On to the 20th century!

So I need to start focusing on my 1912 plans next.  I started the corset but had to recut and redo a panel (stupid mistake - that is why people tell you to label your pattern pieces).  Now I'm working on boning channels.  Still a lot to do before it's done, but once it is I think I'll move on to the aqua day dress.  I have been thinking that maybe I won't keep 100% to my original inspiration gown.  I want a more interesting skirt and although I've finally found brocade to use on the top, figuring out what to do for the lace has been harder.  So that may get tweaked some.

I found a period guide to making battenburg lace, and my sweet aunt has even offered to do it for me if I make a pattern for her.  She learned how to do it in Italy recently! :)  But, like I said, I may tweak things a bit.  Maybe not use lace, or maybe a different kind.

Here are pictures of the inspiration dress!

Simple and elegant.  And something one of my ancestors could have worn since it was made in Salt Lake City.

But with a pretty bodice.

From the side.  The skirt wraps around.  I couldn't get a good picture of the back though.

Though it did have these weird swirly things on the back.  I'm going to leave those off...

First, finding any brocade like this has been impossible.  If you know of something that could work, please let me know!  Also, aren't those sleeves cute?  You can see a couple more pictures if you click on any of them.  Should take you to my flikr.

I also recently bought some black and white checked wool with thoughts to make a simple skirt and shirt waist.  This is something I've been wanting for a while as I have an adorable vintage hat that I want to wear.

Then it will be on to the evening dress.  Which has also changed in design a little bit!  I may still stick to the original plan, but I found some gorgeous sequined net that would make it a much more interesting (and sparkly!) dress.  But I'm not sure if it's too modern looking or even if it would look right with my other fabrics.

I'm not going to bother making a chemise, I think modern garments can come close enough to the real thing, that would mean just finding a slip to go under the corset.  I hope I can find a pretty one!  And anyway this plan may change as I may need a bust improver... :P  And I think I might need a princess slip, this would go over the corset/undergarments combo to smooth the line of the dress.

I'm also itching to make some 20's garments, though I have absolutely nowhere to wear them!  I may make a 20's bathing suit though.  I just think they're the cutest!  So new plans, in a new century! :)

CADD strikes again!

So you know how I had that big long list of things I was going to make? Yeah, I'm already straying from it. I went to Montreal with my Mom for Thanksgiving and we of course had to check out the fabric stores! :) And I found some pretty mauve cotton velvet that I thought would be perfect for a pelisse trimmed in white swans down (aka marabou feather trim). So that's what I'm making now for the holiday tea instead of the NA riding outfit.  That gets pushed down the list once again.  Oh well!  I want to hand sew that spencer anyway, and at this point, I don't think I'm going to have time to hand sew something completely.  And at least part of it will get done!  I'm still doing the white dress...

Where might you ask did this idea come from?  Well, other than the fabric.  I recently saw Kleidung um 1800's beautiful winter ensemble, trimmed in silk velvet that I thought was just lovely!  Perfect for cold weather!  And, my friend Antonia has been posting pictures and information about swans down.  I don't know about you, but to me, white swansdown says winter to me.  And then, I'll have a somewhat nicer coat to wear over my ball gown in February!  They will clash pretty terribly, but that's ok.  You'll see one, and then you'll see the other.

I already have my basic regency patterns ready to go, so I'm just going to go for it!  All I really need to figure out is how exactly I want to close it and how I'm actually going to attach these feathers...  I'm using white marabou feather boas (hopefully 5 will be enough?) and I guess I can just do a wide whip stitch, right?  Kind of a combo between basting stitches and whip stitches?

I've been looking at fashion plates from 1811 - 1813 for inspiration and here's a few that have struck me that I'm going to meld together.  I'm trying to stick with an 1812 theme... that way I'll have an actual wardrobe, plus, next year is the bicentenial!

This is the main look I think I'm going for.

I love the braid closures and the swooping back hem.

This was the inspiration for this reproduction.  SO pretty!

And look, here's my colors!  Perfect!

Not the same thing I'm going for, but I do love her little hat.

I also love the ones that have little hoods! Still deciding whether to do that or just a standing collar.

From 1813 I think.  So pretty though!

I love the fur around the sleeve head!

