posted by Trish
My friend Jeanie recently asked me to design a dress for the opening night of Wild Black Yonder. The play, by Lary Bloom, premiered this past Thursday evening at The Katherine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook, CT. This was a big night for Jeanie as it was her theater company, Margreta Stage, putting on the production. How could I refuse? Being in my cozy design studio draping, cutting and sewing are my favorite things to do. Managing Smashing Darling is full time for me, it never stops. This means I don’t get much design time anymore. It took some discipline to work on this project. I was arriving at my studio at 6:30 am to get started early so I still had time to put in enough hours for my Darling workday. I think it was worth every minute. Jeanie looked really beautiful onstage welcoming the crowd and introducing the play. This coming year it is my goal this year to strike a balance between designing clothing and managing the website. Even if it means really early mornings and long days. I love designing and really miss it. It is a part of who I am and why this community exists.
It all starts with a piece of muslin.
Draping the front panel.
Center front to princess seam, complete.
Each panel was cut out separately…
…to strategically place the pattern of the fabric on the dress.Pinning the panels on the dress form as I worked.
The bottom of the sleeve reminds me of a Chinese lantern.
It’s all in the details.
…and when you can’t get the pattern where you want it by repositioning the pattern piece, move the pattern.Applique works wonders.
