Dress – Shamanic Nights

07 Apr

Raspberry Rose Celtic Kimono Dress

Amelia Hoskins / Dress, Eco Prints, Kimono, Robe / 7. April 2025 / 0 Comments

Lower dress side: Habotai silk dyed in golds and purples; created by bundle dyeing [link] - Many layers of over dyeing. Definition added with logwood, lemon juice and woad. With bundle dyed silks, after steaming, outlines can be added to create 'design' shapes, like flowers. Useful when the dyed effects merge together with no design definition.

This has come out quite well; using just one piece, cut diagonally to add to each side of garment.

Additional blackberry dyed Ahimsa silk is used bottom front next to it.

Sleeve section in Ahimsa silk, bundle dyed with various flowers and leaves, and blackberries [background eco print session see Session 4 'To get some colour'. A blotchy result led to being over-embroidered.

Embroidered Celtic Triskele design of 'rounds' added to silk with overplay of abstracted chain stitch embroidered 'roses'. Added embroidered 'leaves' extend from circles down sleeve.

Black/pink cotton jersey is seen as 'cuff' below sleeve and is partial lining inside sleeves. Together with the jersey and the Ahimsa silk, the main 'body' is very warm.

View shows differences between front and back kimono dress.

Sleeves have a join following down from shoulder. Different silk bundle dyed outcomes front and back sleeve sides. Front Ahimsa silk embroidered; back Habotai silk eco steamed tones.

Black and pink patched fabrics seen through crimson red lace.

Black and magenta pink cotton jersey sleeve cuff is an extension of the inner sleeve lining, echoing the pinks used on dress back. Its always a matter of what fabrics I have in stock to coordinate with.

Model 'Rose' is quite tall. shorter people would find the dress sits on or just above knee.

13 Jan

Nigella Blues Smock

Amelia Hoskins / Dress / 13. January 2025 / 0 Comments

03 Oct

Tasmanian Blues Robe Dress

Amelia Hoskins / Dress / 3. October 2024 / 0 Comments

Applique - Seed Pods of Nigella 'Love in a Mist'

Robe Dress has applique lace pod dyed in eucalyptus dye bath after the collar piece. Colour took well, which is a guide to fabric content being cotton or silk. Dark centres to seed pod designs are cut from eucalyptus dyed silk (iron modified). Light centre to pod is from bundle steam died silk with seeds and petals. Nigella blues has variable on same pod idea. A motif is a good means to join over a seam (smock left top). Also provides contrast to break up a solid dark or light area.

Fitting top shape on dummy

Bodice top fitted to lining fabric

Sleeve lining lengthened on dummy

Sleeve lining lengthened patchwork

Sleeve top cut to fit armhole.

Sleeve lining with outer patches added

Floral patch added to upper sleeve and back top bodice

Upper sleeve both lining and upper sides ready

Sleeve ready to be sewn into dress armhole

Creating Floral Sleeve Turn-ups

Sleeve Cuff Pressed

Sleeve cuff attaching to sleeve

Machining Cuff to main Sleeve

Gusset Inserted Under Sleeve

Machining under-arm gusset to dress sides

Gusset inside lining piece

Underarm gusset completed

Facings for Collar Front

Back Neck Section and Collar forming

Collar and Facing forming

02 Jul

Abalone Diamonds Dress

Amelia Hoskins / Dress / 2. July 2024 / 0 Comments

03 Feb

Bluebird Kimono

Amelia Hoskins / Dress, Silk Painting / 3. February 2024 / 0 Comments

09 Jul

Summer Pinks and Butterflies

Amelia Hoskins / Dress / 9. July 2023 / 0 Comments

Summer Pinks and Butterflies patchwork mini dress with sailor collar, front adjustable lace up tie, flared sides and inset flares at lower back. Viscose, polyester and cotton.

Bust adjustable 34" - 38". Model Anna is quite tall, so suitable shorter women, if worn as dress. Sides are shorter than front. Front is (measure?). Back is ?

