tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37964472048693980772024-02-18T20:02:43.368-08:00My Soul is Fed with Needle and ThreadHello! I keep this blog so I can record my historical clothing research, sewing projects, and also be able to communicate what I am learning to my family and friends.Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-51556971517414243082024-01-09T16:24:00.000-08:002024-01-09T16:24:17.725-08:00A Life Update: I'm Alive!Every so often, I have a sewing question that MUST be answered by someone who has gone before me, and that someone has hopefully written a blog about it somewhere. I'll spend hours trying to remember who it was, or where that post was.
Here's the thing: blogs are REALLY powerful. Detailed information that can be referenced, sources cited, detailed research compiled, etc. As I've moved over to Instagram, the reality that information is often shared in little snapshots that are completely gone in 24 hours is deplorable. I really can't get behind Youtube as a great sharing platform either because it just doesn't lend itself well to going down side rabbit holes, or even finding what you're looking for unless there are detailed time stamps. I got sent home from work sick with a cold, and a determination to not waste my home hours on social media when I'm mentally capable of more.
I'm desperately missing sharing all my research findings, and even though I try to share on Instagram I know it's not half as useful because it gets lost in the shuffle. I also go down long-winded research rabbit holes that are REALLY interesting, and then nothing comes of it due to time and budget constraints.
It's been 5 years between my last blog post and now - I'm a completely different person than I once was. Good thing, too. I now work in the bridal industry doing alterations full time. I didn't intend to sew for a living full time, but it's actually been fun. I had been afraid that sewing all day every day would kill my creative juices, but it's not uncommon for me to come home from a 7 hour day of sewing to then sew for another 1-3 hours later in the evening.
With some major life changes, I did take about a 1 1/2 year break, but sewing was constantly on my mind. I missed it terribly, and missed some of the complexities of letting my mind chew on the details of a project throughout the course of the day.
I have every intention of letting this blog fizzle officially (I'll leave it up, don't worry!), and transferring all this awesomeness into a new blog in my new name, Parallels of the Past, where I'd like to fill in with ALL the research details, experiments, wins and fails. There's been a lot of them. Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-24523762198216084242018-03-23T13:26:00.002-07:002018-03-23T13:26:49.349-07:00A Unique and Frugal Idea<div style="text-align: center;">
I've made some dresses I really like. I've also made some dresses that I don't care for all that much. There have also been dresses that surprised me, like this dotted sheer. I was 100% AGAINST white when I decided to make a sheer dress, but being a cheapskate means beggars can't be choosers, so the dress material was bought for $5 a yard, somewhat grudgingly because...it was white.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhomRFDaDAFds8oWJfo-Rl6NilZDFY4LRcl1E3nMQGVCuNL7Es3STJ5x9DBhLcDfJOQrfVxsdaP9aLyNnbvL9dnyXngvI0GSJUt7nV1jJiXgnhSRQz2jEXRFbkHM1VZK9e16Q974kfkgsxT/s1600/redwaist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="410" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhomRFDaDAFds8oWJfo-Rl6NilZDFY4LRcl1E3nMQGVCuNL7Es3STJ5x9DBhLcDfJOQrfVxsdaP9aLyNnbvL9dnyXngvI0GSJUt7nV1jJiXgnhSRQz2jEXRFbkHM1VZK9e16Q974kfkgsxT/s320/redwaist.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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It turned out to be extremely light and comfortable, and ultra-fashionable feeling! So cool in the dead heat of the summer too; I've worn it to a few events with 90 degrees +. The result was a nice surprise, but there were also a few drawbacks.</div>
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1. White in the sun makes you look like a blob. In pictures, and in real life. See below.</div>
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2. Apparently bugs are drawn to white. Not that that really bothers me, but people are always coming up and brushing the bugs off my dress.</div>
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3. A few people have said I look like Mary Poppins with my red waist. Now, I LIKE the red and white, but I hate associations. Not that I blame them, because it does.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1BnyiHbreaUEDpeEzxKmsLnX0YBDk8L-Mx-mPoP-LVUm0uYP3YP3YdE_EzFnRhAznYeKhm0Z9tG78L60P-aToMYNiMRtoqGVlMhg_yDS7Z4uFuWqPTG5ieYoZxBC_R1FB9Wy0lxaHUh_A/s1600/sheerside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="443" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1BnyiHbreaUEDpeEzxKmsLnX0YBDk8L-Mx-mPoP-LVUm0uYP3YP3YdE_EzFnRhAznYeKhm0Z9tG78L60P-aToMYNiMRtoqGVlMhg_yDS7Z4uFuWqPTG5ieYoZxBC_R1FB9Wy0lxaHUh_A/s320/sheerside.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>
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<i>And this wasn't even directly in the sun!</i></div>
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So my idea is to retire this dress, and make a new sheer/light cotton 1860's dress in a less bug-attracting color. Despite having owned this dress for maybe 3 or 4 years, it's in surprisingly good shape. Any stains have been successfully scrubbed out. Rather than keep this dress in my closet, I would love to pick it apart and remake it into something new entirely. The skirt is massive...at least 50% larger than the average 1860's dress. While that's not ideal, it does give me more cutting yardage for a new dress. I also have a yard or two up in my stash. I also made a dress for my sister in this same material, and if I give it a few years she'll outgrow it. Not that I want to wait a few years.....or that it won't be shredded by then.</div>
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Because I'm a fashion plate junky, I did some research of fashion plates that were sheer cotton, and with dots. Dots were typically flat-embroidered on in silk thread, rather than a little clipped tuft, so my material isn't perfectly accurate, but oh well. Here are some options in no particular order; keep in mind that each fashion plate has a different way of displaying the spots.</div>
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1. An 1880 house (or evening) dress, if of muslin made over a basic silk dress (the one on the right). I'm always a sucker for natural form, although I question whether I have enough fabric.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcy-xY_3btKQJOgPkECEz1r-34iQqhivGzfik86brycqlqikEoGkrBRMN91WN7sZ2w0Vuwshwve5SJ2YhTJ_9rg-JHNdZNsZcPzArUQBCbcu1yCfi0KQaVXaPN3EF3_HW36NGx4UZhnp5/s1600/1880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="563" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcy-xY_3btKQJOgPkECEz1r-34iQqhivGzfik86brycqlqikEoGkrBRMN91WN7sZ2w0Vuwshwve5SJ2YhTJ_9rg-JHNdZNsZcPzArUQBCbcu1yCfi0KQaVXaPN3EF3_HW36NGx4UZhnp5/s320/1880.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
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<i>May 1880 Petersons Magazine</i></div>
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2. A 1799 Morning dress, with a little vest over the top. The length of the train might be limited to the length of the skirt, although by the time the tucks are let out it could be pretty long. I've already done a specifically 1799 dress, so this isn't my favorite option, but I'm leaving it on here because I really like the vest.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1fvAXsEKOStmnT1zRECmbMXXppUX862zyG3ZvZcrNtEG2HvK5MuqgyNnl0xPV2_xNBiritWubEHGLN2Sf7iipQyMCLK-6e-UnCEybY551Mw2Rb6xq6_b-dgJnPQlgmzczb2dJdV7NisA/s1600/1799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1fvAXsEKOStmnT1zRECmbMXXppUX862zyG3ZvZcrNtEG2HvK5MuqgyNnl0xPV2_xNBiritWubEHGLN2Sf7iipQyMCLK-6e-UnCEybY551Mw2Rb6xq6_b-dgJnPQlgmzczb2dJdV7NisA/s1600/1799.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i>November 1799 Ladies Monthly Museum</i></div>
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3. An 1840 dinner or evening dress of white spotted gauze over white satin; the sleeves are black velvet (kind of a weird detail, right?). I feel like they might look like black holes on your arms in person. I could probably eek this out.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckLLD87wMySBs_j7iEFCplNmjIbLiVHgdVRE-NhyphenhyphenRDJjAApS27jXQfLR8pQjPKmDYV7B8FCkW9o_-SMSHp2osf2oFoFno-z8GTrKbH45O2QXLnf1XFHlm72gpcpIW-uxqno4Oqm-MlnJP/s1600/1840.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="563" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckLLD87wMySBs_j7iEFCplNmjIbLiVHgdVRE-NhyphenhyphenRDJjAApS27jXQfLR8pQjPKmDYV7B8FCkW9o_-SMSHp2osf2oFoFno-z8GTrKbH45O2QXLnf1XFHlm72gpcpIW-uxqno4Oqm-MlnJP/s320/1840.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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<i> March 1840 Le Follet</i></div>
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4. An 1841 evening dress, with an underskirt made in puffs. This one's a little frilly for me.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLh9EN321n_B2J-MHJg9Fk_ReBx-TFFF2ftgbqRmL_f1qlS5WqASkKoLMzjgtw4JmdtvYHKJJx0lD7LQfrfrpOf4j5NUGcDd6GM23VHIA0__lGem1jb9rzTMtcCoJu2L475JYeQ_6MCp_E/s1600/1841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="326" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLh9EN321n_B2J-MHJg9Fk_ReBx-TFFF2ftgbqRmL_f1qlS5WqASkKoLMzjgtw4JmdtvYHKJJx0lD7LQfrfrpOf4j5NUGcDd6GM23VHIA0__lGem1jb9rzTMtcCoJu2L475JYeQ_6MCp_E/s320/1841.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>
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<i>February 1841 Ladies Cabinet</i></div>
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5. An 1849 evening dress, with the underskirt of plain tarlatane. Love the basic-ness of it, and I definitely have enough yardage for this one.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXt2AUHzXFcQg-nm2QZK-SOH85bMglF3OKGaJ97WOscrauDXehcbR2b58flNQMnPoMG7x4ZoA4RQfHuw-m3kG-p4z4xFf9tomPLGLj5pZRdAPV6_jyd8YmauLgbo6LFc-x3TyYMl1iytLv/s1600/1849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="403" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXt2AUHzXFcQg-nm2QZK-SOH85bMglF3OKGaJ97WOscrauDXehcbR2b58flNQMnPoMG7x4ZoA4RQfHuw-m3kG-p4z4xFf9tomPLGLj5pZRdAPV6_jyd8YmauLgbo6LFc-x3TyYMl1iytLv/s320/1849.jpg" width="201" /></a></div>
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<i>February 1849 Godeys Magazine</i></div>
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6. An 1852 evening gown, trimmed with ribbon. I love almost everything about this design. I would probably need to wait, and use the skirt from my sister's dress for the upper layer.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IpwUAacVfkJ_4_GcbS2wGj0qou06u37r-F2GQn6popd8vD7waqY6_J3KAN6RqAkJWdzgITtBfdq2zvcOr-Kg7nSmDRGaXsxmWDPrChyBfp9ZHR1P8le18g0CecgOn87udrH11soOfqyd/s1600/1852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IpwUAacVfkJ_4_GcbS2wGj0qou06u37r-F2GQn6popd8vD7waqY6_J3KAN6RqAkJWdzgITtBfdq2zvcOr-Kg7nSmDRGaXsxmWDPrChyBfp9ZHR1P8le18g0CecgOn87udrH11soOfqyd/s320/1852.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
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<i>March 1852 Le Moniteur de la Mode</i></div>
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7. An 1870 evening dress, with black bows down one side. I don't love bows, but I like black and white a lot, so there might be a way to come up with a different trim that suits my taste a little more. I would totally do black roses, if I thought they would be accurate. What I like about this one is I definitely have enough fabric, and it would feel a little like making an old dress over in a new style (rather than going back in time). Because of the square cut-bodice, I might not need to make a new bodice but just cut the current one down. Off-the-shoulder necklines typically need adjust and a basic cut-down from a high-necked dress usually doesn't work.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh91QkakTVJJ0dUDWCoROpoV885Eb9ABqltW-0e0oKvMpp9MYeA008yF4s4xYlWqcXopyZ4-Ith5TAllORHDsmYFbdv_M7E701zSjdtxmTcM7mbQ9pe4SLN9s6V3Y-xXT8p3qwGgA32Rp1i/s1600/1870.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="564" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh91QkakTVJJ0dUDWCoROpoV885Eb9ABqltW-0e0oKvMpp9MYeA008yF4s4xYlWqcXopyZ4-Ith5TAllORHDsmYFbdv_M7E701zSjdtxmTcM7mbQ9pe4SLN9s6V3Y-xXT8p3qwGgA32Rp1i/s320/1870.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>January 1870 Petersons Magazine.</i></div>
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8. An 1867 evening dress for the seaside; skirt and bodice of blue silk, with the overdress in dotted white. This might be a less frugal way of re-working this fabric, since it would only need a little bit, but there would definitely be enough; it's the figure on the right.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhn-DWNjk4uE2MxhCZvYZDpMCS2lY6nV51ffsSM1Fpqo6i0UUJG8n-FzkQowvchs6Bxik2L_mkWkTxEGT512i-p2s3mgrd6j_O90FRTSKVFaIv80jkMHmhqdUtmRMo4vJcEWAD42q7__Z/s1600/1867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhn-DWNjk4uE2MxhCZvYZDpMCS2lY6nV51ffsSM1Fpqo6i0UUJG8n-FzkQowvchs6Bxik2L_mkWkTxEGT512i-p2s3mgrd6j_O90FRTSKVFaIv80jkMHmhqdUtmRMo4vJcEWAD42q7__Z/s320/1867.jpg" width="194" /></a></div>
