The Art of Dressing in the 1870's

Thanks to Sew Curvy who I follow on FB, I found this video (from Indigo Multimedia) this morning and was enthralled.  I have spent the last 20 minutes pausing it over and over and noting all the tiny, useful details.  The dress is extraordinary, I wish I could make something as beautiful as that, and loved finding out about the little details such as the corset hook and the jacket's inner waistband.  It makes me more tempted than ever to make another Victorian dress, earlier period this time, with a bustle and a different corset design - I love the curves of the model, I want them!  It also demonstrates the need for  truly fabulous fabrics, I couldn't afford silk faille for my first dress, but now that I am comfortable with the process I would definitely consider it, it sits so beautifully.  Oh, and when do you think I could squeeze in a little time studying with Luca Costigliolo at the National School of Cinema in Rome?!? Why didn't I know about him 15 years ago!

Catching up, pottering about and my H&M skirt revamped

Post Halloween/Victorian Costume is a very quiet affair... I hardly know what to do with myself (she says smiling broadly!)  The beginning of the week, I looked at the boyf in mild panic asking "What shall I do next?" and the look on his poor face said it all!  And I have plenty for me to do (there's a certain naked Dolly looking at me very hopefully), it's just that the next big project may just have to wait a while so that we can enjoy the simple things, like our dining room being an actual dining room...  So I have promised not to take it over for just a while, projects will be short and sweet or "handsewn?" ;o)

Its proving rather useful: on Monday we made Godfrey (still no replacement for Gareth the Cow, but the 10yr old is not willing to part with him just yet); Tuesday... no, not so productive, Tuesday; yesterday I made a damn fine fire and worked on some Christmas related design work for work (I am so not yet in the mood for Christmas, but thankfully in my world, Herb Alpert and his Tijuana Brass Band are a year round treat!); and today, with an afternoon at home, I have finally finished a skirt revamp that I have been contemplating for ages now, have costed up the Victorian Costume, ordered my calendar for next year (instead of waiting till the end of December and panicking), sorted out the "stuff" wardrobe (the hoover attachments can finally stop hitting me on the head as I put my sewing machine back in; its in there, behind the ironing board somewhere) and am back to trying to find a little more Christmas spirit...

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My Favourite Skirt, Revamped

Its only cotton, from H&M, but it's lined, it suits me and it has huge sentimental value as it's the first skirt I bought after the boyf convinced me that I had legs worth baring!  It got torn ages ago and the repair did not look good so it languished in the cupboard until tonight. Following on from the LBD, I am having a bit of a love affair with broad two-tone hems and this afternoon I pulled out more of the leftover taffeta and recovered the bottom 10" of the skirt.  There wasn't quite enough taffeta to do a complete lap of the hem so I added a 4" wide decorative insert with a ribbon trim.  I love it!  It's pretty and a little dressy and I can wear my favourite skirt again, yay!

It's just annoying that black never photographs clearly...

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The Victorian Costume Costings

When I started looking for inspiration for the Victorian Costume I came across a blog where a lady had spent $3500 on a similar outfit!  I immediately decided that my budget would be 1/10th of that, in pounds, and I am very pleased to say that my final spend was £269.71 - for everything, corset, chemise, both skirt parts and the jacket.  Add in the bloomers and the petticoat and I would still have £30 to spare.  You can see the breakdown here.

The Victorian Costume.... finished, complete, done!

Done, finished, complete... No more stitching to be done!  There's probably lots I could say, but it was a late night and an early morning, I have so much to do for Halloween that I am just finally glad to pack my sewing machine away for a couple of days!  Even have a little, last minute fascinator to put in the wig.... now just REALLY DO NEED my wig...

More finishing details...

The nearer to completion that my costume gets, the more I wonder about my choice of fabrics.  My initial thoughts on fabric for this project were to steer clear of the "traditional" interpretations and go for a cleaner, perhaps more modern, look.  However, the more involved that I have become, the more I question my initial choices.  Perhaps it is the two fabrics I chose?  There was too much going on in Mood, and not enough time to hand, to concentrate properly.  Perhaps I have just found my inner Victorian, and she's crying out for frills and furbelows!   All this said, however, I am very happy with both my fabrics and my costume, I guess what I am trying to say is that I would be less cautious next time.