Making tip: Use a vest top to start or a sleeveless dress (this one has a pale abstract print sleeveless dress as a base with deep V neck). Attach joined lengths of patches at high waist position of base top, continuing down; leaving space between lower patches to insert flares for overall flared dress result. Attach triangular piece behind centre V to allow lace up loose. Sailor collar is cut to fit, with straight grain across shoulders, and needs to be back faced or edged with contrasting binding fabric as this one.

SUMMER PINKS dress £60.00 available direct from maker. (SHOPcoming soon...)

29 May

Dress Design Adaptations

Amelia Hoskins / Dress, Upcycle makeover / 29. May 2021 / 0 Comments

Purple Electric Asymmetrical Dress. (Sold)

Inspiration was two prints; white linen with lilac flowers and white cotton with abstract lilac illustrations.

Coordinating purple salt-splashed dyed silk top forms the soft bodice top. Linen and cotton prints cut into rectangular panels joined to the top silk diagonals front and back. Slashing the purple top diagonally gave a bias edge from which to attach the lower cotton and linen print rectangular sections which form a flare over hips as fabric falls.

The sleeve outline was followed but floral linen sleeves are added to shape contour. Hem is therefore made integrally by this method, as a 'handkerchief' style with angles as a style feature. Purple piped edges holds all the pieces together and purple linen is repeated in hem pieces.

(See Making Gallery bottom post)

Design Construction: Top with added panels

Often there are pretty tops which can have lower panels added to make a dress. Shapes can be cut from tops and dresses, to create the princess front and back points. Fabric from dress, or frills and lace can be added to top 'V' shape edges, with panels sewn behind. Front centre lower panel is ecru linen embroidered. Black and cream print panels. Side panels are hand painted silk with grey rabbit designs. Neck shape was original with top, but a contrast print could be used. [Rabbits dress SOLD]

Pinning lower corner cotton panel

Pinning lower joined cotton and linen sections

Pinning lower section to diagonal back cut lower

Pinning lower section to diagonal back cut makes flare

Pinning lower section to diagonal back cut

Pinning lower corner section to back linen

Pinning lower sections to form flare

Pinning lower section to front diagonal cut to make flare

Piped insert to front panels

Lower sections with extra piping length allowed

Cotton print lower side panel

Front sleeve cut away shows back sections joined diagonally

Front sleeve cut away shows back silk top orginal sleeve

Pinning cotton front sleeve front lower side

Joining cotton and linen panels

Purple electric linen print

02 Mar

Silk Painting dresses Kokopelli and Persian Piri

Amelia Hoskins / Dress, Silk Painting / 2. March 2021 / 0 Comments

Dress modelled at Exeter Cathedral Green Craft Fair before crimson sash was added. The sash echoes the sash in the painting. Dress began life as a short top without sleeves, collar, or lower frills: from an earlier created range with the Piri silk painting rectangles. A deep teal blue version was sold. After finding the yellow ocre lace blouse in exact colour match; the collar, sleeves and frill were added. The lower cotton abstract print frill was also added; which links to the Piri colours and gives a weight to the dress.

Predominantly Kokopelli as a ‘fertility deity’ is a bearer of seeds and the flute could have been used to help the plants grow with music, or simply announce his coming. Its quite likely such characters travelled for trade through South America and North America, as is believed from the rock petroglyphs. Images show either head feathers, or antennae; some with balls on the end, which almost look like a map to the stars; which might indicate planting time, as recognised by star positions.

Kokopelli (koh-koh-pell-ee) is a deity and symbol of fertility recognized by several Native American groups in the Southwestern part of the country. Like other fertility gods, Kokopelli is known to preside over both agriculture and childbirth….survived from the ancient Anasazi Indian mythology. Kokopelli is also a prominent character in Hopi legends.

A Native American video explanation of how Kokopelli as a man, not a god, brings all the seeds from the previous world. The ‘flute’ maybe a medicine pipe. He could be a simple seed seller, or it could even refer to past colonisation of earth.

02 Dec

Garments Available

Amelia Hoskins / Dress, Dressing Gown, Jacket, Skirt / 2. December 2020 / 0 Comments

Dresses

Dressing Gowns

Jackets

Skirts

22 May

Butterflies and Pansies Silk Dress

Amelia Hoskins / Dress, Silk Painting / 22. May 2020 / 0 Comments

Pink Champagne Tea Party Dress

Delightful summery patchwork fun tea party dress in pink, plum, lilac and pansy prints.