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<i>August 1867 Godeys Magazine</i></div>
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While I don't really <i>need </i>another evening dress, I wouldn't mind one. I like the variety of eras to choose from; while I've already done Natural form and Regency, I wouldn't mine doing them again, but I also wouldn't mind doing a new era. </div>
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Which one is your favorite?</div>
Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-54630196232127396292018-02-27T17:16:00.001-08:002018-02-27T17:30:04.003-08:00HSF #2: 1880's Reproduction CorsetThe goal with this corset: to make an awesome corset, no skimping on the flossing, all the way through, that could work under an 1880's dress.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOf1zVCxO_PklUknFNdnd-X_9H_xfeUR1cyxPE8GkN6QVVbyjTjEkw9olCs_ViwWYItD-_TviXXbtGj0U15KaEDcK963eAlFrkGajR2QfLYcoyaGPG1R9har0ATQzW8MEB7B_CQkpOMAi/s1600/corset1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="539" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOf1zVCxO_PklUknFNdnd-X_9H_xfeUR1cyxPE8GkN6QVVbyjTjEkw9olCs_ViwWYItD-_TviXXbtGj0U15KaEDcK963eAlFrkGajR2QfLYcoyaGPG1R9har0ATQzW8MEB7B_CQkpOMAi/s320/corset1.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>
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I wanted to not get too crazy with color choices, so I looked around at all the corsets within this time frame. Overall, I really liked this particular corset because the seam lines were very comparable to the Truly Victorian pattern I already had. I copied the exact boning design; the back diagonal section I had to fudge a little because my corset overall turned out longer, and I think I may be a little smaller, so the exact angle is different. In fact, it didn't turn out the same on both sides, because I finally succcessfully got both sides even; so the one side has 6 diagonal, and the other 7.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj64VW9YDfOTlX9gRobcayYPYL3zPv-vkdFFrbOK7bTorGFFyl7H6kQSENk92iUE7V0z9nPQi5U56Mv7CUqun8jc0NKcqP-BsI4DXu8vQu4IwryAzTB2qeJGBYmJrNtCDRnaESZCQ6MNJr2/s1600/rom.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="492" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj64VW9YDfOTlX9gRobcayYPYL3zPv-vkdFFrbOK7bTorGFFyl7H6kQSENk92iUE7V0z9nPQi5U56Mv7CUqun8jc0NKcqP-BsI4DXu8vQu4IwryAzTB2qeJGBYmJrNtCDRnaESZCQ6MNJr2/s320/rom.jpeg" width="255" /></a><span style="text-align: right;"> </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAjMRJZPGvAs7MpbYHRceDNsHuD4p0jF7Qi0t7i1MACepyZ3ETm9RXlfII2jdG8Xo3L5Ez4xcslRGr8CCvIC_iAUaa1lJu2wIcJGs8kT37ExGvFQzScsxQN341eLS8UbAyIiNvmw_Sj3V/s1600/rom2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="496" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAjMRJZPGvAs7MpbYHRceDNsHuD4p0jF7Qi0t7i1MACepyZ3ETm9RXlfII2jdG8Xo3L5Ez4xcslRGr8CCvIC_iAUaa1lJu2wIcJGs8kT37ExGvFQzScsxQN341eLS8UbAyIiNvmw_Sj3V/s320/rom2.jpeg" width="255" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://collections.rom.on.ca/objects/377498/womans-corset-sapho-h?ctx=8f9d2628-838a-4f28-a95b-a7d85c63ebc9&idx=0" target="_blank">c. 1880-85 Corset </a>in the Royal Ontario Museum</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdu3wpZTvbaZXR1gYjjuznHDyNdSufuU1KfWw7peaBVvcaeWk6o2HfpPccNvSUbB8JS_UqmXhZQWQ5_v9mpUbKQfW7fZp_FBLoDHav_tSqlQJxiPuqPls5O3POlQQKfcDnxeza38t4bDz/s1600/fullfront.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="505" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdu3wpZTvbaZXR1gYjjuznHDyNdSufuU1KfWw7peaBVvcaeWk6o2HfpPccNvSUbB8JS_UqmXhZQWQ5_v9mpUbKQfW7fZp_FBLoDHav_tSqlQJxiPuqPls5O3POlQQKfcDnxeza38t4bDz/s320/fullfront.jpg" width="167" /></a></div>
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After reading some articles and watching some videos, I decided to try roll-pinning. Roll-pinning is the theory that, if you pin something on a flat plane, and wear it on a curved sphere, the outside layer will be too small, and the inner too big. This process involves pinning the two layer together on a sphere; in this case, I used my larger pressing ham. His name is Hammie. The two layers were then hand-stitched together. It was a lot of work....because I haven't done more corsets, I don't know how it would have turned out if I hadn't pinned it like this. But overall, it lays pretty well without many wrinkles. So, success, I guess?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDmuibu7D6ZZXlMoq1UNzKeSZHGbPLw97K1BcdyJYQ4PdPZB6CUnhGfSJOncTJLz57Fx__hn-dBYBFgFL85ieKSGWvtuumhoLScL4MjovS5cCVeqUYaqWqIi0Ge2reX3fKqrBpUVIb66B5/s1600/flossing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="960" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDmuibu7D6ZZXlMoq1UNzKeSZHGbPLw97K1BcdyJYQ4PdPZB6CUnhGfSJOncTJLz57Fx__hn-dBYBFgFL85ieKSGWvtuumhoLScL4MjovS5cCVeqUYaqWqIi0Ge2reX3fKqrBpUVIb66B5/s320/flossing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I also decided to try putting the seams on the outside (why?), and covered it with the boning channels. As I was constructing it, I wasn't sure why I picked that, but later it ended up coming in handy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTXgkShOq7w4-1iKr_llzXJvruWdVC6E4oSUbptGrb-i0NlZPgw5f4B-TGgYm7XowPjgznAz8LgGqHwMNRVDXa4h3f357GOkid2a5wNA0OxTmTateWd7DUw6l5YZr5QSi6tdA5uNzD1Te7/s1600/fullback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="608" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTXgkShOq7w4-1iKr_llzXJvruWdVC6E4oSUbptGrb-i0NlZPgw5f4B-TGgYm7XowPjgznAz8LgGqHwMNRVDXa4h3f357GOkid2a5wNA0OxTmTateWd7DUw6l5YZr5QSi6tdA5uNzD1Te7/s320/fullback.jpg" width="202" /></a></div>
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<i>This is the closest I've come in corset-making to an even back.</i></div>
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Once the grommets, boning channels and busk were in, I tried it on. It had been like 6 months since the mockup had been worn. Initially, it took some time to figure out the best way to lace it up; the first time I laced it too tight in the ribs. Also, I stabbed my hands three times really hard because I pinned the bones in rather than baste across the top. Double hole for each stab, with the pin going in and out and I had to carefully draw it out. So I was hurting and frustrated. After coming back to it with more patience and time (and the bones basted in), I figured out the best way to lace it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51382TtzAswNLmJNABmGQ0PAemzvLSM0nqsTzLVFSIIoUUykbT2Y8M8Vd-AeYQpSOZtpAwHWq63Ka1mxca90Fs3HCp6_f1X7RmognC2XM7Kn6c2AbNY6PkjW6enFbAsGWWcs8jeOkLhFc/s1600/flossing2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="960" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51382TtzAswNLmJNABmGQ0PAemzvLSM0nqsTzLVFSIIoUUykbT2Y8M8Vd-AeYQpSOZtpAwHWq63Ka1mxca90Fs3HCp6_f1X7RmognC2XM7Kn6c2AbNY6PkjW6enFbAsGWWcs8jeOkLhFc/s320/flossing2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I only have two small regrets with this project that can technically be fixed:<br />
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1. The bust shaping. To fix the bust, I ripped the front casing off halfway and added in a really tiny gusset to round it out a little more. Once the seam allowance was trimmed and the casing back on, you can't even tell it's there! It's not perfect on one side, but better overall. Still want to perfect that.<br />
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2. I would never have even thought of the wider bone, except for the original, so I thought I'd try it. Whoops....didn't realize that exact seam line curves forward quite a bit, and it hits right at my hip bones. So the tighter I have it laced, the more the bone tweaks, although the hip bone thing is a little uncomfortable, but not as big a problem as I thought. Technically, I could remove the bone and leave the channel (it needs to cover the seam) and re-angle it so it's a little closer to my actual side, and more upright.<br />
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There are a few areas of this project that mystify me a little bit: the natural form tummy, and hip spring. Back in July, I had sort of a hip-spring revalation after adding gussets to my older corset. Wow! What a difference! So comfortable and attractive! I no longer looked top-heavy. With the old corset gussets, it gave me a lot more spring out the back. With this particular corset though, it gives me more spring out to the side, and more flatness in the back. Huh. Some people are amazing at that balancing act; I'm still trying to figure out if perfection is possible when you have less body to work with?!? Like, do I have to pick between the back or the side? And if I try to balance between the two will it not be so extreme and not even be worth trying?<br />
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The other undergarments made to go with this are a basic natural form petticoat, and a bum pad. Initially, the pad was made to wrap all the way around my hips to the side, but I decided that I was hippy enough without any help. Actually, I wasn't even going to make a hip pad, but after the petticoat was made it was clear that the silhouette was really, really sad without it. It took several tries to get this the right shape; I'm so used to mid-Victorian, with sudden fullness right below the waist, but to get the right shape it really needs to slope, with the fullness gradually being added the further down it gets.<br />
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The petticoat is the Truly Victorian pattern, the only adjustment being that I added a tie right at mid-thigh level to pull the fullness to the back. The bum pad is tacked on one side, and then the other side gets safety pinned to the waistband once the waist is tied. I found that the bum pad wouldn't stay up on it's own, and kept riding up in the front and falling down in the back. I'd rather have it sewn permanently to the petticoat, with the petticoat closing at the side front. But....I'm lazy, so that isn't happening.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5niA-3z6pJgC4wHcGO0aDPb_dcgTnyOMYJ-n5EWhMCBc4tCcFpiZdhtDkXW10LksstH3p4LTQrZUTfWExQESiZw02ubektpH8cNTpU_ATglfT4JqqIMevXsLiWqL2twq8j_GFlUwoqynR/s1600/petticoat3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5niA-3z6pJgC4wHcGO0aDPb_dcgTnyOMYJ-n5EWhMCBc4tCcFpiZdhtDkXW10LksstH3p4LTQrZUTfWExQESiZw02ubektpH8cNTpU_ATglfT4JqqIMevXsLiWqL2twq8j_GFlUwoqynR/s320/petticoat3.jpg" width="120" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">What the item is: Natural form corset, petticoat, and pad. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">Material: Coutil, silk-faced satin, cotton sateen, muslin.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">Pattern: TV 1880's pattern, and the TV basic petticoat</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">Year: 1870's-1890's for the corset, and 1877-1882 for the petticoat.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">Notions: Metal busk, German plastic boning, 2 wider metal steels, thread, embroidery floss, twill tape, metal grommets, stuffing (for the pad)</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">How historically accurate is it? The corset is based on an extant, and I can't think of any techniques which aren't accurate, other than the plastic bones. The stuffing for the pad is polyester, because there comes a point where you just don't care. Patting myself on the back with an 80%, although for natural form I'm a little flat in the belly area. I was wanting to make some combinations to finish this challenge off, but that's going to have to wait.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">Hours to complete: 60 hours for the whole thing, started way back in July or August.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">First worn: For my next project, it's been a constant on-off act, so I've already worn these undergarments for a few hours at a time maybe 8 times.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">Total cost: $80; satin was expensive, coutil was stash, busk and boning was new, I had to buy a new grommet-setting kit because I was tired of the size 0's so I'm counting that as part of the cost. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">By the way....if you see any black galloon beading lace....LET ME KNOW. I searched high and low for something close, to no avail, and I wasn't willing to settle since it seemed like a simple request. </span></span>Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-80738440221180182402018-01-26T17:32:00.002-08:002018-01-26T17:32:47.621-08:001820's Undergarments<div style="text-align: left;">
This technically counts towards the Historical Sew Monthly, so I guess I'll start there. It's kind of lame, so stick towards the end of the post for the real coolness.</div>
