Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Rescue project









 

A few weeks back I found a bag of beaded silk fabric in a zip bag for 1.00
It was the last day of this estate sale and I thought it might be destined for the trash, so I grabbed it up and figured that it would just go into my very large pile of "new to do something with" stash. Oh well.

Once home, after sorting through lots of other treasures from that sale, I got around to the zip bag and opened it. It was the very sad remnants of what was a super gorgeous 1920s dress. Peach silk chiffon, with white and silver beads throughout. Totally shredded. The only thing that has kept this fabric from complete disintegration was the beaded areas that were backed with extra stitching. 

I may have cried with sadness at first while cutting through the crumbling silk, but soon I cried with joy as I completed the first pair of earrings from its remains. I have already worn the long dangling silver pair many times. They are so lightweight and barely skim the shoulders. There is so much beading on this dress that I have made many pair and I thought I could share them with you.
 I want this dress to live many more happy lives, in beautiful places with beautiful people like you.

Leave a comment below ( I would also love some new followers...shameless plug ) to enter.

I will choose three winners randomly and will contact you on your chosen style. Giveaway deadline is Friday morning. Thanks for reading!

15 comments:

  1. what a good idea!! so beautiful. always so nice to see a new life of a forgotten dress:) I would love to own a pair!!!

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  2. Love this idea - and clearly your blog and shops as well! I would adore a pair... to oggle! Always loving the clip on selection in your shop for us nutties! xoxo

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  3. I love the idea, too, and these are gorgeous! Kudos to you for saving something so pretty and turning into into something fabulous many women can wear.

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  4. oh good lord, amazingness! LOVE them, what a clever clogs you are!

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  5. this is amazing! i would have never thought of doing that...seriously awesome!

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  6. hello, found your blog via a twitter RT, and it's incredibly lovely! so heartbreaking to see such a beautiful dress in ruins, but the earrings you've made are so pretty! such a wonderful idea.

    cara

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  7. sheer genius! (pun intended) but extremely beautiful and a super idea!

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  8. I love what you have done with that poor dress! And I also love your etsy shop by the way ;)

    Véronique from Shanghai

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  9. What a gorgeous dress, and a brilliant way to make sure it lives on. I adore those earrings...I may have to snag a pair of my own. It's been awhile since I've stopped by....it looks amazing over here....love the new look of your blog. By the way, you are welcome for tea anytime. : ) Carrie

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  10. Sheena,
    This is one of the coolest things ever, you are so cool. The condition of this gorgeous dress would totally bring me to tears but the way you have resurrected it is so creative. Wow. I feel honored to have a pair of the earring, I really do. Thank you so much!

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  11. Oh & if you'd sell a pair of the peach & pearl looped ones, I would love to buy them.

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  12. such an incredible idea, and such lovely earrings!

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  13. I must commend you for finding that diamond in the rough ziplock bag and actually opening it within a 5 year time period of finding it and then going the extra mile to actually create a butterfly out of a caterpillar and finding the time to document this creation.

    Not to mention the colors are absolutely luminescent.

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  14. Just saw this posted on Twitter and had to comment. What an amazing idea! You really did a beautiful job. :)

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  15. Thanks everyone, it was a fun project and I still have so much fabric and beads to work with. I think I will take Lauren's suggestion above and put some of these earrings in the shop over the next couple of days. There is also an amazing beaded waistband...maybe a bracelet or two?

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