Ice Princess Cabaret

[kambriel]

Recently I had the pleasure of helping icprncs put to good use some fabric she'd been holding on to for 13 years, just waiting for that perfect project to come along. I can see why she'd been stockpiling it ~ a stunning black and iridescent silver Thai Silk she picked up in Asia. Since she didn't know a decade+ ago precisely what it would eventually turn into, we had to make due with the set amount of yardage for her custom Cabaret Bustle Jacket. Between that and the extra-narrow width of the fabric with stripes running the opposite direction, even my Rumplestiltskin-like abilities of weaving gold from straw (i.e. making something with less yardage than required) were a bit beyond the realm of physics. Some creative solutions were needed and the jacket had to incorporate contrasting materials (somehow I did manage to squeeze everything out of her original stripes but the sleeves!). But somehow solid contrasting sleeves just bring images of athletic shirts to mind for me, so I wanted to visually tie them together with the rest of the outfit. There wasn't enough in scraps to run any matching vertical lines, so I started piecing what bits I did have left, and voila! Checkerboard trim :)



The black shadow striped A-line skirt shown below was made unbeknownst to her to coordinate with the jacket and sent to her as an unexpected surprise! This gift worked perfectly as it turned out she had actually been looking for a skirt to go with the jacket and had yet to find one ~ how serendipitous! I was particularly happy that the width of the stripes matched her own silk so well:

(Pardon any rumpling, this is just a quick snapshot and there wasn't time to adjust the dress form ~ icprncs will do it vastly more justice!)



I didn't manage to get a photo of the silk dragon brocade double breasted waistcoat made for her beau before shipping it all off, but happily she did so you can get a peek. (Why yes, the layout was able to be adjusted so there would be opposing dragons on either shoulder) :)



~ Kambriel

[Kambriel.com ~ Etsy ~ Twitter ~ Tumblr ~ Facebook]

Comments

[madamekat.livejournal.com]

Wow, it's amazing! So creative and fabulous!

And the dragon vest is also wonderful! I love how the dragons can keep an eye on each other ;)

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I had to play with it a bit to figure out how to bring the two fabrics together when all that was left were tiny scraps, but I think this ended up adding such a touch of whimsy! I had to be extra-careful with seaming those little rows of stripes together to keep the checkerboard effect ~ I'm sure you can imagine... the end result was worth it though :)

[dali-muse.livejournal.com]

That gown is beautiful! *swoons at the trimming*

I got back from NOLA Tuesday night and I've got it in my head that Convergence needs to happen RIGHT NOW and not in 4 months time. I know that it will arrive soon, but I'm getting impatient!

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

The ruffled satin trim is so luxurious too ~ very high quality double-faced satin with a miniature picot edge!

I might not be able to come to Convergence this year, but I ~am~ looking at coming up and doing the stomping ground thing in MA sometime (when we should plan our weekend/daytrip excursion to Maine!).

[dali-muse.livejournal.com]

Saddness about Convergence but I'm not giving up on you yet, it could still happen. (I need to start saving up as I've gone on a bender between Texas and New Orleans.)

I would love to go antique hunting with you in Maine. When I was in NOLA last weekend I spent hours at the shops on Decatur and Magazine Streets. At Collectible Antiques on Decatur I found vintage feather fans, piano shawls, multiple old keys, and the handbags! It's a good thing for me that I only brought a carry on! Which I still managed to pack 8 outfits and all of my purchases in, you would have thought that I was going to Convergence!

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

You'd get into trouble if you realized that you could just have the shops ship things back for you ;)

I usually just travel with a carry on (o.k., I totally just got an image in my mind of if I'd spelled that "carrion" instead ~ apologies for my twisted sense of humour!).

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

So, so lovely!

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Thanks :) You'd love the silk this was made from!

[solstice-lilac.livejournal.com]

Oh, Kambriel. Those are all just beautiful. Luminously so! And that silk.. what a find!

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

The moment I saw the silk for the first time, I had to take a second or two to lament that there wouldn't be enough left for another! And you're right ~ it's got such an exquisite luminosity...

[icprncs.livejournal.com]

I bought the silk in a little store in Bangkok's financial district at the end of the year in 1995. I had never seen silk with a character like that. I didn't even know *what* I wanted it for--I just knew I had to have it!

I have a feeling I'm going to have to go back to Bangkok now just to buy silk for my friends and acquaintances! ;)

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Thailand is on my *must visit* list of pilgrimage locales!

Hmmmm.... mini-group trip seedlings for the future? :)

[solstice-lilac.livejournal.com]

Good call :) I can tell just from the pictures that it must have an amazing texture, besides that it glows. I love that you held onto it all that time, waiting for the right garment to turn it into!

You are in Washington, right? *secretly hoping you are coming to the Vampire Ball in Portland tomorrow, wearing that jacket* :)

[icprncs.livejournal.com]

I am indeed in Washington.

I *will* be at the Ball. :)

I haven't yet absolutely decided that I'll be wearing that jacket, though at the moment I'm leaning in that direction.

edit: And my husband will *definitely* be wearing the dragon waistcoat.

[solstice-lilac.livejournal.com]

I realized after I asked that I might sound kind of stalkery and I really hope I did not! I just remembered your handle from a.g.f, & I know a lot of people from your area come to the VMB so I thought maybe..

Plus I knew if I did see you wearing the jacket at the ball, and recognized you, I might have to come up and say hello. And squee at you.. just a little. If you don't mind. :) I'll be the one in the patchwork skirt!

