After visiting
Shabby Apple Dresses I was motivated to put my BS Apparel Design degree to work and enter some original dress designs for their current contest. For years I have been creating original designs just ahead of the fashion curve. I have always dreamed about creating a design that would be manufactured for others to purchase. Often times I find myself looking for colors or designs that are not in the stores, so I create them myself. I am a conservative mother of 3 that likes to look fashionable but doesn't always feel fashion is for the more mature woman. When designing this collection I tried to keep the look classic and use current fabrics and techniques for embellishment. In this collection I used the same dress in 3 different colors and fabrics; All 3 versions focus on the lines created by the top stitching and all 3 have a neckline that can be worn buttoned closed or open laying flat.
My inspiration for this dress design evolved from another entry for this same contest. For my original design entry I was inspired by a pair of denim jeans that had decorative top- stitching. I sketched many dresses while working out the designs. When sketching this design I was also inspired by a swing coat I own.
The first sketch is show
n using a black denim twill, brown wood buttons, and two rows of top stitching in taupe and white. Denim is for the more casual wearer and is popular with all women. This dress would be easy to care for and very comfortable. This style of dress could be dressed up with pumps or down with a fun pair of sandals. The collar could be worn open and a fun bright colored necklace could be worn to add a little spice. This dress could take you through all seasons and is a timeless classic.
The second sketch shows the back of the dress in a hot pink soft cotton weave with white top-stitching. Fun white buttons are shown on the sleeves for an accent. The bow detail on the back brings in a feminine focal point and adds interest . The cotton fabric would allow the dress to breath and would be very comfortable on a hot summer day. This dress would be perfect for the woman that enjoys wearing color and walks with confidence. What better color to wear to an outdoor summer or spring wedding?
The third sketch shows the dress made of a navy crepe with white top stitching. This sketch shows the dress with the collar open creating a v-neckline instead of a rounded neckline. For the woman that has a long neck she will want to wear the collar closed while someone with a shorter neck will want to wear the neckline open helping create a long slim line.
I chose navy because there are a number of women out there with cool colored skin wishing they could wear that basic black dress. Unfortunately black just washes them out. These women usually wear navy well. This dress would be a great alternative and perfect for those black tie events and formal nights out.
All 3 versions include 8 buttons on the front of the dress and 2 smaller coordinating buttons on the sleeve cuff. All 3 versions would have self lined collars so the woman wearing the dress could choose to wear the collar buttoned up or laying flat open. The bodice of this dress would be a tailored fit while the skirt would be A-line and flared a bit. The front of the dress would have two slash pockets hidden in the seams and would naturally open at the left knee to help with movement. Both the navy and pink versions skirt would be lined with a light weight lining while the denim version would not be lined.
Creativity is always being expressed in our home. Our 11 year old son has been swimming with the local swim team for 6 years. On a rainy day this year he created this rendition of a pool and swimmers. His design has lanes, starting blocks and even a clerk of coarse. Once his masterpiece was finished he submitted it to the Lego Brickmaster monthly contest. Click here to submit your own Lego creation.
feeling the need to share. Our 11 year old son, Isaak was talking with us yesterday about just trying to blend in and not stand out too much in middle school. He has made some new friends this year while old friends have branched off into new cliques. He was sharing how confusing it was to not know who was his friend, who wanted to be his friend and who he wanted to be friends with. I told him that is why we have family. They will always be there to support 
us in good times and bad. He came back with, I know I will always have Luke and Henry as my buddies. (These little guys are his 3 and 6 year old cousins that love to play with Isaak when the family is together). So true. Feeling so blessed to have such wonderful families who are so supportive. I love them all so much!!!
A cape and one to match for the American Girl Bitty Babies. Christmas 2004 I designed animal print capes for my girls and nieces. When those were completed I decided to use the scraps to create matching capes for their Bitty Babies. Our youngest daughter is still wearing the Fuschia cape.
Last fall I created a new banner for our swim team. In recent years our team has doubled in size, going from 60 to 130. The team has started to travel and attend larger meets. The old banner was falling apart. With the guidance of our Swim Board I designed and created this new banner for the youth to carry when participating in the parade of athletes at such events.
My parents celebrated 40 year's of marriage this summer. Each year our entire family attends the Iowa State Fair together and each year we create a t-shirt for all the children to wear. This helps the adults keep track of the children. This year I designed a shirt to commemorate my parents 40th.
gers so I drew his hand on the pitch fork minus his two fingers. One of our favorite things to do when everyone is home visiting is to have a hot dog and marshmallow roast, on the pitch fork I drew two marshmallows and a hot dog. Dad has a special sun hat he wears during the summer so I sketched that on his head and in the background of the picture, is a drawing of the Big Yellow Slide the children love to go down at the Iowa State Fair.
n using a black denim twill, brown wood buttons, and two rows of top stitching in taupe and white. Denim is for the more casual wearer and is popular with all women. This dress would be easy to care for and very comfortable. This style of dress could be dressed up with pumps or down with a fun pair of sandals. The collar could be worn open and a fun bright colored necklace could be worn to add a little spice. This dress could take you through all seasons and is a timeless classic.
The second sketch shows the back of the dress in a hot pink soft cotton weave with white top-stitching. Fun white buttons are shown on the sleeves for an accent. The bow detail on the back brings in a feminine focal point and adds interest . The cotton fabric would allow the dress to breath and would be very comfortable on a hot summer day. This dress would be perfect for the woman that enjoys wearing color and walks with confidence. What better color to wear to an outdoor summer or spring wedding?
The third sketch shows the dress made of a navy crepe with white top stitching. This sketch shows the dress with the collar open creating a v-neckline instead of a rounded neckline. For the woman that has a long neck she will want to wear the collar closed while someone with a shorter neck will want to wear the neckline open helping create a long slim line.
