Alicia's Wedding Dress, Part IV

Completion! My talented photographer friend Mo (visit her website and blog) took some better photos than these, but they haven't been uploaded yet. I am still stuck taking pictures with my computer.

Taconic Wayside Inn - Hillbilly, Rockabilly

Saturday night in Copake Falls, NY:

First, picnic on the Bash Bish Falls river and then dancing to music played by Sauerkraut Seth, Chops and the Velvet Frog at the Taconic Wayside Inn. Who doesn't love Elvis, Hank Williams, and Johnny Cash covers?

Candles on the river.

Lovely friends!

The Tall Couple

Dance Pardners

As requested by MaureenWas it raining or were we just dancing so much?
They Look Longingly

Cricket Stands Behind Us All.

Vanilla Orange Cake

Birthday cake, this time for Danielle. I haven't had a taste of it, so I won't post the recipe until I get back the results. Just a simple orange-vanilla-yogurt cake with red and white currants from this year's crop. Cream cheese icing. Perhaps I put in too much butter? We shall see....

(When my father saw Alicia's dress, he said it looked like a cake.)

Click on photo to see old blog of cakes:

Alicia's Wedding Dress, Part III

Appliqué and embroidery details...

Alicia's Wedding Dress, Part II

All the smocking and shaping is now complete and I've been doing embroidery and appliqué.

Alicia's Wedding Dress

My Swiss-Spanish friend Alicia recently asked if I would make her wedding dress. I couldn't turn her down even though we were short for time and I would have to ship it off by the end of July to her home in Australia. The fabric is super-fine organic cotton jersey with a slip to go underneath it so it's not see through. The cut is A-line but I'm slowly shaping the waistline it by doing some smocking with plant-dyed embroidery thread. Here's the progress thus far:

The pieces are cut.

The neckline and cap sleeves are hand-stitched.

The smocking begins.

The smocking continues.