[icprncs.livejournal.com]

Again, thank you so, SO much. Words are inadequate for expressing how happy this has made us. :)

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

You are more than welcome! It's always a joy working with such nice materials (and buttons, and trims...) ~ I just hope that you'll have the finished pieces around to enjoy at least as long as you'd held on to that fabric! :)

[valerian.livejournal.com]

My dear, you never fail to wow me. Well done!!!

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad she liked the checkerboard detailing... I wasn't sure if it would be everyone's cup of tea, but it felt right when I was playing around with ideas :)

[dj-spider.livejournal.com]

*Brilliant* with the checkerboard!

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Waste not, want not, right? :)

Thanks for posting about that 24 hour French bakery ~ I am *definitely* going to have to check that out sometime!

[acid-poptart.livejournal.com]

First of all, stripes - squeeeeee!

Second of all, I still think you're Rumplestilskin! The jacket is truly gorgeous, that fabric is amazing, and what you did with it all provided one beautiful result.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

I really do have a Rumplestiltskin streak in me! I never want to take it for granted, but somehow it's worked for me thus far :)

[acid-poptart.livejournal.com]

And works well!

I'll put you to the test with some fabric I've been storing, you know, just to keep you on your toes, hahaha! :P

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

You did that to me with your "liquid silver" gown! That one was most certainly an "exercise in creativity" ;)

I can't wait for us to rummage through our fabric stashes together.... you think we already have too many ideas to deal with? Just wait until the inspirations strike with that!

[acid-poptart.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, that one fabric I had scant bits of! And what a fabulous job you did with it! I need to see if Laura has more from that last wintery shoot that shows the dress more... if you need them for the site.

Egads! Us living that close together, that much fabric, my word! Look at the ideas we come up with this far apart!?! The world may very well implode when I move closer to you and the amount of ideas that explode between us!

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

That was a terrific shoot ~ I'm glad it was worth it based on how cold it must have been for you out there... Makes me think of the 65 mph winds for the PA shoot!

Hopefully we can keep the world from imploding (at least not until my birthday years from now when the Friday the 13th asteroid is supposed to come for a visit!), if we counterbalance the creative overdoses with plenty of sunset walks at water's edge... of course ~then~ we'll just go and have new ideas pop up! Hmmm, maybe it will implode afterall ;)

[blackrayne.livejournal.com]

Ooh! Shiny!

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Literally! :)

[ashbet]

Utterly, utterly lovely. And the checkerboard trim is the PERFECT touch!

I had the pleasure of reading her post the other day regarding how touched she was about your gift, and about how much she loved these items . . . so it's wonderful to get a glimpse of them!

BTW, randomly, I am wearing my Kambriel bat shirt at this very moment ;)

*hugs!*

-- A :D

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

I bet it made me at least as happy doing it for her as it made her to receive them :)

I am wearing my Kambriel bat shirt at this very moment

Oh, awesome! I've got one too, but it's so strange wearing a shirt with my own name on it ~ I wore it out once, and a lady was trying to spell my name for some sign up I was doing, and after the second or third attempt, I just pointed at my shirt and said, "like this" ;)

[blooddrop.livejournal.com]

Congrats on making it all work! That's such a great feeling of accomplishment and it came out fab!!! :}

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

I was concerned for a while there, but the fabric was too beautiful ~not~ to make it work. I had to give it a shot! Luckily she was understanding and realized I'd also have to shorten it quite a bit in the overall length due to the width of the fabric. The lower back had to be pieced so it wouldn't be utterly too short, but it all came out quite well ~ the skirt was just the icing on the cake :)

[rocza.livejournal.com]

I didn't even notice the opposing facing dragons when she posted the pictures - that's an amazing bit of detail!

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It's such a subtle detail, don't feel bad about not noticing it right away :)

[aesthete.livejournal.com]

Lovely and amazing. I really like what you did with the patterning! Gorgeous!

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Thanks :) I'm so happy it all came together the way it did!

[blueiduna.livejournal.com]

Kabrielstiltskin strikes again!!! This works so beautifully together (sleeves skirt and all) and flows so gracefully you never would have guessed that the material was short. From the visible sheen and texture of the fabric, I can imagine it really is something in person.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

It ~is~ quite pretty silk... Had there been enough, I'd probably have had to beg to make something for myself out of it! ;)

(I still love that Eureka air bustle illustration of yours beyond words!)

[blueiduna.livejournal.com]

I can imagine! Maybe you do need to makes plans for a fabric adventure in Thailand.

Thanks, it's a little scary, as I'm sure you know, venturing to create something for another's vision, and it's wonderful to hear that it pleasantly hit the mark. :)

[mahariel.livejournal.com]

Saw the pictures in icprncs's journal originally, and followed her over here. I added you to my f-list, hope you don't mind. I just seem to keep running into you all over the place on LJ.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Of course I don't mind ~ that's very sweet of you! :)

For your edification

[icprncs.livejournal.com]

Photos of your creations worn at the Vampires Ball:
http://pics.livejournal.com/icprncs/pic/001cgw21/g55
http://pics.livejournal.com/icprncs/pic/001chs1z/g55
http://pics.livejournal.com/icprncs/pic/001ckd00/g55
http://pics.livejournal.com/icprncs/pic/001cpbts/g55

We got many, many compliments, and I name-dropped you numerous times. :) Thank you again, so much!

(I have full-size, uncropped versions should you want them, although I just realized I should do something about the redeye in mine.)

Re: For your edification

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you so much for sharing these with me! You both look so fantastic... and happy!