Handmade Organdy Roses.

Keep it handemade!
In this buissness I am always making roses to trim my gowns or to make as headpieces. These are so pretty and so much nicer than buying them, as they are all made it far away countries and look rather artificial!
They are rather fiddly and patience is needed . The best fabric to use is Cotton Organdy or fabrics that don't fray. Find some interesting stamens in a cake craft shop , cut the petal shape and you are away!
Leave a comment if you would like a step by step guide.

All in pink!

I have been looking through my photos of old dresses and found this wonderful picture taken many years ago... so its very vintage! but not far off the current trend of today.
This was one of my first dresses ever made. Iced pink silk Dupion gown with a hand painted Organza fichu neckline, with a delicate rose trellis design. Of which James Hare Silks went on to buy the design from me and printed many hundreds off metres. I love this huge hand tied bow detail falling away onto the skirt. The back was finished with tiny button detail and a small puddle train. This needs to be revised, maybe I'll redesign it with a little bit of 2011 input.

Another detail that made me chuckle was my lovely models fringe!

This weekend I have been inspired by my daughter Izy's drive, she works so hard and never stops once she see's a clear way. I love it when she comes back home to use all my stuff and we can get all creative....come back soon Izy!

Thinking on your feet!

I have been looking through all my old gowns and Brides and came across this. It was taken right bang in the middle of the 1980's by William ... oh, I'm sure you can tell! She was a beautiful bride. Look at the huge ruffle which sat on top of huge puffball sleeves, trimmed with handmade silk roses. The rest of the dress was a tight boned bodice falling into a full skirt and train. The gown was trimmed with the roses coming from the waist and falling down the front of the gown.

I remember the wedding day well, as I went to dress the bride, which is something I often do. As my bride sat chatting happily and admiring the gown, she picked up a bottle of nail varnish to paint her nails. She shook the bottle, as you do, and to our horror the lid flew off and the pink varnish spread itself all across the back off the train and onto her mother's new carpet!

This is where you have to think on your feet.... Nail varnish remover was used x 2 bottles, bought at amazing speed from the chemist, I scrubbed and scrubbed [luckily the silk was of excellent quality to withstand this harsh liquid] With only 40 minutes to go the start of the wedding, my bride remained completely calm. I however, was 7 months pregnant and feeling as if I was going to have the baby at any minute. You may be wondering how this could ever be resolved. Well... I ended this dilemma by pruning the roses that feel gently from the waist, to falling casually up and across the back and train.

As she walked up the aisle, not a minute late, looking beautiful and serene, nobody was any the wiser!