Working Hard !!!!

So what have I been up to? I've not kept you informed for a while. Well I have been busy, busy, busy!! The results of my recent rusting experiments from the May 12th posting..... the fist picture is the fabric that I folded over the top of my lantern... bit disappointing. The second is the table top - this is lovely but I have no idea what I am going to do with it. To answer the first question - what have I been doing and explain why I have been working hard - well I spent 5 days over last weekend helping my daughter with her 'Proposition' module for her degree. She is just finishing her degree in Drama and Theatre Studies and has been specialising more in costuming (I'm so glad she gets that from me !!!). Her inspiration came from the play Wedding on the Eiffel Tower but instead of making a 'theatrical' costume she wanted to prove her skills and really challenge herself so she decided to make a wedding dress - which obviously had to be 'perfect'.
Guess who had to help ??? In fact I think if we worked out the time taken I actually did more work on the final construction - which I guess is how a costume 'designer' would work -they do all the paperwork, drawings, research etc but then get the costume 'makers' (mum) to do the prep - cutting, tacking, ironing and hand stitching - esp the hem!, holding pins when the designer was stabbing the model during fitting, calming designers nerves when she panicked about how to display the dress, helping select the music for the display and even dashing to the local supermarket to buy flowers and making the posy to help finish off the look!!! I am multi-talented!! (but that is what mum's are for!!). I must admit my daughter did do a lot of the machining some of it tricky too!!

I am extremely proud of my daughter's achievement as the dress did look stunning when displayed - modelled by her house-mate Amy in a dark studio with just spot lights highlighting the dress. The tutors, examiners, technical staff and students all came to see it and her main tutor even brought the Dean of the University to see it!! They all suggested that my daughter should make wedding dresses for a career - great idea but I don't think I could cope with any more pressure!!!

I however, would like to make costumes (- perhaps even ball gowns). You have already seen my first assessment piece - the tutu - well here is a teaser of the second assessment piece for the HH course - another 'costume'. Recognise the fabrics? Yes my favourite rusting - lots of it!!! This is definitely a work in progress - I have lost track of the number of times I have pinned and re-pinned the pieces (I have kept a photographic record of each try out). You will have to wait to see this one complete!!Whilst making these two assessment pieces I have done a lot of research into 'recycled and distressed' clothing and I have been inspired with lots of ideas for future 'tutu-esk' garments.

Have a look at Gibbous Fashion, especially the 'Savannah sweetheart skirt' this is very much in 'my' style. Or look at Skull and Bone for distressing!!