  I'll need a little hat too.  I'm thinking a soft hat from a purple silk I have in the stash that will go nicely with the mauve. Though this yellow hat is pretty fun!

The yellow hat in this one is cute too!

More progress reports to come soon!

Thanks again to nuranar and her fashion plate photo sets where I found all this great inspiration and more to feed my Costume Attention Deficit Disorder! :)

The Schedule

So, mostly for my own benefit, I'm going to list here my upcoming events and what I plan to wear to them, and thus, what I need to work on and in what order! :P

December: Our annual Regency Holiday Tea
     I don't need to wear something new to this, I could wear the Aqua Regency ensemble which I've only worn once, but it's not super warm as the spencer is only one layer.  Plus, I've been wanting to get on the Northanger Abbey Riding outfit for a while now.  That means:
      White drawstring dress with small train
      Blue velvet spencer
      Necktie/Jabot (is that the right term?)
      My black top hat with black tulle around it.

January - Twelfth Night Ball
      Once again, don't necessarily need anything new, but I have this really pretty red striped silk...  Don't know what I want to do with it though.  So I may just wear my Floral Francaise or my Zone front and focus on making two new accessories.  A small muff and an accurate fan!

February - 1812 Ball!
   Already started on the beaded ball dress I'll wear!

March - Returning Heroes Ball
   I may not go this year, but if I do I'm not making anything new, I'll just finish adding the loops of lace to the green ball gown skirt.

April - Titanic Weekend
   So excited for this.  Am planning three outfits, two day, one evening, but first I need to start with underwear.  Here's the list:
   1912 corset
   bust enhancer (brassier with ruffles)
   corset cover
   Simple wool skirt and cotton waist combination
   Aqua day dress (see inspiration below)
   Blue and Silver Evening Dress (see insipiration below)

This is an original I saw in Utah earlier this year.  It was on display for the centennial of the Hotel Utah in Salt Lake which was built in 1910, I think.  The dress didn't have a date (or any information about it really), but I think it definitely looks around the right time!  Plus, it may have been worn by a Mormon, so I'll be especially historically accurate! :)  Finding the Battenburg lace is proving difficult...

This is what I'm recreating for my evening dress.  I will be using grey silk charmuese and chiffon with a blue silk velvet.  It's going to be pretty!  If I can actually pull it off! :P

May - nothing, whew, take a break!  And get ready for...

June - Dress U!
   Wear everything I've made over the last few months! :)

So it's a pretty fun list!  I'm excited about everything really!  So I guess next up is the white drawstring dress and the velvet spencer.  Luckily I've already make a version of this jacket, so I kind of know what I'm doing.  I still need to find the other fabric for the lapels and buttons though...

Done! For now...

So the pink linen stays are done for now!  I finished binding the top of them last night, added grommets for the straps and tea dyed the lacing cord so it wasn't so blindingly white compared to the pink and natural stays.  I also tried them on again, the first time with all the boning, and I'm happier with them than I was before.  If I don't tighten the top so much I do get more of the bow front, plus, they are pretty comfortable!  So that's good!  Of course, now the jacket doesn't fit as well in the front as it did.  I draped it over my older stays, so I'll either have to figure out a way to fix it or live with a bit of wrinkling.  The front is cut on the bias so I don't know why it's wrinkling so much.  Maybe I need to pin it tighter.  Anyway, I'll figure that out.

The light was pretty yellow, so it's not quite true to color... oh well.  And this was before putting in the shoulder grommets.

Last night I also made up a little crochet headband that I had seen online (anyone else use Pinterest?  it's great... let me know if you want an invite).  It's "queen anne's lace" pattern, and while I might not wear it all that often, it is pretty cute and was super fast.  I did it in about 40 minutes of watching "So You Think You Can Dance" on hulu.  I'm trying to catch up and didn't feel like whipped gathers (my cap is close to done but I'm losing steam...).

Made with a pretty turquoise bamboo yarn.

 Tonight I'm going to start working on my fichu.  I may start with a smaller size just because I have a piece of voile that is already cut, from my skirt, and it's not quite big enough to wrap around and tie in back, but I'd hate to have to cut a new one and it would be kind of a waste of fabric.  So I'll start with this one and if I want a bigger size, I can do that later.

