Project 2: Mattie

My second project: Mattie. I'm naming this dress after my paternal grandmother, Martha "Mattie" Sharp who passed away this last year. She was such a classy, elegant woman who had such a wonderful laugh. She was the type of woman who raised a house full of boys (5 boys and 2 girls) but still managed to have her hair and makeup done every day. Shortly after my grandparents got married, my grandfather was called to serve an LDS mission. He told them that he wouldn't go unless he could bring his beautiful bride with him. With a special meeting, he got permission. She's a woman worth fighting for...and my grandfather seldom left her side. Shortly before her death, my grandparents celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary

Not all the materials I'll be using will be recycled. Two years ago, when I decided that I wanted to marry Bartek, we went to New York to visit his parents. As a fan of the show Project Runway, I decided that I needed to visit the fabric store Mood to look for some really great fabric for a wedding dress. I found this incredible French lace and fell in love with it. However, it was quite expensive and I wasn't sure if I was just loving it because it was from Mood or because I really loved it. I ended up getting a fabric sample and spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the fabric district to see if I could find anything else. However, weeks after returning from New York, I couldn't get that lace out of my mind. So, I called my friend Leslie who lives in Manhattan, sent her the fabric scrap and some money and had her buy me a yard. I don't regret it. It is so beautiful and unique--unlike any lace I've ever seen. I'll use this for the bodice of the dress.

The fabric I chose for the bottom is from a dress that I bought at a local consignment shop while looking for shoes for my sister's wedding. I love the combination of these two fabrics. The lace has a paisley pattern to it which really compliments the circular motion of the tulle on the skirt. I'll use silk from my last dress to make a tie that will go around the waist and break up the two busy patterns. Overall, I think this dress is going to be an elegant but fun dress. Definitely not a typical wedding dress style, but will be perfect for the right bride.

Here's the sketch and a quick drape to show what these fabrics will look like together.

in the beginning

I've put off this first post because I wanted something spectacular to write that would sound poetic and cool. However, words aren't my talent, sewing is. So I think I'll stick to the sewing and let you all stumble through my ramblings. Let me start at the beginning...

I started sewing when I was in the third grade. We hand-stitched a quilt square in Brownies and I decided that I wanted to finish it into a quilt. My mom was a seamstress, so she sat down with me and taught me how to sew. Let me just say, the finished product was incredible. I still have it--In fact, I think I'll have my mom mail it to me so I can post a picture of it. The squares are all sorts of different sizes and there are gaping holes where the seam came off the edge of the fabric, and it is quite lop-sided. I love that quilt because it signifies the beginning of a passion. From there, I quickly ventured in to clothing and it hasn't stopped. From ages 14-18, I made a new dress each month for the church dance, not to mention scores of jumpsuits, pants, and sassy cotton tops. By far, however, my favorite sewing projects involved using my mom's old clothes. I loved to dig through my mom's bins of old clothes and find things that I could alter to not only fit me, but find ways to make it more modern and hip. The best compliments I received from others came from those pieces. I loved the idea of giving new life to sad, discarded clothes.

Here I am, a little over 20 years later, still sewing, still digging through people's old clothes, and still loving it. I got engaged this summer (at the top of Mt. Rainier) and am so excited to be planning my wedding--particularly the dress. This has been something that I have dreamed about since I constructed my first piece of clothing. I have sketched and dreamed and drawn my wedding dress a hundred times, and now I finally get to make it which is quite a daunting task. Not daunting in that it will be hard, but daunting in the sense that this is it! I will only be making one wedding dress, so it had better be one that I am crazy about. My tastes and ideas change so often, that I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed. So I had an idea...why do I only have to make one wedding dress?

I have dreamed of starting a business where I make wedding dresses for people--particularly where I combine bits and pieces of existing wedding dresses. Every time I'm at a thrift store, I keep my eye out for dresses, slips, and other pieces of clothing with elements that I like: great fabric, gorgeous lace, interesting bodice, etc.. Now I have a closet full of random dresses, fabric, and lace and I'm going to get started. Over the next 8-12 months until my wedding, I'm going to make all the dresses I have plans for. Then, when my big day comes, I'll wear my favorite and sell the rest on etsy. Voila! Business started.

That's where you come in. I plan on blogging about my process and progress. I promise that subsequent posts won't be so stinking boring to read. I'll post more pictures and less rambles. That said, here are my first pictures. My "studio":

As I am a poor teacher, I live with my brother. He has a full house, without a space for my sewing room, so I've converted my bedroom into the sewing room. All my clothes are stored under the bed or in the dresser, and my closet has been transformed into the fabric room. It's kind of dreamy to walk in my closet now. I take that back. It will be dreamier when I have some finished pieces hanging in there!


In the bedroom, I've pushed the bed all the way into the corner and set up my sewing machines on a table. I have to sew with a fan running so I don't wake the kids in the next room. I'm keeping my computer right next to the sewing station so I can be sure to keep this blog active! I will only be able to sew/post about twice a week, as my life is packed with family, teaching, climbing, and taking care of a fiance!

So here we are...let the adventure begin!