'North Child' Dress

This design is based on the book North Child by Edith Pattou. It's based on a Norwegian fairy tale called East of the Sun, West of the Moon, which has slight resemblances to Beauty and the Beast. On one of the first pages of the book there is an image of a compass rose (the book involves compasses quite a lot.) The image looked really striking on the opening pages though, so I decided to use it for this design.

Detail of compass rose decoration

This design uses a wide blue collar-like neckline. The dress is plain white except for the compass rose design which is printed onto the dress, to one side. The design continues round to the back, though part of the design would be cut out by the armhole. The dress has a blue hem to match the colour of the compass rose design and the collar.

I hope you liked this design, it is part of my 'Designs Inspired by Literature' project. For more designs check back here next week or visit my special occasion wear blog at www.bronzedalebridaldesigns.blogspot.co.uk 

Dress Design and Images © Bronzedale Designs

'Hare Sculpture' Jumper

Following on slightly from last week and the theme of willow, the inspiration behind this jumper was a sculpture of a hare made from willow and wire by the artist Julieann Worrall Hood. The sculpture that this design is taken from is one of twelve willow hare sculptures, and the picture of them all together looks really amazing.

This jumper uses the leaping hare motif on the front. The hare on the front would be made out of wool, placed so as to make the shape of the hare and then zig-zag stitched over top of to keep it in place. Alternately, a simpler approach to creating it would be to embroider the hare on.

Detail of the hare

The rest of the jumper is a relatively simple. The jumper is navy to contrast with the rust colour of the hare. Ribbing is used around neckline and the hem. The cuffs are quite long and are also ribbed.

I hope you liked this design, it is part of my 'Designs inspired by Art' project. For more designs, check back here next week or visit my other blog, Bronzedale Bridal Designs at www.bronzedalebridaldesigns.blogspot.co.uk/

Jumper Design and Images © Bronzedale Designs

'Willow' Skirt

I realised recently that I'd never posted a design for a skirt, so here is a design I created last week for a skirt inspired by willow leaves. As it's spring and the leaves are all beginning to appear on the trees they seemed a good subject for a design, and I particularly like willow trees.

Detail of skirt embroidery

The skirt has a slight A-line shape, reaches to a little below the knee and is intended to be made of a fairly lightweight suede material. It has an embroidered belt panel and would fasten at the side of the skirt with a zip, though alternately it could use an elasticated panel at the back for a simpler fastening, as skirt zips can often catch in the lining and get stuck. The skirt is embroidered with downward facing willow leaves to create the shapes of hanging willow branches. The embroidery follows the loose gathers in the skirt.

 I hope you liked this design, it is part of my 'Designs inspired by Nature' project. For more designs, check back here next week or visit my other blog, Bronzedale Bridal Designs at www.bronzedalebridaldesigns.blogspot.co.uk/

Skirt Design and Images © Bronzedale Designs

'Henry VIII' Tunic

This portrait of Henry VIII is one I'd seen so many times that I'd stopped really looking at it. It wasn't until I was looking through a book about Tudor and Jacobean Jewellery, and was actually looking for ideas that I really noticed the detail on Henry VIII's clothes.

This design uses some of the details from the portrait, the tunic is a similar colour and the embroidery is inspired by that on Henry VIII's tunic, (though I'm afraid I didn't quite do it justice - that sort of intricacy is incredibly difficult to try and copy.) The tunic is very loose, but is pulled in at the waist by a belt. It has simple, short sleeves reaching to the middle of the upper arm and a bateau neckline. It reaches to the top of the thigh and would be made out of a light cotton material.

Detail of the belt

Detail of the embroidery

I hope you like this design, it is part of my 'Designs inspired by History' project. For more designs, check back here next week or visit my other blog, Bronzedale Bridal Designs at www.bronzedalebridaldesigns.blogspot.co.uk/

Tunic Design and Images © Bronzedale Designs

'A Place of Greater Safety' Summer Coat

I was a bit unsure about reading A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel simply because I know next to nothing about French history (or any history other than British history for that matter) so I wasn't sure whether I would follow it. I'm glad I did read it, it's an amazing book.

It was quite a while after I finished it that I google image searched Lucile Desmoulins and came up with this picture (which is believed to be of Lucile Desmoulins) and decided to use it for a design sketch.

I've called this design a summer coat, is that an actual thing? I'm not sure. It probably ought to exist, if only for the Great British summertime. This design loosely copies the clothes worn by Lucile Desmoulins in the portrait. I have found the colour almost impossible to get right, and I'm still not sure about it, the colour in the portrait looks prettier.

The coat has a gathered front like the one in the portrait, an embroidered waist panel and reaches to the top of the thigh. It has close fitting sleeves, a high collar and a semi shoulder cape (I don't know if there's a better name for that.) It fastens at the front with small buttons. 

Detail on the embroidered waist panel

Detail on the collar

I hope you like this design, it is part of my 'Designs inspired by Literature' project. For more designs, check back here next week or visit my other blog, Bronzedale Bridal Designs at www.bronzedalebridaldesigns.blogspot.co.uk/

Coat Design and Images © Bronzedale Designs

Just a Quick Note

Hi,

I'm just writing to announce a second blog that I have recently begun called Bronzedale Bridal Designs, focusing on bridal and special occasion wear. It's a project I've really enjoyed working on so far, and I hope you like it too.

I will still be posting designs here each week, this blog isn't going anywhere, but if you like these designs please also have a look at www.bronzedalebridaldesigns.blogspot.co.uk/

Thanks,

Bronzedale Designs

Image © Bronzedale Designs