FOUNDATIONS REVEALED COMPETITION ENTRY
Ocean Gown
(click images to to enlarge)
Outline the story …
I knew I wanted to design a gown for my entry, but choosing how to relate it to nature was a fun process. I explored octopi, polar bears, and then seaweed and coral, before deciding the ocean itself would be my inspiration. The neckline was inspired by crashing waves. I left the rest unembellished as I wanted a simple silhouette, but I think it can represent the endless depth of the ocean with very little to interrupt it.
Outline the construction…
The new skill I attempted for this project was contour pattern making for a bodice fitted to the bust. I’ve done pattern drafting for simple bodices, but this was my first time attempting a more complex pattern. I followed a lesson in Akshaya Sukumar’s Pattern Drafting Level 2 workshop to draft my pattern based on my measurements. Figuring out how to alter the pattern after the muslin fitting was a bit tricky for me. Having more pieces to work with meant I wasn’t confident in which ones should be adjusted, but after 2 fittings I achieved the fit I was after. Then I made the actual bodice, mostly by machine stitching, complete with a lining and interfacing. I used only materials I thrifted or already had on hand, as I’ve been making efforts to create in sustainable ways. I added boning, salvaged from an old dress from a friend’s mom. Hand sewing eyelets was new for me, but after doing so many I now feel confident in doing more. For the skirt, I drafted my own pattern. After I completed it, I finished my seams and the dress was complete!
Well done for tackling the hand sewn eyelet fastenings and I really like the use of lace as your lacing cord.
The bodice is so well constructed! Love the ruffles too