Dragon Master at Sun's Haven

Yesterday I entered the dragonmaster competition. I don't know the results yet, but here's what I entered:

Hardanger Hankie Part 2

The project I was working on today is a secret, so here is an update on the hankie. I need to finish the weave in the upper left and then add in some seed pearls in the center. Then it'll be time to make the matching one.

Hardanger Hankie

I spent most of the day on hold, so I broke out the hardanger project I am working on. It is a handkerchief, but this one has a special purpose. I won't give it away yet, but I will give a hint that I will be making two. My labels are a hint as well. I still need to do cutwork in the diagonals and add in french knots and seed beads. I think they will be quite lovely when I am done.

Karli's Wedding Dress Part 2

I've been back from Canada for a week now, and I thought you might like an update on the wedding dress. I did end up having to put in a lot of work. Both brides maid's dresses needed alteration, as did the flower girl dress and the wedding dress.




As I was working on the wedding dress, I made an extra little dress for the maid of honor's 4 month old because she was so cute I couldn't resist. It turned out to be a very smart move. The original flower girl got sick on the day of the wedding, so the 4-month old got to be the flower girl. I never got a good picture of the original flower girl in her dress, so I am hoping I can talk her mom into sending me a photo.





I ended up having to redo the front bodice of the wedding gown. Everything else fit fine, but the dress was too low cut. The original flower girl dress wasn't so bad. It was about 2" too big, so I just had to take in each side a little bit. The brides maid dresses were ordered through a company and both were too big in the bust and offered too little support. I added clear straps and a lace up back to both dresses. I didn't get a good picture of the back of the dresses, but each black dress had a 3/4" red ribbon with 5 crisscrosses imitating the lacing in the back of the wedding gown.


Karli was very pleased with her dress and how the other dresses all turned out. I only have non-professional photos at the moment, so I may post again when I get the professional ones.

Karli's Wedding Dress

My friend of almost 5 years now, Karli, is getting married on Sept. 4, 2010. Last year, we spent a bunch of time looking on the internet for a wedding dress with red in it. Through months of searching, nothing was quite right. There was one white dress that was close, but she was really wanting to have some red (and not just a sash). So, I finally said I will just make her one. She wanted a red lace overlay with an A line and empire waist. I am close to finished, but I can't do many of the finishing details until I fly out to see her the week before the wedding (like the hem, getting the shoulder straps the right length and doing the bustle).



Please forgive the white t-shirt on my dress-maker's dummy. My dummy is rather old (it was my grandma's and is at least 50 years old), so I did not want to get the wedding dress dirty.


Here is a detail of the pearls on the bottom of the lace overlay. The bride is wearing a pearl necklace that her brother gave her and several other pearl accents. The straps on the dress are also covered in pearls and beads.



Another feature Karli wanted in her dress was a lace-up back. We are both hoping that this feature will help avoid extra alterations when I arrive the week before the wedding. We live about 2,000 miles apart, so fitting it at the last minute will be interesting!


As long as I was making "The Dress" it seemed fitting to make the flower girl dress to match. The dresses are not quite identical, but really rather close. One difference is the pearl flowers, which add a "little girl" element to the dress. The bridal gown has a more elegant bow in front instead.

I imitated the lacing in the back, but given how young the flower girl is, I did not think it was a good idea to try to lace her in. I put an invisible zipper on the right side so she would look the same, but the dress would be way easier to put on and take off. I also have to wait for the fitting on this dress, so hopefully going out a week early will be enough time. I will post again to show the dresses finished and on the right people.