FOUNDATIONS REVEALED COMPETITION ENTRY
The most verdant…. Also the most terrified
(click images to to enlarge)
Other Credits
Photographer: Emma Stone
Outline the story …
In the world of "Good Omens" by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, lives a demon named Crolwey who was called Crawly “in the beginning.” His deeds include a notable role in the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden and a feature performance bungling the delivery of the Antichrist to the apocalypse. Now that you understand his character, you should first know that Crowley has lived on earth some 6000 years and that the only beings he devotes any personal attention to are his house plants, which he terrifies into growing tall and strong and verdantly beautiful. Any plants daring to show imperfection, leaf spots and the like, simply do not make the cut.
My dress was inspired by Epipremnum aureum, more commonly known as Devil’s Ivy that grows well indoors if nurtured properly. I took particular inspiration from the variation and gradation of color, which ranges from a pale yellow-green to a rich emerald. The shape of the dress is also meant to be reminiscent of the plant’s leaf shape which is wider at the stem than the tip, just as the bodice is fitted to the waist before flaring out at the skirt. Unfortunately, this house plant is marked by a leaf spot and while she is beautifully verdant, she is also quite terrified!
Outline the construction…
The pattern I used is a reproduction of a vintage vogue dress originally published in 1957 (# V2903). To achieve the finished look, I combined views A and B, using the higher neckline and contrasting yolk from
B with the shorter sleeves from view A. My materials included a 90% cotton 10% lycra blend for the fashion fabric, flatlined with bleached cotton muslin. The accent is an emerald green silk taffeta all sewn together with 100% cotton tread on my grandmother’s 1947 Singer with the finishing work, the hem and internal seams, finished by turning the seam allowances and felling down by hand.
The construction techniques were all new to me, this is the first time I’ve done princess seams or flatlined panels. The flatlining created some unanticipated challenges including quite a bit of wrinkling due to the fabrics sliding as they were sewn. I was able to mostly solve this problem by unpicking, basting the layers and resewing. While I was able to use the pattern instructions for the most part, my biggest help and source of input was from my mother who grew up in the 50s sewing her own clothes. Last, the leaves were cut from silk taffeta and stitched by machine with a contrasting yellow and brushed with school glue at the edges to prevent fraying. The “leaf spot” was made with the aid of a lighted match. The gloves were purchased from Zaza Bridal and the supporting petticoat from Bbonlinedress via Amazon.
You look great. I love your choice of subject, and the leaf spot!
Thanks! Burning in the spot was equal parts terrifying and so satisfying!
you did a great job, congratulation. Working with silk satin is nothing but easy.
It was my first time working with anything other than cotton. I was a fun challenge!
Love the idea behind the dress, didn’t expect that. Great job!
Those gloves are exquisite! Your entire outfit looks so lovely❤
Thank you so much! I can’t take credit for the actual gloves, but I did sew the leaf details
The details for your Ivy come through so well!
I’m such a sucker for green!! The dress is fabulous and those gloves are just amazing!!
Thank you! I think the leaves were one of my favorite bits to make and I’m totally with you, something about green is just so alive!
I LOVE the circle skirt bottom! Can imagine so many of my friends wanting to wear this out on the town. The greens you chose are perfect.
I love the idea to turn the plant into a character and the fun story behind the outfit! Good job with the construction of the dress, I find princess seams quite tricky, so I’m impressed! Also, I can totally see the leaf shape you were going for in the skirt, well done!