So tired!!!

Minus 2 days to go!! I can't believe the week flew by so quickly but I am glad to finally be able to sit down and take a break. I had an absolutely fabulous week but it was such a whirlwind. Apologies to any readers that have been waiting for photographs but I never had time to log on to the computer, never mind upload any pictures. However, I have finally downloaded the pictures from the camera and have also been sent some excellent images from photographers who were visiting the festival.

These are just a few shots that were very kindly shared with me by Neil Tudor. I will post more of the pictures of different events later on, once I have had a chance to sort through them. Many thanks to Neil for these beautiful shots which he so kindly sent to me today.

Photography by Neil Tudor

Photography by Neil Tudor

Photography by Neil Tudor

Victoria's Ball Gown

25 days to go...

I can't believe how fast the time is running out and I don't have long to post today. But before I get back to stitching (all the unexciting bits - eyelets holes and hook and eyes to fasten the dresses and boning channels) I just thought I would share some pictures of the finished ball gown. That is, finished without all of the hand-stitched lacing holes up the back!

Inspired by Queen Victoria's wedding dress, this gown has a deep pointed waist, double puff sleeves and a deep lace bertha at the neckline. This gown will be worn with the Queen's regalia for The Victorian Grand Ball on Friday 26th August and also for the Pageant of Queen Victoria's life on Tuesday 23rd August.

Wedding Dress Inspiration

27 days to go...

I have spent the last few days working on my evening and ball gown for Queen Victoria.

I decided to base this dress on Victoria's wedding dress and the gown will also be worn during the festival for the Pageant of Queen Victoria's life which will include her wedding.

Queen Victoria's Wedding Dress, 1840(MoL D325 a & b, Royal Collection)

The original dress is made of Spitalfield's silk. It was originally creamy white but has discoloured over time and is now a darker shade of cream. The dress has a pleated skirt and a separate bodice. The bodice has a very pronounced point at the waist and is decorated with Honiton bobbin lace. The skirt was also originally trimmed with a wide Honiton lace flounce.

Close up of Queen Victoria in Sir George Hayter's painting, "The Marriage of Queen Victoria", 1842. The Royal Collections. Image found here

My dress will be made in a creamy coloured moiré fabric. This is darker than the original shade of the dress but is in fact quite close to how the dress appears now. The skirt is pleated like the original wedding dress and I have adapted the bodice pattern I used for my other two dress to feature a deeper point at the front and a double puff sleeve. The gown will be trimmed with lace, although unfortunately nothing quite as extravagant and beautiful as the original Honiton lace.

The dress is not an exact replica but more of a homage to the wedding dress which also reflects some of the other dresses worn by Victoria for famous portraits. Some of these may have in fact been her wedding dress but is interesting to note that many of the paintings which depicted this dress were not true to the actual garment itself. Nevertheless, despite the differences between the paintings and engravings produced and published at the time, I have tried to stay true to the uncluttered line and simplicity of the original which provoked a new fashion for wedding gowns.

In this 1842 portrait by Winterhalter the Queen appears to be wearing her wedding gown - however, the sleeves and the lace frill appear shorter than on the original dress itself and the lace is missing from the cuffs. (Image found here)