A Problem And A Plan

I have been really struggling with the weight of my clothes. I generally wear a chemise and drawers, a corset, a cage, two starched petticoats and a dress. All of this really bogs me down. Individually, each piece is very comfortable but that is not appropriate for going out to an event.

In looking at fabric I came across some lovely white cotton lawn for a very reasonable price. It was on sale for less than $4 a yard. Unfortunately I missed the sale by a day but I made the purchase anyway. I had my mind made up.

My plan is to make a nice, light chemise, a pair of drawers, and at least one petticoat from this lawn. I would love to use it to remake my blue sheer but I will probably need to order more for that. 

I started a challenge for myself a few years ago and I think that I will pick it up again now. It was to make an undergarment item each month for a year. How nice it will be to have 3, new, full sets!!! 

Making A Ball Gown ~ Finished

Ball Gown Update 2/4/15 ~ My dearest husband decided to surprise me with tickets to the Winter Ball in Gettysburg last Saturday. I was fortunate to have been told and was able to start at the beginning of January. As you can imaging, I worked daily to get my gown finished before the event. This lovely surprise moved my due date for this project up an entire month. Here's what I completed:

The first thing that I had to do was to remake my cage.... again. Our trip to Cedar Creek really destroyed it. I also added an attached bum roll to help with a back thrust for my skirts. I really like how it turned out but looking at the pictures, I think that I could go wider with my cage.

I do confess that most of the work went into the flounced petticoat or under skirt. There are 11 flounces and each one took an entire day. They are all hand hemmed and hand gathered. However, I did use the machine to attach the flounces to the base skirt. My favorite part about this petticoat is that I can use it under the wrapper that I have planned as well as for the skirt of my new sheer.

The silk for the bodice and over skirt came from FashionFabricsClub.com. It's called "Bronze Brown Silk Taffeta" and has an embroidered check design. I do confess that when I first opened the package I almost cried.... it looked like curtains. It had taken so long to arrive and I didn't have any time to send it back and order something else. I shoved it back into the bag and tried to forget about it for a few days. Finally, I pulled it back out and draped it on my mannequin. After a few days of looking at it draped like that, it slowly started to look like dress fabric.

The bodice and over skirt were finished in about a week. I used Past Patterns 704 for this and really like how the double puff sleeve turned out. I used a straight size 18, only taking in the side seams about 1/4 inch on each side. I also put in a gathering stitch to narrow the sleeve openings but other than that I made no alterations. It would have been nice if there was an actual bertha pattern included.

The bows were made from black silk satin organza. I wanted to use wide silk ribbon but everything that I saw was very limp and wouldn't have given the look that I was going for. The fabric was ripped into strips and hemmed on both sides. Then the bow was made and two were attached to the over skirt and one went into my hair.

I am already planning my improvements for this gown. I'm going to add a sheer bertha decorated with strips of the bodice fabric (if I have enough) and take a little bit off on the side seams of the bodice. I had wanted to also make a new under skirt of silk but after the gown was stepped on so many times and drug on the dirty ground, I may just stay with a washable (and bleach-able) fabric.

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12/09/2014 - Wouldn't you know that as soon as I start on a major project, like making a quilt, along comes another major project, like making a ball gown. We are hosting a party that includes a dance master, gowns and a lovely historic venue. So, of course I have to have a ball gown. After all, you can't hostess a ball without one, right?

Here are some ideas that appeal to me:

I'm going for a two part dress such as the red one above. I really like the open bodice style.

The ruffled underskirt is very nice on this one. For mine, I'm thinking a white underskirt and a colored over skirt.

I especially like this red one. 

I love this painting of Lady Elizabeth Gilstrap (1822-1891) by Richard Buckner (Newark Town Council, Newark, Nottinghamshire UK) . You can see her flounced, sheer under skirt. 

Currently, I have no silk. So, a sheer flounced underskirt would be a great place to start. I have until the end of February to finish my dress. Wish me luck!

Other Inspirational Gowns:

Here is a lovely example of a sheer flounced ball gown from the MET Museum

Godey's Lady's Book, December 1859

I adore the blue one on the far left. Is that 13 rows of flouncing that I see? Here's the description: Fig. 1. we have one of those characteristic tunic dresses, introduced of late, and notable for their novelty at least. Underskirt or petticoat of white silk, covered by innumerable small flounces. Tunic and corsage of blue satin; sleeves of white silk, with a ruche of blue; berthé trimmed with point lace.

Peterson's Magazine 1860

I had been wondering if ribbon trimmed flounces would be an option... and it looks like they are. Fig. I. -Evening-dress of White Tulle, trimmed with eleven narrow tulle flounces, edged with blonde and narrow currant-colored velvet. A tunic of spotted tulle is trimmed with a broader velvet, a long wreath of velvet flowers, and a large bow of velvet ribbon. The sleeves and the berthe, which is of a heart shape, are trimmed to correspond with the skirt. Wreath of green leaves and velvet flowers. 

