Audrey, Chiffon, and the sleeves

Isn't this such a simply beautiful image? 

Another great studio shot by Miyo Strong for Busath. 

I don't know how much to say about these brides.  One thing about Audrey, she is just as the image captured her.  Calm, cool, and collected.  A quick example, when she tried the finished dress she repeated, "I am so excited about this,"  in the most dead pan way.  I laughed, because she was so sincere but her tone was so even.  I am lucky she vocalized her feelings, otherwise, I would not have known. 

Audrey spent time in India teaching kids and working in a leprosy colony.  Isn't that just amazing?  I have so much respect for these brides and what they are accomplishing.  I do believe women are doing more than when I was in college.  It is encouraging and empowering. 

Thanks Audrey, Happy Wedding!

Audrey's sneak peak

Today I feel like a real dressmaker.

Scott always asks me how it is going.  I usually can't say. 

I usually don't know how the dress fares.  Today I did. 

What a great moment to look down at it and become so happy. 

I even feel official because I like how the stitching looks on the back of the beaded sleeve.

 I have such a respect for the beautiful beading I see in Burgdorf Goodman or one of the museum exhibits I am lucky enough to see.  After these sleeves, my respect has grown EVER SO MUCH.  How do they do it????  I am determined to find out.... someday. 

Thanks Audrey, wishing you a happy wedding! 

Construction

I always hesitate to write about some of the gowns, because I want to say too much.  This is the case here. 

Eliza and her mom Liz, came to me this winter.  They had a picture of a gown with some history involving one of my idols, Christian Dior.  The picture was of a gown John Galliano designed for Dior using the "The New Look" that so many of us swoon over, as inspiration.  This picture has been all over pintrest and it is so very incredibly beautiful.  Of course I had to tell them all about it.  I grabbed my Christian Dior book off my shelf and was saying, "I want to show you where Galliano received his inspiration for this gown".  I flip open to, not only the style, but the exact dress from the 60's!  Galliano re-invented the gown by bringing in some over the top structure to the skirt and amazing blue embroidery for under the hem.   

Anyway, I was lucky enough to build something like this dress for Eliza.  I viewed this experience as a painter does when they get to go to the Louvre and paint a "copy" of the great masters.  I learned so very much and have more respect for these great designers and the house that brought their gowns to life. 

This shot is the beginning of the under structure of the gown.  I imagine I put three times as much boning into this before I was finished.  The skirt was to go in and out, so just putting a poof skirt under would not have worked. 

This is for those who tell me I should post more about the process.  That is you, Jeanette.  A gown is put together and pulled apart so many times through out the process.  This is when I am checking to see if the texture has potential.  

A snapshot of the process.  I don't think I have ever worked with so much skirt especially so much skirt that needed texture. 

My kids call this the Pack Man dress. 

When you lay it down on the floor, which I had to do often, it looked like pack man.  They know to be respectful of the dresses I work on, knock on wood, but they couldn't resist getting eaten by pack man's mouth.  That is half of the skirt you are seeing.  I think the bodice is tucked under the dress, by Slade's feet. 

I promise to post the finished product worn by cute Eliza as soon as I can.



The Dressmaker

This image has nothing really to do with the post.  I am nothing if not random.

***

My friend told me once that I had to look the part.  You know, dress like I create dresses. 

All I have to say to that is, "Beauty is Pain".  I am not into that type of pain.  I can take a hot iron, countless pins going through unsuspecting fingers, and lots and lots of sleepless night getting a project done.  I can't handle clothing that doesn't let me get down on the floor to conquer a hem. 

This is what happened this weekend.  I had two back to back out of town brides.  They have both been here before.  This was when I would finish the dresses.  The first one was Friday to Sunday.  The second was Monday to early Wednesday morning.  It is intense.  So much so, that I couldn't text one of the brides, I was shaking from working and worry.  The dresses are complete, but I have been walking around in a Haze from the whirlwind of it all.  I just figured out that the last day I worked, I worked for 20 hours straight.  Thankfully I didn't realize it while in that moment.  The ONLY way I made it is having fittings in my Yoga pants.  Yep, that was my strategy for survival, be comfortable.  The crazy thing is, this understanding bride still trusted in our decisions despite the image I was putting out there.  

So I will do my best to figure out how to make a gown better.  I am on a long road that way.  I will over think which thread to use for a trim piece.  I will spend my time in antique stores finding pearls and jewels.  When I am doing these things, I will be covered in white thread.  When I send my kids off to school, I will pick off  white thread from their coats and backpacks.  When I give or get a hug from the husband, I will try to get the threads off him as well.  Maybe that is the sign of a dressmaker. 

Just the thread. 

Peace on Earth

I have a magnet on my fridge that says,

"Do what you can, where you are, with what you have." 
It is attributed to Teddy Roosevelt. 

