...way back....

This page is as much a trip down memory lane as it is about where it all started...

My first Bernina was a 930 Record... and soon after acquiring it my elder sister asked for a "little number", since the town she lived in then, had 10 evening dresses available in 5 sizes... you guessed it... everyone in town already had at least one (in their size..).

I was in my second year of doing a Bachelors in Drama. She sent the money for the material (and some for petrol - R11.00 [$1.60] in those days filled up the tank). A week later, and 2 hours before they had to leave for the end of year function I pitched... here's the results...

Needless to say the requests started comming in more reqularly after that... and here are some more (over the years... and including some for her daughters..)

... we had a 20's revival here... her younger daughter models it..

It was around this (below) time that I upgraded to a 1230 ...

Her elder daughter on her "prom" night (and some detail taken before of the dress and sleeve- less jacket)

Another evening dress for her elder daughter... modelled by herself... the peacock feathers are appliqued... something like 8 layers deep!

The dress itself is about 2,5 meters long... a shift that starts off as a "boob-tube" with a slit at the back... goes down the front... wraps around to the back between the ancles and goes up the back over the shoulders and ends with two parts that is attached just above the waistline in front.... there are 3 press studs on either side to keep the dress from flowing open when walking (or dancing!)

... wedding dresses... been there... made some... and here's one for my elder sister's wedding that has a long story... suffice to say that she phoned on the Tuesday to request it ... and got married on the Friday afternoon... a few minutes after I had adjusted the hemline... :-)

I have this darling friend (originally from England) but now after 15 odd years in Africa... (well, let's just say she's adapted...:-)

This cocktail dress can be worn straight down.. Or with the tab on the left side taking it up to knee height...

Jo has 2 sons, who eventually got married.... Andy in England... and Julian in South Africa.. For both of these I also did the hats... ( now there's a lot of fun if you have the time... but on the other hand as my mother always maintains..."If you want something done, ask the people who are busy... the others don't have the time...)

And then there's my friend/colleague down the road... who pitched up in tears one afternoon (she had just ruined the blouse she was going to wear that evening, wih this stunning skirt that she had bought... and could I possibly help? Well, some slipper satin, and an odd piece of bridal lace (from a weird wedding dress in mainly black!) I appiqued cut-outs from the lace and later... and she went to the party alright...

The late mother of my dp also got one of my "number" for a special occassion...