{"id":22493,"date":"2012-04-25T21:28:02","date_gmt":"2012-04-26T01:28:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.janicefergusonsews.com\/blog\/?p=22493"},"modified":"2014-12-29T01:43:07","modified_gmt":"2014-12-29T06:43:07","slug":"heirloom-cutwork-tablecloth-dress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.janicefergusonsews.com\/blog\/2012\/04\/25\/heirloom-cutwork-tablecloth-dress\/","title":{"rendered":"Heirloom Cutwork Tablecloth Dress"},"content":{"rendered":"

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This is an amazing dress, an example of what I would call heirloom recycling.\u00c2\u00a0 Whoever made this dress embraced the “green” philosophy–or simply needed a white dress and had a pretty tablecloth.\u00c2\u00a0 Whatever.<\/p>\n

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\"tablecloth-dress-front-bodiceclose\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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On a yard sale\/church bazaar Saturday outing,\u00c2\u00a0 a mother\/daughter duo came across this dress.\u00c2\u00a0 Well aware of my penchant for antique textiles,\u00c2\u00a0 the shopping duo decided then and there to gift it to me.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 What wonderful friends!\u00c2\u00a0 And, of course, I was delighted.<\/p>\n

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\"tablecloth-dress-motif-frontFI1\"<\/a>

front bodice motif<\/p><\/div>\n

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Remarkable for a number of reasons, the dress is made from a beautifully stitched fine linen tablecloth.\u00c2\u00a0 It was not immediately obvious that the cutwork, surface embroidery and needle lace inserts were not embellishments meant for a special gown.<\/p>\n

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\"tablecloth-dress-under-overlay\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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My first clue that this was a tablecloth was when I discovered the embroidery at the neckline, under the bodice overlay.\u00c2\u00a0 Hmmmmmmm….no reason to embroider there.<\/p>\n

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\"tablecloth-dress-sleeve\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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It is pieced together so artfully that the placement of the designs and the needle lace seem well planned for a dress.\u00c2\u00a0 The skirt was cut so that the cutwork lines up at the side seams.\u00c2\u00a0 The unusual sleeve style incorporates a corner of the cloth.<\/p>\n

At the upcoming mother-daughter church luncheon, a display of vintage wedding gowns and dresses will be featured.\u00c2\u00a0 So I pulled out the dress and proceeded to launder it.\u00c2\u00a0 That’s when I discovered the embroidery at the neckline and the non-standard skirt attachment.<\/p>\n

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\"tablecloth-dress-skirt-attachment-2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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Close examination convinced me that the cutwork and embroidery were done by someone other than the seamstress who constructed this garment.\u00c2\u00a0 There is a noticeable disparity between the workmanship of the handwork and the construction.<\/p>\n

This is most noticeable with lace attachment.\u00c2\u00a0 It is simply straight stitched onto what appears to be a machine rolled and whipped edge at the hem and sleeve edges.<\/p>\n

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\"tablecloth-dress-back-bodice\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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However, on\u00c2\u00a0 the front and back yoke overlays, which are lined, it is very nicely hand stitched.<\/p>\n

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\"tablecloth-dress-back-bodice-lace-attachmentdk\"<\/a>

The color has been edited to show stitches joining lace to overlay.<\/p><\/div>\n

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It seems to me that the short opening at the center back would make it very difficult to put the dress on.\u00c2\u00a0 But it’s likely that the seamstress\/designer didn’t want break the horizontal line of the lace on the overlay.<\/p>\n

Of course, I wonder for what special occasion was the dress made?\u00c2\u00a0 It could have been a confirmation or graduation dress.\u00c2\u00a0 It even could have been a wedding dress.\u00c2\u00a0 Whatever.<\/p>\n

Scarlet O’Hara would have found this a welcome, comfortable change from her velvet drapery dress.<\/p>\n