Bernina Fashion Show 2006 "Magnifique"

"Autumn in the Smokies"

Viewer's Choice Award

Premiered in Houston at International Quilt Market and Festival

Photo by Kim Coffman and used courtesy of Quilt, Inc. and Bernina

Photo by Laroyce Coy

"Autumn in the Smokies"

...on the runway in Houston.

Made of winter white wool, the coat is enhanced with needle punch embellishments using Bernina's Needle Punch tool, machine embroidery, couching, free motion stitching, hand beading and Swarovski crystal rhinestones.

The coat is an original design by Toni Carroll, featuring a rolling flounce of multiple wedges of different colors of dupioni silk, which have been enhanced with custom foiling, rhinestones and embroidered fall leaves. A soft green piping separates the panels, and trims the bottom of the flounce. Coat is fully lined with silk charmeuse.

Photo by Laroyce Coy

Photo by Peggy Frankovich

The dress underneath the coat.

Made of winter white rayon, the dress has a custom designed, curve-pieced, smooth band on bottom. The various silk dupioni panels are enhansed with rhinestones, decorative stitching, foil, and machine embroidered leaves and flowers. A single embroidered flower was placed at the base of the dramatically plunging v-neckline. Dress is fully lined.

The finale runway walk.

Laroyce Coy photo

 

Display is changed daily to give viewers a chance to see more of the garments

Susan VanSwearingen photo

Attendees at the International Quilt show get up close and personal with some of the garments. White gloved "Quilt Angles" are on guard to make sure no one touches them.

Susan Van Swearingen photo

Embellishment details on back of coat include needle punch felting, machine embroidery, couching, free-motion thread painting, beading and rhinestones.

Flowing blue ribbon is actually created by needle punching different colors of blue wool into the base fabric with a Bernina Needle Punch Tool. Couching, free-motion thread painting, and hand applied beads, give additional dimension to the bow.

Cuffs feature curve-pieced bands of silk dupioni with decorative stitching, couching, and hand beading.

Butterfly was needle-punched into base wool. Free-motion stitching, couched yarns, beads and rhinestones were added for extra drama.

Close up of details on back of coat..

Photo by Kim Coffman, and used courtesy of Quilts, Inc. and Bernina

Lapels were made by wet felting wool roving into the desired shape, and adding in Angelina fibers and various yarns and trims. Beads and crystal rhinestones add sparkle.

The coat's flounce panels increase in size as they go down and around the bottom of the coat from the waist to the lower back. Foil specks were fused on for shimmer. Custom digitized leaves by Toni, as well as leaves from OESD, were embroidered on water soluble stabilizer and then appliqued onto flounce. Flounce is lined with irridescent taffeta, and piped using the same taffeta.

Embellishments cascade down the right sleeve for asymetrical design flow.

Custom created hat was first needle punched using a hand held set of needles. It was then wet felted to firm and tighten the base hat. The large rolling cord band on the brim was made by wet felting wool roving into a long snake like rope which was then wrapped with wool yarns.

Hat was further decorated with rool roving and wool yarns which were hand needle felted into white wool. Beading and crystal rhinestones from Kandi Corp give the necessary sparkle.

Transmission rhinestones on the white wool add twinkle without giving a polka dot appearance. These special stones take on the color of whatever is under them.

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