Forward into the 1770s!

So here we go. Severe lack of sewing desire for the faire stuff has led to a venturing out back into the 1770s. As mentioned previously; Lover, Friendy, and I are going American Revolution reenacting. I being me and recently in the possession of Patterns of Fashion has led to much plotting.

The new printer led to a stay pattern that might actually work. Yay!

And I found fabric to use:

It's a lovely silver blue I found on Fabrics-Store. They also have a lovely linen canvas. It's also not softened! Yay! I have round reed to use for boning. I bought a pound and have since made two Elizabethan Stays from it with plenty left over. It's about 1/8" which means two pieces for each 1/4" channel. I intend to bind the stays with the binding from Burnley and Trowbridge. Which Lover has offered to help me with. My hands have never been particularly strong. 

Okay. I bragged about my plots and now I'm supposed to go work on the Celts so they can be photographed for the Plaid and Paisley challenge. Which is probably what I should have been doing from the beginning. 

Cheers!

Merlina

Challenge #19: Wood, Metal, and Bone

Haha! Another post! I'm on a roll here. It also helps I have pictures and all that good stuff. Well and a bit of time and power, the power being the most important.

My entry for the 19th Challenge is a pair of bodies roughly set in the 1500s. I know there's no evidence for them, but I find one pair of stays easier to use for multiple gowns rather than building the support into each gown. Plus for an impoverished princess, it's much more cost efficient. The smock I made last summer. It's of cotton muslin and completely handsewn - save the "blackwork" on the cuffs, that was done with the fancy stitches last year on the new machine.

These stays started out as a Simplicity pattern. I tweaked it and made it my own. They are completely boned with 1/8 inch round reed, two per each 1/4 inch channel. There is one piece of 1/2 inch flat reed at center front, and at each side center back. The stays spiral lace up the back which I realize in looking at these pics was not properly done. Oops. These stays are also a valuable lesson in the importance of tabs. Tabs are your best friends for fully boned stays. Trust me. 

Now we have the universal petticoats and bumroll to amp up the skirts. I live in fear of farthangles and have only ever made one which was a disaster. Panniers ironically are much easier. I also made the necklace and earrings for this. The necklace is in need of a different ribbon, but it works. 

 I call these my universal petticoats because I wear them with everything. They're cotton muslin and have pocket slits. Two are simple pleated rectangles. The third worn in the middle has two deep ruffles. And yes they need a good starching. Bumroll is worn on my hips not my waist. I gather that's the better place for it.

And now the facts:

The Challenge #19: Wood, Metal, and Bone

Fabric: 1 yard patterned cotton, 1 yard interlining also cotton, 1 yard cotton muslin for lining
Pattern: Started as Simplicity 2621. I played and integrated the tabs, lowered the back, separated the strap. And kinda completely disregarded the instructions
Year: 1500s. More or less. 
Notions: Bias tape, pale yellow/off white. Eyelets, thread, 1/8’’ round reed, Three pieces 1/2 ‘’ flat reed for center front “busk” and back on either side of eyelets. 
How Historically Accurate: Um…reed is accurate for stays, but they are difficult to find evidence of prior to the 1580s, as far as I know. Plus cotton wasn’t used. But alas, I am a poor grad student and it is underwear. It gives the right shape. 
First Worn: Just briefly for pics. And then for the photoshoot. 
Total Cost: The reed was $10 for an American pound. The muslin is about $2 a yard. And the cotton was $12 total. So $24 total. Most was in the stash

Now for the dress!

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

It's a Dress! Or Finally Finished

Semester ends! Yay! And I catch the sewing bug. But with money tied up in Christmas Gifts, I must dive into the UPB or Unfinished Project Box. We all have one, they're usually that box tucked away in the sewing room of things no one wants to see, where a couple tweaks and maybe an hour and there'd be a finished project.

Anyways....

This is my first colonial dress. I made the stays, shift and pockets a few years back. As with the small bumroll and the three petticoats underneath. (Said petticoats and bumroll are used for everything requiring petticoats.) There are pictures of the underthings, somewhere. And I know I need new stays. The ones I'm wearing are from when I first started sewing and not really comfortable. (had yet to learn of tabs. OMG! I love tabs.) Pretty much they're boring white with blue thread. I'm debating new ones with an actual pattern and possible that goregous curtain fabric......

So here is the dress (excuse the cell phone):

It is a very pretty quilter's cotton I found in Joann's. The pattern looks very colonial to me, but I cannot swear to accuracy. I'm a costumer not a historian, Jim! (Sorry, couldn't resist). The back is quartered and the front fastens down the front with pins, which are currently pulling because I'm not laced right. (My assistant was over the river, literally) The pattern is a combination of the Simplicty pirate gown and historical stuff I found/looked at online. I drafted it from the information myself! I doubt it's together historically acurate but alas. Partially machine partially by hand.

You can see the pattern of the fabric well here and how full I got my skirts. Plus the shape provided by the stays.

The yellow skirt is not the right one for this gown. I made a very full, teal petticoat that looks gorgeous under the gown and adds even more fullness. But it and I are not on speaking terms (long story.) So I am using possibly the first skirt I made. It too is of quilter's cotton and has a matching blouse and corset to go with it. (technically it belongs to the Padme outfit...)

The neck-kerchief is not the right one. I have one somewhere but I don't know where. So its a muslin square. And a little bit of self fabric trim is not on yet. I ran out of fabric. But there are sleeve flounces that had to be removed to adjust the sleeves. Hey! There's a hem and a closure, to me that means finished!

Happy New Year!
Merlina