On the Road Again...

Happy Spring!  I just got down to GA for the first of my Renaissance fairs of the season, and it has only just sprung here. :-)  The trees have barely leafed, and the wisteria, as you can see, has only just bloomed.  This is unusual.  Typically when I arrive we are 3 weeks further into this process, and I only have a few days to see the wisteria before it is all leaves.  What this really means?  POLLEN!!!  Everything is blooming; especially the trees.  Trying to setup an outdoor event where your product needs to look attractive and sellable is made much more special by a thin flocking of yellow green pollen...oooo how pretty.  Not!  

We had quite a bit of rain this weekend and a storm on Friday, so hopefully that will have calmed it down a bit.  I plan on setting up my workshop today.  I must jumo right in if I am going to get finished with all the projects I brought with me. :-)  Firstly, though, let me tell you about the project I just finished.

A Saudi Arabian Evening Dress

Based on my own Wedding Dress, a young lady who lives in Saudi Arabia wished for me to create for her a similar dress to wear on formal occasions.  In particular, her sister's upcoming wedding.  She gave all kinds of interesting insights on how they're ceremonies work, and it seems that later in the evening the women are able to continue the party separate from the men, and can remove their covering garments so they can all see their pretty dresses, and they last until 4am!  My girl had me make the dress longer because she had these fabulous heels she had found, but her poor feet were killing by the end of the evening.  :-)  We know how that feels, don't we ladies?

This was a fun project.  I had not made anything for anyone, so far removed from me.  I am so thankful for Skype!  Her mom was very helpful in the fittings and the checking of measurements, but it was a little difficult to maintain deadlines when it takes 5-6 days to physically get anything there.  Thankfully everything fit, and she was very happy with her dress, and everyone loved it.  SHe felt like a Princess. :-)  

I will leave with these pictures for today.  I am off to begin that set-up.  Soon there will be pictures of bodices, teagowns, under-dresses, hats, more 1910's dresses, bustle dresses, and maybe some Elizabethan stuff, and a bustle coat!

 Busy as a carpenter bee chewing on my booth!

Cheers!

Burgundy and Aubergine, the colors of Winter

 

It is interesting how there can be themes to sewing. This winter I have making new dresses and catching up on partially finished orders. Most of them have been burgundy or Aubergine. I love these colds, so this has been really great. Aim especially in love with the eggplant silk velvet I used in the two 1910's Titanic inspired dresses.

Judy Pushkin will soon have her new day outfit with matching dinner bodice. It is built on a fabulous new big bustle for that mid-1880's look. I untitled her striped silk by pleating her center front to the stripe and the skirt frill to the flower. Love it !

Vickie Lees's new 1912 dress was built for a Titanic dinner this past January. I was able to find a vintage sari trim that was the perfect highlight. I also made a picture hat with a deep crown and huge brim. These are so fun!

The dress I just finished yesterday is a Titanic inspired prom dress. Noelle's inspiration was the Swim dress from the movie, but with darker palette and a sequined black sari as the highlight, I deviated a bit with the addition of a sheer kimono sleeve trimmed with beaded tassels. I hope she is the Belle of the Ball!

And finally in the update, a slap-dash 1912 suit for MaritaBeth to wear to the Titanic exhibit in Dallas. She just had to have a fab dress, and of course, another awesome picture hat. I am completely in love with these, so dramatic!

Now I am off to CA for the annual trip to see Ken and Gail. I am so looking forward to seeing them after missing last year's trip. Then a return to more sewing!

See you in a week. Cheers!

Gently Worn Dresses for Sale

My dear friend Missie has some dresses that have shrunk!  Imagine that :-)  I made these for her a few years ago, and she only had two or three chances to wear them before the horrible shrinking occured.  This is a great opportunity to have two stunning custom made gowns immediatly, and at great prices.  You can see their information, measurements, and prices at their Gallery page here.

Should you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me.

I fixed the above link finally!  I had to actually right some HTML!  Not my favorite. :-P Works now though! :-)

Here are a couple of pictures of Missie in the purple dress.

On to the New Year

Happy New Year!

...almost :-)

I am busily woking towards the first couple of deadlines at the beginning of the new year.  After that my next deadline is April, so I can get to work on the rest of the projects, some Victorian bits, Elizabethan bits, finish a bunch of stuff...bits. :-)

This picture is of the Edwardian dress I am currently working on.  It is Aubergine velvet and chiffon with a lovely striped georgette and Vintage bullioned sari trim.  I am very excited to see it come together.  I am currently stil working on the boned guimpe, but will soon start adding layers.  Watch for more pictures here or on facebook.

Happy New Year to everyone!!

Cheers!

Update on Monday, February 18, 2013 at 11:43AM by Kelly Cochran Davis

Finished this dress!  I am so pleased with how it worked out. :-)  It took much longer than I anticipated, but was well worth all the wait.

It is so interesting to me how the littlest details can take the most amount of time.  The handbeading on the sashes took hours, but so pretty, and couldn't not do it.  Plus I learned a whole lot about making beaded fringe, and I am now very thankful for however it is made commercially! phew!  It is hard to see the draping in this picture, but I had great fun with bias.  The Vintage sari trim was the highlight for me.  All that hand work with the beads and the bullion, just gorgeous.  This has always been one of my favorite dresses at the MET, and I loved being able to make one myself. I make a similar one for myself in the future in blue-ish! 

Vicki looked great in it, and said it was really comfortable.  I am so glad.  The hat and reticule came out geat, too.  I am really enjoy the hat making.  They are so much fun, and I ca have a completed project in just hours as opposed to days.  Thats so nice!

The reticule uses all the same fabrics.  I also found a vintage purse frame.  Loved the frame, but wow! it was way more work than I expected to attach it.  It was more awkward than anything, but I won the battle.

I have thorougly enjoyed working on the Teens dresses.  They are so much more demanding, and I like it.  I will look forward to making more in the future.

Finally a parting picture of Vicki in her dress!

The Great Dickens Sewing Marathon of 2012...is over...-ish

So here is a teaser image from this year's sewing marathon.  I will update this soon, as I am still waiting on pictures to come in.  This was a really rough year; too many dresses, and not enough help.  What got finished is beautiful and I am very proud of it all, but I was unable to complete 2 pieces, and that never makes a dresmaker happy.  They don't realize it yet though, but they will be even happier when I do get finished! :-)

I have put up some pictures in a new set on Flickr.  Check them out, and feel free to comment.  I will add more as soon as I have them.

To close, here is another dress from this year.

Enjoy!