I've been looking at the woven work of Donna Campbell (The Art of Maori Weaving), Shona Tawhiao (www.tawhiao.com), Muna Lee (in my weaving class) and Hazel Shepherd (local woman from Hahei) to gather ideas for my own work. I have decided I definitely want to make a garment instead of a sampler so my head is full of ideas. I thought I was excited about making a sampler but now that I have started to go in the direction of bodice-making I am finding I am even more excited. I think it is because it appeals to my experience of dressmaking. When I was about 18 and I bought my first sewing machine, I completed a dressmaking course by correspondence. I loved it! Making samples of everything including bound buttonholes, plackets, collars and tassels, and sending them off to get marked. I passed with great marks and then went on to start the pattern making and designing by draping course. For some reason that I cannot remember, I didn't complete this one but it has been something that has always fascinated me. Perhaps making garments from flax will re-ignite this latent passion!
So, here is my second bodice. It is based on the design of my wedding dress from 1994. I love the way the colour placement has accentuated the shape of the garment and I love how feminine and graceful it is. I was able to use what I had learnt from the "pumpkin bodice" and improve on the technique. The most satisfying moment for me was when my neighbour (from previous blog - cancer survivor) came in to see it - she stopped in her tracks in the hallway, lifted her hands up to her mouth and was visibly overwhelmed with emotion. We talked through what she was feeling. It felt like mission accomplished. A therapeutic moment - definitely!
