In today's post, I am glad to talk a little bit about how I grew up the daughter of an embroiderer who not only collaborated with NYC fashion designers but also performed hand-beading on clothes and accessories for brides.

The work that she did for brides started in South America, where she learned the craft of garment-making, crochet, and hand beading with pearls, rhinestones, and sequins, and how to apply them to dresses, hats, veils, and shawls. She excelled in this craft, which eventually evolved into projects that she made for NYC fashion designers whose designs graced the covers of magazines like Harper's Bazaar.  

As a youth, I would see my mom working late into the night on elaborate dresses that were worth thousands of dollars and later worn by celebrities.  She kept going until the frailties of old age slowed her down.  If you want to picture the kind of work she did, check out the glittery outfits that Dolly Parton wore, and that would give you an idea of the type of beautiful and detailed hand beading that my mother did.

As a craftswoman, my mother held high standards of aesthetic design, precision, patience, and detailed craftsmanship that inspire my work as a wedding musician today.