Ok, I got a bit winded in this. It was really fun recalling the whole experience.
Feel free to use any, all, none of it... just thought I'd share.
I, too, am a sewer. In fact, I was Apparel, Textiles and Design major in college, though I focused more on the retail side of the program. Nevertheless, I did have to complete coursework in design, flat pattern and construction. I enjoyed all of these courses, but they were never my forte.
I’ve always had a love of vintage/antique clothing, especially the Victorian Era. Historical fiction movies are my favorite. I watch more for the clothing sometimes than the actual story. I never cease to be amazed at the level of detail in each costume. The pleating, gathering, draping…wow!! And then I realize that back in that actual era, they were done mostly by hand. No fancy sewing machines, just good old-fashioned hand craftsmanship.
The internet opened up a whole new world for my interest in vintage clothing. So many sites dedicated to this very thing. How freaking cool! And that is how I found Rebecca. A general search on vintage and reproduction clothing led me to her website, which was quickly added to my bookmarks. I was so impressed with her talent. Her passion for authentic reproduction clothing was evident.
Like many girls, I have dreamt of my wedding dress for many years, long before the right boy was even in the picture. Thanks to my education, I was able to sketch out my dream dress. I still have those sketches. They are framed and hanging in my sewing/craft room. I worked in the bridal retail industry for a few years and knew that I would never find anything close to *that* dress in ready-made. I could get it out of my noggin and onto paper, but I knew I couldn't make it. I knew my dress would have to be custom made by some person far-more talented person than I.
My design was a Victorian Era-inspired, two piece ball gown. After looking at Rebecca’s sight and her vast array of options, I realized my dress was an amalgamation of several of her designs. A hybrid, if you will. When the right boy did come along and it was time to find someone to make the dress, I knew who first to ask. I sent her an email explaining what I had in mind and asked if she would look at my design to determine if it was something she could do (and wanted to do). She was quick to reply yes, so I quickly sent her copies of my sketches. I received an email back saying she would love to make the dress and listed the various options I had (fabric, undergarments, etc). We worked out those details and I was off on a hunt for fabric and lace. We decided that I would add the lace and bead work upon completion of the gown as it was apparent I had a very specific idea of what I wanted and was willing to do that work myself.