Still need to figure out a hat.  I can't find my pink pouffy hat right now.  I have no idea what I did with it in my move upstairs.  It's not with my other hats and it's not in my costume boxes, so that's a problem.  Guess I'll have to keep my fingers crossed I find something useful at the flea market this weekend!

And I should probably finish my petticoat and sleeves soon, otherwise, I won't have anything to wear these accessories with! :P

Sometimes I forget...

Sometimes I forget that I've only been doing this historic costume thing for under two years still.  I've been interested in it for so long, and I feel like I have good hand skills, so when I can't get something to work how I want or if I don't know everything about an era or if it's not perfect I get really hard on myself.  This is a reminder to myself to chill the heck out.  I feel like I've come a long way in just those two short years.  Sometimes looking at things I made just starting out I can really see my progress and it makes me happy to know that I can only get better from here, right?

I finished boning and started binding my new stays last night.  They are looking pretty cute if I do say so myself! :)  I'll have to snap a picture of them soon.  I forgot to do that last night.

Just so it's not a picture-less post I'll share a pic of the lovely pile of ribbons I bought on my trip to Utah just a few weeks ago.  There is a great pharmacy actually that sells lots of nick-knacks and clothes, and also, randomly, super pretty, super cheap ribbon.  Even silk ribbon!  So I went a little crazy.  But I need more hats! :)  So now the question is, what to use first...

As for my French Revolution hat I think I'm going to look for something at the thrift store and the antique show I'm going to this weekend that I can use as a base.  I don't feel like starting from scratch.  I always have my big pink pouffy hat from the picnic last year that I can wear.  It was common to mix pink and red together, so I'm not worried about it "going".

Oh, also good news, my Georgiana shoes are on their way to me!  Yay!  That means I'll have them in time!  The question is now, should I try to dye them before?  I was thinking of dying them pink since I feel like that will just go with everything.  The dresses I already have will all match pink, plus I already have a pair of ivory shoes, so keeping them that color isn't necessary.  My other question is whether to do this myself (following the Dreamstresses instructions) or to take them somewhere.  I'm worried about time in the case of the latter, but I could always wear them and then get them dyed.  I am mortally afraid of ruining them.  It is an outdoor event, so I guess we'll see.  This of course is going to make me want the Devonshires too, the leather version.  And all this is dependant on whether they actually fit when I get them... :P  Anyway, something to look forward to!

I also spent part of last night looking through the books I checked out.  I feel ok about doing a crossed and tied in back fichu, which makes me happy.  I got an embroidery card that will be perfect for whitework on a fichu, so I'm going to get started on that soon as well.  I'm also close to being done with my cap, so that will give me an option if I don't want to wear my wig or really do my hair.  I think caps under hats look super cute.

Anyway, that's the update so far!  I won't have much time for working on things tonight or later this week (hooray for Harry Potter!!) but I think I'll still be able to get everything done in time.  Especially if I'm not such a freaking perfectionist!

Patriotic sewing

So, while I didn't have any super exciting plans for the 4th this year, I still made it a patriotic weekend!  We've planned out events for the rest of the year for our little costuming group and it's got me all excited to get going on them.

First up, I've decided to have a Bastille Day Celebration Picnic!  I was jealous of the fun Philly events that were going on for that so decided to throw my own!  So of course I need something to wear that is appropriately patriotic.  And isn't it convenient that the French and American colors are the same? :)  So I started a little blue and white striped jacket and a new froofy white petticoat.  I have some red and white striped ribbon that I will wear around my waist and of course I need to figure out some other accessories, like a crazy hat and a big fichu.

I matched the striped in center back! :)

 Here's what I have so far.  The bodice is assembled except for the sleeves (and strap) and center front closure (I need to try it on first).  The peplum was a curved rectangle shape that I attached bias cut ruffles to and then just box pleated to fit the back.  I'm pleased with how it's turned out so far!

You can also see the pink batiste curtains I hung this weekend.  It adds some much needed color to the sewing area.

I also realized I needed a bigger and better bum pad.  While my other one is fine, I wanted a much more exaggerated "shelf" look in the back.  So I created a giant petal shaped one.  It went together very quickly and I'm pretty pleased with the effect!

