(Changing the date of this post from its original 1/22/2009 to today so that it moves up in my list since folks have been asking for this info rather a lot lately! Part 1: Prepping the fabric Irish Dance dress embroidery…nowadays there is no clear cut definition of what this should look [...]
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New Dress, etc…
Another new dress, this one made by Mary Jo Farr of Trefoil Designs.
I did the embroidery, fooling with the design to get what MJ wanted. This is one of my designs, a diagonal (obviously), based on TA-AD 1. I will get it up in the store soon, but as usual, if you want it sooner rather than later, email me.
I love doing these dress, MJ!! This is one of the prettiest we have done yet!
Also have the first ribbon bodice digitized. This can be either a stitch fill or an applique. I will get it in the store, but it is available sooner if you want it.
Taoknitter Arts Designs: Susan Gowin
There are currently 2 design sets from Susan available on Taoknitter Arts: Irish Dance Dress Designs & Embroidery. Click anywhere below to get to a page of dress ideas. Please keep in mind that I am still available to help you create your dream dress in any way I can! More designs are on the way!
Reproduction Dress Finished!
Here is the reproduction of a hand embroidered dress that I was privileged to work on with Colleen Murphy and Kristine Baker. Colleen makes the most wonderful American Girl Irish dance dresses, and she asked me to digitize the embroidery from photos of the original, human-sized dress. Kristine Baker crocheted the collar, which Colleen says is a beautiful, perfect replica of the original.
And here is the owner of the original dress IN the dress (I am SOOO impressed) with the doll dress. I cannot stop looking at this pic!!
I have been researching the Book of Kells lately, and having now seen the sources of the images on the dress, I am in awe of the work the original embroiderer did. Spectacular!
Thank you so very much for letting me be a part of this, Colleen!!!
You can read more about the adventure here: Newest Endeavor and Reproduction Dress Test as well as on Colleen’s site, Murphy Dresses.
Making Soft Appliques Patches
Jun 8
(There is some good background info here: Pursuing the Perfect Embroidery Stitch-out.) There are online tutorials that show how to use the water-soluble stuff called Badgemaster. I love the stuff for patches that can be washed. Patches for Irish dance dresses are very often made with fabrics that cannot be washed, so this is another approach. [...]
