Today’s Challenge: Fabric with a bold pattern
The fabric that we chose for the jacket Leah is going to wear during her vows is a very stable plain weave 100% cotton fabric fully embroidered with a 3 color repeating pattern (blue vines, red leaves and small gold flowers). Fabric challenge #1: The embroidery is very bold and has small splashes of color […]
Leah and the Blog pt. 7 (Fittings!)
Normally muslin fittings involve a lot of cutting, slashing, marking, pinning etc, while adjusting the muslin to flatter the bride and achieve that perfect fit as well as keep the integrity of the design and aesthetics. I am always cautious when I have a bride put on a muslin for the first time, warning them […]
Leah and the Blog pt. 6 (Muslins)
I feel it is a little inadequate to rush through the draping, patternmaking, and muslin-building process but I am anxious to start blogging in real time rather than retrospect. Many of the dressmaking aspects will be mentioned later when I make the dress for the final time: in real fabric! So at this point, patterns […]
Leah and the Blog pt. 5 (Draping and Drafting)
I use a combination of draping and flat patterning when making a dress. Draping is where you physically manipulate fabric (by cutting, marking and pinning) directly onto an expertly padded dress form. Flat pattern is when you use measurements and formulas to draft the shapes directly onto the paper. My method usually involves a […]
Leah and the Blog pt. 4 (Design Proposal)
Original Sketch © Brooks Ann Camper Bridal Couture Well, probably needless to say, Leah was sold on our fabric choices and I went in the next day for the purchase. I then spent many hours considering all of our favorite images and ideas, as I began to sketch. This design actually called for […]
Leah and the Blog pt. 3 (the Consultation)
Our consultation was a blast! We really got to know each other and came up with some fantastic ideas for Leah’s dress. Although our actual design was still unclear, we decided it would be some sort of vintage look of mixed eras. A little from the time period of the house (1850’s), a little from […]
Leah and the Blog pt. 2 (Setting the Scene)
From Leah’s questionnaire, I was able to set the scene for her upcoming wedding. The details of the wedding itself are so important to consider when thinking of your wedding dress! Knowing the time of year, time of day, and venue (along with everything else in the questionnaire) helps me, as a designer and dressmaker, […]
Leah and the Blog (Introductions)
My current client is a fantastic bride-to-be named Leah, who I am fortunate to get to work with. She suggested that I start a blog about what I do. She’s been fascinated by the process and all the little details and collaborations that are going into her dress. She thought the blog would be fun […]
