1860 Silk Corset

You may remember my adoration for THIS Gold Silk Corset worn in the movie 'Owl Creek Bridge'. I had long wanted to make a silk 1860s corset - even though my research shows that most 1860s corsets were white. I probably won't wear this one very often. I just think they're so pretty! My original intent was to use royal blue silk, but when that was not available, I decided to use this gold silk that I already had in my stash.

I patterned the corset off of a Beth Miller reproduction corset that I had worn for years. That corset was purchased second hand and since I'm long waisted I had to add quite a bit of length to achieve the correct fit in my reproduction.

Past Patterns #213 Victorian Corset would be an excellent pattern to use to achieve a similar look.

This corset has two layers of cotton coutil (purchased from Needles & Thread in Gettysburg). I also made a white cotton coutil corset, so that has just two layers of coutil - one is the outer fabric and the other is the lining. The silk corset has the silk and outer layer of coutil treated as one piece.

If you're new to corsetry and you'd like to make your own corset, I would recommend attending the Genteel Arts Corset class. A friend of mine attended this class and left with a beautiful reproduction corset.

1860s Green Ballgown

Finally! Some decent photos of my 1860s Green Silk Ballgown. This ballgown was finished in November 2009 for a Remembrance Day Ball in Gettysburg, Pennyslvania.

I drafted the bodice based off of an original. I love the darted evening bodices that are so under-represented in the Living History community.

I designed the dress with lots of yards of clear bugle bead looped beadwork in mind - which I chose to lavishly trim the sleeves with. In retrospect the sleeves remind me of the stereotypical "princess" sleeves worn by Disney's Snow White.

The dress design began with two White, Purple, and Green silk scarves purchased at a Ten Thousand Villages sale. I knew that they would make the perfect Turban style headdress just like one I had seen in a fashion plate.

The triangular ruching on the skirt - green silk taffeta and white silk organza - contains thousands of purple beads hand beaded to it with the clear looped bead trim formed into rosettes at the points. Very time consuming! The skirt is lined in cotton organdy to stabilize the beadwork.

The skirt is box pleated after an original that I had the opportunity to study. The box pleats start out small in the front with one knife pleat on each side and grow in width to be very large at the back with lots of little knife pleats on each side.

18th Century Panniers

Here are my 18th Century Panniers or Pocket Hoops. These were sewn from Ivory Cotton Damask fabric using a pattern that I drafted myself. I used round reed as the hoop boning.

18th Century Stays

Here is one of the pairs of 18th Century Stays that I made last Spring. I used the J.P. Ryan Strapless Stays pattern. I would love to try out her new 18th Century Half Boned Stays Pattern!

This pair of stays was made using Pink Silk with Linen lining. I used both Reed and Metal boning.

I am also wearing my linen shift made using a pattern that I drafted myself.

18th Century Cap

Here are a few detailed pictures of the 18th Century Cap that I made from Cotton Organdy using the J.P. Ryan Dormeuse Cap pattern.

1795-1803 Silk Robe

Pictures of the c1795-1803 reproduction silk robe.

1798-1805 Silk Gown

A few pictures of the recently completed c1798-1805 Silk Gown.

1930s Dress Pattern

Here's the sketch that I drafted my pattern off of. Speaking of darts: You can see the darts at the front and back. Actually they look like they're at the waist on the sketch, but since I'm rather long waisted and didn't make any adjustments for that, placing the seam between the points of the two triangles is at my waist. Confusing? It all works out - I like the seam between the two triangles rather than the darts anyway. :)

Finished 1930s Evening Gown

Finally, the long awaited photos of the 1930s evening gown that I completed last week. I'm pretty satisfied with the way it turned out. Although I draped the dress on a school mannequin several years ago, there were few changes that needed to be made to the pattern in order for the dress to fit me - a bonus.

I added a seam at the waist area to smooth out a ripple that was forming there. The original sketch showed darts above the waist, but that seemed a strange location to place them. The waist seems a little more natural to me.

I love the diamonds at the side!

I added a godet train. I'm not sure if I like the way that the skirt falls -it may have looked nicer on the bias - but I tried to make it like the original sketch and pattern which was not on the bias.

I'm so glad to finally feel closure from this college class project! We were assigned to drape the pattern for this dress as a final project but I always wanted to see the realized dress. Now I can call it finished and add it to my Portfolio.

