sketched out a number of different designs before deciding upon the ones I used for this dress. The dress is made of all fabrics I found second hand and therefore I am not sure of the exact fiber content or weave name. The bodice, underskirt and satin lining are polyester, the bodice lining is cotton and is boned with cable ties, the outer layer of the overskirt is a natural fiber that I was not able to identify. The neckline and waist of the bodice are piped using self-fabric and cotton twine. A majority of the inside seams are machine sewn, though the finishing on the bodice and the sleeve lining are all hand sewn. The bodice is fully lined and laces up the back.
The embroidery is gorgeous!
Amazing dress ! I really like the sleeves, and the embroidery is beautiful !
This gown gives off such regal vibes♡♡ And it is so flattering on you♡
Your embroidery is so lovely.
The dress is gorgeous! I especially like the embroidery.
What a beautiful gown! I love the fabric choices, and the embroidery is just super cute <3 Very well done!! 👏