Secret Project no. 1 - Spring Showers

I showed a glimpse of Secret Project no.1 with me on the catwalk.
Here are a few photos of trying to make it and then on display at the show.

options for embellishing the hem.

I liked that, but wanted the flowers spread along the front and back. I also had to consider how to support the springs.

So, by arranging them on the turned to the front facing, I had more support than on the body of the dress.

final results - bunched so you can see the ones on either side seam

and the neckline to draw the whole piece together

Attempts to sew the shower curtain for seams for the raincoat.
Paperclip the seams? No, they just popped off

Bulldog clips worked best in the end. just remove them as they get to the sewing machine bed.

The finished raincoat

How it fastens - I had these 'aiglets' or points from ages ago when I was doing historical costumes. They are the sort of thing used to tie portions of garments together, like holding men's 'hose' up. But they work well to fit through the holes from the portion for hanging the shower curtain. I sewed it along the front, as cuffs and on the flap of the bag.

The finished dress

I had enough time before the show to make a bag to hold the raincoat...and then of course, there was the hat!

I didn't have enough time to 'make' a hat from scratch. So, I covered a felt hat with fabric from the dress. At that point (the monday before the show) I was working right out straight, so didn't get in progress photos.

I had no idea how I was going to hold the shower hose on without lots of ugly stitching, but then I realise that the decorative springs are 'springy'. Duh. So, I used the last 3 in that colour to hold it down.

Here is the blurb I sent about the garment. When you are up there you don't hear a word of what they are saying, so I am not sure just what they read out.

Daywear - ‘Spring Showers’ - turquoise and fuchsia dress embellished with spring flowers made of actual springs,  accessorised by a bag containing a raincoat made from a shower curtain and a hat adorned with a spring-look shower hose.

Shapeless on a hanger photo.