Amazing Costuming and Needlework!

I just discovered the Hermitage's online catalog, which is amazing and filled with inspiring costuming... 

I've been emailing my mom, who is a textile artist, images all afternoon. 

The embroidery on these dresses is amazing! Click on the images to open them up larger in another window. They're all so detailed you almost have to look at them larger! 

 Ceremonial Court Dress of Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna, 1850's

Ceremonial Court Dress (according to legend, belong to Empress Maria Fydorovna, 1820's

Chamberlain's Ceremonial Uniform and Key, late 19th - early 20th century

Empress Alexandra Fydorovna's Masquerade Dress (17th century Ceremonial Dress of a Russian Tzarina) 1903

Evening Dress of Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna, Early 20th century

Priest's Vestments: Stole and Chasuble, First half of the 19th century

Shawl, second half of the 19th century

All images from the Hermitage Museum

I've sewn a new dress...

One of the things I was really looking forward to being able to do this summer was more sewing.

In school, especially during my senior year, I really had little time for anything that wasn't relevant to printmaking.

This afternoon, I sewed up a new dress. I have stacks of vintage fabric, ready to be used, but I found this silky purple and navy print at JoAnn fabrics of all places yesterday. Usually I end up pretty unimpressed with JoAnn's selection, but this watercolor-y yardage called out to me. 

I drafted a basic pattern, similar to a green dress that I own. Basically just two wrap top portions with ruching at the shoulders, a back piece and a skirt. I even added french seams to make it more finished inside.

This fabric has a really nice drape for a synthetic knit. It also doesn't fray much, making it easy to work with. I think JoAnn's actually classified it as a "silky print". Yeah. 

Here is a really awkward angle for a detail of the fabric pattern. It has lilac, purple, yellowish green, teal and taupe-y gray confetti spots on a navy ground.