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This undergarment ensemble really needed a chemise. A basic Regency chemise is typically square necked, either high or low, with straight sleeves and a gusset in the underarm. I have one of those already, BUT I chopped the sleeves off once I decided I wanted it to be invisible under my sheer dresses. </div>
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I've really been enjoying Cassidey Percoco's Regency Women's Fashion book. The dresses themselves aren't spectacular in my opinion, but that is what makes them so perfect as the base for whatever design you want. Just comparing to Janet Arnold, which are iconic in their own right, a lot of her dresses are designed around specific elements that you can't leave out. Anyways, a chemise pictured in their is almost EXACTLY like the ones I've drafted from the free <a href="http://www.thesewingacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/2010Chemise.pdf" target="_blank">pattern from the Sewing Academy.</a> </div>
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Except with a puffed sleeve. Enter a Re-do, from a chemise pulled the stash. See, I said it was lame! The holes from the original plain hem are still visible, although after a washing maybe not. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5nBg_JyrjXkDn4kfItkQwp2Hx2X2Qwccn8QBq63dMjgL2G0cEtvT7QxuhUmWdIBqZ6mnrM2HpLfPBBjaKul8AaREry2HfXK1Yi7e1hZDhyQCwbRJA4dQu_HMLDe9QrDkgKHwoE_MzH1kK/s1600/chemise.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5nBg_JyrjXkDn4kfItkQwp2Hx2X2Qwccn8QBq63dMjgL2G0cEtvT7QxuhUmWdIBqZ6mnrM2HpLfPBBjaKul8AaREry2HfXK1Yi7e1hZDhyQCwbRJA4dQu_HMLDe9QrDkgKHwoE_MzH1kK/s320/chemise.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>This is the before, in its wrinkly state.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAEDWRJlndJGWuSHJTHpOp1bs-IUVcUnLcHbNPZtjUORmnQ4nXBxb3p70USsccH6eruN2Bkl5gTHgY0X6x3aKDps2KozOXtK8Y1GthGdpN3BLGrLtcqZ1clCRd7W_OGCLYhXIvCx9yRsjC/s1600/puffedsleeve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="960" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAEDWRJlndJGWuSHJTHpOp1bs-IUVcUnLcHbNPZtjUORmnQ4nXBxb3p70USsccH6eruN2Bkl5gTHgY0X6x3aKDps2KozOXtK8Y1GthGdpN3BLGrLtcqZ1clCRd7W_OGCLYhXIvCx9yRsjC/s320/puffedsleeve.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>After is way cuter!</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipvAAuCz5XahLbrZOdGqfFnv9aV-_Gyp_fyeDxNqpUAGIFaDObtHakFAyC3q5aoT4zYftqzT97JpQr9iTNmlnYmzd7sosR6af3ZdO9H-h_GcQ6BzPMARigShu092zBkANZ67SRXsX5_4_J/s1600/chemise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipvAAuCz5XahLbrZOdGqfFnv9aV-_Gyp_fyeDxNqpUAGIFaDObtHakFAyC3q5aoT4zYftqzT97JpQr9iTNmlnYmzd7sosR6af3ZdO9H-h_GcQ6BzPMARigShu092zBkANZ67SRXsX5_4_J/s320/chemise.jpg" width="120" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">The Challenge: Mend, Re-Shape, Re-Fashion</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Material: Cotton muslin</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Pattern:</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Self-drafted using The Sewing Academy Pattern, modified to match the 1820-1840 one from Regency Women's Fashion</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Year:</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"> 1820-1840</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Notions: Thread</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">How historically accurate is it? Since almost the exact measurements are comparable to a pattern taken from an original, the shape is very good, although sewing machines weren't invented yet and it's done completely by machine. I'd give it an 80%. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hours to complete: 1 for the re-shape. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">First worn: For pictures, 1/26/18</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Total cost: Nothing</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">For a complete 1820's undergarmnet wardrobe, a few things are needed:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">-A chemise</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">-A corset, typically corded during this era, with minimal waist shaping but with a high bust and straps</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">-A petticoat, stiffened at the bottom with plenty of fullness to the back, and relatively smooth in front. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">These were made like earlier Regency petticoats, in that they need either straps or a bodice to hold the whole thing up. This is mainly due to the fact that the corsets are smooth all the way down, and without a well-defined waist it won't stay up.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"> Whether or not these need to be layered to get the correct silhouette is yet to be determined; usually the actual dress on top was padded at the hem to hold it out, so I'm thinking I may be good with the one if I dip starch it. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">T</span><span style="background-color: white;">he exaggerated A-shape with the cording is very particular to the 1820's. 1830's petticoats have more of a bell shape with more fulness at least coming to the sides,</span><span style="background-color: white;"> and layering of petticoats to get the right amount of poof. I searched other blogger's websites for how they went about 1820's undergarments, and let me tell you folks, there ain't much. Whenever the question is thrown out about which era is the least represented, people always say, "1830's!" or "1840's!". That's because they forgot about the 1820's. So what works and what doesn't in terms of undergarments is only partially tapped territory. My thanks to Annaliese of <a href="http://youngsewphisticate.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Young Sewphisticate</a> and Quinn from <a href="https://thequintessentialclothespen.com/" target="_blank">The Quintessential Clothes Pen </a>for providing ideas for 1820's undergarments. Per Quinn's suggestion, I decided that sleeve plumpers (AKA, croissants for your arms) aren't neccesary for 1825, as the sleeve done up in taffeta can hold it's own shape.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Mine is based on an example in the V and A; I haven't researched these extensively, mostly because this one was exactly what I was looking for! It's hard to see in the picture, but through other detail shots you can see that it has straps, and that it has 12 rows of cords, sewn at intervals. I couldn't figure out why it had that seam at knee level, although I figured it out halfway through the project. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtgc98F8GHkSgT0nwB4XXfmiIUM1fmYZ2v6yuNSBrLPJiz7M2dvUVwsZY2fuq-S7CMecnjm81puXGwg4yPv__2XAZd05pNobaXFUjwzKbFDxc9HBYIIkdHwuM_BLJhwlIPz2zJBAi9qxf/s1600/1820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtgc98F8GHkSgT0nwB4XXfmiIUM1fmYZ2v6yuNSBrLPJiz7M2dvUVwsZY2fuq-S7CMecnjm81puXGwg4yPv__2XAZd05pNobaXFUjwzKbFDxc9HBYIIkdHwuM_BLJhwlIPz2zJBAi9qxf/s320/1820.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O354431/petticoat-unknown/" target="_blank">1820-1829 </a>Petticoat from the V and A</i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">The pattern was drafted using just the skirt part of another pattern in Cassidy Percoco's book. Looking back, this pattern wasn't perfect for this, just because the front panel needs a little more shaping a little closer to the front, rather than way back at the sides where the next panel joins. The person who originally wore this was at least 6'' smaller, and I didn't realize this when I first started. As a base though, it's fine. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8PJbGrQWkuHhvHcQyUCr6VIp6r3ebRU9zmegHm00NciWOBCVQWKYcRscYbLkvIc7QxPvrdms9x9-l2bgP71WBU-8rxVmcCHvElf3QCLVoom7aRpQl-WwAttHZxH2GEqY6PjU-yXPl72z/s1600/petticoat2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="454" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8PJbGrQWkuHhvHcQyUCr6VIp6r3ebRU9zmegHm00NciWOBCVQWKYcRscYbLkvIc7QxPvrdms9x9-l2bgP71WBU-8rxVmcCHvElf3QCLVoom7aRpQl-WwAttHZxH2GEqY6PjU-yXPl72z/s320/petticoat2.jpg" width="151" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">There are two different ways you can do cording: the sandwich method, where you sew a facing to the back and the cords in between the layers, or the tuck method, where you iron your fabric like you're sewing a tuck and then squish the cord in. Because the panels are A-shaped, I opted for the tuck method, just because I wasn't envisioning a facing on a diagonal panel. This actually ended up being really frustrating, because ironing on a curve is annoying and I just sort of stopped caring if the seams lined up. I was ironing yet another tuck when I realized: the extant petticoat was made with the cords sewn into a long rectangle of fabric, and then sewn onto the bottom of a short A-shape petticoat. This was a forehead smack moment, and I wish I had thought of it sooner. Oh well, I'm still really happy with the shape of it, and it lays nice and flat without any shirring.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-dvl6QedmJTP7rDXru7W5i6MejAkG-ZrA6YkKwbzIf5F9yCyFLyto2Mf8QniLvR25cOUmnUR1dObqGb8qpNcx_1ajt7-2jz_YZnzIXLG3eTU0Cu_4j9iylIZvJ-hR6_fa8O9WBr6DjgQ/s1600/cording.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="960" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-dvl6QedmJTP7rDXru7W5i6MejAkG-ZrA6YkKwbzIf5F9yCyFLyto2Mf8QniLvR25cOUmnUR1dObqGb8qpNcx_1ajt7-2jz_YZnzIXLG3eTU0Cu_4j9iylIZvJ-hR6_fa8O9WBr6DjgQ/s320/cording.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkyvS4mIwDrBr969kaBsLWdkHN26qEpM-S2IQkVqA5be16e_ck8Fkg3RYO5KBJ5_NPTtg8-tBVa4vOYkjbDGKiY3DXTEMOqHjMCru-QVR3p5w4DfGtnYK-dCjMWeLDbTCGM4VwA_8pRp6/s1600/bac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="526" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkyvS4mIwDrBr969kaBsLWdkHN26qEpM-S2IQkVqA5be16e_ck8Fkg3RYO5KBJ5_NPTtg8-tBVa4vOYkjbDGKiY3DXTEMOqHjMCru-QVR3p5w4DfGtnYK-dCjMWeLDbTCGM4VwA_8pRp6/s320/bac.jpg" width="175" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxASO-50WdYs3VB5R1nzpmpgzavwowHPwsMb_4Dingu4H8ToCx-obwv3r_LKTCODrn07_FLNU6msT6pZW9e2nHF_VJrV2A6pBm2DYGdS7i47e3Nee-GZF2cm9fHvHWQGTaOQPBx251RFz/s1600/button.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="960" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxASO-50WdYs3VB5R1nzpmpgzavwowHPwsMb_4Dingu4H8ToCx-obwv3r_LKTCODrn07_FLNU6msT6pZW9e2nHF_VJrV2A6pBm2DYGdS7i47e3Nee-GZF2cm9fHvHWQGTaOQPBx251RFz/s320/button.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">This corset I've had for maybe 2 years now, and this is it's first blog appearance since it's been finished. It's not much to look at, in all it's flossed-in-two-colors laced-closed glory, but it's very comfortable and gives me the shape I want.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Stay tuned, I have a really cool announcement in the next few days!</span></div>
Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-27919771840147409952018-01-12T09:05:00.000-08:002018-01-12T09:05:40.774-08:002017 In Review<div style="text-align: center;">
This year has been productive, mostly in the way I planned, although not exactly. I'm holding next year's plans loosely; I have projects planned for the first half of the year, but the 2nd half is unplanned.</div>
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In January, I went to the museum and got to experience research first-hand. Lot's of pictures and online research ensued. I started to blog about Neoclassicism (see my post about the Rose-Colored Glasses), but as far as research goes, ideas are hard to pin down. I got derailed almost right after that post was written. I learned a lot, but putting those ideas down with sources is tough because it's been a while.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwcxnNrc6q1wrfvWMf5kIg4is0UFAuZ99SRDCVvh6V5aqX39H9YsRUcPoG6TebHOEpDSZLCKtKIjeQhSnLglJ0UQf53WaOFlzhSRp7lp3eIlKMlXGjV0klqz2z6DFPh152kvyqZpBd3snY/s1600/1848fullfront.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="346" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwcxnNrc6q1wrfvWMf5kIg4is0UFAuZ99SRDCVvh6V5aqX39H9YsRUcPoG6TebHOEpDSZLCKtKIjeQhSnLglJ0UQf53WaOFlzhSRp7lp3eIlKMlXGjV0klqz2z6DFPh152kvyqZpBd3snY/s320/1848fullfront.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
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<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i></div>
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The Historical Sew Monthly was a complete bust this year. I think I finished two challenges. I didn't forget about it, the challenges just were completely out of what I was working on.</div>
