A Little Photo Shoot...

Over ten years ago, I made this wedding gown for my eldest niece, Jennifer. We nicknamed it the "Princess Bride Gown". 

 

We lived half a country apart during the process, so before I cut into the expensive fabrics, I made a beautiful cotton version of the gown to be sure the measurements would be right for her. Once the "muslin" (a tailor's term) was complete, she flew to Florida for a fitting and necessary adjustments were made. I then created her wedding gown from those alterations. (I made the bridesmaids' dresses, too.)

 

 

The main body of this gown is the muslin I created for Jen's dress. I've since added different sleeves, to resemble a "bar wench" look that I thought might be suitable should someone want it for a Renaissance Fair, but it would also be a pretty bridal gown for a less formal wedding. The overskirt is hemmed, but the underskirt is not. It should be shortened and hemmed at an appropriate length for the person who would wear it.

 

I was so happy when I knew Jenni was coming to visit, because I couldn't think of a better model for the dress I originally made for her.

I'm going to offer it on Facebook Marketplace, but will also list it today in my Etsy shop to find a buyer for it. No sense in me keeping it anymore, so I'm hoping it will be just the piece someone has been searching for. 

A Beautiful Day To Say

…I do!

I promised photographs, and I always try to keep my word.

Here are just a few to whet your appetite. 

I have loads of them, and will be happy to show you more of the splendid day we shared.

Uncle Handsome and I stopped to greet the groom pre-ceremony to try to calm his nerves.

He was so darn cute, and couldn't wait to marry his love.

 

The ceremony began with my nephew, Dan walking his mama - my sister, Di - down to her seat.

Her husband is right behind her on the walk. 

The ceremony was held on the deck of this lovely farm estate.

I missed a photo of their sons before the ceremony, but each of them wore badges that said

"Ring Security"

In addition to their badges, they also wore mock Secret Service-type ear buds. 

They went all-in on the assignment. Elder carried his dad's ring, and Younger carried the bride's.

The ceremony was quite touching, and I have lots of photos before and after this moment…

The moment they sealed their vows with a kiss.

So much going on, but the bride asked me if I could "install" the bustle after the ceremony.

The old workhorse quickly answered the bell. 

With my prepared kit, I set to adding a bustle fastener to her gown.

I placed circles of stabilizer in front of and under the gown where I'd determined it should go.

My thinking was that if someone stepped on her gown, the stabilizer would protect the gown.

One circle - for the outside - had the seam binding machine sewn to it.

My process was to hold one circle under the gown, and then sew the top circle 

and ribbon would be sewn together. I did that step by hand.

The dress train was quite heavy and cumbersome. Another man named Andy, who 

came to my rescue offered to hold onto the gown while I made the installation. 

He's a good friend of Dan's, and he was so chivalrous. 

Once the sewing was complete, I brought the seam binding up to tie behind the antique brooch.

The bustle did its job until someone stepped on the back of her gown. By that, I mean that it 

didn't tear the gown. The ribbon stayed attached to the brooch, breaking away from the 

stabilizer and keeping the gown from being torn. I'm so happy my concept actually worked!

The cupcakes were delicious, by the way.

I have lots more photos of this perfect day. I snapped away during the ceremony, 

and reception. So many smiling faces! If you'd like me to share more photos, 

just leave a comment below. I wish you could have been all around me.

Remember to let me know if you'd like to see more photos.

We Interrupt My Needle Dancing...

Anyone who knows me knows that I don't do alterations. I'd rather make something start to finish than "fix" someone else's creation, or change the dimensions to fit. It's the kind of work that I truly despise. If anyone asks me if I'll alter something for them the answer is always an emphatic "no!".

My dear nephew, Dan (who I've introduced before) is getting married in September. We all love his future wife. They've been together for years, have twin daughters, plus she's "Mom" to his first two boys (who live with them full-time). In addition to being a great couple - they are perfect for each other - they're great parents to their children.

Dan comes at the drop of a hat when I need help, and he's always been my champion (next to Handsome), so when I got a text from his betrothed, I made a side trip to Fond du Lac today to do what I never do.

She was in a panic because she hasn't been getting return calls from where she purchased her gown to arrange to have it fitted. "Aunt Donna, will you please help?" I made no promises, but said I'd look at the gown, size up the issue, and then decide. She sighed an audible sigh of relief.

