Showing posts with label etsy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label etsy. Show all posts

Sunday, March 25, 2012

The Celtic Shrug

Every now and then I make something that I really love. The Celtic Shrug is one of those pieces. The idea grew out of a black shrug in a similar style that I made for a friend. Both shrugs were made of high quality pleather, and both featured specially made lace embroidery that I created with my embroidery machine. That is where the similarity ends. The brown shrug was destined to be the Celtic Shrug from day one. In my mind, I could already see the rich brown pleated taffeta on the ends of the lace sleeves.

I knew what color threads I wanted to use for the Celtic knot on the back. The hardest part was locating some really nice brown taffeta for the pleats and lining.

I started by making the embroidery on a piece of netting.
Once I cut out the shrug pieces, I sewed the embroidery to the center back, and cut out the pleather behind it ever so carefully. 


I added an inner layer of netting for stability. Once it was all assembled, I cut a hole in the lining behind the embroidery and turned under the edges. 


The sleeves are my favorite part, I think. Or then again, maybe it's the back. The shrug lasted one whole hour in my Etsy Shop and seems to have found a happy home.  J



Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The 1912 Evening Gown- Finished!

Choosing the trims was fun.


Two trims were applied to the neckline, as well as a narrow velvet ribbon around the bottom edge of the georgette skirt. Last of all, I hand stitched the center back lining along the zipper opening.


Looking at it on the dress form, I noted that the two layers really gave it the feel of a period dress. One night while watching Downton Abbey, I realized that I had a couple items in my Etsy shop- a choker and a black lace cardigan shrug- that would go very nicely with the dress. The choker isn’t as elaborate as some of them were, but it has a similar feel, and the lace shrug has the right shoulder lines for the period. I could hardly wait for my model to arrive!

The finished dress fit Katie perfectly. It is not floor length on her when made according to the pattern (she is @ 5’ 6”) but she really liked the length. 


We tried both it with and without the shrug. 



I think some of the most beautiful and classiest clothing is made from vintage patterns with a modern twist, and this is a great example. 




I am happy with the finished product, and have added the gown to my Etsy Shop.  I have obtained permission from Janyce Hill of VPLL to sell garments made from this pattern, and I think it will be a great way to plug her Titanic Sewing Project.  Maybe the dress will get to attend a Titanic event!

Speaking of Titanic events, there are Titanic Memorial events, balls, and dinners all over the United States, Canada, and England this year, many of them in April. I have posted links to a few of them below. If you know of more, please feel free to post the links as comments. 




Up next time.... a Steampunk Fascinator.