An Afternoon Wonder

I just decided to wear this dress yesterday morning. 

No particular reason, just coz I wanted to... that afternoon... 

I had no engagements so I thought it a wonderful idea to go for little walk!  

the horses came for some tasty carrots and apples...

(unfortunately these shots aren't all completely focused... 

its hard to take a pic when the horses are trying to eat your iPhone!) 

this sketch was actually originally drawn on the 15th of February this year (2014) 

It has taken me quite a bit of time till I eventually got around to creating the garment...

These images I found most helpful when studying how to re-create this piece.

Of course it is basically impossible to get it exact, since obviously I'm not the original maker/designer, I don't have the same fabric/budget and... I'm not Keira Knightley!

       

I found these two websites especially helpful for this project. 

And if you're interested in perhaps creating a gown inspired by the ones from this film... 

These sites are really good!

http://www.costumersguide.com/pride_prejudice/index.html

http://www.janeausten.info/moviegowns/PandP2005/PandP2005.htm

I would have proffered to make it out of fabric closer to Lizzy's but I was given it - and it still does the job pretty well, I'm very happy with it! Ideally though she has like a light weight, thin cotton sort of material where as mine is simply a synthetic chiffon kind of stuff... with a brown cotton sheet as the under/lining of the dress!

Pride and Prejudice 2005 is probably up there with my utmost favorite film for costuming! I do not know why... I just really like them! So hopefully in the near future I'll be able to make some more new gowns with ideas from this movie!

Rose xx

In The Mean Time...

I've not been doing much blogging of late... 

Its not like I've been doing nothing - quite the contrary! I have been working on lots of projects, but unfortunately still not done a photo shoot with the finished results! (hopefully soon though!)

here are a few snap shots of what I've been up to!

this dress was inspired by one of Lizzy's dresses (2005 P&P) 

I call it my Shift Dress coz it has like the shirt/shift as the under dress then the over gown.

I am this... Ooh, it was a few months ago now... I was really happy with it, even though the fabric I used was quite different than the films and gives a different effect - but it is really casual, comfy and yes it makes one feel very Lizzy Bennet-y! (I confess, I have been one of those 'weird people' who wear their period creations in public... this gown several times haha!)

This is Emily! She is a beautiful friend of mine! We made this dress together over TWO DAYS...(unfortunately many weeks apart) We were, both, so happy with it. Doesn't it look great on her?! It is a 'kind of' Victorian era dress. 

Not too shabby for a quick wip-up in a couple of days!

I liked the finished product - so I decided to sketch up a design of my own...

That's the fabric I'll be using. I've done toiles of the bodice over a lovely Victorian corset 

I made and it looks fabulous! The hourglass silhouette is so lovely... 

 But since other projects were more pressing I've put it aside for the present.

working on another project. (which is now complete)

Lizzy inspired, her: Opening Brown Dress (2005 P&P)

More Coronation Gown

Unpicking after I hand stitched all the embroidery, but found it some how ended up wonky!

Ah! all that work - poof - gone!

(as a matter of fact it actually took a fare amount of time undoing the lot)

after another fare amount of hours...

I much proffer it now (even though after all my efforts - it still wasn't 100% even)   

the first time I only used two embroidery threads - this time I used four, which gives it a much better look!

"blessing in disguise!"

half the skirt pattern (not divided into sections yet)

pinning all the 20 panels of the skirt together then stitching

(Praise the good LORD for sewing machines!)

a quick shot of it on the manni 

i've still not found the correct colour fabric for the center panel. 

When I do that will be stitched down the middle of each (light green) panel.

(keep in mind this is not pressed and looks absolutley WRONG at present... but I'm still excited about it!)

I'm making a dress for a lovely friend of mine!

I had heaps of this fabric and my sister liked it so I made a skirt for her. 

 I had a heap left so next summer I plan to make the dress on the pattern!

We were also given this fabric below... 

it is from Sri Lanka and it will make some lovely dresses I'm sure!

This beautiful black lace I was given to go over the

 "shocking-mistake-of-green-anna-dress-fabric" I bought 8 meters of,

 that I will now use to make a Titanic/Downton Abbey evening gown...

I'm looking forward to making a 1900/10/20's evening dress. This wont be for some time however for I have not made any of that era so I want to do it all properly with corset and all.

But I don't suppose there is any harm in sketching up some designs for it... 

another project on the go...

a few quick sketched I had to do as apart of my school work.

                      I hope your day is TIP-TOP-TERRIFIC!

                         

                            Love, Rose xoxo