"Next time?" I hear you say.  "Yes, indeedy!"  There will be a next time... :o)

In the meantime, I am finding that not only do my finishing details need to complement each piece and its fabric, they also need to work that bit harder to pull the outfit together.  I have a few ideas but will work on completing the individual pieces first.  I am also finding out just how time-consuming they can be; at the rate that I am currently going (which I know is far too slow and cautious) the snaps closures for the jacket will take 8-12 hours!  Last night I took a break from the snaps and concentrated on finishing the ruching and hemming of the overskirt. 

 I also found myself handstitching the ribbon trim to the fantail skirt, over 8 yards in total... I grabbed a glass of wine, curled myself up on the sofa and "watched" a movie with the boyf - not quite his idea of a cuddle on the sofa, I know... sorry honey!

Although the fantail skirt and the jacket/overskirt need to be "pulled together" more, I am starting to see progress.  I have found a very cool wig - this is afterall a Halloween costume as well as an exercise in sewing - now I just need it to arrive in good time for Friday and I can put my last ideas into place.

380 inches...

of ruching takes far longer than I thought!  The Overskirt and Dinner Jacket need to be detailed and finished; looking through some other examples online, I decided to stick with my "keep it simple" approach, Victorian-style.  

The jacket closures will be 13 hidden snap fastners with 7 decorative mother of pearl buttons on the front panel.  I am also toying with the idea of putting buttons on the back panel too; currently they are pinned onto the seams to prevent damage, they should sit higher and in the centre of the panels I think, I will play some more.

The sleeves and the front panels of the overskirt will have a ruched detailing in the same fabric.  I measured to ruche the hem of the overskirt as well, but the poplin is so fine that my initial doubling of the measurements was off by half!  It was a lucky error though, just ruching the front panel is perfect.

I will need to rehem the overskirt though, as it has a visible seam.  I will handstitch a hidden hem instead.

The only problem with all of this... my feet hurt!  I trust none of this sewing off Miss G, particularly with the snap fasteners which need to be accurate.  I like to keep the jacket as static as possible to avoid any mistakes.  I do enjoy the quiet of handsewing, it's very satisfying.

Finishing the 1882 Dinner Jacket

It's done!  All bar the buttons that is... but it's done!  I have one Victorian Dinner Jacket!!

I had a morning off today so decided to get the lining in; I have had a bad time with bagged linings in the past, so I was nervous, but the canvas interlining once again helped by maintaining the shape of the garment far better than usual.  The lining was pinned, right side to right side and then I sewed it in sections, the tails and bottom edge first, the centre edge and neckline second. 

I trimmed all the edges and any long threads and then it was time to turn it inside out.  The instructions are to turn it through the armhole, with all the interlining and boning I couldn't see how this would be possible.  I was expecting a nightmare.

One armhole, ready to turn inside out.

Half turned.

Almost done.

 I was so nervous I changed into my comfy sewing clothes before I started the turnout, but in the end it was all too easy.  The Truly Victorian patterns require a certain amount of faith at times, but they know exactly what they're doing.  They are challenging and inspiring, I am already browsing for my next pattern.

And here it is, on and off Miss G and with apologies for my lovely PJs!

Obviously I need closures and buttons, and maybe some more detailing, but I have a jacket!  It fits like a glove, it is impossibly comfortable and I am very pleased with myself tonight ;o)

I am also tempted to make a tail-less version for those non-Victorian days.

Plans? Pah! ;o)

The irony of writing about planning my work, and my work having other ideas about that, is not lost on me!  Now instead I can write about the importance of a final fit, especially when working on a tailor's dummy.  Oh, and also about "painstaking: (n) the application of careful and attentive effort", it was the word of the day yesterday.  

The Dinner Jacket:

I decided on a ruffle round the neckline and down the front closure of the jacket, using the twill of the skirt.  I do not like the collar suggested in the pattern.  I cut two lengths of twill, approx 32" by 4", gathered them lightly and pinned them to the jacket. 

Although very roughly pinned, on Miss G (if not in the picture maybe!) this looked lovely and suitably Victorian.

So, off we trotted upstairs to attempt to get into everything - I am now a certified contortionist! - had a "final fit" and learnt four things:

1) what looks good on Miss G, definitely doesn't look good on me; instead of the ruffles looking stately Victorian, it was more a case of girl dressing up in her mum's clothes;

2) Miss G has far broader shoulders than me; I knew this already, but in a jacket with this much detail and so little "give" it was very quickly apparent that more adjusting to the shoulder seams (and therefore the armholes) was required as the back of the neck stood proud from my body and there was bunching at the front;

3) I'm slimmer than Miss G, and a little more flexible/adjustable!  Finally the jacket had bosoms that fit instead of puckering at the top of the boning, however the centre front edges would have be trimmed back by about 1/2" each side, otherwise the overlap would be too great;

A natural light photo, to give a truer indication of the colour of the fabric.

