The Dress

Skipping past the embarrassing fact that it has been nearly FIVE MONTHS since our last update (sorry!), we’ve got so much exciting and inspiring stuff on the go right now that I thought it was time to dust off the ole blog and tell you about some of it!

Some of you may be aware that on Friday there was a small wedding in London between a young couple… Well, our Jenny was challenged to recreate The Dress on the day. She assured me it would be fine. She assured me she’d finish it on time and in the days running up to the big day she suddenly became nervous! Could she do it?

We decided to create an event around the event of the event – if that makes sense! – and invited some of The Life Craft’s favourite makers to display their wares at a handmade wedding fayre, to encourage any would-be brides to think about the handmade alternatives. We had ideas for favours & placesettings, jewellery, millinery, invites & cards, photo albums & guestbooks and much more! All we needed was The Dress.

We crowded round the computer in the shop and watched as the world got their first glimpse at the dress, collectively sighed with relief at the lack of intricate beading & embroidery (which would have added days to the dressmaking process) and cooed at what we believed to be the perfect choice: classy and elegant without being overstated, appropriate for the grandeur of Westminster Abbey but reflective of the austere times the nation is experiencing, and befitting a future Queen. As we watched Kate exit the car, everyone present agreed that she looked absolutely gorgeous. I was on the phone to Mandors so they could select & cut the fabric we’d need and then! THE INTERNET CONNECTION DIED!

We frantically scrabbled to get the connection back up but it took 15 valuable minutes, precluding us from a proper view of the back of the dress. Jenny was already working on the toile and Jenny G had disappeared off to Mandors for the fabric whilst I phoned our internet provider in a blind panic. Eventually we were reconnected and managed to get a good view of the dress.

Jenny and our glamorous model, Avryl Henry

So the details, fact fans. The wedding started at 11am which was when we had our first full view of the dress. Jenny finished just after 6pm. We used six metres of Duchess Satin bought from Mandors (thank you!) and the dress is currently in the shop window for all to see.

We’d love to thank everyone for their support, but particular thanks must go to:
Jenny Griffiths, for general all-round awesome behaviour and good ideas
Mandors Glasgow for being so supportive of our venture
Avryl Henry for being a fabulous model
Little Botanica for providing the gorgeous flowers Avryl is holding
Lucy Jackson designs who made gorgeous wedding-themed handbound books & photo albums
AbraCraftDabra and their gorgeous handmade cards
Roslyn Mitchell Designs who had all manner of lovely personalised place-settings and suchlike
Delphi Burling who sadly couldn’t be there on the day but who let us borrow stunning place-setting & favour candles to show you.
Lesley B. jewellery with gorgeous one-of-a-kind handmade sterling silver jewellery
Uniquenes designs with lovely mixed-media jewellery, handmade by Doreen.
Lady Savage and her fabulous fascinators.

But of course the greatest applause & thanks must go to our very own Jenny McCreary. Well done!