Victorian Sonnet

On By ResaIn Romance, Tribute

Inspiration came in 2 boxes from Diana – Myths of the Mirror

Linens & laces inherited from great grandmother & grandmother to mother then her, became all mine; an Art Gown to share.

Her beauty holds memories of Victorian times, and the bright light of many tomorrows.

Victorian Sonnet is dedicated to Diana, her great grandmother Emilie, her grandmother Truly (Caroline), and and her mother Tineke (Dutch nickname for Anna Martine). 

Sonnets from the Art Gowns

Structure

Iambic pentameter – 5 feet to a line – 4 lines to a verse – 3 verses & a couplet

Rhyme scheme – ABAB, CDCD, EFEF, GG

Third verse volta

I

Dear Diana your lace and your linen
Great grand mother, grandma, mother then you
Woven treasure fair sent passed on to begin
Romance dance a dress white and blue.

Lace held, fabric draped inspiration gold
Creation libation confusion strewn
All threads gay with gathers theirs to unfold
Ancestry, a love light shimmering through!

Yet should something arise break then the spell
To find magic's construct tattered  and torn
Ere rendered fore tendered tossed into the swell
Became fragments merely blithely left lorn.

Our memory painted lingers in mind,
Inherited Victoriana's time.

                                                               © Resa

The Making Of

When the fabrics arrived, I threw the lot on top of Lilac Fan Dance. There was also a fabulous mosquito net with cotton top.

There were various lace yardages
2 delicate bed jackets
A huge lace tablecloth
Large assortment of doilies & table covers

When the time came to begin, there was so much lace and linens, I needed to spread them all out.

All laces and fabrics were hand washed, and tested for tensile strength.

A bertha collar was formed from a bed jacket’s trim and lined with mosquito net.

An underskirt was cut from the cotton top of the netting.

Mosquito netting was added to the underskirt to make it full length. Lace cut from the lace tablecloth was sewn on top of the netting.

A blue linen jacquard tablecloth was formed into a corset shaped top with straps into a plunging back.

My friend Kat gifted me a new Judy, so I transferred the gown to her. She also sent massive yardage of new, but cut into, winter white synthetic curtain sheer, found for a pittance at the good will.

After washing, the sheer was cut into a 3 tiered overskirt, and trimmed with the lace yardages. The sheer makes a solid backing that fortifies the antique laces.

Two side tails were draped in bias from the sheer, then trimmed with edges cut from the lace tablecloth.

A third centre tail was draped from the mosquito netting on bias. This tail was trimmed with the last of the lace yardages. It was then filled in with geometrically placed doilies, table covers and bits of cut up lace edgings.

A bussel was formed from blue serviettes that matched the bodice’s tablecloth, and eyelet lace trim from the second bed jacket.

Vintage hand covered buttons adorn the bodice.

Voilà! Victorian Sonnet

She’s so beautiful, I went overboard taking pics.

OUTTAKES

Serendipity

November, 2023 – The 2 boxes arrived, from Diana. Lilac Fan Dance was still in the making. I knew Diana was mid book. In May, 2024 Victorian Sonnet was begun. 6+ months later, the gown and Diana’s book – Tale of the Seasons’ Weaver – were finished, more or less at the same time.

Release – January 2, 2025

Available exclusively on AMAZON – Worldwide

About

How is an art gown like a good book?

You hate it to end!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

455 thoughts on “Victorian Sonnet”

  2. Oh my goodness!! What a beautiful work of art, dear Resa!! Truly stunning, I would be taking lots of pictures of this gown too… love everything about this. Thanks for the detailed descriptions; now I learn what the gown terms like bodice, bussel, etc. Blue is my favorite color, so I adore the blue bodice and those hand-covered vintage buttons. Super cool!!

    So it seems that Diana has some Dutch roots… my husband’s family does too as Indonesia was colonized by the Dutch for 3.5 centuries. My mother’s name is Tini, similar to Tineke 🙂

    Again, phenomenal post… sorry I’m late to this as I just came back from Florida.

    Reply

    1. Thank you dear Ruth!
      No worries! I know you were away & it’s
      the holidays.
      So happy you like Victorian Sonnet!
      This was a cool gown to make, and she is way over at one end of the beauty meter.
      Next gown will have to be way at the other end; needs to be replete, beyond complete.
      Happy New Year!!! 💖🤍🌟🕊

      Reply

      1. It’s truly outstanding, Resa!! I love that you took pics of the beautiful dress from every angle so we can all admire every detail!

        HAPPY NEW YEAR to you as well!! ♥️ ✨☀️

        Reply

    2. Thank you so much for the wonderful comment, Ruth. Resa’s gown is spectacular, isn’t it? I just keep ambling back over here every couple of days to browse through the photos.

      Thanks for sharing a bit about your heritage. I find family stories fascinating. Resa shared a bit of hers in the comments. We all have such rich histories.

      Yes, Dutch and Indonesian roots on my mom’s side, going back into the late 1700s (I think). My mom’s family lived there for generations, and left just after WWII when they moved to the Netherlands.

      Thanks for the visit and for adding to the fun. Have a great weekend!

      Reply

      1. Hi Diana! Yes spectacular is the right word… Resa is just incredibly talented!!

        I find family history and heritage fascinating too, I think it makes the world go around that we can find common grounds despite our diverse backgrounds. That is so cool that you have Dutch and Indonesian roots dating back into the late 1700s, wow! I really want to do those ancestry.com thing and find out more about my own roots too.

        Hope you had a lovely weekend, cheers!!

        Reply

    2. Isn’t it gorgeous, Bernadette. I couldn’t think of a better person to give all these fabrics to, and it turned out to be the best choice ever!!! The gown is not only gorgeous, but so moving to me. I love seeing these heirlooms find a second life. There’s a good chance that they would have ended up in a landfill some day after sitting in a bin for another generation or two. Have a beautiful weekend, my friend. ❤

      Reply

  7. Eventually we get there, don’t we? I’m thinking it’s the holidays and there’s plenty of time to read and catch up, but suddenly it’s all over and I still haven’t caught up! Just stopped by to gaze at your beautiful gown. The best hand me downs ever! Have a fabulous 2025!

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much for swinging by to see the gown, Dawn. For me, this post, full of beauty and kindness and creativity, was the perfect end to the year and start to the new one. Wishing you a wonderful 2025!

      Reply

    1. Thank you, Christy for the lovely visit. Resa’s gown and poem – the whole post – is so beautiful. I’m so grateful to her for all she’s done with my family’s heirlooms. I haven’t the words. And thanks for the congrats on the book! I hope you’re having a wonderful start to the new year. Hugs.

      Reply

    1. Thank you, Ka!!!
      This was a special gown because I had special fabrics. You know I never buy anything. I only use what I save and what friends give me.
      The next gown is made from plastic mesh bags, so it is a different beauty.
      Pardon for the late response to your lovely comment.

      Reply

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