A Jacket from Costume Close-Up and the Beginnings of a Sack-Back Gown!

I have been sewing, really. I just completed my sixth (6th!!) project of the year so far and I am starting on the seventh! Anyway, number 6 was the cotton print jacket from Costume Close-Up. I had seen pictures of it online and was thrilled to see it in person and get some good pictures when I was in Williamsburg. I made a few alterations to the orginal pattern so that it would close over a stomacher and added the ribbons as you see in the last picture. I'm not sure I'm happy with them though- I may replace them with real silk ribbons or make eyelets for lacing. Also, the jacket is reversible to a blue cotton floral print that I bought at the ever-excellent Wal Mart! Overall, I am very happy with this project. It was a huge learning experience (my first time sizing up a period pattern from a book!) and I feel proud of sewing it all by hand using techniques that are new to me.

Here you can see my current project- a 1760-70ish cotton sack-back gown for the Spring Ball. The fabric is from Reproduction Fabrics. This was my first time ordering from them, and I am impressed with their selection and service! Anyway, the pattern is by me based on the Costume Close-Up francaise and it is going together surprisingly/worryingly well. I have wanted to make a sacque ever since I started making historical clothes so this is scary and exciting!

Anyway, I am sewing the whole thing by hand using period methods I've read about and seen in clothing at Williamsburg. It's going to have a matching petticoat and stomacher with gathered and puffed trim, as you can kind of see on one of the robings and the detail of the sleeve. There at the top you can see a pic of the lining, which I decided to make with ties instead of lacings. (After making my new stays, which will be in the next post, I don't feel like making any more eyelets!!)

Leave comments and feel free to give me advice and your opinions on the jacket! :)

The Red and White Gown

I know, I know. I'm a horrible blogger. I ramble and my posts are few and far between. So I am updating now!

I've started a new pair of stays that just need the eyelets stitched and the edges bound. Hooray! Plus, I've made a red and white striped gown to wear to our trip to Williamsburg this September, and I'm very, very happy with it!

My next project will probably be a chemise/gaulle gown. :D

the ball and future projects- yay!

come with us, through time and space, to the land of the mighty POOF.

part of my group-- and you thought homeschoolers didn't have friends!

aren't they lovely?


yay!

It's about time I posted pics from the ball/the finished polonaise gown, considering it was a month ago!

The ball was lovely, and the gown was pretty close to perfect. I had only minimal trouble with the front closure (two pins came out whilst getting in/out of the limo) and I ended up taking off my fichu and putting it in one of my pockets during some of the dancing because it kept coming halfway off (grr!). My stays were surprisingly comfortable, although the worst part was not being able to slouch... bad posture, I know.

Anyway, two weeks ago I had major surgery on my hip joint-- long story. I got hurt in soccer two years ago and I'm just now getting it repaired. Needless to say, I've been sitting around doing very little because of it. Even though I have completely neglected posting any pictures , I've been working on a blue linen gown for a possible Williamsburg trip next December/next summer. It's a late 1770s- early 80s polonaise, with a mock zone-front and rutched trim. It's nearly done, except for the trimming and the evil evil evil sleeves... ughhh.... but it's been something to keep me busy whilst I sit.

As far as other projects, I've been meaning to make a jacket out of some white and blue cotton I have, which I'll probably start when I finish the blue gown. It shouldn't be too complicated! Also, I'd really love to make my brothers outfits for the Williamsburg trip, but then I would have to make the frightening venture into the daunting realm of man clothes! (*screams*) It can't be that bad, and I've started some of the research, but the biggest problem most people seem to be having is patterns for breeches. This worries me! Any advice??

Another more current project is making accurate 18th c. clothes for my cousin, Kate. I've been wanting to make some clothes for kids, because they just look easier and hopefully won't take as long to make, and she was the perfect guinea pig, so I'm working on a gown, a few petticoats, a fichu and a shift for her. She already has some of my old gowns from when I was little and a few mob caps that belonged to me! Recycling is awesome. :)

well, that's it for the time being!

oh. my. goodness. gosh.

For some reason, I no longer feel as guilty about using material that is not 100% accurate.... It could be worse. Much worse. Much MUCH worse.
http://http//www.buycostumes.com/Marie-Antoinette-Adult-Costume-Gold/34633/ProductDetail.aspx?REF=AFC-datafeed&AID=10273928&PID=2587658&SID=pcost-18th
*gag!*
Today, my petticoat came! I bought it from here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/bonniemissflora. It's a really really dark red, and I'll be wearing it and a pink one I made underneath my green silk one for the ball. Pics will be posted when I can be bothered. I did try everything on last night and was quite satisfied! I just need to hem the green and pink petticoats and finish the trim on one of the sleeves of the gown (still!). Oh, and I'm hoping to get out tomorrow to get some material for my shift.
Also, I started on a little side project of a short jacket-- practice for one I want to make for a possible senior trip to Williamsburg/possible reenacting. I'm still kind of in the researching stages at the moment but have a general idea of what I want to do.
Well, that's all for this time! Bye!

shoes, stays, and other stuff.

so, my robe a la anglasie for the ball is basically finished, except for another sleeve ruffle which i am too lazy to finish at the moment. i also finished my pockets this morning while studying for an exam i have Monday--- multitasking win! basically, the only things i have left to do are hem and finish my petticoat, make my shift (which will be easy enough), and the nasty task of binding my stays, which i also started today. oh, i went to the fabric store last night in search of white linen to use for my shift. and you know what? they didn't have ANY. NONE! they only had pink, blue, an odd green, and this lovely deep red, which was tempting for a more practical future petticoat. but back to my rant. NONE! what the heck?!?!!? so for the sake of time and money, i might have to just use muslin. grr. while browsing about the fabrics last night, i kept in mind that in the 18th century your material choices were pretty limited. you had wools, linen, and silk, basically, all of which are pretty pricey and, unless you buy online, difficult to come by sometimes, because most things are a blend with polyester in them. Not to mention the price per yard... so I've decided that for my practical 18th c clothes, i'm definitely using cotton some of the time. i have no moral opposition against it!
i have also run into a shoe dilemma. i have found several tutorials on how to get yourself some 18th c shoes using thrift store finds and what not. here----http://bauhausfrau.livejournal.com/60973.html --- is a good one, and i'm guessing you could skip alot of those steps and just add straps and buckles for more sturdy, durable, practical shoes. at the suggestion of an expert, i'm going to check antique stores for a pair of 1940s-era shoes to modify. the problem is, i usually stay away from high heels due to my injury, so i'm a bit uneasy about it. i have seen some 18th c shoes with either very low or no heels, but they're usually from the 1780s-1790s and not civilian class shoes. but we'll see what happens.
so, questions for yall-- where do you buy your material? what kind of shoes do you use? comment below!