Pink silk top from a blouse has a bias cut across the weave grain so stretches across variety of bust shapes without other shaping.

Side zip under arm enables dressing. Shot-taffeta changes from plum pink to lilac in light.

Author's unique Ahimsa silk painted front panel has butterflies and pansies, with centre design of Nigella seed pod and added embroidery. Old rose lace is appliqued over corners which covers greener palm leaves on silk beneath. Background of silk painting is logwood dyed batik.

Category: Dress

Sumptuous and totally unique kimono dress. Mixed fabrics: including magenta pink-red velvet devore at back and a variety of silk dyed pieces at front. Experiments with eco dyeing using plants to dye Ahimsa and Habotai silks.

LEFT SIDE SILK LOWER

LEFT SIDE SILK UPPER

Sleeve section in Ahimsa silk, bundle dyed with various flowers and leaves, and blackberries [background eco print session see Session 4 'To get some colour'. A blotchy result led to being over-embroidered.

Celtic Raspberry Rose Kimono right side and back

SILK SLEEVES

View shows differences between front and back kimono dress.

Vivid Magenta velvet devore and crimson cotton lace add a sumptuous tone to the lighter mottled front silks

LINING

Embroidery designs over eco dyeing

Embroidery detailed around discharged Triskele designs, over purple/pink areas

Chain stitch follows the outlines of the discharged Triskeles. Freestyle 'roses' are created within the Triskele design.

Celtic Triskele shapes painted on with lemon juice to discharge blackberry eco steamed Ahimsa silk

NIGELLA BLUES Smock Top Dress

AVAILABLE : £85.00 - Direct from maker

BLUE Patchworks

Applique - Seed Pods of Nigella 'Love in a Mist'

Tasmanian Blues MAKING PROCEDURE

Summer smock styled dress with lace neck feature and diamond patchworks in abalone themed colours of fine fabrics.

Dress on dummy shows additional yoke decoration and scalloped flap inserted between yoke and dress patches

BLUEBIRD - Modelled by Giorgia. Simple one front button.

SIZE: Loose all-size fit. Three quarter length sleeves below elbow. Up to 41inch bust. (105cm) Back length 36.5 inches (92 cms)

BLUEBIRD available £175.00 : direct from maker. Price reflects one-off silk painting and full viscose lining.

SILK PAINTING : Front middle panels on left and right sides. The silk painting was originally done independently, then blue coordinates were chosen from materials stock recently to create this garment.

Inspirations from Hopi Pottery of birds and seeds, from which I amalgamated an abstracted design. The blue bird-like image was from a stylised maize shooting from seed. Hopi designs of birds and seeds had similarities of stylisation.

Summer Pinks and Butterflies patchwork mini dress with sailor collar, front adjustable lace up tie, flared sides and inset flares at lower back. Viscose, polyester and cotton.

Bust adjustable 34" - 38". Model Anna is quite tall, so suitable shorter women, if worn as dress. Sides are shorter than front. Front is (measure?). Back is ?

Asymmetrical Cuts - Two dresses [SOLD] with diagonal cut features which enable panels to be joined at angles to flare the skirt section.

Purple Electric Asymmetrical Dress. (Sold)

Inspiration was two prints; white linen with lilac flowers and white cotton with abstract lilac illustrations.

The sleeve outline was followed but floral linen sleeves are added to shape contour. Hem is therefore made integrally by this method, as a 'handkerchief' style with angles as a style feature. Purple piped edges holds all the pieces together and purple linen is repeated in hem pieces.

(See Making Gallery bottom post)

Design Construction: Top with added panels

Mushroom and Black 'V' panelled long dress

Asymmetrical cut bodice top with added linen 2 inch border with black picot seam insert. Skirt section of cream and black print panels, with embroidered linen front piece. Side painted silk panels with rabbits.

Purple Electric – MAKING Process

Two dresses featuring silk paintings of mythical figures from two different cultures. Piri from Persian art meaning beautiful and graceful girl, or supernatural being similar to angels. Kokopelli the flute playing seed spreader from southwestern Native Americas.

