The Curse of the Crimson Queen
Oh wow. That one really took ages.
I had expected it to be a quick, simple project—just something to make in between bigger ideas. How wrong I was!
I started with a mock-up using a McCall’s pattern, and I’m so glad I did. The first version was much too big, and the neckline was far deeper than I was comfortable with. Lesson reinforced: always start with a mock-up.
I envisioned the dress in deep red velvet with a large black embroidery framing the neckline. I cut the velvet carefully, keeping its directional nap in mind, then embroidered my design. But I didn’t like the result. So I cut a new front panel, upgraded the embroidery, and sewed the whole thing again—only to realize I still didn’t like it. Worse, I’d accidentally cut the velvet against the grain, so the two halves of the bodice came out in slightly different shades.
At that point, I had already spent over 100 hours. And I had to start again from scratch.
This time I chose faux suede instead of velvet, and I commissioned someone with real skill to design the embroidery. I also abandoned the beads and sequins of my first two attempts and dove into goldwork embroidery instead. It’s one of the most demanding embroidery techniques—and although the result wasn’t perfect, it opened a whole new world for me. I knew from that moment on: I wanted to develop my skills in goldwork.
Once the dress was sewn, something still felt off. There was too much red fabric and not enough contrast. It needed more black embroidery.
So… I embroidered the cape. And the skirt.
Without realizing it, I had just committed to a six-month journey.
I’m not sure which part was worse: trying to stretch already-sewn pieces over an embroidery frame, or repeating the same motifs over and over again until I started seeing them in my sleep.
Nine months after I began, the dress was finally finished. And ironically, because the process was so long and repetitive, it’s the costume I feel the least attached to—even though the photoshoot brought it back to life a little.
That said, not everything about this costume was a burden. The crown was fun to make, but my favourite accessory is the necklace. It had been years since I last worked with bobbin lace, and having the chance to return to that craft felt like a blessing.