4) and the neckline also would need to be adjusted; the pattern mentions an Evening Neckline, I would interpret that to suit.

So, new work to do: the shoulder seam needs to be taken in by 3/4" at the neck, tapering to the armhole, the armholes need to be adjusted by a few millimetres along the back seam, and the neckline will be less rectangular and more V-shaped, a detail that both matches historical images and suits the adjustments to the front panels.  It all then needs to be repeated on the lining.

As points 2-4 of my plan didn't go quite as hoped, and I was an hour or so behind schedule, there was no time to get the jacket fit and lined; my one step further on before moving onto the LBD.  Not to say that I was disappointed, I like the changes to the jacket and it will fit very nicely when it's done, but I had to move onto the LBD if I stood any chance of wearing it the same evening.

The LBD:

Earlier in the week I recycled some of the spare taffeta from the 10yr old's Halloween costume onto the LBD.  I had removed the old skirt, but it was too short, the taffeta served to lengthen it and offered a nice tonal and textural contrast to the raw silk.  I gathered the fabric and pinned it to the bodice, keeping the same empire line that I had used with the tulle.

I then cut a "belt" 30" long, 4" wide, sewed the length, pressed and turned it.  I pinned it in place, below the bust detailing. 

Everything was handstitched in place.

I then hemmed the skirt, handstitching for an invisible finish, ironed it all and it was done - with 20 minutes to spare!  With hair and makeup done, my lovely satin mules, Cinderella (the dress that is, not me!) did go to the ball!  Lots of photos were taken; hopefully there will be one that I can post.

The plan for today

I have occasionally been accused of being scatty (who me!) and this week a couple of people have commented on the amount of things that I have going on at once.  I do, I always do.  I like to think through a project for as long as it takes to feel right, so I like to juggle a number at once.  But it's not without structure or planning; it's just that I don't often talk about it.  So, today, here's the plan:

1. Clean
2. Work on the detailing of the Dinner Jacket
3. Final fit the Dinner Jacket
4. Sew in the ruffle and lining of the Dinner Jacket
5. Redress Miss G in the LBD
6. Fit the new skirt design to the LBD and final fit 
7. Finish the LBD (please!! fingers firmly crossed that this skirt works...)
8. Put the Victorian costume back onto Miss G for continued work... if I have time.

Optional extras include starting the bodice of the 10yr old's costume and the ruffle for the Overskirt.

The cleaning is done; the detailing is done, now off to fit... there's only one slight problem; the boyf has gone to do the shopping and I've never tried to dress myself Victorian stylie without help before!

It feels like a wasted week

Yuck, have I been ill this week!  The first cold of the season, thanks to the good folk in my office.  Unexpectedly, and in hindsight how silly of me to be surprised, it effected the thyroid and I've had four days of nausea, retching and lots of other luverly stuff on top of the sniffles, snuffles and bunged up ears.  Plus the lovely boyf was in Stuttgart, so the dobe and the 10yr old did their best to nurse me better, which mainly involved Pepsi Max, the Karate Kid and lots of slobbery kisses!  Gotta love them.

Now, cold kicked mostly into touch and thyroid back behaving, I am itching to get cracking again.  I had a day off yesterday to take the 10yr old on a couple of secondary school tours for next September; we picked the one where she walked round with her eyes on stalks as opposed to the one where she was bored in the first 10 minutes...  In the gap in between I put the second sleeve on the Dinner Jacket; it fit first time, the right length and everything - this makes me nervous! :o)   At the end of the day, the 10yr old helped me to pin and cut the pattern pieces for her Halloween dress.  Finally, at 6am this morning (sleep having eluded me for nearly an hour and the dobe's attentions proving a bit too much) I decided to play with yet another idea for the LBD as I really would quite like to wear it tomorrow night; if I can get it to work.

