Hymenoptera - The Insect Queen
Written by Ashley Browning
Hymenoptera - The Insect Queen
Ashley Browning, Canada
I would like to thank my husband Chris for snapping a couple of photos for me
The Design
I've never wanted to know so much about creepy crawly insects!
When I first heard the competition theme I thought of pretty things, butterflies, dragonflies, and colourful beetles. I decided I didn't just want to try and make a corset that looks like one of these things or had embroidered butterflies on it. I wanted to tell a story, so I took to Google and started searching.
I came across the Eusocial Hymenoptera insects or hive mind insects that have a queen. These are mainly bees, wasps and ants. I decided to create a mother earth inspired deity for these insects, and what I imagined her wearing.
I started with the colour purple as a base for my corset as it was once a colour reserved for royalty, and she is, after all, a queen! I then decided I wanted to embroider and bead it with the images of the insects she represents. The flowing dress underneath represents her wings and her ability to fly, and is made in muted, earthy tones, as one would expect from a mother earth type character.
Overall I think the final product represents my vision, and I hope you can see the story I’ve tried to tell.
The Construction
To create the luxury feel of a deity I decided to go with a dupioni silk as my fashion fabric. In order to conserve some funds I used 100% cotton pillow ticking as my strength layer, and fused the silk to it before cutting out the pattern pieces. The lining is a cotton quilting fabric with a bee and daisy print to also match the theme. The under dress is made of a crêpe organza-like fabric I found, and three layers of different coloured tulle were used in the skirt.
To construct the corset I used the seam allowance as my boning channels as I wanted the outer layer to be as smooth as possible for the beading and embroidery I planned to add. The lining is floating to hide all the stitching on the inside and keep it from rubbing and coming undone. On the front of the corset I used a zipper with a stiffened placket behind it to avoid pinching the skin. The corset pattern is the waspie (once again matching the theme!) pattern (Anna by Aranea Black), which I altered a bit to make my stomach flatter by taking in a bit at the bottom front.
The decorations are made from glass and metal beads and some metallic embroidery thread. I learned half way through my embroidering that if I used a sewing oil on the embroidery thread it went a lot smoother, as the metallic threads have a tendency to unravel from the cotton core.
What was it like to compete this year? What would you say to someone who is on the fence about entering next year?
This is my first time entering so it was very nerveracking but at the same time exhilarating. If you're on the fence, make your entry, and if it's done on time, why not enter it?
Terms & Conditions
Subscribe
Report
My comments