When I got to their home, she slipped into her gorgeous gown and we assessed what needed to be done. Tighten up the bust area (she'd lost weight since buying the dress), clean up the hemline, and add what would be needed to be able to bustle the back for the reception.

I know. I'm a soft touch. I love these two kids, and I can do what she needs done so her gown will be perfect for her most memorable day in her life (next to giving birth to their girls). So, the needlework project is on hold. I'll be in the studio helping my future niece step into a perfectly fitted gown on her wedding day. 

By the way, you understand why I'm only sharing glances of the gown. In the event that family or friends read this post, I wouldn't ever ruin the surprise of the groom's and attendees' first look. You'll have to wait until we go to the wedding to see pictures of her in her stunning (perfect-fitting) gown.

But in case anyone is still wondering...I DON'T DO ALTERATIONS. EVER. Nope. Not me. I just won't touch them at all. 

I love you, Alexandria and Dan. 

The Princess Bride Gown...

Brynwood Needleworks - Dubbed "The Princess Bride Wedding Gown"

In 2008, I created a wedding dress for my eldest niece. 

I began making it on July 8th of that year and completed it on September 18th...one month before the wedding. This was the only thing I worked on that entire time. When I calculated actual time spent cutting, sewing, beading and stitching, I figured I had more than 350 hours of love poured into the project. (I was clearly obsessed.)

Her wedding date was October 18, 2008 and the plan was that Handsome and I (I'm her aunt and Godmother) would hand deliver the gown (along with two bridesmaid's dresses I also made) in time for the ceremony.

Brynwood Needleworks - Wedding Gown Back

If you and I were friends on Ravelry at that time (and you also belonged to a sub-group called "Grandma's Hand"), you followed the entire process of making the gowns with me.

Handsome left to visit his brother in Massachusetts for two weeks when it came time for me to cut into the fabric for the actual wedding dress. He wanted to give me space to work on it without interruption. He was also looking forward to seeing family and friends in Nantucket. We both would benefit from the trip.

The day he was supposed to leave to drive back home (near the end of July), I received a call saying he was very ill and had been flown by jet from Nantucket Cottage Hospital to Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston.

By the end of the day, he'd undergone surgery, I had made arrangements with a local kennel to board my retriever, Kes, and I was on my way to Boston. The gown My life was on hold. Handsome was all that mattered to me.

Brynwood Needleworks Wedding Gown Side View

Without going into further detail, we were in Boston for three weeks before I could bring my husband back home to recuperate and gain his strength. In addition to caring for him and helping him heal, I managed to complete not only the wedding gown, but also cummerbunds and bridesmaids dresses.

By the time I needed to leave for Minnesota, Handsome was well enough to travel. We delivered everything, and at the request of the Grandmas, danced together at the wedding reception. That dance meant the world to me - and the ladies in Grandma's Hand not only celebrated long-distance with us, but they sustained me through the most difficult days in our married life. This gown also signified our triumph over this unexpected challenge.

Brynwood Needleworks Muslin Version - Wedding Gown Front

Before I ever cut into the actual fabric for the gown, I made it completely in a white muslin version.

Brynwood Needleworks Muslin Version - Wedding Gown II

My niece lived 1500 miles away in Minnesota, so her fiance' helped her take the measurements I asked for to enable me to set up my dress form to her exact measurements. I padded out the form, added a corset similar to the one she would wear, and set the shoulder height to match hers. It would be like fitting the dress to her, even though she was so far away.

She made arrangements to fly to Florida when the muslin was finished - and that was her fitting for the actual gown.

Brynwood Needleworks Muslin Version - Wedding Gown Back

I didn't add a back closure so that I could be sure the bodice would fit her perfectly. The sleeves were unattached so I could be sure they were the right length for her, and the under dress was unhemmed so that I could pin it to fall perfectly when she came for the fitting.

Brynwood Needleworks Muslin Version - Wedding Gown Back on Bride

She came for a long weekend, and I tacked, measured and wrote down all the details I would need to make the perfect wedding gown for her. Handsome helped me by taking photographs to help me visualize anything else I might have missed.

Brynwood Needleworks Muslin Version - Wedding Gown Front on Bride

When we delivered the gowns (a few nights before the wedding), my niece and her bridesmaids (her future sister-in-law and sister) came to our hotel room for their final fittings.

