sleepwalking through the rice paddies

Added Jul 28, 2010

by littlewren

Rutledge, Pennsy...

Birdie2_thumb

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Description

This is a dress that I’ve been working on for a very long time. Inspiration hit when I was at the Bazaar in our town and I saw the spool of green embroidered ribbon. I couldn’t help myself! A flash of the traditional Tunpu hot pink fabric and that traditional Miao ribbon danced together in pleated wonder in my mind! (Tunpu is a type of han Chinese who wear traditional garb, and Miao is a minority in south western China… near where I live)
I love the detail in the ribbon and pleats seemed to accent it perfectly! I love the detail on the bust!!! The back mirrors the detailing in the front… in a quiet way. My husband commented that this is a very symmetrical dress from a woman who craves asymmetry! (He is the left brained, symmetry loving, logical one of the two of us.) I was really proud that he noticed. It took a LOT of thought and effort to get this to look as straight as it did! (and It’s not close to perfect!)
The photos for this dress were a bit of a comedy of errors. I wanted to do them this afternoon because I’d just finished the dress and wanted to show it off! I put the dress on, knowing we only had a little more sunshine left, and we set off for the rice paddies. Go figure the gate was locked… so in order to get out we had to climb over a big stone wall… It culminated in me asking my husband to help me get down from the top, him hurting his ankle on the way up the wall, and us both being stuck on top of the wall next to each other… eventually I got down… though I’m not sure what the local farmers thought of me, or my very lousy dismount!!! While taking the pictures my feet kept slipping into the flooded rice paddies… so with mud squirting in my toes I posed for the pictures. Just as we were getting the camera to adjust to the darkening sky, It started to POUR! We walked to the wall… and realized it was not going to work to climb over it again. We walked in the pouring rain all the way around the school to the other gate. It TOO was locked! I banged on the gate, and in my most desperate tone of voice and sweetest smile, I talked the gate keeper into letting in the two very very VERY wet foreign teachers.
I intended the pictures to be a bit brighter with the green in the background… and I may add more later, but for now I really like the way the dark background sets off the bright pink and green. And the whole process of getting these images was a dream! : )

Material Notes

The bright green grosgrain ribbon embroidered to perfection... from a local minority store, that also sells patches, intricate pleated skirts, machine embroidered pieces, etc... (on of my favorite places) and the pink fabric is from my favorite fabric selling ladies in our town! Thanks girls! : )

Categories

Season
Spring, Summer
For
Women
Garment Type
Dress
Style
Bohemian, Ethnic, Romantic
Material
Cotton

Credits

Photographic Genius -- and Patient Husband award winner

sweet Dan : )

15 Comments

  • Imgp0003_large

    Aug 2, 2010, 05.34 PMby chuber

    Simply gorgeous!!! I can’t wait to see it in person and admire all its details…

  • C9c58f92ed60d1987d1a711106e37cb70262f08a_large

    Aug 2, 2010, 01.04 PMby anajan

    What an adventure you made out of the photo-shoot! :D It paid off, and you got interesting photos, but I kept my breath while reading the story – I feared you had torn your lovely dress while climbing over the wall. Luckily, everything ended well.

  • Amazonportrait_large

    Aug 1, 2010, 06.20 PMby nenasew

    Its a gorgeous dress and it looks perfect on you. Great story.

  • Image008_large

    Aug 1, 2010, 05.36 PMby lunachick

    BEAUTIFUL!! The contrast in colors, and the images… they make me wanna go out and get some yards of pink fabric!!

  • Missing

    Jul 31, 2010, 07.17 PMby Ana Neves

    Love it! Want it!!

  • 123_2357_large

    Jul 29, 2010, 11.31 PMby supercalla

    This is awesome! I love the colors, and the idea of the pleating to make it poof out under the bust.

  • Strawberry_large

    Jul 29, 2010, 01.39 PMby strawberrypancakesbykim

    Love the colors! It’s like watermelon!

  • Me_pecks_large

    Jul 28, 2010, 11.45 PMby nessys

    That ribbon is a real find – beautiful and the green and the pink work so nicely together!

    You and your adventures!! I love them and the story I found quite amusing (maybe you will too in time!). I agree with Tamezdc – you will have to write a book when get home! Fab dress – fab story (especially knowing you had mud between your toes for these pics is an earthy contrast to the glamor of the frock!)

    1 Reply
    • Birdie2_thumb

      Jul 29, 2010, 09.10 AMby littlewren

      : ) dude, that ribbon is only part of the wonderfulness just laying around in our town! (some of the stuff laying around is not so wonderful) but some is amazing! if you want anything let me know! I’m not coming to Australia anytime soon… but there’s this thing called mail… : )

  • 2_dsc_1140_large

    Jul 28, 2010, 10.44 PMby magdamagda

    lovely contrast!

    2 Replies
    • Birdie2_thumb

      Jul 29, 2010, 09.09 AMby littlewren

      thanks! I’m pretty sure you mean the green and pink… I love it too… the contrast I was worried about was the dark as death background to these shots… I wanted to take the pictures in the green of the fields… but I like the contrast of the dark with the bright… either way… I’m going to assume you like both and that will make me happy! : )

    • 2_dsc_1140_thumb

      Jul 29, 2010, 10.59 AMby magdamagda

      haha and i just wanted to keep it at a simple comment! there’s plenty of contrast in the pics either way;) now i read your story as i was not “so much in a hurry” this time… and it’s pretty amazing we kind of have the same experience being in a foreign country and discovering local ribbons;) i’m curious abt what you come up with next so i’ll add you to my friends to easily track you and hey, you really like to talk don’t you?:))

  • Kopie_van_pc040044_large

    Jul 28, 2010, 10.35 PMby carolinam

    very beautiful dress

    1 Reply
  • Sart_large

    Jul 28, 2010, 08.46 PMby tamezdc

    Lovely dress and you are a great story teller too!

    1 Reply
    • Birdie2_thumb

      Jul 29, 2010, 08.50 AMby littlewren

      thanks! I’m not sure if it’s the way I tell the story or simply the events that seem to inevitably come my way… :)

  • 149646_461287717745_580112745_6144100_1261499_n_large

    Jul 28, 2010, 08.08 PMby gaviccaabri

    Beautiful! Great job

    1 Reply
    • Birdie2_thumb

      Jul 29, 2010, 09.07 AMby littlewren

      aw, thanks! : )

  • Richie_and_ian_051_large

    Jul 28, 2010, 07.38 PMby assets

    This dress is Beautiful the colours and style I love it.

    1 Reply
    • Birdie2_thumb

      Jul 29, 2010, 08.49 AMby littlewren

      thanks so much! I am glad the photos showed how bright the colors really are! the is a bold look… but I guess I can be bold! : )

  • Burdaavatar_large

    Jul 28, 2010, 06.19 PMby jodika

    gorgeous. i love the colours together and the pleating

    1 Reply
    • Birdie2_thumb

      Jul 29, 2010, 08.48 AMby littlewren

      thanks! yeah, I need more pleating in my life! I’m not really a pink girl… but I love the way the green and pink play off each other in this! : )

  • Img_5627_large

    Jul 28, 2010, 05.38 PMby aggelicat .)

    it’s a very beautiful dress, I guess it was worth it!!!
    1 Reply
    • Birdie2_thumb

      Jul 29, 2010, 08.47 AMby littlewren

      totally worth every wall climbing, death defying, hair drenching moment! always is! : )

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