I really like this yellow one as well. I could use some gold silk that I have for the bodice and bows and order something that coordinates for the over skirt.

Spring Goals

I haven't been doing much historical sewing this year... or last year for that matter.... so I'm a bit behind in marking projects off of my goals list. For this reason I am deciding to scrap the list and start over with.... whatever I feel like doing. I'm looking for instant gratification in the form of improvements to current items, wrapping up UFOs, or quick start to finish projects.

Honestly I don't really know where to start. It seems that all the projects that I see are multi part or group projects. Here's what I mean:

~ I'd like to make improvements to the bodice of my blue sheer but first I should make a new fashion corset and 120" hoop.

~ I Will Finish My Tan Dress!!! This also needs the fashion corset and larger cage listed above.

~ Fashionable hat. I especially want one with a black lace veil (mid-century sun glasses). To make this simple, I'm looking for a straw hat to decorate with ribbon and silk flowers.

~ A traveling bag would be very nice. I think that I will start one and work on it at events. I already know what I want to applique on the front.

~ I love sewing challenges so I am starting my own. It's the Undergarment A Month Challenge. The rules are to make one undergarment each month. Alternate monthly according to personal need but be sure to include chemises, drawers and petticoats. Extra corsets and hoops are optional. Each participant that completes the 12 month challenge wins (by the work of their own hands) full sets of brand new underpinnings.

Sew Fortnightly Bodice Challenge

  
I have decided to join the Sew Fortnightly 5th Challenge -

 Make a bodice


The rules:

#5: Bodice - Make a bodice – a garment that covers the upper body.  You can either abide by the strictest historical sense (see the blog post for history of bodice terminology) or can explore the idea of bodices in a more general sense.

For this challenge I am going to make an under-bodice for my younger daughter. This bodice will have a band with buttons to attach her hoop. I'm thinking a bateau neck with no sleeves, it will button up the back. I haven't done button holes for some time so it will be good practice.

This project is due March 15th. Wish me luck! :)

The Historical Sew Fortnightly

I just stumbled upon this cute sewing challenge given by The Dreamstress and I had to join. I'm a bit late in this since it started in January but, well, better late than never. Here's the schedule, given so far, with ** next to the challenges that I am interested in participating in:

** #13: Lace and Lacing - due July 1.  Lacing is one of the simplest and oldest forms of fastening a garment, eminently practical, and occasionally decorative.  Lace has been one of the most valuable and desirable textiles for centuries, legislated, coveted, at times worth more than its weight in gold, passed down from one garment to the next over centuries. Elaborate and delicate it is eminently decorative, and rarely practical.  Celebrate the practicality of lacing, and the decorative frivolity of lace, with a garment that laces or has lace trim, or both. (I would have loved to take part in this one but I didn't have enough time to really think about it before the deadline.)

#14: Eastern Influence – due July 15.  The East has had a profound influence on Western fashions for millenia, from the Chinese silks that were worn in Ancient Rome, through the trade in Indian chintzes from the 17th century onward, 18th century chinoiserie, Kashmiri shawls and paisley, 19th century Japonisme, and early 20th century Orientalism and Egyptian revival.  In this challenge make an item that shows the Eastern influence on Western fashion.

**  #15: Colour Challenge White - due July 29.  White has carried many connotations as a colour, from defining culture and social boundaries, to denoting status, to implying purity, or simply cleanliness.  For this challenge ‘white’ is defined as anything in the white family – from brightest white, through to ivory and cream and all the shades between. Whether you make a simple chemise or an elaborate ballgown, your item should be predominantly white, though it may have touches of other colours. (I will be making my Garden Hat for this challenge)

** #16: Separates - due August 12.  Make a non-matching garment which can be paired with other items in your historical wardrobe to extend your outfit choices.

** #17: Robes & Robings - due August 26.   Make a robe-shaped garment, from a biblical robe, through a medieval robe, an 18th century banyan, a Regency evening robe, a 19th century wrapper, or an early 20th century kimono.  Or, make one of the frocks called robes by modern English speaking fashion historians, such as a robe volante, robe battante, robe à la coer, robe à la française, robe à l’anglaise (+ turques, polonaises, & circassienne), and the 1920s robe de style.  Or, make something with robings (read the event page for a description).

**  #18: Re-make, Re-use & Re-fashion – due September 9.  Sew something that pays homage to the historical idea of re-using, re-making and re-fashioning.  Turn one thing into another.  Re-fit or re-fashion an old gown into something you would wear again.  Re-trim a hat for a new outfit, or re-shape a modern hat to be a historical hat.  Re-purpose the fabric from an old garment (your own or a commercial one) into a new garment. (I will be re-making my cotton dress for this)

Things To Finish 2012:

I will never get any of this done if I never get started......