Brynwood Needleworks Wedding Gown and Bridesmaids' Dresses - Fitting Night

My niece stepped into her wedding gown - and it fit her perfectly. I couldn't have fit it any better had she lived with us during the sewing process!

You can see I still had a little fitting to do on the bridesmaid's dresses. I didn't hem them or finish the bodice seams until they tried on the dresses. I had plenty of time to do that between that night and the wedding, and actually had them finished the next morning.

Brynwood Needleworks Wedding Gown and Bridesmaids' Dresses

The bride and the wedding party were perfect for their big day, thanks to the muslin that I made first. I  was so glad that I'd done it because it saved me money and time in the long run.

Why have I told you this whole story? 

Brynwood Needleworks Muslin Version - Wedding Gown Bodice

Because I still have that muslin gown. Instead of adding the buttons down the back of the dress like that actual wedding gown, I've sewn in a zipper. Somehow those sleeves that had to be shortened were lost in the shuffle. I'm in the process of making new ones.

The outer skirt of the gown was finished prior to the bride's fitting, but the under dress still needs to be hemmed, which I will do. 

Then, I'm going to list it in my Etsy shop. It would be a fabulous costume - or, because I chose quality, soft, white muslin that looks like a more expensive cotton, it could even be a wedding gown for a more casual ceremony. Could you even imagine the fair maiden wearing this muslin for the wedding gown Handsome dubbed the "Princess Bride" gown at a Renaissance Faire?

I'll work on it this week so it's ready to list. It deserves more than hanging in my studio closet. I'd love to see someone else wear and enjoy this dress that has so much history attached to it.

Revisiting The Royal Wedding...

 

I love weddings. I mean, really, who doesn't? I know I'm not the only one who got up early that day in April just to watch the Royal wedding. What I love more than the actual nuptials is to be able to look at all the trappings and accessories that make for the perfect bridal ensemble. I personally think that Katherine was a regal vision.

A recent article in The Daily Mail (UK), which I hate to admit I read every day (without fail) showcased a new exhibit that will feature a number of items (actual or recreated) so that the Royal subjects can view Katherine's wedding attire "up close".

I hadn't noticed the details on the back of the wedding gown (the veil obscured the waistline area), and love the tucks that create a bustled effect on the back of the dress. And, can you even imagine how long it took just to button up the back of her dress?

 

 Queen Elizabeth II actually said that this display of Katherine's gown "sans head" was "sort of disturbing". I think I agree with her.

I like the fact that Katherine's veil wasn't floor-length. I think it's less formal, but again, really enhanced her elegant gown.

Are you a shoe hound? I am. (In fact, Handsome used to call me "Imelda" - as in, Imelda Marcos, which you need to be old enough to understand.) Although I don't wear high heels as much as I used to, I sure feel more special when I do. Katherine's wedding shoes, with their lace trim, are "my kind of shoe". (gushing here)

What little girl didn't dream of wearing a crown on her special day? Katherine wore the Cartier Halo Tiara, created in 1936. It was purchased by the Duke of York (later King George VI) for the Queen Mother (Elizabeth I). The Queen Mother gave it to Queen Elizabeth II (then Princess Elizabeth) for her 18th birthday. Don't you just love items steeped in tradition?

I think it's a stunning piece, and understated when compared to some of the other crowns she might have been able to choose instead.

The wedding bouquet.

There is also a duplicate of the wedding cake that will be on display in all it's monochromatic glory. I especially like that it has the wedding couple's combined monogram in the third tier from the top. I don't know what kind of cake was inside, but if it was the traditional British fruitcake, I think I might know I would have passed. White cake with raspberry filling would have been more to my liking. (Or perhaps cheesecake!)

Of all of the items on display, you have to know that Katherine's earrings would be my personal favorite. They were a gift from her parents, and incorporate acorns from the Middleton family crest.

The earrings are totally encrusted with diamonds. Acorns totally encrusted with diamonds. Pardon me while I swoon. Do you think someone is going to duplicate these like they did Princess Diana's engagement ring all those years ago? I'm just wondering.



Thank you to everyone who sent get well wishes. I can announce that my back feels so much better now, and I'm hoping to put together an interesting Taggart story for you for tomorrow.

A Wedding Blog Party...

If you're here for the
BLOGGERETTE SORORITY EVENT
please click here.

Today I'm participating in the Wedding Blog Party,

hosted by Stephanie at Angelic Accents.
Our only guideline is that it be romantic or wedding-related.

