New Sewing Endeavors - A Lord of the Rings inspired gown...for ME!

I used to spend countless hours researching and re-creating gowns and costumes from the Lord of the Rings movies. Then I got married...and now have kids. :-) And I couldn't be happier! However, time was focused elsewhere!
I have been performing Gypsy style dance at Renaissance Festivals since 2005, so the majority of my garb these days is of the belly dance persuasion. Again, not complaining.

This season of MDRF, for the first time in years, I do not have to work there. And I am pregnant again with our second child. Upon assessing my garb recently, nothing fits right now, and I don't want to wear gypsy garb.

I decided to embark on a new Elven gown, a week before Opening Weekend at MDRF. It was inspired by the style I did my wedding gown in, in 2007. It should fit me now...and when the belly is back to normal.

Here are the in progress photos!

Eventually, these wonderful shots will be on the website.
For now, they can be enjoyed on my blog.

Cherry Blossom Handfasting Cloth

Start to finish, here is a recent handfasting cloth I have done.
It turned out beautifully!

The last few stitches!

A long time coming, I am now heading down the back ruffle of the gown the with the last of the large leaves down the overskirt.
I am SO thrilled, it looks amazing!
Here are some peaks at what it is looking like now. I will have photos of it completely done tomorrow.

Bustle, ruffle, and leaves on bodice and skirt


The little leaves are all sewn on to the bodice now


View of the bustle and ruffle. There will be about 20 - 25 additional leaves trailing down the edge of the ruffle.

Finally done tonight!! :-D

October 8th Updates

We are almost finished! I'm so thrilled!

We are now over the hump (bustle?) with a lot of the tedious figuring out, and have just a few things left to do.

Left to do: Pin up bustle, pleat underskirt, and sew on little leaves on the bodice and overskirt. It will finally be done in the next few days, definitely ready by the weekend.

I have been SO busy lately with Faire and various other things going on that I have fallen a little behind in the picture taking. Currently, I am at my parents house for the weekend, and have brought gown, dress form, and sewing machine to work on while I am away from home.

Here are some photos from yesterday.

Sleeve pleating detail

side of gown and underskirt. Please note that these are in progress shots and the underskirt has not been pleated yet, or the bustle drawn up. It will be in the final stage. :-)

Sleeve and gown detail, the start of the leaves have been pinned to the dress form to test.

Full view! I added my little Hendricks hat as I am working for them this weekend. It looks kinda cute in these pics!

The start of the leaves...I am actually really looking forward to this part!

UPDATES: We have a bustle!

The overskirt is almost finished! It has taken a longer time than expected to carefully drape and pin the front of the skirt in to the drape that flows into the back, which in turn becomes the waterfall bustle.
Here is what it looks like so far!

Once the final stitches have been made, it will be pressed so the pleats fall perfectly.
On to the leaves and underskirt!



The front of the skirt and drape have been sewn down, the bustle
is in the progress of being stitched.

Bustle in progress

Progress Update 9-3-2010

The bodice is done, and the zipper is in place and goes at a diagonal across the back and goes down and is hidden in the pleats of the side of the skirt.


The overskirt is now attached and ready for the draping and bustle!!





View of the hidden zipper.



Front gathering of sleeve detail