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Month: October 2011

Tolkien-Inspired Wedding Dress

I’m a very lucky girl. You know why? Because I’ve had some absolutely amazing clients in my life. (Don’t get me wrong – I’ve had the other kind, too. I just try not to focus on those.) I’ve just had the most life-affirming September/October I can remember. I had not just one, but three fantastically amazing clients who were all surprisingly ok with the fact that they were all happening at once. One of these clients was Leah, who shall hereafter be known as the Calmest Bride Ever(tm). Seriously, brides are the reason I try to stay away from bridal work. ;) But I somehow got one who was sure she wanted me to do her dress, was able to articulate what she wanted perfectly, and then said, “You’re a pro; I completely trust you to do whatever you think is best.” Wow. Like I said: I’m a very lucky girl.

And now the wedding has actually happened, and I can finally post the pictures! Tee hee hee! :) 

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Inserting a Two-Part Busk

The first steel, front-fastening busk was invented in 1829. (Waugh, 79) They’re nifty little beasties, especially at the end of the day when you would really, sincerely like to be OUT of your ding-dang corset. I’ve hear rumors that they can be used to get into a pre-tightened corset, as well, but I’ve tried, and I’m clearly missing a clue or two there. :/ The clue I do have is in how to insert the little buggers. Interested?

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How close to the edge of my bias should I sew?

Thank my crazy-fabulous students over at the college for this one – they’ve got a knack for asking those incredibly important, basic questions that you stop thinking about after a while. Things like, “What’s the best way to cut so I don’t get these weird edges?” or “How close to the edge of this should I sew?” I remember asking my mom forever ago: How close should I be to the edge of my bias tape?

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Drafting Hand Points on Sleeves

Oh, the medieval romance of the sleeve with the little pointsy-doo that falls gracefully over your hand… So lovely. The problem is that half the time something goes wrong and you end up with a sleeve that looks like it’s flipping you off – the point doesn’t follow your hand (unless you put a loop on it), it doesn’t lie smoothly, it wrinkles at the wrist… It can look so sweet, but it can go soooooo wrong. Here’s a drafting trick I picked up in a Bridal Couture class a few years back.

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