Monthly Archives: March 2017

A feminine, elegant sheath dress celebrating the arrival of spring.  The strapless sheath is close fitting and strapless.  White organza is embroidered with spring flowers in pink, pale blue, and yellow and olive green stems and leaves.  The organza is laid over Tiffany blue silk taffeta.  A narrow band of rose pink velvet defines the top of the bodice and picks up the pink flowers.  Swarovski crystals in the centers of the flowers give an element of sparkle.

This fashion fits Silkstone Barbie, Victoire Roux, Poppy Parker, Nu Face, and FR2

Now on Etsy!

An elegant coat ensemble in an exquisite silk brocade.  The coat has a shawl collar and a front pleat on each side.  The brocade has shades of butter yellow, rose pink, lavender, and pale blue in a pattern of flowers and paisley.  The coat is fully lined in pale yellow silk, has lavender pearl buttons, and a magnetic brooch on the collar..  The accompanying sheath is made from lavender silk with a rose pink lace overlay.  A velvet flower band hat completes the look.

This fashion fits Silkstone Barbie, Victoire Roux, Poppy Parker, Nu Face, and FR2

Now on Etsy!

Alice has a dilemma…should she eat the cake or drink the potion?  And what will happen next?  Either way, she is fashionably dressed in cotton day dress in two Wonderland prints of pink and white rabbits on a pale pink ground and white and pink teapots on a dark rose ground.  The boat necked bodice is made from the rabbit print, with the famous white rabbit centered on its front.  The skirt is made from the teapot fabric on top, and the rabbit fabric on the bottom.  A belt in bright pink velvet with a white enamel buckle defines the waist.

This fashion fits Silkstone Barbie, Poppy Parker, FR2, and Nu Face (although shorter length on the taller dolls)

Now on Etsy!

The ninth in a series of garden gowns honoring my mother Nancy and her love of flowers.  A fanciful take on the garden theme, this one pairs black tulle with lush red roses and glossy green leaves.  The bodice is strapless with a dropped waist and is made from black silk.  A band of dark red silk with a bow decorates the top of the bodice.  The extravagant skirt is made from eight layers of black tulle enclosing a garden of red roses and dark green leaves.  Swarovski crystals in clear and ruby red are applied at random for hints of sparkle behind the black tulle.  A darkly romantic gown.

This fashion fits Silkstone Barbie, Victoire Roux, Poppy Parker, Nu Face, and FR2

Now on Etsy!

The eighth gown in a series honoring my mother Nancy and her love of flowers. The gown is made from French blue tulle.  The bodice is French blue silk with a boat neck.  The shoulders are decorated with pale yellow and blue seed beads in the shape of a daisy.  The full skirt is made from eight layers of tulle which enclose periwinkle blue and yellow pansies, white and yellow chamomile blossoms, and blue and white forget me nots.  A blue and white French silk ribbon ties in a bow in the back.

This fashion fits Silkstone Barbie, Poppy Parker, Nu Face, and FR2

Now on Etsy!

Number seven in a series of dresses commemorating my mother Nancy and her love of flowers.  This dress was inspired by our back garden on Winter Street, which was up against a very tall fence covered in ivy.  This is the part of the garden where the shade plants thrived.  The predominant color was every shade of green, with jewel like flowers peeking out from among the glossy leaves.  Violets, trillium, hellebore, blood root, and lilies. 

When I was still quite young, I decided to pick a bouquet for my parents.  I am not sure why I chose the flowers I did.  They were rather unassuming, tucked all the way in the back, against the fence.  When I proudly presented them, my parents were horrified.  Somehow, out of all the flowers in the garden, I had picked the trillium grandiflorum.  This endangered species only blooms every seven years and picking them kills the plant.  My mother gamely put them in water, but to add insult to injury, this flower has the nick name “Stinking Benjamin” because they smell like wet dog after they are picked.  I learned a valuable lesson that day.

This gown is inspired by the shade garden on Winter Street.  I chose a dark, reddish purple tulle as the base of the skirt.  Eight layers of tulle encase pansies, toad lilies, chartreuse hellebore blossoms, and tiny purple violets with glossy leaves.  The strapless, dropped waist bodice is made from rich purple silk.  A hand painted silk ribbon in shades of purple, green, and blue, ties loosely at the waist.

This fashion fits Silkstone Barbie, Poppy Parker, Nu Face, and FR2

Now on Etsy!

As I noted in previous posts, the Nancy’s Garden dresses started out as a commemoration of my mother, who recently passed away.  I have found it very therapeutic to come up with new colors and flowers for each dress.  So I thought that it might be nice to take on a few special commissions from you to commemorate someone special of your own, using their favorite colors and flowers as inspiration. 

Gowns are $150

If interested, send me an email at hildaewestervelt@gmail.com

I am only taking 2 or 3 at first, but will put additional names on a waiting list. 

The sixth gown in a series honoring my mother Nancy and her love of flowers.  Many of the fashions I have made so far are inspired by the various flower beds at the house in which I grew up.  One bed was against the side of the house and was made up of a large quince bush.  The spines of a quince bush are formidable, but the blossoms are lovely and delicate, in shades ranging from peach to rosy coral and dark glossy green leaves.  The thicket also protected the earliest flowers in our garden, the crocuses, snow drops, and cillas.  There was also a flowering almond bush in that bed, whose flowers were like pom poms of pale pink.

The gown has a dropped waist, strapless bodice in rosy coral pink silk.  The full skirt is made up of 8 layers of palest pink tulle alternating with coral tulle.  Enclosed in the layers are flowers in shades of palest peach, darkening to coral pink.  Swarovski crystal dewdrops add sparkle.  A hand painted silk ribbon ties at the waist.

This fashion fits Silkstone Barbie, Poppy Parker, Nu Face, and FR2

Now on Etsy!

A slim fitting classic sheath dress made from silk cotton lawn in a marvelous retro abstract floral.  The daisies are khaki colored with highlights in olive green on a turquoise blue ground.  The sheath is accompanied by a set of three magnetic brooches, which can be mixed and matched with this and other fashions.

This sheath fits Silkstone Barbie, Poppy Parker, Nu Face, and FR2

Now on Etsy!

This almost abstract floral print was inspired by several 1930s Liberty Tana Lawn prints. It was designed for Liberty in 1975. Claire-Aude has been a part of the  Classic Tana line since 1982.  It comes in a variety of colorways. This one is predominantly butter yellow with pale green and coral pink accents.  This sundress, perfect for a vacation in the tropics, has a strapless, dropped waist bodice and full skirt, given added volume from layers of coral pink tulle.  A silk bow belt in coral pink silk adds interest to the narrow waist.

This fashion fits Silkstone Barbie, Victoire Roux, Poppy Parker, FR2 and Nu Face

Now on Etsy!