Coming Soon!

Coming soon will be my weekly feature on fellow designer & friend Natalia Tjiang who is currently attending George Brown college in Fashion. 

I worked with her during Founders Week (mentioned in a previous blog post) and I love pretty much all of her designs & she is also custom designing my bridesmaids dresses for when I get married, so I am proud to present this wonderful designer and I hope you all enjoy her as much as I do :)

Upcoming new feature!

Wow dress trends! All I've been seeing on pinterest is nothing but lace, sequins, high low hems, illusion skirts, etc. So to keep you all in the know for an upcoming wedding, prom, or other dressy event I will be posting all the best things!

HALLOWEEN!

As you all know Halloween is coming soon! What you probably didn't know however is its my faveourite holiday!
Two years ago I threw together a cheap Anne Boleyn costume, but since then I've wanted to make a replica of one I've seen in "Anne of a thousand days" & "The Tudors".
It's been almost 2 years now but I am well on my way to having everything to make it. I now have all the brown satin I need and also the base for the french hood. I've already made the dual layer skirt (tan brocade & brown satin) and it just needs hemming at this point, and soon I'll be well on my way to making the bodice. I'm super excited about the bodice because it's going to feature black faux fur trimmed sleeves. So here's the photos that inspired my dream & pictures of my progress will soon be posted :)

 

 

Pinterest DIY projects

In my last blog I mentioned I got an account on pinterest, I still have yet to cure my pinterest addiction. I've started a board on pinterest dedicated just for pinterest sewing DIY's. I recently started a great many number of projects as there were so many good ideas I came up with. Turning old receiving blankets from when I was a baby into a quilt, a long sleeve shirt into a short sleeve shirt that even Kate Middleton would probably like, and a maxi dress. I started all those while I was supposed to be making a sock monkey for my fiance's little sister's birthday present. I decided to post pictures of the DIY I used and what became of my blouse project as its the one that is the most completed at the moment. So enjoy!

Oh and you might find it interesting to know that the blouse was intended to be just one project but it turned into 2 when I chopped the french cuffs off since I remembered you can sew the end you cut and turn them into funky gifts bags! (Picture is included for that too)

I Now Have Pinterest!

Thanks to the ever inspiring site pinterest.com I was almost lured away from my blog permanently. Instead of  updating my blog I was continuously logging on Pinterest every day (and sometimes every couple of hours each day) I was absolutely addicted. Although it may just have been a good thing. I came to a point where I was no longer inspired by my old inspirations for my fashion designs. I wanted to create something new, sexy but classy and thanks to Pinterest I found just the thing, a woman's tuxedo.  I designed it as a one piece with a high waist & low neckline & halter neck, sleeveless and shorts, made out of pressed heavy polyester with satin lining, collar, and hems.
I now officially think that Pinterest.com is the Google images for creative people and that's just the brief definition of it.
It's like Facebook/Google images/Polyvore/Twitter its great!

If you notice that I am gone from my blog for a very long time you can normally find me here: http://pinterest.com/sassysarah1990/

Wedding dress designs (Recent & upcoming projects)

Finally after two years of designing, searching and creating I have finally almost completed my own wedding dress. I was inspired by a mix of Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco, Princess Diana of Wales, and Queen Elizabeth of England's wedding apparel.
I was originally gifted the original dress by my employer from my co-op placement at The Crosmaz & Brown Vintage Emporium, soon after I received it I then took it apart and made it into something completely new.
It is now a ballgown wedding dress with a Cathedral length train (Almost as long as princess Diana's was) it also now has a sweet hear neckline trimmed with antique lace (It's original neckline was a Jewel neckline, but I turned it into a more flattering neckline for my figure and I was inspired by Grace Kelly's)
The front of the ballgown skirt still has it's original autumn leaves applique still on it (The applique formerly continued up onto the bodice but I removed that as it was too distracting and looked more elegant just on the skirt)
Something I still need to add to it is the ribbon waist line, there is a medium sized satin bow on the back just below the zipper so I want it to look like I have a thick ribbon tied around my waist to accent it.

I hopefully have an upcoming project coming up, to design a historical wedding dress.
My possible client is interested in something Victorian to go with her themed wedding so it is now in the research and design process. She wants a large ballgown skirt like mine or bigger with an incredibly long train and a corseted sleeveless bodice. I plan to create it a similar way that I did with mine (Although in a much shorter time period) with a base dress that I could alter and use the fabric from and add or remove things to correspond with the intended design as they want it cost effective, and I will probably just rent out or let her borrow the undergarmentry as she wants it similar to the one for mine. To make it cost effective it would be a better option or the undergarments could end up more expensive then the dress itself since she wishes it to be very poufy. Hopefully all goes well and I start creating this soon :)

My first costuming project:Hastings Founders Week

Two years ago this September I would have participated in my first historical costuming/designing project. It took place in my home town Hastings, Ontario. I had worked with the Hastings Historical Society and some friends to put together events and design and make costumes to celebrate the founding of the town of Hastings. It was a weeklong event and not only was I part of the costuming crew I also got to wear most of the costumes I made, although I did make costumes for others and not just myself.

Mourning gown

Most of my gowns were bright and youthful but I also made a mourning gown. (I am modeling my own gown on the left)This gown is not entirely black so it would be intended for semi mourning. I wanted to keep the traditions and beliefs from the Victorian period for my character.

For one of my last appearances in costume I wore this, I was sad to see the festival coming to an end and but I also wanted to portray my character as a young widow as most pioneer women married young and could easily lose a husband in a farming or hunting accident.

Pink Gown

I am modeling my own gown on the far right of this picture with some members of Hastings Founders Week. I did some alterations on it earlier this year but this is a picture of it in its original design.

I really had no set inspiration for this dress it was a whole mix of things but my biggest inspiration was its fabric it is pink with beautiful pink rosebuds printed on it. Since it was to be a pioneer costume I went for a girly country vibe.

My inspiration for its recent alterations is Marie Antoinette I like the split skirt with the underskirt showing at the front, so originally there was a seam at the very front of the dress's skirt, but I cut that and added lace trim and now have a light pink underskirt trimmed with lace to go underneath it.

Rust Colored Riding Habit

The riding habit that I made (Which is modeled by a friend below) was inspired by a similar rust colored riding habit with full skirt also featured below.

I wanted to go for a more regency feel to it so I planned something similar only with a considerably deflated skirt.

I admit it did turn out different than originally planned as do most of my designs I continuously design and work with it until I get a perfect final result, but I had also given up on this costume half way through making it and it was continued by my friend Natalia Tjiang as she was supposed to wear it in The Hastings Founders Week Festival but could no longer participate and this was supposed to be her costume. So by technicality this one was co designed & created.  

The riding habit was supposed to have a duplicate so that there would be matching set only the other one was to be browner with rust colored accents rather than rust colored with brown accents. Natalia & I were to wear them but due to her inability to participate in most of the event these rust colord habits were not featured in the festival. 

Meant to be worn with long black riding gloves like the inspirational photo above this is probably one of my better creations I made for The Hastings Founders Week Festival.