FOUNDATIONS REVEALED COMPETITION ENTRY
Sansa’s Sorrow
(click images to to enlarge)
https://youtu.be/zp8eFV57ibE.
Other Credits
Photographer: Andrea Lerner
Outline the story …
Historical fiction and historically inspired literature has always been my favorite genre, but as I considered many of my past favorites, they weren't eras I wanted to design for. I kept coming back to an image I'd had from the series "A Song of Ice and Fire", for a scene that hasn't yet been written. Ultimately I went with the closest thing to what I'd been imaging: Sansa's wedding dress from "A Storm of Swords." The idea behind my design was to bring historical practice into the fantastical, while also making a piece that was modern enough for me to wear in my balmy Mediterranean climate. I chose to base my piece on 14th-century kirtles, but I had another consideration to include into my design. I want my sewing to be as economical as it was in the past, which includes being able to wear pieces at different sizes, an especially pertinent factor given that I'm currently pregnant. Additionally, I was intent on shortening the hemline because I prefer to wear knee-length skirts, whereas a floor-length gown would languish in my closest. With regards to decoration, the dress was not sewn or designed by the character, rather by her enemies, so I wanted the decorations to reflect that, including her wolf sigil, snowflake ends, and angular embroidered trim. In the end, it was exciting to bring a touch of historical realism into a piece drawn from fantasy, and it's a theme I hope to continue drawing on in future projects.
Outline the construction…
My dress is entirely handmade, except for the fabric itself. Though the text called for heavy silks, they are neither practical in my home climate, nor do I feel comfortable using animal products, hence, I stuck to ecological, plant-based materials. The main dress is made from a white and silver metallic linen, and the sleeves are lined with Cupro Bemberg lining. The pattern was modified from Reconstructing History's 14th-century kirtle pattern, though I also followed advice from the Medieval Tailors Assistant, as well as many Costuber kirtle videos. This is the first major piece that I've even sewn entirely by hand, which was surprisingly easier than expected. The biggest challenge to making a dress that's supposed to have grand elements was finding myself in lockdown at the start of my sewing process. Rather than being able to buy trim, lace, and cords, I found I had to make my own from scratch. Crocheting is a skill I've only recently picked up, but I found myself learning to crochet basic sorts of lace, creating velvet trim from cotton velveteen, and adding touches of embroidery where I'd initially planned to use pre-purchased trim. In terms of following somewhat historical embroidery technique, I read Cotte Simple's presentation, while researching actual wolf crests used in Europe in order to avoid drawing on anything created for television. In truth, this piece wouldn't exist without the numerous historical sewing YouTube videos that have become my favorite content of late.
those sleeves are such good design and well made. and the embroidery/croche really fits the bill and makes this dress very interesting. it looks comfortable to wear too, which i think is as important as how it looks. great work
I love the crochet details and the fact that the dress is adjustable. I endjoy reading your thinking process about using historical sewing for fantasy inspired garments!
That neckline is really something! The colors are a great hint to the character. Good job❤
I love the silver crochet. It’s very beautiful!
Oh wow, I simply love everything about this! That embroidery is awesome! Thank you!