Samantha Pope Creations
Seamstress & Textile Artist
Art to Wear entries Quilters Guild SA
Pearlessence
Pearlessence is a unique evening dress designed for the modern women using traditional techniques and inspiration. Cream, ivory and blush colours, reminiscent of fresh water pearls, glint and sparkle with metallic threads, floaty petals and swirling sequins.
Delicate corded battenberg styled lace work using a feather quilting pattern adorns the décolletage with beading and freehand machine embroidery.
Machine quilting is used to further accent the body, blending into the full and flowing Lone Star patchwork fishtail skirt. Each section of the dress evokes the style of traditional techniques more commonly used for embellishments on quilts and tablecloths.
This dress was designed to be the ultimate formal attire for a gala ball celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the S.A. Quilters guild. A tribute to quilting and traditional embellishment techniques, given a modern twist in shimmering pearlessence colours.
My inspiration came from the idea to combine quilting, patchwork and battenberg lace together to make a formal evening dress with a modern twist.
The dress is divided into 3 sections, each one featuring a different embellishment technique.
The Vogue pattern was selected to allow the Lone Star block to flair out at the skirt.
The body has a quilted feather pattern sewn through wadded fabrics.
The bust and neckline are accented with corded battenberg style lace, beading and freehand machine embroidery over a soft tulle backing.
The delicate fabrics were chosen to reflect the soft hues and subtle variations of freshwater pearls which derive their colours from the environment they are grown in.