The Siracuse dress

I made this dress just before we left on holiday. The design was not so important as were the details. Having this light-weight, pretty simplistic fabric in texture and appearance I decided to use these lovely velvet ribbons I had, combined with an array of embroidered flowers decorating one side/edge of the dress.

I had an idea of making the bodice with straps that would tie behind the neck and when I tried it I didn't like how it fitted me (my shoulders looked enormous), so I used the remaining ribbons as straps (more as a detail) and I tied the existing dress straps up front. I added ribbons at the waist and at the hem of the dress.

Although I had a draft sketch of the flowers on paper, in the end I made a free-hand drawing of the embroidery and I am immensely satisfied of the ultimate result.

I named it the Syracuse dress because the colours of the flowers reminded me of the beautiful, picturesque, floral scenery of Syracuse, where the pictures are taken. And the other reason is that I finished the embroidery there. The location is our breathtaking hotel Villa Maria Polliti.