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I also got to meet Gina White in person!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhitAjtztxu_DeYvgBwKE8EUejsJ_dSs7k9qr2c6qR4p3Bt4RaLQHFN_5YYKv2_qhfOj2B4lK5lNWVm5HOV1JtA0Kb2j9TxXNUzZHVc4Y9aGTcgZW1RdmV57KYZ_GQiyvkADAIPh4UaxD8b/s1600/chocolate.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="640" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhitAjtztxu_DeYvgBwKE8EUejsJ_dSs7k9qr2c6qR4p3Bt4RaLQHFN_5YYKv2_qhfOj2B4lK5lNWVm5HOV1JtA0Kb2j9TxXNUzZHVc4Y9aGTcgZW1RdmV57KYZ_GQiyvkADAIPh4UaxD8b/s320/chocolate.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Chocolate was such a lamb and SO EXHAUSTED from plunging through 2 foot snow like the unworked maniac she was. Go to <a href="http://beauty4ashes7.blogspot.com/2017/01/chocolate-horse-and-my-riding-habit.html" target="_blank">Gina's blog</a> to read more about that experience!</i></div>
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In February, I completed my 1<a href="http://mysoulisfedwithneedleandthread.blogspot.com/2017/03/hsm-2-1863-ballgown-reproduction.html" target="_blank">860's green plaid evening bodice.</a> I am SO happy with the fit of it, that part turned out perfect. All in all it's not as exciting as a completely new project. As much as I like the bows, I think I may remove the one's on the shoulders for future wearing.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghpOK9mAxV8qk64wJKPMZaG9Nl_TZv__woBQAf1HJ5-TSaZTM4Md-OJaIYaWuMyT7fbtT_8GvLT3xSrJ9s9Z_AhgojhUa4DyRra1dQbLe3Hs9KrA9GMrR-Z99vlUrbJfSTXrjvlEMV5eod/s1600/dartsdetail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="960" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghpOK9mAxV8qk64wJKPMZaG9Nl_TZv__woBQAf1HJ5-TSaZTM4Md-OJaIYaWuMyT7fbtT_8GvLT3xSrJ9s9Z_AhgojhUa4DyRra1dQbLe3Hs9KrA9GMrR-Z99vlUrbJfSTXrjvlEMV5eod/s320/dartsdetail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I also completed the <a href="http://mysoulisfedwithneedleandthread.blogspot.com/2017/02/scroop-pattern-review-modern-fantail.html" target="_blank">Scroop Fantail skirt,</a> which my sister really likes!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitWnq84CRdIkT1TW_giAY4X0ONO8j9xeRPmIo803xVAzzwmqeKEGscAvreJqSn3cz3kAnt1R-FZ4i7vZDZpe_ZefOWvVAkJvq5G5-7VKeudRKo7Zv9PK43KIofd8iaJVIAvTjYiXWjydtk/s1600/orangeskirt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitWnq84CRdIkT1TW_giAY4X0ONO8j9xeRPmIo803xVAzzwmqeKEGscAvreJqSn3cz3kAnt1R-FZ4i7vZDZpe_ZefOWvVAkJvq5G5-7VKeudRKo7Zv9PK43KIofd8iaJVIAvTjYiXWjydtk/s320/orangeskirt1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Spring was filled with more research than sewing, but in June I started sewing the 1805 dress that was a goal for 2017. It was finished it very quickly; it was a fun project and turned out exactly how I wanted it to. However, I have zero accessories and it's too basic to even photograph without any. So a goal for 2018 is to finish the fichu I started, buy a pair of American Duchess shoes to go with it, and sew a bonnet. I've had the pattern for at least 2 years just sitting around! Here's a preview of the completely hand-sewn ruffles.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNZWcKmr5fmapv_1hUhYnPK3UBmvzDD6ifdXLcVnSSDB6_slVdlMFZTPfr7jb6hXb6Vb5-5wjPE4lCGfpAk5JM3Feh9wZvtqIPDVVb2hcKtrzka8OdBSPLD8QFwcj7jpfrT3shHtLk6oA/s1600/ruffle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="270" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNZWcKmr5fmapv_1hUhYnPK3UBmvzDD6ifdXLcVnSSDB6_slVdlMFZTPfr7jb6hXb6Vb5-5wjPE4lCGfpAk5JM3Feh9wZvtqIPDVVb2hcKtrzka8OdBSPLD8QFwcj7jpfrT3shHtLk6oA/s320/ruffle.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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In August, I started researching designs for an overdress for the c. 1800 dress I finished last year. The tunic turned out really well; to me, it's not the most amazing thing I've ever sewn, but the <a href="http://mysoulisfedwithneedleandthread.blogspot.com/2017/12/1799-blue-tunic.html" target="_blank">photoshoot </a>may be the closest thing to fame I'll ever feel!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPpieiREj2zP1nOJnbpIr-mcKivhmW1oJxhbd4Pg25xuF6MfSjFIMum3h81R4qOYTRH9XKkFy1thikeXcwtYTl2JtjBlMLJ3mOJABkwnU8iPaqmD5OCIiMmU6J8UCrWyfy-oQu08PfrcG/s1600/largescale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="592" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPpieiREj2zP1nOJnbpIr-mcKivhmW1oJxhbd4Pg25xuF6MfSjFIMum3h81R4qOYTRH9XKkFy1thikeXcwtYTl2JtjBlMLJ3mOJABkwnU8iPaqmD5OCIiMmU6J8UCrWyfy-oQu08PfrcG/s320/largescale.jpg" width="196" /></a></div>
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I masterminded a project with my sister in September; I won't say I sewed this dress, since she technically did all the actual work, but I drafted the pattern and gave step-by-step instructions. It's basically a replica of the Clio dress; as much as she loves it and all it's graceful twirliness, she had already worn it 4 times, and the armholes had always been really uncomfortable. So it is STILL the dress that never dies, it simply lives on in a different color, with better armholes. Sorry, this is the only picture I have of it!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3EMq9HXJ8_RRuwaz43EvTtxi2TxObcE-iha7e30jZAj7a93QrSOdnl7bTJq87wafEUm8UHuNB-csuvMkf3Teqf8u7qif2VHYWdSf8vpfvmlW_1vxtU7GpMyiOxxngSUbULT-VC4seu2j/s1600/22815062_1542258992508101_458453456347312610_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3EMq9HXJ8_RRuwaz43EvTtxi2TxObcE-iha7e30jZAj7a93QrSOdnl7bTJq87wafEUm8UHuNB-csuvMkf3Teqf8u7qif2VHYWdSf8vpfvmlW_1vxtU7GpMyiOxxngSUbULT-VC4seu2j/s320/22815062_1542258992508101_458453456347312610_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>When asked what she wanted to name it, I think she said, "King Louise XVth." ?!?!</i></div>
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A few months ago, I started volunteering at the Idaho Historical Museum; it's given me the chance to see a LOT of historic garments. Sadly, I can't give any pictures out, because they have a privacy policy.</div>
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Another goal for 2017 was to pass on some knowledge in some way; I think I had either online tutorials, or in-person instruction in my mind. I now have a brilliant student, Emily, who has been working with me since June. She's learned how to draft simple patterns, work with a graph, hand-sewing skills like cartridge pleating, techniques like knife-pleating, hand-hemming, darts, piping, binding and corset-making skills like boning, busk-insertion and grommet installation. In 6 months she's sewn a chemise, drawers, corset, ruffled bustle, ruffled petticoat, and now we're working with a really complicated Janet Arnold pattern.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5tk8UyBnCH-jNx4h4IpNdwFMBCzCzEgqKnoaffYelYx1XMRYKOh88GVmJfJe_nJ4_XtAcS7k4T56dTIU-UfJLz3RXjtbhh9c-ubk-PUBSixXineqixbSOdgq6sqX0wPScbkKEzrprvykj/s1600/underskirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5tk8UyBnCH-jNx4h4IpNdwFMBCzCzEgqKnoaffYelYx1XMRYKOh88GVmJfJe_nJ4_XtAcS7k4T56dTIU-UfJLz3RXjtbhh9c-ubk-PUBSixXineqixbSOdgq6sqX0wPScbkKEzrprvykj/s320/underskirt.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>This is just the underskirt, over the bustle and petticoat.</i></div>
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In October, I really wanted a new corset for upcoming later Victorian projects; not that my old one isn't any good, but the bust shaping isn't quite what I want it to be. I've also always wanted a fancy corset. Since it still isn't 100% done (flossing is ALMOST there, and then binding), I'm not going to post any pictures. Also sometime during the year, I finished a lobster tail bustle and petticoat to go over it. The lobster tail bustle might just be my favorite project; it took maybe 10 hours, but it was a ton of fun to make, and it super satisfying to wear! It still needs one more petticoat to hide the ridges.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUn3LaGjUlLY9QXPRbLMGjazIbUFEJo9gJGmqpDY225r2EasTraseCNHOzJITK7moPUv2AUc2ORzgJgxQXqiUYyDIpXwV0eA7yMf6SZEZf8L2kBvJ1luXMS9pnAspqnNOpFhUWZ2EI950/s1600/lobstertail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUn3LaGjUlLY9QXPRbLMGjazIbUFEJo9gJGmqpDY225r2EasTraseCNHOzJITK7moPUv2AUc2ORzgJgxQXqiUYyDIpXwV0eA7yMf6SZEZf8L2kBvJ1luXMS9pnAspqnNOpFhUWZ2EI950/s320/lobstertail.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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In 2018, I have plans to attend Costume College! Yay!!!!! So I need to plan outfits to wear there. Most of the undergarments made will be used for dresses this year. I would like to wear the 1805 dress there, but the other 2 dresses that I have planned so far have yet to be started. My list of projects include:</div>
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An 1820's corded, bodiced, A-shape petticoat </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Gngd8BQq9FGsqyDsjhK7qvofPVJDawHoxYJtu0ddCVXbSq0MRjyLtBDeE4kntx4sGu4zoJ-o9YCitN8ULP6B3JkwCv4DAlqbFAZfPQ6kP2F-eJRkms4HQA_Ivrqmyati0Xx3-uNQ4m4w/s1600/petticoat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Gngd8BQq9FGsqyDsjhK7qvofPVJDawHoxYJtu0ddCVXbSq0MRjyLtBDeE4kntx4sGu4zoJ-o9YCitN8ULP6B3JkwCv4DAlqbFAZfPQ6kP2F-eJRkms4HQA_Ivrqmyati0Xx3-uNQ4m4w/s320/petticoat.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O354431/petticoat-unknown/" target="_blank">1820-29 Petticoat </a>from the V and A</i></div>
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A new Regency chemise (I ripped the sleeves off mine so they wouldn't show, but I need one with sleeves!)</div>
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Combination undergarments, and maybe a bustle pad? Both of these things are optional, since I technically have a chemise and drawers I can wear and a bustle pad may not be needed.</div>
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Complete dress ensembles are:</div>
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An 1879 evening dress, in yellow shot taffeta. I am completely in love with <i>everything </i>natural form. One of my maybe plans from last year was that blue wool natural form dress; as much as I love that design, I honestly love every single 1877-80 design I see. So probably more of that to come either later this year or in 2019.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWstP4RzBwPFyMu3aV9edngF_5q2rJiakRaQu51ZXDEL8BZsCaPvO1ogoabbyP4c-LVAbzhdLgMHdS7SIDppISyQ2eKrSlp0IkrTsITA4Z7kLKAE7jPUs73P_j9p-Hn_uy4ZU8b3FoL4-o/s1600/1879.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWstP4RzBwPFyMu3aV9edngF_5q2rJiakRaQu51ZXDEL8BZsCaPvO1ogoabbyP4c-LVAbzhdLgMHdS7SIDppISyQ2eKrSlp0IkrTsITA4Z7kLKAE7jPUs73P_j9p-Hn_uy4ZU8b3FoL4-o/s1600/1879.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i> December 1879 Peterson's Magazine</i></div>
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An 1825 morning dress in silk, color undetermined (anyone know what Egyptian flame-colour is???)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qgAohFIzt75qCcA-HJ20ZeW3VQ8HqClPX-wp_E5VzrZJN2MmTlK4ew_NCpO6ZYxL7VQeEsp95QzZbzRAvuztnZPsFx28QZ61WpDmV4VzANH316myNL2rryNffzUQLAygdG878KRdTnsJ/s1600/1825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qgAohFIzt75qCcA-HJ20ZeW3VQ8HqClPX-wp_E5VzrZJN2MmTlK4ew_NCpO6ZYxL7VQeEsp95QzZbzRAvuztnZPsFx28QZ61WpDmV4VzANH316myNL2rryNffzUQLAygdG878KRdTnsJ/s320/1825.jpg" width="197" /></a></div>
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<i>June 1825 Ladies Monthly Museum</i></div>
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1884 walking dress; I have red wool challis for this project already, but I can't find red and black striped silk! Why!?!** This is a project my friend <a href="http://www.tianascostumes.com/" target="_blank">Tiana</a> and I planned maybe 6 months ago, and that was what initially got me making a new corset and the lobster tail.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXElE2NUpJPOKZYySU00EOCHTkx9dinffqUJih4mG9-kV0kLRDg2seV4am2Rj0xjakC_EsUVoUiHyGg0X_7LhfRE6MByBOAOOvZnxCUgdSi6kzd-EaHD0hj6qF7kdcolilzieUB_8WiF3/s1600/1884.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="312" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXElE2NUpJPOKZYySU00EOCHTkx9dinffqUJih4mG9-kV0kLRDg2seV4am2Rj0xjakC_EsUVoUiHyGg0X_7LhfRE6MByBOAOOvZnxCUgdSi6kzd-EaHD0hj6qF7kdcolilzieUB_8WiF3/s320/1884.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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<i>1884 Revue de la Mode</i></div>
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An 1860's evening dress in barred turquoise organdy (this was on my to-do list LAST year, sheesh!) **</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN9hqgWEU7V-nRcGYr-qBkc5_auIqOmOQp65ThuVXtdmFYcarLMnPHcRF8EctU12XtmasNMlrcNsb30jWU__30UPVyOBYwWnKWLOZrNJ7Knz2O2KnG42cY5CWeI6R9KoFsdK0KMcjneSdG/s1600/1962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN9hqgWEU7V-nRcGYr-qBkc5_auIqOmOQp65ThuVXtdmFYcarLMnPHcRF8EctU12XtmasNMlrcNsb30jWU__30UPVyOBYwWnKWLOZrNJ7Knz2O2KnG42cY5CWeI6R9KoFsdK0KMcjneSdG/s1600/1962.jpg" /></a></div>
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This design isn't final, but it's about the right color and I LOVE IT! 1862 Les Modes Parisiennes</div>
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Accessories:</div>
