In our Spare Time ....

In our spare time we do lots of other things and sometimes find a way to still sew, like there isn't enough to do each day! Anna has just finished working on this amazing tapestry I know it sounds like early stages of retirement, but this is seriously well designed, gorgeous looking needlework by Emilly Peacock. Anna chose the 'HUG' and eventually after a few months has framed her stitched words with a heavy wooden frame ready to put on the wall. 

Emily has recently collaborated with Rob Ryan and has some stunning tattoo flash designs and goodies to keep your fingers pumped. Enjoy the tapestry here.

Start Wearing Purple

Nicole, a super gorgeous friend (above) asked me to make her a dress recently for a wedding she was going to in her home town Canada. I was really flattered to have been asked, it's a strange thing with friends, you try not to ask too much of them I suppose, the offer of a dress is always there but you don't want to push your nearest and dearest into feeling awkward about a having to wear a dress that may not be quite their style.

Luckily Nicole knew exactly what she wanted and it was one of my dresses and when she put it on, with me more nervous than usual (another reason making for friends is awkward) it couldn't have been more perfect. She has this luminous bronze skin that made the purple pop like I've never seen before, like it was radiating purple violet beams and fitted her like a glove. 

She was very kind and brave to model for me, she photographs amazingly well as you can see and it's only the clenched fists that give her away from being a pro. I will be pestering her to model from now on x

The Making of the Prom Dress

I thought I'd share a few pictures taken whilst working on the blue hemmed prom dress, I always find it really exciting to see how dresses develop during the making process. This is even more interesting as it's made mainly by hand stitching all of the pleats into place and draping the skirts. Enjoy x

The Black lace Prom Dress

Here is the customer photo from one of my all time favourite dresses the black lace cocktail dress. The lace was an amazing find and had the most gorgeous vintage texture to it with hand corded detailing. 

I love the way she has styled her whole look complete with Vivienne Westwood Melissa shoes, Audrey bun and pearl earrings. Super gorgeous and glam and again I am really amazed by the styling talents of school leavers to look so incredibly chic.This was a custom order with added lace to our classic little black silk cocktail dress. 

The prom photos

Just as I published the last post I received the official prom photos and not only did I squeal with excitement of just how AMAZING our prom girl looks at the prom but her gentleman friend looks suitably gorgeous too in his vintage tuxedo.
Adorable and incredibly beautiful, with the cutest Alice in Wonderland Mary Janes and cream tights. Just stunning and this is exactly why I love to make dresses, because it's my job to be rewarded with lovely looking pictures like these.  

Check out the beautiful vintage Morris Minor they used to transport them which matches the dress perfectly.   (ignore the seethingly jealous girls in background) :) x

Prom Dress

Firstly I'm sorry for not posting for three weeks now. Things have been very busy in the studio with weekends of weddings and festivals and a huge private commission which has taken all my time away. 

This dress was one of my favourites recently and I have been dying to show this for a while. A really quite perfect, a gorgeous customer wanted a proper 1950s debutant prom dress for her end of school prom and I was very, very happy to accept. 

I've been lucky to have intelligent, individual prom girls who are wonderful to work with and I am even even more grateful after I read an article on 'Promzillas' and saw what most girls don for their end of school prom. It sure must give the boys a fright being escorted by brightly coloured, full length polyester and hot fix gems complete with tiara and curls.

My prom girls have been amazing with their own sense of style and have had  ideas for their dresses. 

This is the latest..........................

The dress was made just like our other classic fifties prom with the hand pleated and stitched bodice, gathered bust and its layered full skirt. The difference here was the blue hem which needed to be layered to an uneven graduated hem which required pinning and stitching in place ribbons of the blue tulle to each layer of the skirt and adding a gathered hem to the underskirt to ensure is was vibrant at the base.

You can see our classic prom dress here which is made to order

 And here is our debutant in her dress.