My regular followers know that I recently completed
a wedding gown for my mum's April beach wedding,
but if you're new to Brynwood, I'd like to share my favorite
photograph from her big day:
Our family has known Burt for over 45 years.
It was a match made in Heaven, and their celebration was perfect
and I was honored to make the gown she wore for her special day.
You can click here, if you'd like to see the entire wedding album.
In 2008, my eldest niece (who is also my goddaughter)
was married. I made her gown, the attendant's dresses
and the cummerbund for her husband and his son,
who she has now adopted.

In March of this year, she gave birth to their second son.
I made his christening gown from the surplus fabric
I'd purchased for her gown. (I'd planned ahead, knowing
that they wanted to have more children together.)
You can click here to see their entire wedding album,
from choosing the fabric, to Handsome and me
dancing at their reception. I've even included a photo
of their new son and his finished christening gown,
which I am hand delivering to them this weekend.
I couldn't do a romantic post without sharing my wedding
photograph to Handsome. It was 60º on December 29th
in Wisconsin!! (Yes, it was a record heat wave in 1984.)
We celebrated our 25th anniversary last December,
and I'm as crazy about this man now as the day I met him.
(It was love at first sight...really!)
In the words of the vicar in The Princess Bride,
"If it's Wuv...Twoo Wuv."

I hope you enjoyed my romantic post today,
and that you get a chance to visit the other participants
in The Wedding Blog Party.

May your days also be filled with love and happiness.

My Next Major Project & A Winner...

You know about me making my mum's wedding gown recently, but before I started my blog, I also made this wedding gown.

In the spring of 2008, my eldest niece (and goddaughter) Jennifer, told me that she and her fiance', Kip were planning an October, 2008 wedding. She asked me to make her wedding gown.
Approximately three hundred fifty hours after I began (and only one fitting in a fully constructed muslin "practice gown"), this was her finished wedding gown. We called Jen "The Princess Bride". I also made the attendants' dresses for her sister and future sister-in-law, and the cummerbunds for her husband and her then-stepson (now adopted son), Carter.

When everything was complete, Handsome and I loaded up our vehicle and drove all the gowns and "extras" to Minnesota for the wedding. It was quite an honor for me, as she also asked me to dress her for her special day. (You can click on this link to see the photo album of the entire process - right through her wedding day.)
This is the fabric I used to make her gown...silk duppioni, Oscar de la Renta brocade (which was reversible), and beaded silk duppioni. I purchased extra fabric, because I'm one of those people who embraces tradition and family ties. I knew that some day, there would be a baby that would wear a christening gown, and rather than cut up her wedding gown, I planned for enough fabric left over to make her family's next heirloom.

I made Jennifer's christening gown when she was a baby, and have made gowns for nearly every child (or at least one for each of my sibling's families) since then. I've also made the christening gowns for our three grandchildren.
This was the gown I made for our youngest son and his wife's daughters. Both of them have worn it. This is the basic style I'll use for Jennifer's son, Liam. (You may have noticed on my birthday greetings for April, I welcomed little Liam into our family.) I'll modify it so that it has features that are reminiscent of her wedding gown, too.

So, this is my next big project. The christening is scheduled for July, but I'm attending a cousin's wedding in Wisconsin in June, so I'll make the gown early and hand deliver it to Jennifer and Kip. (Won't it be much more fun to see their reaction, than to ship it to them and settle for a phone call?)

Oh, golly! You're waiting to find out who the winner of one of my Hearts' Desire hearts is, aren't you? (giggling). I had to wait until midnight. Then, I went over to the Random Number Generator to get the winning number. Handsome is already fast asleep. Otherwise, I'd be asking for an official drumroll. So, without the drumroll this evening...

Congratulations to Connie of She Dreams Big!

Connie: Please email me your address so that I can mail your heart to
you as soon as I finish it. I'll be making yours in the pink silk rose design!

I really appreciate the sweet comments that each of you left. I realized from some of your comments that, unless you've already received one of these hearts, I've never told you what size they are. These hearts measure approximately 5" x 6" .

I decided (also from reading your comments) that I'll also be making them in a larger "throw" pillow size to sell. Thanks so much for helping me realize that I should make the larger size so that people will have the option of a large sachet size, or one to put in a chair or on their bed.
Thanks again!