Historical information
This dress was made for the Melbourne Show in 1993 and won 3rd prize. It was designed by Jean Inglis who was inspired by the Blue Triangle Butterfly (Scientific name: Graphium sarpedon choredon).
The Warp was 2/24 commercially brought black wool with a “tie down” thread of black polyester and Weft of the same 2/24 wool 2 ply. Jean utilised a twill technique devised by Theo Morgan in creating the dress.
The dress was handwoven by Jean Inglis with the help of Ruth Rondell with some of the pattern and final sewing.
Physical description
Black dress stretching from below the knees, reaching up to the neckline and down to the hands in the sleeve. The dress has three butterflies attached to the front approximately 50mm in diameter going from right knee to left hip in a nonvisible diagonal line. Lower half of dress has ten thin blue & green lines of varying lengths, reaching a max height of the hip. The neck of dress has four frills of blue and green colour. The longest two frills are in the centre pointing diagonally outwards towards the hands. The second layer of frills is shorter and further around the neckline towards the shoulders.
The dress is completed with a cape of blue and green colour with a thick black seam separating each segment of colour. The cape sits on the shoulders and droops to a height of the hips. At the rear, the cape reaches the height of the rump. The cape has two draw strings for tying to the shoulders.
