Regency Cinderella Or Challenge #5

I finally present my entrance for Challenge #5: Peasants and Pioneers for the Historical Sew Fortnightly! Midterms, presentations, and rehearsals interfered with the post coming sooner. ;)

(Slightly blurry, Camera was being annoying)

What I am wearing:

• Muslin Shift with 3/4 length sleeves and a ribbon drawstring. It is my historically-inaccurate-but-I-needed-a-colonial-shift shift. 
• Regency Era Short Stays from Simplicity 4052. Made of two layers of muslin with reed boning and cotton laces. 
• A strapped petticoat, pieced with the remains of the muslin I possess. The straps are grosgrain ribbon because I have no more muslin. 
• The drop front Regency Era gown. Made of old sheets which no longer fit the bed. There are also cotton tapes to fasten it. Sheets are 60% cotton, 40% polyester (never again for sheets...) Pattern started as Simplicity 4055.
• Cotton flannel high waisted apron. Has one grossly inaccurate plastic button in the center back...
• Also I have my cotton knit red stockings, and my navy shoes (also not accurate but they work with this, sorta)
• And the attempt at a turban. It's just a long strip of brown flannel. I had to pin it in place so it's over my muslin caul. 

Dress from Behind

I'm actually pretty happy with this. I made it in about two weeks with the materials I had on hand. All I bought was the cotton ties for the stays, and the cotton tape for the dress. Which means this dress cost less than $5. From what I can tell, it appears I used the wrong bodice back...the evening one in place of the day one. Either that or I need to make a chemisette, which I would have but I ran out of fabric. So I will eventually.

Here are the facts as per the challenge:

Challenge #5: Peasants and Pioneers

Fabric: Dress was two pillow cases and a top sheet of old twin bed sheets (cotton/polyester). Apron was a small portion of the cotton flannel bottom sheet of a twin set. Undergarments are cotton muslin. 

Pattern: Started as Simplicity 4055. Adapted from there. Used the Drop Front Dress Instructions from Sense and Sensibility, I think. I kinda made it up along the way. 

Year: Early 1800s. I personally prefer to think roughly 1820s in my head. I wanted it to look old fashioned. 

Notions: Cotton tape, eyelets, cotton cord, thread

How Historically Accurate is It? It looks historically accurate, I couldn't swear to any of it. Regency is not my time period. Although it's accurate to the challenge, sheets are reused fabric which would have been pioneer-y

Hours to Complete: About 3 hours on the apron, 4 on the short stays, 2 on the strapped petticoat, and 48 or so on the dress, I think

Total Cost: about $5. All I bought was the tape and cord. I had the rest. 

To me, this is a Cinderella dress. Here Cinderella is, working fast to clean out the fireplace, waiting for her prince. Mind you I would have done it without the fairy godmother and then rescued the prince myself...

On other notes, my faire garb is coming along, and I will soon be cutting out my linen! Until then, smile!

Cheers!

Merlina

An Apology and A Salute to "The Stash"

To begin, I must apologize for the lack of a write up on my Regency Cinderella, Challenge #5 in the Historical Sew Fortnightly. The dress is done and currently on Petunia (my dress form. Inanimate objects are easier to yell at with names).

I want to do a full write up but that requires two valuable things which I currently do not possess: time and my photographer. The first will be easily solved. It is almost Spring Break. I just have to do a presentation and start a paper. Midterms are now over. The second requires plotting on my part. Lover is in rehearsal a lot which makes pictures difficult. But I swear I will have them for this week! (Also I will be able to figure out my hair for the dress, since I want it to look really good)

Also there have not been many projects on here. I have several in the works, two are waiting for the arrival of a box of fabric. Yay! Which should be here Monday. However! Until then, I present a Stash Project Genie and a valuable lesson in the Importance of a Ribbon Box.

This is the first part of the Stash Genie:

The top is made of a double layer of chiffon with the metallic trimmed sheer purple ribbon at the edges to add support and detail.

I based the pattern off a bikini top. Just flattened out the triangle portion of the top for a pattern and then cut out four, safely reinforcing that chiffon is a bitch to sew. I had to recut two after Jacques (the sewing machine) and the fabric had a disagreement. So I stitched it by hand. Went together rather quickly. The ribbon for the edges of the triangles and the neck ties is ironed in half, which was another rather difficult part.

Ribbon vs. Iron - Iron Wins. 

Luckily, I didn't have to use that piece of ribbon. I probably shouldn't have had the iron *that* hot but the ribbon wouldn't iron! 

Now, this ribbon, it is a lesson in the importance of "this'll be enough for the project I haven't thought of yet". I got it from a $1 ribbon sale at A.C. Moore. It's 7/8'' polyester sheer with metallic edge. I bought two spools in purple, one in white, and one in red. It took a little over one spool to make all the ribbon portions on the top and I knew I wanted to put the ribbon on the skirt and veils, to tie the outfit together. So I improvised. 

Satin Ribbon to the Rescue!

(We can tell I like purple)

So I just happened to have purple satin ribbon of a close enough color to the rest of the ribbon and chiffon in my stash. I believe I used it for ribbon rosettes on the Dark Queen's garters (Long story that was completely ruined by a vicious head cold and a lost hurricane). With all the ties on, the top fits like a bikini top. And thanks to MMA, I have no need for sit-ups to be able to wear this. (I know, Shut up Merlin!)

I have already started hemming the veils for this. They will be out of purple chiffon as well, probably with a bit of the teal chiffon worked in. There will also be a bolero or sleeves, either chiffon or satin; a teal chiffon shirt with a purple yoke and more purple ribbon. I'm gonna attempt this without buying anything. 