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An 1805 bonnet</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzvHW-ZSdX3Jsb4vixEtX9ye9NJT4MhMOWykDsKkyfoht3vD-ce2ToLOH5b6dWA4wCXeM1krNHebi0KCxyJ6LDvAiwC3Nj4H8l4Mc2p1lKZsuTQjkTPvJtyU2Ml-UJntlj-gLxpnDM6Kr/s1600/1807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="319" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzvHW-ZSdX3Jsb4vixEtX9ye9NJT4MhMOWykDsKkyfoht3vD-ce2ToLOH5b6dWA4wCXeM1krNHebi0KCxyJ6LDvAiwC3Nj4H8l4Mc2p1lKZsuTQjkTPvJtyU2Ml-UJntlj-gLxpnDM6Kr/s320/1807.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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<i>November 1807 Ladies Magazine; or something along these lines?</i></div>
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An 1805 fichu (50% finished)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQvAuWQ0BA1kHvmgY95H-zpWC3lbz2Zo38YunP5EIPzporWw4GXJX58w_L7Hxw_7G6EWgXtIcAQrntTGVBIC2hr6j9YZbmpeU5y5tqnOk0okDYusZXTE7mh9lQPJCUs1KRs0ZDuFU6VkID/s1600/painting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="505" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQvAuWQ0BA1kHvmgY95H-zpWC3lbz2Zo38YunP5EIPzporWw4GXJX58w_L7Hxw_7G6EWgXtIcAQrntTGVBIC2hr6j9YZbmpeU5y5tqnOk0okDYusZXTE7mh9lQPJCUs1KRs0ZDuFU6VkID/s320/painting.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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<i>This painting, while undated of Louise Christine Egbertine Francoise Hora Siccama, is a little early for this project, but this style of fichu with the ruche I've seen in portraits dated a little before, and a little after, the 1803-1807 window I've got going.</i></div>
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Maybe a spencer or half-length pelisse to go over the 1805 dress? That's an if-I-have-time project.**</div>
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A little blue reticule to go with the 1825 dress</div>
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An 1825 lace cap</div>
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1884 Bonnet/cap/hat thingy **</div>
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** = probably not for Costume College, but hopefully after wards sometime this year.</div>
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As much as I would like to make a New Year's resolution about not making any more corsets because they take WAY more time than is warranted, I'm guessing after Costume College I may be inspired to try a new era, so I really am not making any promises. I keep thinking I should branch out of the 1800's (I'm thinking early 1700's at some point), but honestly I could be occupied with the Victorian era my entire life!</div>
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While I didn't complete all of my to-do's for 2017, I'm hoping 2018 will be doable, although all the post Costume College projects are questionable and I'm not set on them. I did reach my research goal; I don't know what that was exactly, but I learned A LOT this year. If you want fashion plates, or ideas for fabric, or want the original fashion plate description, come to me! Also a lot on Victorian dress etiquette, which I'm thinking I may turn into a video.</div>
Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-85474524196808864192017-12-11T22:34:00.001-08:002017-12-12T09:09:26.529-08:001799 Blue Tunic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Photo courtesy of my awesome sister Camille!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJzjl-_xIIZcdrdhrWXDs4wcmHP9QlqjlCvwtMZfJ_yCObwnDoT06vN_BMSnjXN47PbwZahDfx2nmqao5YmTu04T37MeGJQ_lmhNr9K4YNS33gAd8UTBpx93Nrtqa6unAIGsJWpt0RAIUn/s1600/halfrobesteps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="960" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJzjl-_xIIZcdrdhrWXDs4wcmHP9QlqjlCvwtMZfJ_yCObwnDoT06vN_BMSnjXN47PbwZahDfx2nmqao5YmTu04T37MeGJQ_lmhNr9K4YNS33gAd8UTBpx93Nrtqa6unAIGsJWpt0RAIUn/s320/halfrobesteps.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBd60KAbLMY20qnIgcTBx4VnD20POZuexAZKao6mninp6WeUstut5bGpRHZbrRnYVTeHZxdo7iUtaxxaj9VsFfPeljUyOvQD3idTcgV3-9uE7gqc5v6RH2sgEZ8HZpGtjuV3WFDmjFh7e/s1600/largescale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="592" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBd60KAbLMY20qnIgcTBx4VnD20POZuexAZKao6mninp6WeUstut5bGpRHZbrRnYVTeHZxdo7iUtaxxaj9VsFfPeljUyOvQD3idTcgV3-9uE7gqc5v6RH2sgEZ8HZpGtjuV3WFDmjFh7e/s320/largescale.jpg" width="196" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3oYcPzDagfVTarLyGH1gD9Xd7ng3yKLyED5wgYOP-R9r5fiLMkimJwcrZ02c3vSFHV1Ch_Sy_Fd0Ar-RXxA2-_lBCPyheUJzYPK-n3LsIoh-aGjfNQ83IaohNqc80suJnS1_Ywu5ZyfXX/s1600/bluerobe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="501" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3oYcPzDagfVTarLyGH1gD9Xd7ng3yKLyED5wgYOP-R9r5fiLMkimJwcrZ02c3vSFHV1Ch_Sy_Fd0Ar-RXxA2-_lBCPyheUJzYPK-n3LsIoh-aGjfNQ83IaohNqc80suJnS1_Ywu5ZyfXX/s320/bluerobe.jpg" width="166" /></a></div>
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So the c. 1800 evening dress needed a little interest/color to it. I was open to almost any outer-dress option, except I didn't want an evening robe; basically all original full-length robes are trained, whether that's from a fashion plate, original, or painting. I've seen a lot of costumers just leave the train off because they want to dance in it, but to me that's the wrong way to go about it. I wanted something that would be accurate for the occasion, without fudging, because I knew that existed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYkVJOGW5gw3FRaxS206lggddAnEd-k501cHehaXY_1EABdUjeRT9BgMVp4DZehU0RLn92gyd8yrV9Y3g1xj5XKWJNUBH10dQ-SNJYll9kNwKbqGUehM5dF43w2MeL4x9nujlqwpwNuR3/s1600/1797.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="383" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYkVJOGW5gw3FRaxS206lggddAnEd-k501cHehaXY_1EABdUjeRT9BgMVp4DZehU0RLn92gyd8yrV9Y3g1xj5XKWJNUBH10dQ-SNJYll9kNwKbqGUehM5dF43w2MeL4x9nujlqwpwNuR3/s320/1797.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://images.metmuseum.org/CRDImages/ci/original/1984.85_S.jpg" target="_blank">c. 1797 Open Robe</a> from the MET</div>
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Little tiny sleeveless spencers, short jackets and half robes were what I was looking into. The possibilities for the styles, colors, and materials were endless! They can be seen in paintings, although they are very common in fashion plates. There really aren't any extant examples, so I didn't have anything to go off of there. I read as many descriptions as I could from magazines; the materials that I found were muslin, satin, lace, crepe, and sarcenet (a thin kind of silk; exactly how thin is yet to be determined). Yellow, blue and pink were the most common colors used, although I did find some black, orange and purple examples.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYLzTOeiLTarSd_N0QA4MqXlMiv5rVM1rsMBBI1Erf0ghn7erlDOnqDE9Ec8YxsLqa7B1V4w3O7p2RXG_V0s9voyWtIH44t7nn5PedFbjJKiVQ4gBBEWBmnhHN1DwqMtS-tEB-xzM5vfk/s1600/1799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYLzTOeiLTarSd_N0QA4MqXlMiv5rVM1rsMBBI1Erf0ghn7erlDOnqDE9Ec8YxsLqa7B1V4w3O7p2RXG_V0s9voyWtIH44t7nn5PedFbjJKiVQ4gBBEWBmnhHN1DwqMtS-tEB-xzM5vfk/s320/1799.jpg" width="222" /></a></div>
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<i> April 1799 Ladies Museum Fashion Plate</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihb1aEq6EtO7LAlYGRlW56qNHZl0EMMKKykVxt06Wrgo9lRO_n4KIVukndTva-tQNtSVEs0x80jDBqb1Qp4gGjvB4VOf_Dn4WBe3Vr4l6vj3abjl4hyphenhyphenxYQaU0cyClLr4qhAjVwPXRFTYRf/s1600/1800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihb1aEq6EtO7LAlYGRlW56qNHZl0EMMKKykVxt06Wrgo9lRO_n4KIVukndTva-tQNtSVEs0x80jDBqb1Qp4gGjvB4VOf_Dn4WBe3Vr4l6vj3abjl4hyphenhyphenxYQaU0cyClLr4qhAjVwPXRFTYRf/s320/1800.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>January 1800, perhaps published in the Ladies Magazine?</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdj9Bj7OGWm-XeNYnUYDMImbzb_7jvMR2Vh3RObqB1RwyYphzx8Uqmv9WcyB2h7Lu80qmZlho9uY6ryrflByOpQE1OyUJZErytcA23O-saYqcsQ-QV2wFCPeRdY_6h6eHb4fbl4R7mMV21/s1600/1799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="236" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdj9Bj7OGWm-XeNYnUYDMImbzb_7jvMR2Vh3RObqB1RwyYphzx8Uqmv9WcyB2h7Lu80qmZlho9uY6ryrflByOpQE1OyUJZErytcA23O-saYqcsQ-QV2wFCPeRdY_6h6eHb4fbl4R7mMV21/s320/1799.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
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<i>May 1799 Ladies Monthly Museum</i></div>
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I decided on this last one....because Neoclassicism. Plus it didn't seem like very much work, and the amount of color per square inches was higher than the sleeveless spencers. Because there really aren't many actual existing half-robes for evening wear, I tried to go about the construction from the most logical standpoint. Unlined seemed best, and with the new discovery of the whole bodice-and-skirt-cut-in-one-with-a-drawstring, that seemed a good idea, keeping the cut of it as simple as possible. The original description (minus the long S, which doesn't exist on my keyboard) from <i>Ladies Monthly Museum</i> is this:<br />
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"The Greek vest, of blue muslin, fastened by a diamond clasp on the right shoulder, with a silver girdle and trimming of silver round the skirt; plain gown, with sleeves very short, and a neat pleating round the neck and sleeves. - Turban, a la Grec, blue muslin, with silver bandeau, and ostrich feathers. Shoes blue silk."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRl-cZXI8mKVX-Mom2Wgyx6v7nteZWJIZNQTErHbYVcVfKtFtdGVFJB62Q3Mz4KyUv6KU6mdzwjQgedCUnb4ZKkdqudMAvr2sAeYPThIxEmxIFYUebF8cTv-bLUGv2xfxAzqbM3z0p0d2q/s1600/trees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="960" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRl-cZXI8mKVX-Mom2Wgyx6v7nteZWJIZNQTErHbYVcVfKtFtdGVFJB62Q3Mz4KyUv6KU6mdzwjQgedCUnb4ZKkdqudMAvr2sAeYPThIxEmxIFYUebF8cTv-bLUGv2xfxAzqbM3z0p0d2q/s320/trees.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtH_Befq509PohQ_oAw80fq50FxxiMWpHwzpCjJl01ODR7Oaf9n2w7MXUrWN8g6-nFPqRaj64F936FzeD1IYE-ewkYSWWQgQ14W8FLV17JKoXFkXzX3Tx869eRDetA0fCN1WXWO94BAKy/s1600/stairs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="960" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtH_Befq509PohQ_oAw80fq50FxxiMWpHwzpCjJl01ODR7Oaf9n2w7MXUrWN8g6-nFPqRaj64F936FzeD1IYE-ewkYSWWQgQ14W8FLV17JKoXFkXzX3Tx869eRDetA0fCN1WXWO94BAKy/s320/stairs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I draped the half robe on my dress form, trying to get the best neckline curve, and also balancing the fullness from the shoulder with the fullness at the waist.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71W2Oz2bwA5GbZ_pv97vkpyRdgyslu2f2LFKhsSGJbh9jkpix0xc-kr0cQ_AFnH5vSjz_Pk3TZ-I0gOs-RNjKSdMvcHnbYtlM32-wXeKDO0xUlgyOxfFop0RyVKNfF_M5sKRpIbD5rMxx/s1600/draped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71W2Oz2bwA5GbZ_pv97vkpyRdgyslu2f2LFKhsSGJbh9jkpix0xc-kr0cQ_AFnH5vSjz_Pk3TZ-I0gOs-RNjKSdMvcHnbYtlM32-wXeKDO0xUlgyOxfFop0RyVKNfF_M5sKRpIbD5rMxx/s320/draped.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>This WAS version #1</i></div>
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This is one of my really not-smart moments.....I drafted the half robe in an afternoon of boredom probably back in August and then threw the finished thing back in my scrap bin. When I was ready to pick it up in September, I realized I had used that scrap for another mock up a week or two ago. Whoops. Let's be honest, it's a rectangle with a triangle at the top. It doesn't look like anything special.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd6tg-oQaPQN1iayUaWA-VXJaO3lnIsU9JqQpG2NOi8XcfFmOaV_Uv_4Ar4KG-2wCQFIFP46hDAzIhh_6g7emRoh3fpcQRaBwsq48EAakbJjmahV2SdGr1r2CWyNCQrA8M6JRK27mVSEje/s1600/grecianpillar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="539" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd6tg-oQaPQN1iayUaWA-VXJaO3lnIsU9JqQpG2NOi8XcfFmOaV_Uv_4Ar4KG-2wCQFIFP46hDAzIhh_6g7emRoh3fpcQRaBwsq48EAakbJjmahV2SdGr1r2CWyNCQrA8M6JRK27mVSEje/s320/grecianpillar.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>
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The whole thing took me probably under 20 hours, completely hand-sewn. The material is <a href="https://www.moodfabrics.com/theory-seafoam-cotton-voile-318079" target="_blank">this </a>cotton voile from Mood Fabrics, which is close to historic muslin, just not as thin or as uneven; it took almost exactly 2 yards of fabric. The trim at the bottom isn't accurate at all, so I wasn't wanting two rows of it. Someday, I would like to sew on either real silk ribbon, or embroider the bottom so it's a little more authentic. Again, without existing examples, who's to say how this would have been carried out? It's still a shot in the dark. Yet we DO know rayon isn't accurate, I'm not kidding myself.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WOO_4gTe6SOQBGLcPqs8aX3X7ELTnfmBkwmluj1Fk4vp1JkqPXTUe0vFtRax3wm9YNlo_ZtW7r0PEdTYWpAqlTR0hkpQldLGvKIo1uDoWMmL-B4OuPkwimQnhTyUZAZqLRxtGbyJswS6/s1600/pillar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="960" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WOO_4gTe6SOQBGLcPqs8aX3X7ELTnfmBkwmluj1Fk4vp1JkqPXTUe0vFtRax3wm9YNlo_ZtW7r0PEdTYWpAqlTR0hkpQldLGvKIo1uDoWMmL-B4OuPkwimQnhTyUZAZqLRxtGbyJswS6/s320/pillar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The waist originally was just a drawstring; you pull it on over your head and tighten it, adjusting it to be even all the way around. The ribbon at the waist was just sewn on one side, with a hook on the other. I discovered at the photo shoot that it would NOT. STAY. PUT. The ribbon kept slipping all over the place. You can see in some of the pictures it's too slippery. For pictures it was fine, but before the ball I permanently tacked the ribbon in place, so now the whole thing isn't adjustable. Oh well, adjusting the back was a pain.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQkAWilsDSDdrpbIUhZPZ2d0K3fMp9n24upTBACWdbVLUX104-W9jzVIQQDPQwKeJGc1xZJwaWucgDFW358cRW2B_hX80H8I2LmN3xB1oY0xqh2_AFYbp72iL_I4dH0HgK6Jl1CGQy1g6/s1600/faroff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="471" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQkAWilsDSDdrpbIUhZPZ2d0K3fMp9n24upTBACWdbVLUX104-W9jzVIQQDPQwKeJGc1xZJwaWucgDFW358cRW2B_hX80H8I2LmN3xB1oY0xqh2_AFYbp72iL_I4dH0HgK6Jl1CGQy1g6/s320/faroff.jpg" width="156" /></a></div>
