Sangreal is a new, one-off original design by Rachel Murphy of Silverlode Needlecraft.  The primary base fabric is a rich “black cherry” red dupioni silk; the secondary base material is a metallic coral silk with red and gold shimmery nettings.  The appliqué consists of various metallic fabrics (glitterdot, lames, brocades, etc.) primarily in red and gold.  The embroidery, including the script, is freehand machine work in metallic shades of gold (especially pale gold), red, lavender, aqua green, and black.  The skirt lining and bloomers are made of a metallic black-gold lycra, and the pleats—front and back—are a beige-gold multicolor glitterdot.  The dress is accented with Swarovski crystals in the colors of Sun, Siam, Hyacinth, and Crystal—all with an “Aurora Borealis” shine—and Blue Zircon.  There are lots of rhinestones on this dress…the picture does not capture them!

Dress measurements:               

Bust:  34"
Waist:  27"
Back waist length:  16”
Sleeve length:  23 ¼”
Skirt length (to lower points of scalloped edge):  17 ½”

The design of Sangreal (which might be translated either as “holy grail” or “royal blood”) was inspired by the legend of the Holy Grail, and the hero of the Grail quest, Sir Galahad.  Galahad, son of Lancelot, was a young knight whose purity of heart and singleness of purpose led him, after many dangerous adventures, to find the elusive chalice used at the Last Supper:  the Holy Grail, by whose power—not from the chalice itself, but that which it contains—the sins and wounds of the land would be healed.  Beholding the Grail and the mysteries revealed to him therein by Our Lord, Galahad died in the ecstasy of this vision.

The lettering, ascending and descending around the center panels, is from Psalm 24, in Latin, with a Celtic script.  It reflects Galahad himself, and his quest:

(front)  Quis ascendit in montem Domini
                     Who shall ascend the mountain of the Lord?...

(back)  Innocens manibus et mundo corde
                     The man with clean hands and pure heart.