Next Project: 1930s Dress

Listening to Enya themed music on Pandora and relaxing after a hard day's work. I spent the day draping a pattern for another 1930s dress. This is one I've wanted to make for ages! I have the perfect fabric - possibly the most beautiful fabric I've ever owned - that is exactly like the fabric of the original dress that I'm copying. I want to keep it a little bit of a surprise. But above is the inspiration for the piece. Beautiful, isn't it?

I have so many ideas swimming in my head! Sometimes I drive myself crazy with the ideas that are constantly popping into my head. One of my goals in life is to learn how to relax. Sleep is my only relaxation at this point...I always joke about getting in my 10 hours each night. I have four long lists of things I'd like to do when I get my Portfolio completed. A list for Sewing Projects for me, one for Sewing Projects for my business, one for Decorating Projects, and a third for Dinner Parties and Social Activities. I guess we'll see which projects win the competition in March.

1888 Dress

The photo shoot this weekend went very well, so I have the first of three costumes to share with you. This dress is an 1888 dress based on a pattern in "Patterns of Fashion" by Janet Arnold. The costume was made for an 1888 immersion event in Gettysburg several years ago.

I'm very proud of the hat because I stitched the rows of straw together myself to save a little $$$. I'll admit, I was very tempted to purchase a hat from a milliner, but having the straw braid on hand, I set myself the task of stitching together my own hat. It was much simpler than I thought it would be, and I was very happy with the way it turned out.

Like originals that I've examined, the skirt has a brown polished cotton lining sewn into it with rows of metal hooping that can be tied into a semi-circular shape to form the bustle.

At the event, spectators commented most on my train, tapping me on the shoulder to let me know that my skirt was dragging on the ground. Yes, I already knew that...it's called a train. ;)

1860s Hoopskirt

You probably don't know, but I first began my historical reproduction clothing business around 2003. I was seeking summer employment, and rather than work at some dead end job, I decided to put my skills to use making Cage Crinolines to sell. For me, making Cage Crinolines was right up my alley - using the drill, hammer, and anvil (although not all at once!).

I've been itching to try my hand at making a hoopskirt for some time. I've loved the colorful original hoopskirts of the 1860s. The above white and purple hoopskirt is from the book "Fashion," and the below illustration is from the book "Costume in Detail."

I'm very excited that I'll soon be able to offer 1860s hoopskirts for sale. I have two styles in mind. One will have many rows of boning while the other will have about half as many - more economical. I may want to make a third style, too! Can you tell I'm just crazy about hoopskirts?

Right now I'm working on a deep red cotton hoopskirt to replace my cage crinoline. The circumference will be 108". The fabric was purchased at JoAnn Fabrics in the Bottomweights section. I would have liked to find a striped material but there was nothing available at the time. There were, however, some very beautiful jewel toned fabrics in the Bottomweights section that seemed the perfect weight.

So far I've sewn the fabric of the hoopskirt together and sewn all the rows of prussian tape into the hoopskirt. Next I'll add the waistband, finish the hem, and add the boning. I'd like to hem the bottom in a waved style like the hoopskirt above. The hoopskirt below has a band of black velvet around the bottom which is also very pretty.

Original hoopskirt in brilliant Red Flannel.

1950-60s Evening Wrap

I'm excited to share with you one of my latest thrift store finds! I love thrifting. I try very hard to keep myself from visiting Goodwill every morning...often I fail at this. Last week, while visiting my favorite store, I came upon this adorable Vintage black satin wrap from the 50s or 60s. Sadly it was missing the evening gown that went with it. For $5 I snagged myself a cute evening wrap to wear to the Symphony Orchestra on Friday night. I paired it with a black satin White House, Black Market Dress (also a thrifted treasure) and a Vintage necklace and I was set.

The wrap has short sleeves in it with a wide ruffled edge. I especially like the way it is open at the front neckline, allowing the dress and jewelry to show.

This picture shows the adorable wide ruffled edge on the wrap. The design is by Emily Wetherby. I'd love to make some variations on this cute wrap to wear with other sleeveless dresses. It would be cute in a shorter length, and also in different weights of fabric - knits, silks, sheers.

1930s Evening Gown Mock-Up

Here is a picture of the 1930s evening gown mock-up. This is a horrible picture, but you get the idea.

I'm happy to announce that the dress is now completed. I had planned to take pictures tonight but I'm feeling a little under the weather. I promise to have Vince take pictures of it on me very soon! I love the way it turned out. The color is just perfect!