One of the rules of convention is that the garment has to be all her own work, so I was her supervisor and advisor. It was a really difficult pattern, with a particular method that I had never encountered in all my years of dressmaking, but she was able to work it out.
You can see that the top was fully lined. There was a zip to be put it, and a hook and eye to be sewn.
There was a certain amount of unpicking and re-sewing to be done, but eventually, after a number of weeks, the dress was completed.
Unfortunately, the low back disqualified it for convention.
However, the Castlemaine show judges were not concerned with that, and first prize was awarded for the dress, as well as best Exhibit.
And if that wasn't wonderful enough, she also won a first prize with her woodworking entry.
What a very talented grand daughter we have!
Congratulations Aysha Jay Elizabeth McCoy!