Persian Piri - Dress with 'Piri' feature silk painting

We get our word fairy from peri/feri winged spirit in Persian mythology. Fairy comes to us from Arabic which has no 'p'.

PERSIAN PIRI available direct from maker: £120.00 - (new purchasing facility coming soon...)

Kokopelli - flute player features in silk painting with feathers, hand and spirals

Motif outlines were made with wax batik technique. Melted wax applied with a tjang gives a very fluid line and must be moved rapidly before wax cools, or causes blobs. The feathers are outlined in nomal gutta resist for silk.

After applying dye, silk is steamed, and washed to remove any wax or other gutta resist paste used in the outlines. Embroidery is used to give definition to motifs.

KOKOPELLI is available. £95.00 Direct from maker. (new purchasing coming soon...)

HANDMADE ORIGINAL DESIGNS - A variety of leisure, fun and decorative ladies' patchwork. Garment NAMES and IMAGE lead to Making Post. Shop coming SOON! And some on FOLKSY 'Celtic Rose'.

Kimono styled below knee dress or evening dress, (same style cut as dress Aldebaran) in panels of purples, navy and floral print patchworks. Close fitted back top, with skirt section gathered all around, slightly below bust into a high waist.

Adjustable front lacing. Front lower skirt stitched closed but can be reopened to customer's preference for open lower dress below lace-up.

Available to BUY on Shamanic Nights FOLKSY Shop Celtic Rose

Sumptuous and totally unique kimono dress.

Mixed fabrics: including magenta pink-red velvet devore at back and a variety of silk dyed pieces at front, partially embroidered.

Silk Experiments with eco dyeing - Ahimsa and Habotai silks.

Available to BUY on Shamanic Nights FOLKSY Shop Celtic Rose [to add]

Uniquely shaped, with deep kimono styled sleeves and collar front extended to hem.

Multi prints in Red-Pink-Black-Cream patchworks.

Knee length with lace-up adjustable front to adapt bust size.

Smock top summer dress. Patchwork Diamonds in white, pale blue-green fine fabrics, (like abalone shell) and black/white.

Lace yoke front and back with gathers from yoke above bust. Multi bust size 34 to 42 inches due to gathers above bust. Length: 31 inches

Available to buy in my Shamanic Nights FOLKSY shop Celtic Rose

Summer dress in coffee/cream/black patchwork: stretch cotton bandeau top which performs dually as a dress bust hold up or cummerbund if worn as a skirt. Similar to dress Cappuccino.

White 5 inch fringe hem.

Available to BUY on my Shamanic Nights FOLKSY Shop Celtic Rose

Frivolous feminine tea party dress in pinks and maroon silk, with silk sleeves, pink-mauve shot taffeta and cotton with pansy print.

Silk painted front panel of nigella seed pod, butterflies and pansies on Ahimsa silk

AVAILABLE To BUY at my Shamanic Nights FOLKSY Shop Celtic Rose

Fun and comfortable leisure wear; blue patchwork house dress/kimono or evening coat

Multi-size. Fully lined.

Panels of abstract bird silk paintings.

Available in my Shamanic Nights FOLKSY Shop Celtic Rose [to add]

Summer dress in coffee/cream/black cotton patchwork: stretch cotton jersey bandeau top transforms into a skirt.

Coffee/gold/text coloured feature front patch piece print 'Love Never Dies'.

Lined in nylon jersey with cream print hem, dress with black lace hem.

Available to BUY on my Shamanic Nights FOLKSY Shop Celtic Rose

Tropical Parrots shirt dress

Lose fit large shirt dress in olive green/black/bright pink with parrots print back, and beige green orange passion flowers front printed panel.

Lined in black viscose shirt with orange flower print: allows dress to be worn in reverse.

Robe or dress in patchwork blues, cotton and viscose; interesting prints of leopard, calligraphy, floral: below knee.

Collar is silk painted, in hand dyed gold habotai silk, from maker's eucalyptus bark dye session.

Unique applique designs of seed motifs; also in natural dyed silks and lace.

Available to BUY on my Shamanic Nights FOLKSY SHOP Celtic Rose

Available to BUY on my Shamanic Nights **FOLKSY shop Celtic Rose (to be added)**