I love this quote because it helps make life less overwhelming.  There is so much need in the world, it makes me feel a bit hopeless.  If I can break it down to this simple quote, I can handle it.  I realize that at this point in my life, my influence is this little family of ours.  If I can try to help these cute kids, I have done that most important job. 

Just for the record, here are the things I am grateful for:

1.  Time, this season we have had plenty of it. 
2.  The lack of snow!  I might be most grateful for this.  It contributes to the family time we have had this season.  The husband hasn't been out all day plowing and controlling the ever oppressive snow. 
3.  Family and Friends, we feel lucky to have such great people in our lives.  
4.  Exercise time.  This might be a huge contribution to the peace in this house.  I have gotten to to hiking almost every day!  When I am into a project, that is a rare thing, to be able to exercise. 
5.  The best and cutest kids we could imagine.  Thanks to them, we have a happy and mostly peaceful house. 

There are so many more things.  But that is what I have been thinking about lately.  In a few days, I will be mostly thinking of dresses.  I will revel in this moment while I have it.  And when I am involved in the dresses, I will revel in that moment. 

I hope you can find your worlds full of wonder, peace, and happiness!

Am I crying or laughing?

Hee Hee Hee.  These are just too much!  Would it be weird to beg my brides to use this guy for their photographer?   To what extent should I go on about this?  Are these happy tears?  Can I tell you how indebted I feel when I see a good bridal or wedding shoot?  It is as if the photographer is doing me the favor.  That person is personally making my day, week, and month. 

I emailed Scott Jarvie of jarviedigital to tell him how awesome the shoot looked.  He gave me some insight that I have touched on in the past, but he said it so very well.  He mentioned that it was a fun shoot because Rosalia was amazing and pretty much self sufficient.  It gave him the chance to work on some interesting lighting, etc, so the shoot would be THAT MUCH BETTER.  Well said. 

I feel that the gowns I love the most are for brides that trust me and let me introduce those foreign and chancy ideas.  I might not even go there after trying, but just in the trying the gown gets better.  It opens up avenues that wouldn't be traveled for fear of the bride thinking I have lost it.   

So here they are, the beautiful Rosalia in the dress I didn't want to finish.  Now you see why I wanted to keep working on it, right?

 Notice how Rosalia uses the veil as her prop.  So cool.

Is it the eyes, the lipstick, or both, why does she have that classic Hollywood look?

I love the richness of this room.  I have been here, but Scott Jarvie makes it look that much more opulent. 

Thank you Rosalia for the opportunity create this gown. 

Thank you Jarvie digital for capturing it so well. 

Enjoy the day. 

Thanksgiving

It is a quiet moment for a bit.  I would like to record for what I am thankful.

My family

My husband

The cute boys

Peace

Joy

Friends

Work

The fact it hasn't snowed too much yet

Silk

Wood stoves

Thai Food, especially the restaurant in Orem on 800 South

Indian Food

Wood stoves (because I am sitting by it right now)

Wood stoves

Bike rides

Hikes

Running

Sewing with the sun coming through the window

NPR

"This American Life"

Love

Peace

and

God

This week could have gone so many different ways.  I needed to finish Rosalia's gown.  It wasn't one I was happy to have finished, I was having far too much fun with it and working with Rosalia.  It consisted of lots and lots of Chantilly lace which was hand sewn onto circle organza pieces.  I LOVE to hand sew lace for some demented reason.  It takes forever and that is why I love it. 

Slade woke up sick on Tuesday night.  I was up with him for the rest of the night, poor kid.  My plan was to wake early and sew.  Well, I was awake, but assisting him in his miserableness, not sewing.  The next night he was still sick, so still no sleep for either of us. 

Thanksgiving was next.  Slade woke at 7:00 A.M. happy and bright.  Thankfully he was better.  The plan was to have dinner with 20 of our family.  If he was sick, it would have changed the feeling of the day.  The dinner was perfect.  Family and food.  Yeah! 

That night I knew I had to finish the dress.  I stayed up til 3:00 or so, and the reason I am telling you this is because.... I had a great time sewing.  I was at peace, I was enjoying the process, and I was making decisions that I didn't regret the next morning.  This all happened after two previous nights of not sleeping at all.  It seems like it doesn't matter the things you have to accomplish or go through, it is being able to to through those moments in peace.  I think that is the blessing of this moment.  Because in the end, there are always hard things to get through.  I am, by no means ,saying that I am going through a hard moment.  I am simply saying that I appreciated being able to enjoy a late night of sewing.  Something that isn't usually enjoyed. 

Best of all, I just saw the bridals for Rosalia.  They are stunning!  Hopefully I can post some soon.  The perfect ending to a really really great gown making experience.

I guess I am trying to appreciate the sweet moments in life.  I hope it makes me feel more grateful.  I am wishing you a happy moment in your day. 

Best, M