Finsih the Bodice Decoration

After the bodice was piped and neatly finished at it's hem I started to put the final decoration on the front. This, for both, was putting on some laser cutting. For Princess Colour it was pink velvet and for Princess Silhouette it was black velvet. I went around and did small tacks around each laser cut piece just to make sure it was secure. The neck-line decoration was different for each.

Princess Colour:

I think this pink velvet is really appropriate for the design. It really pops against the grey and adds a little texture too. I used a sheer fabric to create the ruffle at the neck, I used my pinking shears again on the edges to make them neat. I think this works because it really rounds the neck out more to the design. I also added a small strand of little cream pearls to tie in a little more lightness because that ruffle by itself looked a little too dark. And then the black trim. I was really unsure about this how I was going to make this look like the design. However I was really lucky to find this piece of lace. To make it better stand on it's own it is backed in a silk organza and tacked around. I also put a little piece of transfer adhesive at it's base to make it stronger. I also wanted to make a not of how I applied this trim because it was a new process for me and not how I was expecting to do it. I thought perhaps I would just hand sew it on to the facing. However instead, after talking to my tutor, I used a piece of bias binding to finish off the edge, which was cut and slightly rounded. Then I slip-stitched that to the facing and then did small tacks to hold it to the facing closer to the finished edge. I feel pleased with how the bodice came together. I had to make a lot of design decisions but I think by looking at the design constantly I was able to stay true to it.

Princess Silhouette:

Finishing Princess Silhouette's bodice was a somewhat similar process. The black velvet laser cutting looks great on the bodice. Again it adds another dimension and some texture but stays completely true to the all black that is in the design. I also put more of it on than I did on the colour. I thought it would be more dramatic and more character appropriate. For the neck decoration I went down a slightly different path. Instead of using multiply decorations I used just one wide piece of lace. I liked this lace because it was bit thicker than normal lace and had a slight sheen to it in some places. I also thought this would be good because the her neck-line in the fitting was a little low and this could compensate for that. In the centre of the lace I added a really thin piece of lace that I threaded ribbon through to tie in a bow at the centre front. I had intentions to possibly add more decoration at the neck but I felt like that would be over-kill. Between the velvet and the lace there was enough going on. I think this is a huge successful from both a making and designing perspective. It is well made which is always good. And it is a successful interpretation to the design which is drawn in solid black. I am pleased that I could keep it that kind of solid colour but still make it distinct while relating it to the other more colourful bodice.