Despite the small scale of this project, I have learned several things:

1. Iron when one is in a patient mood. Polyester ribbon requires patience. 
2. Always buy more of the $1 a spool ribbons than you think you'll ever need. It can always be used for something. 
3. Chiffon is a bitch. It has a mind of its own. Sew small objects by hand. 
4. Stashes rock. I always get yelled at for having so much fabric, but I can do an entire project without buying anything! (More ribbon would be nice though)
5. It's fun to be fantasy instead of Historical Accuracy. 

Also in my stash search I found this:

Can anyone say "Over the Top Princess"? I would use it for the Pretty Pretty Princess Sewing Challenge, but I have a much more original idea for that. ;)

I love my stash!

Also the pirates are almost done!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Merlina

Yay! For Good Finds

How long until Spring Break? It'll be so much easier then. I can't wait - especially since there is a week and a half. Plenty of time to write the better part of the final paper (only 12 pages! So happy) and to work very hard on the next couple projects. I do have my Regency Cinderella almost finished. She just needs her apron. Which I will have finished after Monday.

Now in my boredom at work and perhaps associated with a touch of over studying, I mistyped a web address and managed to find the best website for linen. It even has the colors I wanted originally for the Damsel Gown as well as a green that will be b-e-a-u-tiful for outlaws. The website I found is www.fabrics-store.com. It has varying weights of linen in beautiful colors. All of them screaming to be made into something. Needless to say I bought fabric. There was a sale and free shipping for over $50! 

I bought four yards of this lovely yellow. It looks so springy!

(http://www.fabrics-store.com/first.php?goto=big_fabric&menu=f&menu=f&fabric_id=1227)

Then I bought a one yard piece of black linen

(http://www.fabrics-store.com/first.php?goto=big_fabric&menu=f&menu=f&fabric_id=103)

And then I bought a half yard piece of this pretty blue. 

(http://www.fabrics-store.com/first.php?goto=big_fabric&menu=f&menu=f&fabric_id=1211)

I also brought their swatch card for the linen colors which shall be very useful because I'm in love with several more colors. The black is going to be my new pirate shirt. To go under the blue brocade corset. Then the yellow will become a simple 1190s/Medieval gown. I want to put embroidery on the neckline and sleeves. This is the doodle. 

I want it to be simple. With back lacing and a little lacing at the sleeves by the cuffs to tighten them at the wrists. The gown is one of my work in progress that I will finish one day. It is worn by a young noble maiden as she is undercover in a market. She is described as wearing an apron, shawl and veil with it. I may make the whole thing, I may not. I do know it will be part of the Historical Sewing Fortnightly. Somehow. Now I just need linen for lining and linen thread. Yay!

Cheers

Merlina

A Lovely New Book and The Damsel Gown

I bought a book! I know, in the grand scheme of things this is not a big deal, but it is to me! This is not a textbook for my degree! I know *gasp*! AND it's a sewing book. Yay! (insert happy dance)

I bought The Tudor Tailor by Ninya Mikhaila and Jane Malcom-Davies from Amazon. (And the title of the book is linked to their website, totally drool worthy!)

The pretty book:

(http://www.amazon.com/The-Tudor-Tailor-Reconstructing-Sixteenth-Century/dp/0896762556/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362332744&sr=8-1&keywords=the+tudor+tailor) 

Needless to say it is an absolutely gorgeous book and I love it already! I have officially decided to love the era more than hate it right now. Late Elizabethan Nobles still scare me and some of the fashions are a bit particular to my tastes. Anyway! It makes the Damsel Dress so much easier! As well as the Tudor Sew-A-Long I am plotting for the summer. But I digress. 

Thanks to this book, I have spent the day plotting my gown. I feel quite proud of myself. I'm even price hunting! Which is really useful. If only I could discover if underpetticoats were lined....

Oh and there will be pics of the Regency servant attire soon. It's almost done and hands down one of the easiest historical outfits I've done! And probably the fastest!

Cheers!

Merlina

Historical Sew Forthnightly

I give up! I tried to be so organized, I planned, I thought things out! I had a simple and concise list of projects for the year. Well that went to hell way to easily. I have made none from the list and have already given in to insentient adding to the List. Fine! We shall try to think of an amended list and then understand how we lost the path in the first place. (Perhaps simply because I dislike doing what is expected)

There are several things at fault in these circumstances. First, I joined the Historical Sewing Fortnightly, hosted by Leimomi Oakes at The Dreamtress.

Click and be brought to the information! Tis better than me summarizing

Which in itself sounds like a really cool idea. Chances to sew things for fun and specific purposes. But the projects only last two weeks, and us nutcases, specifically me, can get a bit carried away with what we are planning. So far I had kind of a cop out. I thought I could finish this snood I started but then I got pissy and went against the plan (and decided I wanted silk). So I only finished the gold braid - which will eventually grace the new snood, as soon as I get silk. 

The next challenge is Peasants and Pioneers. I have a project that technically one third of the way through. I stepped out of my comfort zone and did Regency. So far I have short stays and a petticoat with shoulder straps. I've also cut out the lining for the dress bodice and have the rest of the dress planned. And I am doing all of it with stuff I have in my stash! (Except for the tapes and the cord for lacing.)

So far:

Short Stays over Colonial Shift

I know, not the world's greatest shot. This is what happens when Lover is at rehearsal and you really want costume pics. I made the stays out of muslin and reed boning. Based off the Simplicity Pattern 4052. I didn't have the directions so I made it up as I went. I didn't make a new shift due to the time restraint and the overall lack of suitable fabric. I don't have any pics of the petticoat yet. The gown planned to go over is a green drop front dress made of aged fabric (old sheets), and a heavier brown apron. It's a work dress and I promise there will be pics. 

Next post shall cover more of the new distractions and hopefully more project pics and obviously plotting.

Cheers, 

Merlina