Garden Path - Jacket - Part XII

Back on Track!

Thank you all for the input - I considered everything, and will be incorporating some of those ideas!

Since I had all those cut out flowers, I decided to start with a clean slate and try redesigning the applique. It was much easier to mix, match and move around the flowers as individuals until I was happy with the arrangement.

I was happy enough with the arrangements, that I took pictures of them so I wouldn't forget where to put the flowers. I also started removing all the stems and hollyhocks from the piece so that I could start over. Don't worry - there will be hollyhocks, just not where they were. That space is reserved for other design features.

Once I had enough old stuff removed (and saved - it is still good and I'll need it), I restarted the work by pinning the paper flowers where the applique ones will eventually be. I now can start with the bottom layer of stems and leaves and maybe get going on that large rose soon. This piece is the lower center back of the jacket, just for reference.

I like what I've come up with much, much better! The bonus is that I will be able to work with all the flower varieties at once, rather than working my way through them - much more interesting from my point of view. After the umpteenth flower of the same type, it does get a bit tedious! I can also add in flowers as needed since I'm doing both hand stitched applique and the synthetic flowers. Lastly, I get to keep the orange lilies! All of the rest of the flowers are pinks or purples, so this piece really needed that punch of orange.

Recap: That YSL Gown and Cape, Vogue 1897! Just in case you didn't read all the comments, I got this one, which was amazing and very special:

"OK, this just brings back way too many memories. I had this exact pattern (sans the cape)for my Senior Prom. It was a delicate green, white and silver brocade with drop pearls around the midriff, sleeveless. There is a picture of me wearing it in my yearbook. I graduated in 1971 so the pattern probably came out in the winter of 1969 or 70. I can remember picking out the pattern, cloth, and trim at Belks! What a great memory.
Mom"

Alright, Mom, if this is the large photo of you on the dock overlooking the lake at sunrise/sunset, I know exactly which one it is! For reference, their yearbook was the larger format and this was a full page spread right in the front of the book.

Paco also sent me these photos of other YSL dresses originally from a magazine from 1964, note the style similarities to the Vogue pattern:


Tomorrow: The invisible zipper tutorial. This tutorial will mainly focus on what seems to be a common problem area - lining up horizontal seams, most notoriously, that waist seam.

Parting Shot: Paints! And some other stuff too, like dyes for plant fibers and for protein fibers/nylon and Bubble Jet Set. In the front are the Transparent Setacolor paints by Pebeo used for the sunprinting. Sunprinting is basically using this paint on fabric, placing solid objects on it and then letting it dry in the sun and heat setting. What remains are shadows of the objects you placed on the fabric. Dharma Trading Co., has a much more detailed explanation and pictures, too.