Friday, May 27, 2016

All things homespun....Wispy Victoriana Frou-Frou...


All things eerie and wispy have been the order of the day here for some weeks, with a request from the Dance Teacher at our school for ethereal and wraith-like Victoriana style costumes for a Contemporary dance item this year. Sort of Miss Havisham-like, as I mentioned in my post here.

Remember Miss Havisham? She was the bride left at the altar in the classic novel, Great Expectations, and many of the great actresses of our time, have played the part with varying degrees of success, over the decades. Miss Havisham spent the rest of her days in decay and despair, pining for her lost love. Our brief was for a troupe full of Miss Havishams.
 
Materials were sourced including dresses in muted neutral hues, cobwebby yarn, ribbon, sequins, pearly buttons, tulle, silks, satins, chiffons, georgette and French script 'love letter' style fabric.
 
Mixed fibre bodices were fashioned using these elements and some trusty embroidery stabiliser. We loved the cobwebby look the yarn lent to the embellishments.
 
 
 
 
 
Rosettes were made utilising three strips of toning fabric, gathered at the base and hand stitched into simple rolled roses, which were then sprayed liberally with water and ironed with a pressing cloth, to flatten. These were attached as elements of the bodices, or as bustles on the backs of dresses and skirts. Wispy trails of shredded tulle, silk, satin, chiffon and French script created a great effect in motion.
 

 
A Highly Commended was achieved by the girls for this dance item, placing them sixth in a field of nearly 30 groups. No mean feat!
 
The costumes are now carefully packed away, a tribute to the hard work of a special handful of Mums.
 
Please note: I have had technology problems in the last fortnight, leaving me without computer or phone, so all posts and linkups were impossible. I'm looking forward to a return to my normal routine as of next week. Thankyou for your patience.
 
...Mimi...
 

21 comments:

  1. The costumes look amazing, Mimi! So much effort from you and the other mums helping. Congratulations to the girls for their Highly Commended! xx Fiona

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    1. Thanks Fiona. It was a LOT of work, but lovely work, and a great result :) Mimi xxx

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  2. How wonderful to be part of creating such beautiful costumes!

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    1. Thankyou AnnMarie. It's funny, but its a real bonding experience for the Mums. A good thing :) Mimi xxx

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  3. Lovely costumes Mimi. I love the style.

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    1. I'm pleased you like them Thel. They were certainly different to the other mass produced costumes in evidence at the Eisteddfod. Mimi xxx

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  4. Mimi, you did a fantastic job on those costumes!! I bet it was a lot of fun putting those together... minus the stress, I'm sure! Thanks for sharing at Dishing It & Digging It!

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    1. Thanks Lori. I'm glad you think so! Mimi xxx

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  5. Be still my beating heart!! All that glorious shredded tulle, satin, chiffon, silk, french script fabric and buttons and roses thrown into the mix as well....you and your mums have fashioned the most divine costumes. What a glorious sight to see your troupe sashaying across the stage..just beautiful!

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  6. Everything looks so great! Wow! I so love how this turned out!

    Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!

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  7. Looks amazing with the embelishment!

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  8. Dear Mimi:
    That is very dreamy and romantic. Really beautiful. I think of frou frou as like "feathers and cheap beads". Yours is not that - yours is truly lovely! Thanks for sharing and linking.

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  9. Wow, Mimi, such a talent you are!! It is so gorgeously dreamy romantic, beautiful! I did ballet as a little girl and I so much loved all the beautiful costumes we wore when performing. Your post is bringing back sweet memories :) Sending you hugs and a big thank you for joining again @ Simply Neutrals! xx Wen

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  10. This is a beautiful costume! You did a fabulous job and I'm sure the girls loved it. Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday this week.

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  11. Thanks for sharing this Mimi at Cooking and Crafting with J & J. :)

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  12. What a labor of love, and what an incredible idea to gain insight from a character in a beloved book. Thanks for sharing with #SocialButterflySunday! Hope you will join the link up again this week :)

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  13. Such beautiful photos of the wonderful created dresses for the girls, they must have been in heaven wearing the costumes, of beauty.
    And love the gorgeous rose, too
    Greetings from Dorthe

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  14. Wow - a labour of love resulting in awesome costumes, Mimi. Bet you had fun creating with the different fabrics and I'm sure the girls would have loved wearing them - I know I would, on both counts.

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  15. I've featured your fab mixed media panels today, Mimi.

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  16. visiting from sew many ways. These are amazing.

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I love hearing from you! I always respond to comments, so don't be shy! Mimi xxx