All a bit scatty and no photos taken, but I will do better tomorrow... maybe ;o)

So near... but unfinished

I'm probably 80% done, but I did not finish the jacket today.  It was an inauspicious start to the afternoon's sewing: the first darts were too deep and had to be resewn; the second ones, I sewed in back to front, they too had to be resewn!  From there it was easier, but I have to admit to being bored the entire time I stitched the lining.  Not only is it now my third time round this bodice but after the last layer, this was just too easy - I missed the challenge and sense of excitement that I'd felt.  I pressed all the seams and then put the boning in it's casing.  I was rather pleased that, post corset, I automatically ordered casing - the instructions called for handmade casings from the lining fabric, which have been very time consuming.  I then basted the boning to each dart and the following three seams.  It took an age and I have my numb "corset fingers" back again!  There is puckering at the front of the bodice, Miss G has very fine bosoms which sit far more to the front than mine; I know that the jacket will fit me there, better than it does Miss G.

Next I sewed the sleeve and lining; attached them at the cuff and turned them inside out.  I fit the sleeve into the armhole, easing in at the top with a light gather.  I have the second sleeve to do and the lining to sew in, but before that I have decided to add a a gather to the neckline and I want to sew it in with the lining.  I am also toying with the collar, I'm not sure I like it.  I have made it but I don't think it will end up on the finished garment.

The photos are of a mockup of the the gather (made from the skirts twill).  I've tried to avoid taking pictures of the jacket today, the camera flash picks up all sorts of details that you don't see in natural light, not all of which are complementary!

I'll admit to being disappointed at not finishing, but I've done well and I made a darn fine dinner in the process.  Not only did the boyf eat his mini-pot, he ate half the big pot too and has started on the vegan brownies: I think I can call that a success!

Progress so far...

10am:  the front darts are sewn in.  What is immediately obvious is that the twill interlining gives the fabric a life of it's own, the shape is extraordinary and there will definitely not be no slouching in this!  I still have boning to add...

This isn't clothing, it's sculpture.

10.45am: the sides and back pieces are sewn together.  I am struck again at how sculptural this is looking.

11.15am: the front is attached at the side and shoulders and I try the finished piece on Miss G.  The neckline needs adjusting and possibly the front darts, but I will leave these for now, I turn the bodice inside out the redraw the neckline - the joys of a twill interlining, I just fold it and mark the line!

12.15pm: quick celebratory drink at the pub!

The 1880 Dinner Jacket - I'm finishing this today!

So, 8.33am on a Sunday morning.  Can no longer "sleep" concertinaed around the dog and the boyf, plus I am having some very odd dreams, a sore throat and 36 pieces of fabric, 10 bones and a couple of yards of boning tape waiting for me.  Not all immediately connected, but enough to get me out of bed!

Yesterday was going to be "sewing day".  Instead it ended up being gardening day, dog kennel day (she has a fake grass floor inside and out now! I love it!), wash and dry all the bedding in a day day, grocery shopping day, chatting at the garden centre day, "I will get these vegan brownies to work" day (and they did!), and pop into the pub for a quick drink and a chat day.  A very good day it was too!

Somewhere towards the end of it all, I cut out the remaining pattern pieces for the jacket (the fashion fabric pieces); ironed them to the interlining - the heat bonds them together, ever so lightly, and as we sat to watch "Limitless" I basted them together as they are now (the instructions are very specific on this) to be treated as a single piece.

Caught cutting, with my serious face on ;o)

Pairing the pieces together.

Some gentle bonding with a warm (no steam) iron, before pinning.

Basting, basting, basting...

Megs kept herself entertained!

So, back to today.  Its cold, it's wet, it's a perfect day to get this jacket sewn... Let the sewing commence.

From 46 pieces to one...

"To be is to do." ~ Nietzsche

"To do is to be." ~ Kant

"Do Be Do Be Do." ~ Sinatra

I am, I sure as heck have been doing, and who can resist a good sing'n hum in the process!

Not only do I have the lining and interlining pieces now cut out for the Dinner Jacket;

I have cut out the the pattern pieces for the 10yr old's costume - I don't recommend pink children's scissors for that job!

I took an hour out yesterday to give a crow a top hat and decorate a Halloween bucket, my friend Grahame's 44th birthday present has a "Grown Up Trick or Treat" theme to it this year.

I've started on the Dobe's costume too.  To be honest, I have cheated on this one (shop bought and, technically, I lied when I confirmed that I knew it was unsuitable for a child under 36 months!) but getting her an outfit is one thing, bribing her enough so that she's happy to wear it is a whole other matter.  I have prepared well... this year we have both time and treats!

and, my bones arrived!  I do get stupidly excited, but they just reinforce the whole "other-worldy" aspect of my Victorian costume.  This is good though, I am over the hump of nerves and just want to crack on with it now; the boyf has already been told that the dining room and I are both out of bounds this weekend ;o)