Vintage Vouge Submission

So it is finally done, not exactly what wanted, but I still like it. I took V1084 and swapped out the full skirt for a pencil line skirt. I smoothed the neckline and added the more modern leather belt.

I wanted to add an optional full skirt that could be belted on-top for a party, but with the move and troubles with getting my UK machine to work in the US, I ran out of time. I will complete that part later. In the meantime the dress is complete in its most wearable format and I could easily see myself wearing this to dinner or a job interview. I wills till need to take it in some so that it fits me personally though. I started having difficulty being able to get it on and off of the dummy so I left personal fitting until after the competition judging and for when I have a workable machine back in my possession. You can't see it in these pics, but my hand sewing leaves much to be desired and takes too damn long :)

So there it is, my first outfit entered into a sewing competition. Wish ou could see it in person. The wool is beautiful and soft and the whole thing is lined in the prettiest lilac silk dupioni, which you could have seen in the full skirt had I finished that part. I'm not expecting it to win me anything but I am very glad I did it.

-Z

Vintage fitting complications

So the 18th century dress is on somewhat of a hold as I try and complete my entry for the Vintage vogue competition which has a deadline of the 18th of August (right in the middle of me moving back to the States).

I am combining 2 different vintage patterns (see earlier post for pics) so I did a mockup in muslin to make sure it would work right. Luckily I have a new dress dummy who works very well for this, but as I discovered today, I need to mark her centerline. I fitted the pattern which was too lose and the waist too long originally, but when I tried it on myself I could tell I moved the centerline when I was pining.

So now I dont trust the new pattern enough to go to the wool yet. I have used greaseproof paper to make new pattern pieces and I will do another muslin mockup to hopefully get it right this time, as there are some tricky pieces in this bodice since the sleeves are part of the front dress piece.

I should upload pictures soon so you can see what I am talking about.

As for the embroidery for the 18th century, that is coming along, I almost have my first basket done :) I expect this project will take a while and not sure it is will be completable for the Double Period Project submission in February, but I'll keep going and we'll see how far I get.

18th Century Dress Diary- Embroidery Part 2...and other projects

So been a bit since I last posted, but I have actually made a little progress.

The green loops along the hem are now half done, but I ran out of thread of that color, so today I drew on the basket centerpiece and will begin on that with the other colors I have. I will be moving to Boston at the end of the summer so it will be easier and cheaper to get more silk there, so finishing up my current supply is the best bet.Here are the pics of this step:First needed to draw out the basket on a sheet of paper so I could adjust as needed. This will also serve as a template to make sure all the baskets around the skirt match.

Next I placed the paper under the fabric at the center front about 2 inches up from the hem loops. I used a water erasable fabric marker to transfer the pattern to the fabric.
Now the basket is all drawn on and I am starting on the chainstich for the basket in a dark brown (Eterna 4670).

In other project news, since Charles is likely to be in the US for a month - month and a half without me this summer, I have decided to try my hand at Sew Directs Vintage Vogue Competition (http://www.sewdirect.co.uk/?gclid=CN_Os76Kh5sCFd4B4wodsQK7pw)

It is due on August 19th so we will see how far I get with my project at work launching at end of June, but I figure it is worth a shot.
I have a great idea for a combo between the skirt on this ....
And the top on this....

With a bit of a twist, a detachable full cape skirt over the pencil skirt! And I am thinking of doing the whole thing in a lovely Scottish Tweed. So we will see. I am still in the thought process and don't have a dress dummy here so getting the draping right may be a challenge.

Wish me luck!
Z

18th century Dress Diary- Getting Started

So I think I have found a purpose for this blog for now..
A dress diary for my latest project, the recreation of this 18th century outfit:
http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=5280886

The inspiration for creating it came from a Historical Costuming Website I joined called Your Wardrobe Unlocked (http://yourwardrobeunlockd.com/) which has a yearly contest to create something inspired by a particular time period in history. This year was the era of 1770-1789 or the Natural Form era of the Victorian period. As previously the website had sent out a link to the Christie's auction below, and I had fallen in love with the green jacket and lovely embroidered skirt, I decided this is what I wanted to do. Charles also has a partially completed British General's outfit from the Revolutionary period he wants me to complete, so it all works out to have my research for the year be the same era.

I decided to begin with the skirt, as this will take the most time with all the embroidery work, but the pattern is less complicated and not hard to learn (two rectangles pleated at the top with a waist band that wraps and ties).

First step the fabric:In looking at online research as well as some books on the subject (Janet Arnold's Pattern's of Fashion, Seventeenth and Eighteenth- Century Fashion in Detail, and 18th Century Embroidery Techniques) it seems that the skirt was most likely made up of an Indian Muslin which was all the rage for European women at the time. So I found my fabric here: http://www.macculloch-wallis.co.uk/Product.aspx/Cottons!4104W

This fabric is soft, airy and beautiful, but still a tight enough weave for embroidery work. Perfect! It will require a lining layer, and an under petticoat to not be see-through but that would be appropriate anyway.

Next the embroidery. Silk thread if I am to consider the time and silk jacket paired with it, seemed to be the right choice. After looking at a couple different choices I went with Eterna http://www.eternasilk.com/stranded.htm
I tried matching colors as best I could with only the zoomed image from the Christie's auction to guide me and ordered the following:They are shiny and soft and lovely to work with, only concern is that it may have been better to go with the twisted version as the stranded does tangle a bit if I am not careful with it.

In reading 18th Century Embroidery Techniques I found that for this skirt it was most likly done using a tabour stitching technique or a chain-stitch. With guidance from the book saying that one way to tell the difference is that chainstich would have more breaks as tabour is more a flowing style I decided this skirt is probably chainstitch based on the pattern. This is also easiest for me because I can do a chainstitch anywhere with just a hoop, easier to travel with.

So I moved on to starting my pattern by using a washable fabric marker, I laid out the pattern of the looping stitch along the hem to start with and choosing my darkest green thread.Here is where I am at so far.
Nice start, but a long way to go. I will try and update as I get the chance.

-Z