AccoladeConstruction

June 29, 2006: I have always loved The Accolade, by Sir Edward Blair-Leighton... I saw it in a hotel after completing my Shieldmaiden Gown, and thought, wow, that must have been an inspiration for Ngila Dickson's Eowyn gowns.

At this time, I do not know if I will recreate the whole gown. But I do know I want to make the belt out of beaded and embroidered fabric plackets.

I am willing to sell these belts on a commission basis; if you are interested, please contact me.

I am also making one out of a trim I have on hand, to be used on my Padme Dressing Robe, not yet started. I have enough of that, though, to make a belt, too. So, I will have several of these kinds of belts in the works.

Here is a photo of the trim I have on hand, that I'll also be using for the Padme Dressing Robe.

I will be using beaded crochet strands to link the plackets. This one is going to be fun!

June 30, 2006:

Yesterday I took my gold crochet thread, along with my gold beads, to the pool, and made the bead chain. Today, I started on the plackets, using the trim I have on hand.

Here are some photos after finishing six of the twelve plackets planned for this belt.

I should have this one finished in a little later today. When I have it that far, I'll put it on my Shieldmaiden Gown, without the vest and cincher, to get an idea...

Here are photos of the finished belt on my Shieldmaiden dress and skirt.

July 9, 2006:

Currently, I'm thinking of getting the jacquard print on the left in cream. Cream is the color on the swatch on the right. That cream brocade on the left is four times more expensive than the jacquard on the right; I can get that one for approximately $19.00 a yard... Ouch.

July 24, 2006:

I've settled on something a little less pricey, though not by much. I will create a light green gold version of this gown, and I've ordered the fabric from Exclusive Silks. It is 100% silk brocade.

Here are photos of the brocades.

December 5, 2006:

I have started a gown muslin that I will use for the underdress of my Accolade gown... It will also be used to design a wedding gown I plan to make this New Year, in 2007, and a black evening gown... just for fun.

Since I will be using it for a wedding gown, I drafted the muslin with a wedding train. The train on my Accolade will be considerably shorter, training 12 inches, at the maximum.

Here are some photos of the muslin, just draping over my dress form. Nothing is basted, it is just marginally pinned together. I have some close ups without the yoke, to show the lines better. I am thinking of using either the brocade on the yoke, or a gathered cream silk organza.

January 6, 2007:

I intend to start the gown from the inside out. First, I will make the chemise, built loosely from this muslin above, changing the neckline.

Over that, a corset. I have opened a Corset Construction Page to log my corsetry progress. I am going to use the Laughing Moon Victorian Corset, the Silverado version. The painting was completed circa 1901, and, although the painting depicts a medieval scene, the shape of her gown is more reminiscent of a Victorian silhouette. Therefore, I want a corset under the gown. I am currently building my first corset; it is the Dore version. The Silverado version will be constructed after that.

Over the corset and chemise, the dress. ;) Now, it's back to the corsets!

March 19, 2007:

I've started the Silverado Corset Project; I'm constructing several at once. It will be this type of corset I incorporate into the Accolade gown. I am contemplating building it into the bodice of the outer gown... This is an as yet undecided possibility.