I have been really slow getting my list in order. I seem to have the bad habit of almost finishing things. My list is mostly just finishing touches and making the items that I purchased fabric for. Go figure.

For Me:

Work Corset -  Done 8/1.
** Fashion Corset - made duct tape pattern 9/3. **
2 Petticoats - Done 5/15
Cotton Dress - started 6/3, finished 6/6. Done.
Collar and Cuffs for Cotton Dress - Done 6/7

Cotton Sheer Dress - 5/21 bodice is done. 5/31 underskirt is done, adding flounces. Over skirt is done. Hate the bodice, need to remake it. Done 8/7.
Collar and Sleeves for Sheer - The sleeves will be tube sleeves with 2 or 3 ruffles at the bottom. Done 8/10.

** Wool Dress - 7/12 decided on a style. 7/25 decided on trim, burgundy wool. **
** Undersleeves & Collar - for wool dress **
Brown Mantle (need silk lining) - purchased lining but will be using it for my bonnet instead. get more silk. Will use this wool as a shawl. Done 8/4.
Bonnet - 4/12 purchased gold/tan silk. Started 7/6. Finished covering 7/16. Added English netting 8/13, need to make paper roses - red, pink, white. Done

** Bonnet - Added sheer, drawn bonnet to match my sheer dress 6/2. Made base 8/5. To finish in the spring 2013 **
Other Accessories:
        White Silk Belts
        White Silk Neck Ribbon - done
        Jewelry - Have amber eyeball agate ear drops 4/20. Have green tree agate and jade bracelet 5/19.
        ** Dress Cap - Decided on a dotted Swiss cap from Peterson's 1860. Get dotted Swiss from Needle and Thread $12/yard **

For Older Daughter:
Night Dress - Daughter to make this herself. crossed off list.
** Hat - Started on 3/1. 3/9 Finished the buckram hat, just need to add batting and silk. 4/12 purchased blue silk. **
Blue Dress - Finish box pleats around the bottom of the dress. 3/3 two of the six bias strips are hemmed. Remade the sleeves, moved the box pleating and made a belt 7/28. Added the box pleating across the top of the body. Done, she doesn't want the box pleating around the bottom.
Hood - to match her mantle

Under sleeves - 5/23 stitched plackets and gathered sleeves. Not needed. Remade the sleeves.
** Bosom friend -  To be made for fall of 2013**
** Paletote - from the blue wool. To be finished for Easter 2013 **
** New Skirt and semi-sheer body with blue silk bretelles - added 6/? with purchase of wool/silk fabric. To be finished for Easter 2013 **

For Younger Daughter:
Wrapper - need to quilt back and sew seams.
"Sprinkles dress" - trim with brown floss braid. Decided not to add the trim
** Poplin dress - to be finished for Easter 2013 **
** Sleeves & Collar - for the poplin dress. to be finished for Easter 2013 **
Mantle -  trim with boa. 3/9 Finished adding the boa. Done
Hood  - done

Brown ribbon bretelles - Marked off the list without completing.
** Paletote - from lavender wool. to be finished for Easter 2013 **
** Cage - She will need a cage to go under her poplin dress. to be finished for Easter 2013 **
Petticoats - done
Pill Box Hat - to match her mantle. finished 11/13

For Older Son:
Cap - Crochet wool cap. done 11/18
** Belt - for his coat. Will finish by fall 2013 **
Summer Tunic - Added this on 5/23. Am scrapping my black and tan dress fabric to make the boys matching tunics. Done 9/5.

For Younger Son:
Shoes - Purchased 8/10
Yellow pique jacket and skirt - Marked off the list without completing.
Sheer dress - Marked off the list without completing.
Summer Tunic - Added this on 5/23. Am scrapping my black and tan dress fabric to make the boys matching tunics. Started on 8/28. Finished 8/30.

Cap - decided on a crochet wool and silk cap 8/12. have fingering wool. Done
Coat - added 9/9. done 9/20

** Long sleeved tunic - of blue shirting, lined, to math his brother's. added 9/20. Will make for Fall 2013 **

Today starts the first full week of December and I will call an official close to this list. With the exception of my younger daughter's wrapper, that will be finished and given as a Christmas present. We have attended our final event for the year and will now concentrate on Christmas gifts, leaving no time in the year 2012 to finish any other items above. All items marked with ** will begin the list for 2013..... and start the sewing frenzy all over again.

I sincerely hope that you got majority of your 2012 sewing list completed and can sit back and admire your accomplishments. Please do share your lists with me. I would love to see your work.

With all sincerity,
Jessica Dean

Underclothes Challenge

Here is a challenge to make, each month, a full set of under clothes. They do not need to be trimmed to be deemed completed. Make for yourself a chemise and drawers to match. Every 4th month make for yourself a petticoat as well. By the close of August, next year, you will have 12 sets of underclothes and 3 petticoats.