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<i>In theory, this picture would be really cool. But when a white dress meets sunlight.....I call it, "blobbing." New verb for the day, folks.</i></div>
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The little pin on the shoulder I already owned, it was cool to recycle that. The description from the Ladies Monthly Museum mentions a diamond clasp, even though you can't see it in the picture. I think more research would be required to know exactly what was accurate, but I figured that the only accurate way to do that would be to wear real diamonds, which I couldn't afford anyway. I like the size of this one, it feels like a piece of jewelry, without being too heavy on the shoulder.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCcbAb0QZpoahp7RY8fMQdOWSxTFCwsc6MmlA-a7_sdZNBXsmbZ4fksJMe5ccg7ft4Ay-eFnLW59rTc4bZv5hDGzHnbixaWMS7Mg5_6BbB-vq1zSUVzSLTRICxNKco2E0GpmlSbGzSDPdu/s1600/clasp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="960" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCcbAb0QZpoahp7RY8fMQdOWSxTFCwsc6MmlA-a7_sdZNBXsmbZ4fksJMe5ccg7ft4Ay-eFnLW59rTc4bZv5hDGzHnbixaWMS7Mg5_6BbB-vq1zSUVzSLTRICxNKco2E0GpmlSbGzSDPdu/s320/clasp.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This hairstyle is based on a Roman bust from the Louvre, called, "The Kaufmann Head", ca. 150 BC. I wanted to do something that was more purely Classical, rather than Regency.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTK5AEJwMusUCtzTI57bnC6SsIeQWWbmgUsDwqv7ZaclN-jaYCarWoE71sxn6HomdNy9HfUjA6H8gbGwpEcr61mi0JC0xJeKV8opV0h4ELEAV7ApPqg4MUVZqZT1vHOGtgA4pbGjXllTcW/s1600/kaufmann.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="866" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTK5AEJwMusUCtzTI57bnC6SsIeQWWbmgUsDwqv7ZaclN-jaYCarWoE71sxn6HomdNy9HfUjA6H8gbGwpEcr61mi0JC0xJeKV8opV0h4ELEAV7ApPqg4MUVZqZT1vHOGtgA4pbGjXllTcW/s320/kaufmann.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Female head, modeled from the Aphrodite of Cnidus, called the <a href="http://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/female-head-modeled-aphrodite-cnidus" target="_blank">Kaufmann Head. </a></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1phQ1kl5BVW-aK9YRygyjI2biOZkNtrhF1bYyNU_42faV-3Df-FYiVnaCa7JA4X2RJwOLMMaLGfASmoicyP2FWXPP-616HvWituC1H-RLEPg9MdmVbZzDH95Hl_n-JQclYvkGuYJ5hz04/s1600/hair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="960" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1phQ1kl5BVW-aK9YRygyjI2biOZkNtrhF1bYyNU_42faV-3Df-FYiVnaCa7JA4X2RJwOLMMaLGfASmoicyP2FWXPP-616HvWituC1H-RLEPg9MdmVbZzDH95Hl_n-JQclYvkGuYJ5hz04/s320/hair.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I texted my hairdresser, and asked how I could get my hair like this. She said, "Oh, you can't...you have to have naturally curly hair."<br />
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Challenge accepted.<br />
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So I Googled how to create naturally-curly looking hair for people with straight hair. I came across...the straw method. It is the most unglamourous and undignified process in which I won't even care to describe, although if you are interested you can Google it. It works like a charm though, if you use enough product; it's the only way to curl your hair so close to the scalp. A heat tool you would burn yourself pretty easily. It also stays put through 5 hours of dancing. I'm surprised that someone actually came up with this; I wouldn't recommend it for the average day, it's way too much work for results that are a frizzy disaster waiting to happen if you don't put it up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4N2cCoP8Zx-e7SpPZuZgC6I9CQboCyK9NWTdg0lqqngR3LbDvWSLw5L4Qoagv7heKr4Mpms-npyKHMcL00V77etUSiIlAK_PhxjDcLy5bl3UqjRvLg8yZ8D2EWbPas6F4h1DtnQ9vIZt8/s1600/backhair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4N2cCoP8Zx-e7SpPZuZgC6I9CQboCyK9NWTdg0lqqngR3LbDvWSLw5L4Qoagv7heKr4Mpms-npyKHMcL00V77etUSiIlAK_PhxjDcLy5bl3UqjRvLg8yZ8D2EWbPas6F4h1DtnQ9vIZt8/s320/backhair.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>So, this particular bun is not my finest moment, but I WAS CONCENTRATING ON THE FRONT PEOPLE.</i></div>
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I pinned the back and undersections into a bun, curled the rest, pulled them into a ponytail over the bun, then gently arranged the curls over the base. Pin, and done. That part is super easy. Finish off with ribbon or trim. The overall effect is simple, yet stunning. If you leave the curls as-is, it looks more sleek, although maybe a little too perfect. I like to gently pull the larger curls in half; it adds a tiny bit of frizz, which gives it the "I woke up like this and carelessly threw it up yet it still looks perfect" look. Because anyone with naturally curly hair will tell you that no frizz is really hard.<br />
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Since I've brought up the whole, throw-away-an-almost-finished-mock up mistake, what is YOUR most embarrassing costuming mistake?Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-80174112672324786312017-12-07T10:43:00.004-08:002017-12-11T22:12:02.890-08:00Ca. 1800 Reproduction Evening DressPictures taken by my illustrious sister Camille at the Idaho State Capitol.<br />
This dress was first completed last October. It was my first real attempt at an accurate Regency dress; I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I chose the design because of the Neoclassical lines; I also loved the sleeves, the length and drape of the train, the gathers in the front with pleats in the back. It's simple enough that it could be worn anywhere between 1795-1802, or even later depending on who wore it. This is a reproduction from the <a href="https://collections.lacma.org/node/214695" target="_blank">LACMA</a>; the original dress is c. 1795. Because I raised the waistline into more of a true Regency empire waistline, it's just a tad later.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsh08MHwN5CNtPPgfks8DENq8aZ9pIsLd8WtM0XwctfLN9cbN81jhOj1xcuBE0dQcA8mye8Pl5wPh8AIZgRCECHdREwKSevfplDgyKS3RRh6OEBMm70bceBY_pxUa2bzdgL02_lSyjjTT/s1600/lacma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="560" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsh08MHwN5CNtPPgfks8DENq8aZ9pIsLd8WtM0XwctfLN9cbN81jhOj1xcuBE0dQcA8mye8Pl5wPh8AIZgRCECHdREwKSevfplDgyKS3RRh6OEBMm70bceBY_pxUa2bzdgL02_lSyjjTT/s320/lacma.jpg" width="215" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-qVUF6tEegZAYCjS2FbB0QeX3qcXFxpbv8QRTJ8xny2ofzpIl9M9nNtCfDZeLQKUsEx_Ll4RAM5IkzelDzfBFarHHMVeOhyphenhyphencG-TnRfQTcsersG72dTkZr649wd6tYWuJiXsXwFgDk_Y8/s1600/whiteregency1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="537" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-qVUF6tEegZAYCjS2FbB0QeX3qcXFxpbv8QRTJ8xny2ofzpIl9M9nNtCfDZeLQKUsEx_Ll4RAM5IkzelDzfBFarHHMVeOhyphenhyphencG-TnRfQTcsersG72dTkZr649wd6tYWuJiXsXwFgDk_Y8/s320/whiteregency1.jpg" width="177" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQ2OixyREQdLiphNjeKOJSHZ-e8jZH_E-ol70hL7f6rXdzC9b8ksm8VZSkBQM7xIUaPe4af1HA01SVTH1CetBphokVxLx6m7BvwjTXS7XmUEbZmdQujOYQ8gAL5nzsQGNEPC0Z5sor4Fw/s1600/lacma3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="560" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQ2OixyREQdLiphNjeKOJSHZ-e8jZH_E-ol70hL7f6rXdzC9b8ksm8VZSkBQM7xIUaPe4af1HA01SVTH1CetBphokVxLx6m7BvwjTXS7XmUEbZmdQujOYQ8gAL5nzsQGNEPC0Z5sor4Fw/s320/lacma3.jpg" width="193" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tCrEIXeCClV7J2WYJsp4IPpiA5Y4LFRlO6OC00jL7dVP4ybLnG6g9LAl4ov6T2MWR5pyb-jD4Vt7fnpfT20GMn7ixCUH9aoeT4owuPUkyOrupWiqBw8EjelO3JkQSIJKs0RG2iEgXYrF/s1600/whiteregency2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="960" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tCrEIXeCClV7J2WYJsp4IPpiA5Y4LFRlO6OC00jL7dVP4ybLnG6g9LAl4ov6T2MWR5pyb-jD4Vt7fnpfT20GMn7ixCUH9aoeT4owuPUkyOrupWiqBw8EjelO3JkQSIJKs0RG2iEgXYrF/s320/whiteregency2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Sleeve detail comparisons</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPQJUoewgiQ9X9UiBThsNjnUeZWBVDVNZKbYnDPL2EQt8PPoVWXUqP9vqLnFK0JAEgjKmSuc_pqDzuDxSG-yGtkPoKI4T73oWwknGi7dgQXZKvd8iAnU1au2xM_HA5QZfS9MIlbGB1x8V/s1600/lacma2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="560" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPQJUoewgiQ9X9UiBThsNjnUeZWBVDVNZKbYnDPL2EQt8PPoVWXUqP9vqLnFK0JAEgjKmSuc_pqDzuDxSG-yGtkPoKI4T73oWwknGi7dgQXZKvd8iAnU1au2xM_HA5QZfS9MIlbGB1x8V/s320/lacma2.jpg" width="218" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqAltYuXuIPmY8bSeOJfUzoT9MsSXVQKu3YnD-BhIjYzGHnsMv8keMKqu0pGQQI4QFoKSJdjMfPaZBYPWPW2wQomH7k6YT0LCR9l1B9Us6cQ-FyO7ETbNIvOz2MwHXC2YjKWoz_S4kUlj/s1600/backwhiteregency.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="538" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqAltYuXuIPmY8bSeOJfUzoT9MsSXVQKu3YnD-BhIjYzGHnsMv8keMKqu0pGQQI4QFoKSJdjMfPaZBYPWPW2wQomH7k6YT0LCR9l1B9Us6cQ-FyO7ETbNIvOz2MwHXC2YjKWoz_S4kUlj/s320/backwhiteregency.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRoPoo1Fk7jSWkTr9rFlsGWxCNOx8xHD1Jn3AQqX_AWvzCVWUIh6-tiiAmYIpprvDOEnRdBtrnFZXR0RsjWnDo5umh2jBXRF1O1VcayA0nfsZW91K6sN2jNvU54ANyE9CVgNaW4RmMTm7j/s1600/sideview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="539" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRoPoo1Fk7jSWkTr9rFlsGWxCNOx8xHD1Jn3AQqX_AWvzCVWUIh6-tiiAmYIpprvDOEnRdBtrnFZXR0RsjWnDo5umh2jBXRF1O1VcayA0nfsZW91K6sN2jNvU54ANyE9CVgNaW4RmMTm7j/s320/sideview.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>
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<i>I lopped the sleeves off my chemise, and I didn't realize until we got into better light that the show-through looked a little weird...</i></div>
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It was completely handsewn, except for the long skirt seams. The only reason I did that was because, originally, I didn't know how the train would lay. So I cut the front and back both the full length of the train, then chopped off the front while it was on my dressform.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX59o9jjMMt7wsxF0kH__qT1SZaNM7z8lw-EA-zt_Efhm97IS6oGl8pDkRxAK5lQsX4i4ZnB0UhGIy10D_77nqM92iRmypl-47G3liDboB9AY_yjEV6oZgKgp1CiUG-IcMdbqLjv-jTSsf/s1600/whiteregencyupabove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="960" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX59o9jjMMt7wsxF0kH__qT1SZaNM7z8lw-EA-zt_Efhm97IS6oGl8pDkRxAK5lQsX4i4ZnB0UhGIy10D_77nqM92iRmypl-47G3liDboB9AY_yjEV6oZgKgp1CiUG-IcMdbqLjv-jTSsf/s320/whiteregencyupabove.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The construction was pretty simple; after doing some research, I took the Simplicity 4055 that never ends, even though I really am disliking that pattern every time I use it. I had to hack it pretty hard; I took a strip of muslin and figured out the fulness ratio I wanted across the bust, then transferred that to a well-fitting mockup.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5-fNfuKyGSfzjRvS_AR587WSF3lg6NNo5ZFi-gYmPuNv887U7xxH1w-lLTJJd0t2nn5l4lgZZBuDZrqW3a58b7G67Wj3uP78e5fMtQOoqd4YX7vFzuyBw65m78FMsvYJiiBRFjxKLbJn/s1600/whiteregencyreflection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="960" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5-fNfuKyGSfzjRvS_AR587WSF3lg6NNo5ZFi-gYmPuNv887U7xxH1w-lLTJJd0t2nn5l4lgZZBuDZrqW3a58b7G67Wj3uP78e5fMtQOoqd4YX7vFzuyBw65m78FMsvYJiiBRFjxKLbJn/s320/whiteregencyreflection.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>This picture turned out so crazy!</i></div>
