Rachel Lamb Bridal Design

Back in the spring, I posted something along the lines of: "This year I'm making the shortest and the biggest wedding dresses I've ever made" or some such. I also posted on Facebook about cutting out the skirts for a dress and the hems being something like 40 metres long. (I can't remember the exact length, but I had measured it, and it was certainly  very long!!) Well this is that 'biggest' and 'longest hemmed' dress and it belongs to Karen, who got married to Mark in July this summer. Before I go any further, these pictures are taken by photographer Rachel Barnes . You may have been expecting an enormous dress from my earlier comments, and although full-skirted, it's not that big to look at is it? As you can see the proportions suit Karen really well; she's got the height to go with it. I meant 'voluminous skirted'! When Karen first contacted me, she showed me a picture of a full skirt with large pleats and wan...

It's good to be back at work and to get back into a routine again. This week I started work on a pattern for a wedding gown for one of my new brides. Often, to the outsider, the making of the patterns can be forgotten in this process, but after taking measurements, it's the first thing that happens! Initial draft to measurements I enjoy making patterns, it feels quite old-fashioned (and probably is) in this day and age, to be drafting a pattern using paper and pencil. But that is what I do for each and every person I make something for. Whether that be a simple shift dress or an elaborate bridal gown. Adding shaping and style lines This goes some way towards what I term 'Bespoke'. 'Couture' also comes into it, but I shy away from that word because I think it is often misused within the bridal industry. (Things are called Couture when they are anything but...) In my opinion, it is having something designed and made for you, however simple, t...

I recently made myself an A-line skirt. I made it using pink corduroy that I found in John Lewis fabric department. When I was in the shop it looked more red than it actually is, at home and in daylight I find it's a fairly dazzling pink! But that's OK. I'm often asked if I make my own clothes and I wish I could say 'Why yes, all of them!' but sadly, lack of (non wedding dress making, relaxing) time is the issue. I drafted the pattern myself and made it using the simplest methods I could, as speed is of the essence for me when making anything for myself, otherwise it runs the risk of being consigned to 'a cupboard' and forgotten, not unlike my knitting ;) I'm 5' nothing, so I often find getting skirts and trousers a trial because: a) I don't want to take them up. b) There is often a decorative trim at the hem that, although lovely, I would have to either cut off or unpick somehow and move, and that's not likely to happen. c) T...

On the practical side, this week has been spent: pattern cutting, altering toiles, layering and sewing lace dress pieces and removing the beads from the seam allowances, snapping needles on the beads in the seam allowances that escaped removal, admiring the motifs. All while listening to (and occasionally getting slightly irritated by) Stephen Fry , but I think he'd understand.