1860s Ballgown Sleeves

Today's Project: 1860s Ballgown Sleeves

I'm currently working on an 1860s Ballgown to wear to balls this fall and winter. Hopefully it will be finished in time for Remembrance Day celebrations in Gettysburg in November. The dress is made of Green Silk Taffeta. The darted ballgown bodice is finished, including the hand sewn eyelets at the back. Now I need to finish the sleeves, silk organza undersleeves, trim, and skirt with trim. Today's project is hand sewing the piping and pre-beaded trim onto the sleeves. Above you can see the Before and After.

Flower Girl Dress

Flower Girl Dress

These were the best pictures that I got of the Flower Girl Dress that I made in the Spring for a client's daughter, but I thought I would post them anyway. Afterall, I've been feeling bad that I promised to post pictures of the completed dress and didn't! I think it turned out rather nicely. I used the Satin Taffeta from JoAnns with the Taffeta side out. The same fabric we used for the Bridesmaids dresses in my wedding, except Mom and I used the Satin side out then. It's a great fabric to work with and looks really high quality for this sort of thing. I would buy it again for similar projects in a heartbeat! A White Taffeta Sash was also made to be worn with the dress.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Brom Bones & Ichabod Crane (Dan Deal)

On a cool fall evening in the year 1794, an evening gathering was held by the Van Tassels (in the heart of Lancaster County at Rock Ford Plantation). At this gathering the lovely Katrina Van Tassel would be courted by Brom Bones and Ichabod Crane. And perhaps the legendary Headless Horseman would make an appearance?


Brom & Katrina Van Tassel (Stephanie Jo Wise)

Party Guests playing at Cards

A lovely spread of delightful foods was set for the evening's entertainment.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Mark & Andrea Amey

Notice Mark's apron attached to his button. This is for a working impression.

Nathaniel

Nancy

Jenny & Vance

When Jenny and I first met we discovered that our husbands had similar names - Vince and Vance, and that Vince and his brothers joke that Vance is his evil twin, and Vance joked that Vince was his evil twin! Now we know that we have to get the two of them together to meet! I'm sure they'll discover that neither is the evil twin. ;)

This burgandy cotton dress is one of my favorites that I've made! It was based off of a c1795-1810 dress from Pennsylvania. I draped the pattern from pictures of the original. It's the perfect style for Rock Ford Plantation, where they focus on the era between 1794-1802 (the years Edward Hand and his family lived in the home before he died in 1802).

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Katrina & Cindy

I made Katrina's dress (recognize the silk from the curtains in my bedroom?), and Cindy had hers made by another seamstress.

This Green Cotton Dress is another of my creations.

A Lovely Group of Docents

Pam is in the Red Silk dress on the Right. This was one of my creations based off of an original dress c1795-1810. The changeable silk is very beautiful and has a fleur de lis embroidered pattern.

Mark & Andrea Amey are pictured at Left. Mark usually creates their amazing costumes, while Andrea makes the most beautiful reproduction jewelry (Amey's Adornments).

Cindy in a lovely silk gown of her creation!

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Another Docent & Katrina

Katrina is wearing the Blue Silk dress that I made her several years ago. It's based off of an original from Pennsylvania c.1795-1810, perfect for the years portrayed at Rock Ford Plantation.

Nancy & Edna in the Kitchen

The Orange Cotton dress on the Left was also made by Three Graces Historical Clothing.

Nancy & Edna Cooking

Here's my mother in the lovely blue cotton dress that she made using the Past Patterns Regency Dress Pattern. This is her dress for cooking in the kitchen at Rock Ford.

Nancy

My mother in her white cotton dress. This one is based off of a 1790s original made of a similar fabric.

Cooking at Fort Hunter

Audrey Trussell and Nancy Koch Cooking at Fort Hunter

Cooking at Fort Hunter

This summer my mother (in the blue dress) and a friend did a cooking setup at Fort Hunter near Harrisburg, PA. They had a lovely setup. The little building that they used was basically empty, so everything you see, they provided.

Authentic working clothes are always fun to see!

Cooking over the Open Hearth.

Victorian Images

I thought I'd share a few images that I recently found online through LIFE magazine's website.

A 'Tableau' called 'High Life' - an upper class lady prepares for an evening out...

'Low Life' - a middle - lower class woman gets dressed.

Isn't this dress lovely? I just adore the fullness of the bodice and sleeves!

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

Silk Corset for Sale!

Just wanted to let you know that I've posted the Originals By Kay Silk Corset that I purchased several months ago on Ebay, as well as several other 'costumes' on Ebay - in case you're interested!

I figured that now - just before Halloween - was the perfect time to clean out some costumes that I'm no longer using! Many of those being listed were made throughout the years prior to college for Halloween, Fashion Shows, and my first Portfolio.

See my Ebay Items HERE.

1795-1820 Pelisse

The other night I learned that I would be able to attend an evening event at a museum near home this Friday. I had begun drafting a pattern for a c.1795-1820 Pelisse from Janet Arnold's 'Patterns of Fashion' Vol. 2 over a year ago, so I pulled that out, finished it up, and now I'm in the process of cutting out several silk Pelisse jackets to sew. One to wear, and one to sell. One is a beautiful coral colored taffeta with windowpane plaid design, another is a white silk with delicate pearl beadwork.

It's so rewarding to be able to use a pattern based directly from an original. The design lines of historical clothing are always so beautiful.

Pittsburgh Reenacting

This weekend we attended a small living history in the Pittsburgh area. Vince wore his new Corner Clothiers wool jacket (didn't Kara do a fabulous job?) and I wore my plaid wool dress. We had a great time!

Moden Books Online

If you were interested in the garments and patterns found in the Moden books that I mentioned HERE, you'll be pleased to know that you can find many - but not all - of the patterns online. The text is all in Danish (I believe), but with a basic understanding of costume history and sewing you'll be able to figure things out pretty easily.

Moden Books Online