June 6, 2010

Special K - Special Day

I've been crisis sewing the past week and a half. Kristen, my good friend and drumming mentor, and Kweku, her love and soulmate, got married on Saturday after a whirlwind courtship! Kristen asked me to help make her wedding dress about 2 weeks ago - and, oh yea, she said: "Do you think you could also make something for my mom and dad to wear to the ceremony? That won't take too long, will it?" Oh........well...........!

So somehow between a my "real job", a trip to Eagles Mere for a family reunion, and myriad other of life's obligations (in those 2 weeks) - I finished the top to her wedding garment, a tunic for her dad and a dress for her mom.

Kweku's sister gave to Kristen a wedding skirt and top made from exquisite Ghanian fabric. The skirt fit her like a kid glove. But the top of the garment, shall we say, did not! I so wish we had taken a photo of the original top as it was quite remarkable in its design and construction. So I draped a new top for her (thanks to Susan Khalje's course) and after three fittings in so many days - here is the finished product! The fabric is a fine cotton batik with gold wax imprint...it is just amazingly beautiful.




And here is Kristen, her mom - Patrice, her dad - Dwight, and her sister - Erin.
Her dad's tunic is made from Ghanian fabric that Kweku and Kristen brought to me from Ghana. I used Simplicity 3704 for his tunic - what a treat to make a garment for her dad to wear at her wedding.
Her mom's dress (doesn't she look like an African Audrey Hepburn?) also is an African batik but purchased here in DC. I literally threw her garment together the night before the wedding. I only had her measurements and no luxury of fitting - so I draped the dress on my new best friend, Roxy - my dress form - and much to my surprise the dress fit her as if I knew what I was doing - phew!

And, of course, I needed something to wear - so, 2 hours before the wedding, I picked out a lovely piece of fabric that Kweku brought to me and voile! All you need is a rectangle of fabulous fabric, a little elastic, and one seam! ! (P.S. - Isn't his smile to DIE for!!!)

And some images from the ceremony!
The parents of the bride and groom must tie a knot in the middle of a length of Kente clothe and then the bride and groom tie a knot on top of the parents' knot.

The entire wedding party is wrapped in a ginormous piece of Kente cloth and the priest pronounces the bride and groom married while all are enveloped in the fabric!

Beautiful people. Beautiful day.................
.

5 comments:

Elaray said...

Weddings are my favorite occasions! Everyone looks very well dressed.

DC Threads said...

Lovely

Auset's Stitched Treasures said...

Just Beautiful!
Angela

Meg said...

Omigosh, you have been one busy girl! How did you manage?! I would have FREAKED out at such a challenge. You pulled it off, though. It's all beautiful.

The Slapdash Sewist said...

That is crazy a lot of sewing! Congratulations on pulling it off. It all looks beautiful.