So there has been progress with the wedding dress. Not really visible progress as I'd have to show you photos of my half nude body covered in scraps of fabric pins, and we don't want to go there, do we. Instead I'll talk you through where I've got to.
I was (am) procrasinating. Plain and simple. I'm a little stuck in the old it-looks-beautiful-in-my-head-so-i-don't-want-to-make-it-in-case-it-doesn't-work story. I'm good this game and as I've done it many times before for projects that are important to me, I now recognise that it is just part of the process. It will shift.
My lovely friend Jenn put me on a making diet, restricting me from doing random stuff until I started but I got subconsciously got around her quite easily by talking up how the girls need winter dresses and so I started by cutting out five. Five. Talk about avoidance.
The avoidance is mainly because I haven't really settled on a design. It will depend on the fabrics and how they drape. So I need to do some investigation which I am doing.
So what have I actually done.
Firstly - I've been obsessed with Laure De Sagazan, a French wedding frock designer, and have spent a couple of (worthwhile) hours dissecting the shapes and lace of her frocks. If she had a stockist in Melbourne I would probably abandon the idea of homemade and trot on in with a smile on my face. Her frocks are just stunning and I would happily support her growing business. But she doesn't and I really do want to try to make it. I really do :).
Secondly - I wanted to sew up a few things to try to find a silhouette I liked.
So far I've made;
- The Elisalex bodice - which is truly lovely but looks too formal
- The Anna bodice - which is truly lovely but looks too bridesmaidy with the only exception being that I think this version with the low V back could be truly beautiful. Especially if it was made of lace.
- The Esme from Lotta - which I adore and thought about using if I was to go with a sleeve. The shape of the neckline is beautiful and it is a great base which I could then alter by taking the back out ala-Laure.
Thirdly - I drafted a pattern from my favourite Gorman RTW skirt to use as a base. I adore how this thing drapes. I then sewed it up with some linen to get an idea of whether it works. It does and it's beautiful. The shape is perfect.
Fourth - Using my all-time favourite dress (mine is a different print) I've been trying to work out a pattern given all my mock ups. This frock makes me feel sensational and so I want to copy the waist band and the length of the bodice. It fits perfectly. I purchased from the super No.6 in New York - I've been trying to figure out a way to use the shape of the dress top and the waistband with the Gorman skirt to make my own Frankenpattern.
Favourite Gorman skirt. It's like the perfect a-line/circle mix.
Five - I purchased 5.5m of this beautiful Nani Iro from Miss Matatabi for the flowergirl frocks. The second photo on her website shows it better but doesn't really do it justice - and neither does my picture at the top. It is the palest perfect pink (from a non-pink lover) with silver sheen and white and fragile green flower outlines. Again this purchase is total procrastination that I feel really good about. I'm thinking little backless Geranium Dresses, maybe with a slightly longer bodice and a deep V back. The weather in Melbourne in December is rid-ic-u-lous. It could be 42 degrees or it could be 18. You never know.
Onwards and upwards. The procrastination will shift*.
My next step is to mock up an actual whole dress. I'm going to use some chambray and hope for the best. I'll be pattern making as I go. But first I need to finish those five half made kid frocks ;-).
Felicia x
* In this gorgeous podcast with Paul Coehlo he talks about how he procrastinates about 3/4 hours per day before he gets to the writing. And that it is just part of his process.