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I was stumped at first as to how you would get dressed in this dress. The back is cut on a fold....there's no apron-front....and the front is cut on a fold. Huh. It took me a while of pondering and asking around before I realized...that it actually didn't need it. It has a drawstring that runs from the shoulders to the front, and a drawstring from the side seams to the front. To get it on...pull it open, then it just goes right over your head and you pull up the strings and it ties on the inside. It really is the most adjustable dress in the world; it fits my sister who is a different shape and size as well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDaehzwl_oq_q09E3OwZhYcwbiR0FPTDOmA_iCWvkj2kVcbmoArHWmrp7UONU-RA9JlaGHEnOAet1F6zGEkwJbxchqnvft9sDTZTjFgdZn312AGyqXekmGoClzmszUbLVmiQOxc50SI0k9/s1600/neckdetail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="960" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDaehzwl_oq_q09E3OwZhYcwbiR0FPTDOmA_iCWvkj2kVcbmoArHWmrp7UONU-RA9JlaGHEnOAet1F6zGEkwJbxchqnvft9sDTZTjFgdZn312AGyqXekmGoClzmszUbLVmiQOxc50SI0k9/s320/neckdetail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It didn't occur to me that, with the more pure Neoclassical lines of the dress, the waist should have been not so close to the bust, but more dropped. Whoever dressed the mannequin of the original dress had to take a complete shot in the dark in regards to how big the lady who wore it was in the bust; with a drawstring top and bottom, it's anyone's guess. This mannequin is more busty, but it could have been a smaller lady, in which case the waist would have laid not so high on her. Oh well. Live and learn.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GvDZyz8E5rwZNXYmUGwiM7kOZmH4xu8DLPQ6L4KJQ_p246sY7IrUQcryL1NAlz_A2hA2TBxpjCa00FYLZBaN3IkoGcEV2za6tL6P43_iS8LRkmtFeQoKZsT0JAy9CSshNZE3wxKC_x12/s1600/whiteregency4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="960" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GvDZyz8E5rwZNXYmUGwiM7kOZmH4xu8DLPQ6L4KJQ_p246sY7IrUQcryL1NAlz_A2hA2TBxpjCa00FYLZBaN3IkoGcEV2za6tL6P43_iS8LRkmtFeQoKZsT0JAy9CSshNZE3wxKC_x12/s320/whiteregency4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I also learned, through purchasing Cassidy Percoco's Regency Women's Fashion and looking at the diagrams, that this type of construction you would have cut the front bodice and skirt in one long piece, and run a drawstring through that. So ridiculously easy! Except I was convinced that the skirt needed ALL. THE. GATHERS. But I didn't want to look puffy on top. So I lightly gathered the skirt to the bodice, then put a drawstring on. My only regret, in this whole design, was over-doing it on the skirt gathers. If I had known that cutting them in one was a thing, I would have tried it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLoJGkLshyphenhyphent2mG006-N01Q7HXPEFupmsIs87CkptlL57sHwgtpekpFWU6H8Tet6qbD8XWXbgxG1v1qNhyphenhyphenXTtQp3Of5LwcRFLMfnTvN2XVTQw0XiM9MZMtlT78K7ktj0ZempnthurmLgvoL/s1600/stairs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="659" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLoJGkLshyphenhyphent2mG006-N01Q7HXPEFupmsIs87CkptlL57sHwgtpekpFWU6H8Tet6qbD8XWXbgxG1v1qNhyphenhyphenXTtQp3Of5LwcRFLMfnTvN2XVTQw0XiM9MZMtlT78K7ktj0ZempnthurmLgvoL/s320/stairs.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>
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The sleeves were interesting. Last year, I ran out of time and sewed on quick puffs. After wearing it to the ball, I decided it was way too boring; with the train pinned up, it was your basic, boring little white Regency dress. So this year, I went back to the original design and created a shaped cuff, with cord sewn in for a 3-D swoop. I made the cuff the overall correct length on one side, then sewed it to another side that was overly long. Then I sewed a curved line.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-4bU-eVNeSPvCDNjGtZt7FqXuc16h7GHfci7_Gaa_7MWFF4JCAmAB6N0jpXwpt1Dr1OxDvAP6-HyJfbuT2UHLIxzYYGXbphDMANC_d1_c8fwJhP58P86BQlGJqm6K_A7U5W-0rn_Rljl/s1600/sleeveconstruction.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-4bU-eVNeSPvCDNjGtZt7FqXuc16h7GHfci7_Gaa_7MWFF4JCAmAB6N0jpXwpt1Dr1OxDvAP6-HyJfbuT2UHLIxzYYGXbphDMANC_d1_c8fwJhP58P86BQlGJqm6K_A7U5W-0rn_Rljl/s320/sleeveconstruction.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Next I laid the cord inside it, pushing it up against the stitching as close as possible.<br />
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Rather than sewing the piping evenly sandwiched between the cords, I rolled the cord even further past the stitch line so that it's basically only being held by the outer layer.<br />
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I just recycled the old puff, but I had to mess with the shape of it to get it to lay correctly without any weird puffs in the underarm area.<br />
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<i>The first time around where it wouldn't lay right.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOUkwiRn1_G7OQYw20I3o8qeXrwKLSHoeOBYL52xZxmWIRvBpPZdaiGeGWl82sCuYVsEBdUjutZ7iZt8ZxsK9CU48lwp4JVoNe-Tqo9P9FFVTiFs9fsyTdiNmvlhYAW_cxdrfPUPrY4h6/s1600/underarm2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOUkwiRn1_G7OQYw20I3o8qeXrwKLSHoeOBYL52xZxmWIRvBpPZdaiGeGWl82sCuYVsEBdUjutZ7iZt8ZxsK9CU48lwp4JVoNe-Tqo9P9FFVTiFs9fsyTdiNmvlhYAW_cxdrfPUPrY4h6/s320/underarm2.JPG" width="180" /></a></div>
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<i>Corrected underarm, about to be topstitched.</i></div>
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For dancing purposes, I sewed on some tiny bars to them hem, and then the corresponding hooks were sewed at different intervals to the outside of the petticoat. The hem doesn't look fantastic when it's pinned up. When the hem is down, the side seam gets dragged towards the back quite a ways, pulling fulness from the front. When the train is up, a lot of the side falls forward, adding more of a "might possibly be pregnant but trying to hide it" sort of look.<br />
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I will talk about the hairstyle in another post!Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-20999844595667323202017-08-07T17:02:00.000-07:002017-08-07T17:02:22.219-07:00Royal Vintage Shoes Giveaway!Royal Vintage Shoes is doing a Giveaway! To learn more details, click here: http://blog.royalvintageshoes.com/2017/08/its-giveaway-time-win-175-from-royal.html<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmkTyYKZkWXWusHnWLVcpuoT0JXkEB7iweSFTAMvIhHuojJzz9CRGDUW8opQRjnVDfmeP_QoqiWnjQrVi29NlbRqcBZpeEEFHW-q5qpoZbqE6Aeh3vpfGBW-VgWUWkOgGrHnYLdIs-xfrz/s1600/giveaway-banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="640" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmkTyYKZkWXWusHnWLVcpuoT0JXkEB7iweSFTAMvIhHuojJzz9CRGDUW8opQRjnVDfmeP_QoqiWnjQrVi29NlbRqcBZpeEEFHW-q5qpoZbqE6Aeh3vpfGBW-VgWUWkOgGrHnYLdIs-xfrz/s320/giveaway-banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-74592065064920903202017-08-07T16:20:00.002-07:002017-08-07T16:20:56.050-07:00#7: Made for Someone ElseThis dress was made just for fun. Camille was wanting a nice dress that could be worn with a hoop, so the hoop is new as well. This dress was made around a year ago, and has been worn maybe 3 times since then. We don't get out much.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-jTKhs9vYGcBSWCB4WpNAkbn830K9AYGnAosC4SsYjuqslEOaOhjoQ4ioE0ZXCWbPHsAxq6kxgEM90PzvTdkIWoKdyk7C6C_buIbIHU6V3P_LfU_1TlwoQTcWL0xMa51eZ5CMUyXWafUG/s1600/girlsdress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="346" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-jTKhs9vYGcBSWCB4WpNAkbn830K9AYGnAosC4SsYjuqslEOaOhjoQ4ioE0ZXCWbPHsAxq6kxgEM90PzvTdkIWoKdyk7C6C_buIbIHU6V3P_LfU_1TlwoQTcWL0xMa51eZ5CMUyXWafUG/s320/girlsdress.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dsbeKqZiFCOxTR-qFayGt_T5kfBCVRG4PqZ6c72FlsWTdJDNMZiXFl_lpsqQ8maKaDSNPux7Gi1TJ4mDkJ0UMPOVqO33ZvcqLq_PCQOgnZTDq22x_oZwaCgI9ffmn2VPynASJEmkiDAB/s1600/girlsdress2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="346" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dsbeKqZiFCOxTR-qFayGt_T5kfBCVRG4PqZ6c72FlsWTdJDNMZiXFl_lpsqQ8maKaDSNPux7Gi1TJ4mDkJ0UMPOVqO33ZvcqLq_PCQOgnZTDq22x_oZwaCgI9ffmn2VPynASJEmkiDAB/s320/girlsdress2.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
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The half-high lining that shadows through you can kind of see in the upper sleeve. The lining is boned, and buttons up the back. It's a seperate garment, so it can be washed without the dress.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxshGsYvwVpEVE92-Vto9AwmQB09sbHT2VHAxGa0EgR7Yc21_K5HfzvyUvpbDaOEHb6gxx37E8tAl2zQLid2H-cnSwxlQOQ6arWeavPtlNrAQQAZ1EQiu-u7L4AuNCGKQmePRblF3WPEyb/s1600/girlsdress3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="346" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxshGsYvwVpEVE92-Vto9AwmQB09sbHT2VHAxGa0EgR7Yc21_K5HfzvyUvpbDaOEHb6gxx37E8tAl2zQLid2H-cnSwxlQOQ6arWeavPtlNrAQQAZ1EQiu-u7L4AuNCGKQmePRblF3WPEyb/s320/girlsdress3.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
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I really wanted to recreate this particular fashion plate from 1862, but Camille wanted a high-necked, long-sleeved dress with a half-high lining. She once wore a low-necked, short sleeved dress to an event, and she burned her upper shoulder and neck area really badly. So I think she sees the practicality of covering more skin, so it is practical for outdoor wear, despite being white. This fabric is relatively easy to spot treat/scrub.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPFFJhxO9yE55eO_OFnJOteGF0fbY9UpFGhykthgu_Q0XQkJ_123xl1-YzTtgrP_NzUkMXJ0SANsQ_e8HFJlm34HAByX5DG1M4EJZD9H7j2LAFkXRL318i2gGqMUZ1KC-GOovbMr8dgUi/s1600/fashionplate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPFFJhxO9yE55eO_OFnJOteGF0fbY9UpFGhykthgu_Q0XQkJ_123xl1-YzTtgrP_NzUkMXJ0SANsQ_e8HFJlm34HAByX5DG1M4EJZD9H7j2LAFkXRL318i2gGqMUZ1KC-GOovbMr8dgUi/s320/fashionplate.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>
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<i>1862 Magasin des Demoiselles fashion plate</i></div>
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At some point I would really like to make this fancy belt with a sash; I think it's awesome, but she doesn't care for it.</div>
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This was the first dress were I allowed a significant drop in overall length; it feels much longer than her previous dresses. Almost full length, but in reality is still 8'' off the ground.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh351mkBao28msqhywMzelFm1L5mmg5ubJPmudfOlbX9zcP4pm4Akf1YoViPWES6He1GJ5OCYG-bCKbH-xvVmKqZa9xDiqnsMAi8B7w4iOgin9DxXL95U7jaEeZpru1Smq8VylTc1kBc9F2/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="292" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh351mkBao28msqhywMzelFm1L5mmg5ubJPmudfOlbX9zcP4pm4Akf1YoViPWES6He1GJ5OCYG-bCKbH-xvVmKqZa9xDiqnsMAi8B7w4iOgin9DxXL95U7jaEeZpru1Smq8VylTc1kBc9F2/s320/download.jpg" width="202" /></a></div>
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The bound ruffles are what inspired the trimmed tucks; I don't have documentation for silk-trimmed tucks, but the overall effect is plausible. We have plans to sew on covered buttons down the back.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26SMpz7Q5Uht3xEaw6QL8xedFj4eOduIfNycjDNXHzgfrIZF2lYB4mTGbIRr-zX2MBp855P_jFm7mYL25C2UUDqnhS7yHcx5pW7wENIy7VnaGjB90CqDqFkc_gT0bFej_St36TFahfEl9/s1600/bonnetback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="346" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26SMpz7Q5Uht3xEaw6QL8xedFj4eOduIfNycjDNXHzgfrIZF2lYB4mTGbIRr-zX2MBp855P_jFm7mYL25C2UUDqnhS7yHcx5pW7wENIy7VnaGjB90CqDqFkc_gT0bFej_St36TFahfEl9/s320/bonnetback.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
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This belt buckle is from Ensembles of the Past. It is absolutely beautiful, and I really want one in every color!<br />
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The bonnet was made in winter of 2015. It looks very well with the entire dress.<br />
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The hoop was made using The Laced Angel's instructions. Most of the hoop measurements were used, with slight modifications. This is the first day dress she's worn with a hoop.Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-68823381238591413232017-08-06T13:30:00.000-07:002017-08-06T13:30:01.584-07:00#6: Book Recommendation<div>
This is a book that I have discussed before, so I'll be brief...well, maybe not. I can't say enough good things about this book.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvfM0CAj2SfbolPUXtBgrejeHsziP43ibXT7s5KAoFuH9fyUNRCA_Vw4LbyglnDtqDg2LREJAe1j_BMX6ACI3aN7vROU80jfzOBy5NuBjnLovOC2jC2l3iYRifFcOI7TyUzkIoM_krjsM/s1600/dressmaker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvfM0CAj2SfbolPUXtBgrejeHsziP43ibXT7s5KAoFuH9fyUNRCA_Vw4LbyglnDtqDg2LREJAe1j_BMX6ACI3aN7vROU80jfzOBy5NuBjnLovOC2jC2l3iYRifFcOI7TyUzkIoM_krjsM/s1600/dressmaker.jpg" /></a></div>
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I purchased the <a href="http://www.thesewingacademy.com/shop/" target="_blank">Dressmaker's Guide</a> by Elizabeth Stewart Clark about 3 or 4 years ago. It is PACKED with dressmaking knowledge, specifically between 1840-1865. It contains practical ideas on how to draft your own undergarments and dresses from scratch, so that they work perfectly for you. Mrs. Clark also includes some tips and tricks for how to either make garments last longer, how to make them more personalized for your preferences, and some money saving ideas.</div>