Does this make my butt look big?  Yes?  Good!

I started the petticoat as well (not the one shown in the picture).  It's 5 58" panels of very sheer batiste, two for the front and three for the back.  I thought about putting a big ruffle on the bottom, but then when I looked through more fashion plates I didn't find many examples of that, so I'm just leaving it plain.  I'm hoping someday to do some machine embroidery on it.

So, I'm close to done with that, but guess what?  I've decided I want proper 1780's stays.  Mine are much more 1770's.  I thought I would never be that person, to feel the need to make new underwear for every little change in an era, but there's something else motivating this need.  I don't want to be too hot!  And I can make the new pair out of just two layers of linen and only lightly bone them!  The jacket is already very lightweight, which I'm happy about, but my yellow silk stays are so hot, so I think this would really help.  I have some really nice linen in the stash and I think it could be a fairly quick project.  Especially as I never manage to actually finish my stays, I hate binding them!  The other plus is they might not show as much through the fabric (you can see my yellow ones a bit under the bodice, which I didn't notice until I took the picture), the linen I have is cream, so on me, basically flesh colored! :)  So I'm going to try to get those done before I finish up the jacket, especially the center front.

I also worked on handsewing an 18th century cap while watching the History Channel's documentary series about the Revolution on Netflix which made me feel very patriotic.  I'm about half way done.  I won't be wearing this with the Revolution outfit though.  This is for later this summer!

Anyway, that's it so far.  I'll leave you with one of the images inspiring me:

From Dames a la Mode. Very patriotic, non?

Next on the list...

So, it seems I can't just take a break from sewing for a bit...  I have too many things I want to do (and too much fabric to do it all with) that I can't just sit around and do nothing.  I knew this would happen.  I've been so busy and stressed for the last three months really that I thought I need to impose at least two weeks of not working on anything.  But of course the moment I'm done with something, my brain is full speed ahead on all the new projects I want to do.

Here's a list of the things I'm dreaming about doing.  How many will actually happen and in what order is yet to be determined.

Regency ballgown - embroidered and beaded net fabric for this
Green striped round gown
Aqua Edwardian afternoon ensemble
Navy blue linen Gothic Fitted Dress with reversible wool sideless surcotte, oneside pink, one side light blue (for King Richard's Faire) - this was a new decision yesterday...
Northager Abbey riding ensemble - white trained gown with blue velvet spencer, neckcloth and top hat
Purple striped early bustle dress
And, I have tons of pretty silk in blues and greens that I'm thinking of making 18th century jackets with or something, plus a quilted silk petticoat to finish.

But of course I'm crazy and started a new project last night.  I'd finished the pioneer stuff I needed to do and was doing some cleaning and organizing of the sewing area.  As I was going through my fabric (and all these plans were tempting me) I decided to start with something easy and fun (that of course I have absolutely no need for) that I can hand sew on my trip or at work.  Forget the fact that I am already working on an 18th century embroidered pocket.  I am crazy. 

Anyways, using the pattern from my Aqua spencer, I am making a simple drawstring Regency gown out of some embroidered cotton with a metalic stripe.  I wasn't super happy with how my drop-front Regency dress came out for CosCon (especially the sleeves) and so I figured before jumping into some other regency dresses, I should first figure out a pattern that works.  I cut it out and started sewing it last night.  I am not lining it as I will wear it over my bodiced petticoat, and so I am flat felling all the seams.  I love Regency dresses for hand sewing because they are so fast and easy!  I have the bodice almost entirely assembled just from an hour and a half of sewing last night while finishing a movie!  The other reason I started with this dress is because if I don't get to the Regency ballgown I will still have something I can wear to a dance, since the metalic thread makes it a little dressier than everyday occasions.  Anyway.  I hope it turns out!  I think I'd have enough fabric to re-do the bodice if I'm not happy with it.  I altered the pattern without doing a mock-up.  Since I'm doing a drawstring closure, I figured it wouldn't be too much of a problem! 

Anyway, I promise to post pictures of a lot of these things soon!  I realize I still haven't posted pictures from Costume Con!  I need to fix that!  I had a couple new things that I was really happy with!

Hooray!!

