S o l e S a l v o

K A T I E

Katie's dress inspired me to learn how to embroider.  One of the most special things about making dresses for my friends is that bits and pieces of one find their way into the next and in some subtle way weave my friendships together.  When I started working on Katie's dress, I knew I was looking for some kind of crystal that would be classic and sparkle more than individual beads or sequins.  Abby came to my rescue with some vintage crystals- they were still wrapped in yellowing paper stamped with the date in the mid 50s. 

The bodice of this dress was a netting overlay for a subtle illusion of sparkle denser at the neckline and dissipating away.  I had to stitch each crystal onto the netting one by one.  I think I hurt my neck that summer...

The bodice of this dress incorporated layers of bias cut chiffon, satin, and organza in subtle cream shades.  each strip was stitched down and then softly frayed at the edges.  

The skirt has arched motifs with the layered silks.  The train was detachable, and I made the veil last minute with the same netting and crystals used on the bodice.