BESPOKE
BLAZONRY
This piece commemorates a family’s journey to Switzerland to uncover its ancestral roots. The embroidery combines several different versions of their family crest, some dating back to the 1500’s. A painting of the 1500’s crest in the Sword Room was the inspiration for the colors used.
WILMSMEYER GOWN
This child’s Baptismal gown was created from the Mother’s Wedding gown. Research was done to closely match the original fabric, and areas of the beading were repaired and stabilized. I hand embroidered the label with the family details and date which will remain with the gown for future generations. A Modern Heirloom!
CUSTOM PILLOWS
These pillows were created for the historic Frank Billings Kellogg Home in Minneapolis, which was featured as a Showcase Design Home.
Lola Watson Interior Design commissioned me to create original art to enhance the furnishings of this bedroom. I based the embroidered pillow designs on a hand-painted fireplace screen, a hand-painted ceiling, and a Queen Anne Secretary. This was featured in Minneapolis/Saint Paul Magazine, Window Fashions Magazine, and Designed in Minnesota.
CATHY BARTON PARA SKIRT
This skirt was designed to be worn for the Bicentennial Anniversary of the Lewis & Clark Corp of Discovery Expedition. The late Cathy Barton Para commissioned me to create this skirt based on the strict guidelines for all performance clothing, set by the Commission. This necessitated research and acquisition of historically correct materials and the resultant design.
This skirt was worn for the concert Lewis and Clark: A Musical Voyage of Discovery at the Historic Missouri Theater in Columbia Missouri. The Discovery String Band featuring noted musicians the late Cathy Barton Para, Dave Para, the late Bob Dyer, and Paul and Win Grace. Photo courtesy of The Grace Family.
HANDBAGS by Kirsteen Buchanan
I collaborated with a fashion designer to translate her vision for handbag surface design into embroideries. I hand-crafted samples for the consideration of the designer, sourced the embroidery materials, then executed the approved embroidery designs on the sample handbags.
HOSPITAL SHIPS POUCHES
I collaborated with the band Hospital Ships to create embroidered memorabilia to support their European tour and album release “Lonely Twin”.