I finished the wedding dress last night!!  It's done!  And she's very happy with it and so am I!  It's such a relief to be done and to not have to stress about it anymore.  I did way more stressing and worrying than she did.  She was the perfect customer and if I could be guaranteed that they would all be like this I'd be tempted to do more commissions...  I will post pictures after the wedding.  Lots and lots!

Anyway, the end is now almost in sight.  It's on to finishing up the Pioneer Trek stuff this weekend.  I'm going tonight to help sew, and will be making ~5 skirts next week to have on hand just in case.  Then next Thursday I'm going out of town for the wedding and to visit my family, which I'm really excited for.  Then when I get back, it's the actual Trek!  So I have to make sure it's all done pretty much by next Wed.  I think it's doable. 

And then I'll be free!  I told myself I'd take like a two week break from sewing or just do little projects (like the embroidered pocket I started - will post soon), but I'm pretty sure that's not going to happen.  I have a million projects I want to work on and need to get going.  No deadlines really, which is good, but I want them now!  But no, now it's time to organize and clean my life up a little bit!  The sewing area is a disaster!

Regency Musings

So, I'll need to put up pictures soon of the bib front Regency dress I started a couple months ago (first I need to actually take some!).  It was going to be for a Regency ball, but I ended up going to a Steampunk event that weekend instead, so I didn't finish it.  But I'm going to finish it for Costume Con and I have lots of scheming plans for it as well.

A few months ago, my favorite store for silks (Sewfisticated) had this gorgeous aqua silk.  Now, remember how I'd made a New Year's Resolution not to buy any fabric?  Well, I had been good and resisted the silk a couple weeks before, but when I went back and it was still there I had to buy just a yard.  I had to!  Turquoise and aqua are my colors!  It was screaming my name.  I couldn't resist the siren song.  So, I didn't know what I'd do with it at first, but I think when I got home I realized how perfectly it matched the tiny blue dots in my Regency dress.  So I thought, bonnet!  But then, I had an even better idea, last week.  I was already planning a couple of other bonnets, so why use this glorious fabric on just that?

The stripe is for the gathered crown of my bonnet! :)

So instead I'm going to make a little spencer!  The original plan was for short sleeves, but then I went and bought another yard (they still had it at the store!) and I'm thinking something like Lizzy Bennett's blue spencer from the good P&P.  It's either that or something like Jane's short sleeved one from that same movie.

I've found a few fashion plates with short sleeved spencers, but not in the exact style that I wanted, but I am totally drawn to these late 1790's plates.  I think I may take some of my cues from them.

1796 from here
labeled: a short-sleeved black bodice with black lace trim

1795 - its the one in the middle labeled:
Robe of coquelicot-coloured Irish poplin

from here

eta: I had the description wrong originally.  Since I can't see the back I'm not sure if this is more like a full open robe or just a short jacket.  Kinda interesting though!

So what do you guys think?  Short or long sleeved spencer?


All that's left to do on the dress is the sleeves and hem, but now I'm not totally happy with the bib front so I think I will redo that just a bit.  I think that will be pretty easy.  For sleeves I'm going to do a straight elbow length with the short puff sleeve spencer on top.


The other thing I need to do is create a better petticoat or bodiced petticoat and/or fix my short stays.  While I'm happy with how my long Regency stays turned out they are actually not the most comfortable thing to wear.  I made a short pair years ago from the Sense & Sensibility Simplicity pattern and they actually worked pretty well, but now they are far too big.  If I fix them I may just baste a "petticoat" to the bottom of them to make a little bodiced petti, we'll have to see.

All of this is time dependent.  I am so so busy it's not even funny.  I have so much to do and it's stressing me out.  Another problem is that I stay up until midnight getting stuff done and then when I try to go to sleep I can't shut my brain off worrying about getting everything done and so miss about an hour or so sleep at night.  It would be no use to try to be productive instead though.  *Sigh*  I just need to tell myself like I did while on study abroad in London that I can sleep in May.  Most of this stress will be over in May, let's not dwell on the fact that I'll have new deadlines at that point though...


Anyway, back to Regency plans!  I'm excited for how this ensemble is looking in my head at least!  Hopefully that will be realized in real life. :)