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My favorite chapter is the one on bodice drafting; she teaches you how to draft a basic bodice, and then after that is instructions with every bodice style under the sun that is derived from that pattern. Same with sleeves! While this time frame isn't very long, it's given me some great tools that encompass all of the Victorian era and beyond. </div>
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This book is perfect if you are a Civil war reenactor, or do pioneer treks. This is really geared towards functional practicality; most of the content leans towards how to represent the general population in that era. While the bodice styles and sleeves can be adapted for higher fashion, she doesn't go into as great a depth on that subject in regards to dress trimming, but the base patterns are usable for any social status.</div>
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Mrs. Clark's other <a href="http://www.thesewingacademy.com/compendium/" target="_blank">free resources</a>, including the Sewing Academy<a href="http://thesewingacademy.org/" target="_blank"> forum</a>, are must-haves for any reenactor!<br /><div>
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Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-85862600304084416152017-08-05T15:51:00.000-07:002017-08-05T15:51:16.632-07:00#5: Origin story. <div>
When I was a <span style="font-size: xx-small;">younger </span>kid, I was <i>obsessed </i>with Little House on the Prairie. Not the show, but the book series. I read it over and over, and couldn't stop thinking about it. I was interested to know all about what sort of clothes they wore, what they ate, the chores they did, etc. So I went through and took notes on <i>all </i>the practical things Laura wrote about. That was my very first research experience. No one told me to do that, I simply wanted to learn!</div>
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My mom was extremely supportive in all of my ambitions, and is still a firm believer that play time was a big part of our early learning curves. She certainly was correct, because I took all the notes that I had gleaned and applied it to my play. I pretended to wash the clothes <i>exactly </i>as Laura did; I cut corn kernels off the cob and dried them in the sun, I sewed my own bonnet. My sister and my friends were extremely patient with bossy me, and played along without <i>much </i>complaining. That really was my element, was creating realistic situations that were correct for how it had been done. I was around 11 or 12 when this began. </div>
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Around this same time, I was sewing historical doll clothing for my American Girl. I wasn't particularly interested in accuracy (I still didn't even know what that was, technically), but my interest in sewing had developed enough that I knew how to sew proficiently from a pattern. When the idea hit me that sewing my own costume was possible, I jumped right in! I bought the pattern that looked the most like the TV show costumes (ack!), and saved my quarters for the fabric. Let me tell you, <i>5 whole yards</i> seemed like a LOT of fabric for someone accustomed to purchasing 1/2 yard at a time!</div>
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After my first costume, I made another pioneer costume for my sister. Around that time, we were invited to come to a Civil War reenactment with our friends, who were part of an English Country Dance group. They brought us, and let us borrow costumes. We learned our first dance, and I was soooo excited. I didn't even know what a reenactment was, but let me tell you...I WAS SO EXCITED! The fact that there were other people in the world who was as obsessed as I was about life "in ye olden days" thrilled me beyond all reason. </div>
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<i>The train with graffiti is an abomination to this picture....</i></div>
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We joined the dance group, and the reenacting group. I took my beloved pioneer costume, and ripped off the bodice and made a new, more "Civil War-ey" blouse to go with it. It didn't turn out very well, but I wore it anyway (I was 14 at this point). A lady approached me at this reenactment, and asked if I wanted some tips to make it more accurate. I said, "sure, whatever"...and kind of half-listened as she explained what I could do differently. I didn't fully understand most of what she meant, but later on I was very upset at what she said (I must have blocked it from my memory, it might have been worse than I'm remembering). It wasn't that she was mean, but....she knew what she was talking about, and I did not. From that moment forward, I was determined to be dressed "above reproach", and be able to confidently prove that I knew what I was about.</div>
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My quest for accuracy began! I enlisted a friend who had made a few dresses to help me with a more accurate one. I used a reproduction cotton, and a few historic techniques. I had no clue what I was doing, but she was helpful and wrote very clear instructions. I still love it and wear it, although it doesn't fit very well, especially since I did not initially have a corset. </div>
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After that dress, I started doing my own research, which at first really involved asking other people what was accurate because I still didn't know what that looked like. Accuracy felt like some unattainable knowledge that required years and years of expertise. At some point in my research, I had a major "Aha!" moment: I could be my own expert, and I did not need anyone to tell me how (or where, when and why) to do that. Yes, some research projects take years and years, and for a lot of <span style="font-size: xx-small;">older </span>women who didn't have the privilege of the Internet, it <i>has </i>taken them that much time. But being young, curious, and tech savvy has gone a long way to help me catch up! I'm not saying I don't ask for help; I often do when lack of experience catches up to me, particularly in the fitting area of dressmaking. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD64aySj6pUcuxRKVWhjV1EN_uRkyoa7wVKE2fPp4JtjX8yXKsEfegUv_lBzAW2Rh1wnxh27DwXFKLWyVh1LR-mVw3ouT47AcE_Exj_4ncxDGPWMsiZWLatnhIh7xKAG7uNLIBZlj6uVX9/s1600/hoopawesome2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="287" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD64aySj6pUcuxRKVWhjV1EN_uRkyoa7wVKE2fPp4JtjX8yXKsEfegUv_lBzAW2Rh1wnxh27DwXFKLWyVh1LR-mVw3ouT47AcE_Exj_4ncxDGPWMsiZWLatnhIh7xKAG7uNLIBZlj6uVX9/s320/hoopawesome2.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
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<i>One of the first dresses where I only needed *a little* help.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: tinos;">My most recent revelation: sewing is actually not my main passion. It's research! My newest goal and dream job is to work in a museum with original textiles, in conservation and restoration. I do still love sewing, however I am a bit of a perfectionist, and for this reason I am not the most prolific at projects. One dress can take me a lot of months to finish, NOT including the undergarments. Since maybe 5 or 6 dresses ago, they have all been carefully researched, and I can say with confidence they are as historically accurate as humanely possible. That could be an entire post in itself! </span>Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-52645154537575210082017-08-04T15:02:00.000-07:002017-08-04T15:02:22.925-07:00#4: Favorite EraOh, gosh....<br />
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I have a confession. In my more recent years, I've found myself severely torn in exactly what inspires me. A lot of people are inspired by other people's sewing, and they do sort of spin-off costumes of that costume. Some people just sew whatever they like, for whatever reason that may be. Some people fall in love with a certain era because of nostalgic feeling (I'm looking at you, Jane Austen-ites!) associated with it, usually because of TV dramas.<br />
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This type of response is an emotional connection that is completely subconscious. You never hear anyone say, "Yeah, I based this costume on this movie that I hated!"<br />
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Is it weird that I don't actually have that connection? I have only based <i>one </i>costume off of a movie costume, and it ended up evolving a bit. That was around 3 years ago. Ever since then, when I see a movie with amazing costuming....my first response is to....actually do nothing with that information. Rather than go home and make that dress. Cool costumes, in my world, are rather a moot point to my inspiration.<br />
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I'm not the most emotional or sentimental of all people. I connect with the world on an intellectual level (what, can I say, I'm a Type 4!), and my sense of inspiration comes from a research aspect, rather than aesthetic. In that respect, I don't even have a clue what I like! This has been a recent revelation in my costuming. I used to pick out dresses to create based on a rather random sense of something I liked. Looking back, I can't see any rhyme or reason to why I chose certain designs. Now I pick out designs that take the most research.<br />
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<i>Little House on the Prairie has NOTORIOUSLY bad costumes. Yet it still inspires and reminds me to this day of why reenacting is an interest of mine.</i></div>
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Lately, my favorite era is whichever era perplexes me. "Why did this occur? What spurred this particular design? What was the original maker going for, and why? What was going on in the world around them?"<br />
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<i>Famous Neoclassical painting of Madame Recamier, 1800</i></div>
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I've come to the conclusion that the Civil War era (my main focus for my entire costuming career), as a fashion decade, is much too simple as an idea. It's boring. In the 1830's, skirts started getting bigger....(10 years later)....and bigger....(10 years later)....and bigger....(10 years later)....until they needed wired skirts to get them any bigger. The hoop skirts were a build up of 30 years of fashion, and the originality had kind of fizzled out, actually. They should have jumped straight from big petticoat era to bustles, because they were prolonging an era that had far exceeded it's welcome. They had kind of exhausted all possibilities at that point.<br />
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<i>Obviously a touch generic, but the general idea of the dresses leading up to the 1860's is correct; it looks like a balloon slowly inflating!</i></div>
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As my sense of research matured, I heard words like Neoclassicism and Historicism and started pondering what they meant. They are my newest obsessions, but not neccesarily because I like the look of them, or because they make me think of something else. I've made two Regency dresses since then; I don't particularly like them, and I found them rather boring as far as sewing goes. But the research and the wondering were what kept me excited about them as a project.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VrfTHP9iVTrJPz9lQNSa0KOVhY00VtFXKJCEglfPC6SG9oYkSVx0SczHgOtlFOOFGSsC18v7lc_lXxzEogqAfcMUW88mIQPp_Wo0cwKOLnaFUIxRxFZIVgvEM-utZSxLzGq8YblLjUmQ/s1600/neo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="682" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VrfTHP9iVTrJPz9lQNSa0KOVhY00VtFXKJCEglfPC6SG9oYkSVx0SczHgOtlFOOFGSsC18v7lc_lXxzEogqAfcMUW88mIQPp_Wo0cwKOLnaFUIxRxFZIVgvEM-utZSxLzGq8YblLjUmQ/s320/neo.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<i>Neoclassical lines are still used today!</i></div>
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My favorite era? 1795-1800. Because intellectual reasons. Who knows what's next? I don't feel a need to pin just one down.<br />
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How do you connect with your costumes? What is it about a costume that inspires you to create it?Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-31701118833769327262017-08-04T13:47:00.000-07:002017-08-04T15:06:33.135-07:00#3: Extant Garment: 1861-65 silk dressThe next dress was dated to just 1860's, but I'm guessing it was made between 1861-1865 (read to the end for dating). The textile director told me that she believes it was a mourning dress. It is made of a very thin black silk, sort of like a tissue weight taffeta.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAKP3z9uUyDx8LXJuXvWBi0c5yw5xa-4CXNEgW_wVmIf2_NMtzrYg8IBlIGJxCdyfGrDXIAgvoopgkOur55OaVMX_wlZiixgQEoTOMEQUQ_KNqZwUeg8FlG_M0hEhegIULMU2tsEUlULCa/s1600/bodice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="616" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAKP3z9uUyDx8LXJuXvWBi0c5yw5xa-4CXNEgW_wVmIf2_NMtzrYg8IBlIGJxCdyfGrDXIAgvoopgkOur55OaVMX_wlZiixgQEoTOMEQUQ_KNqZwUeg8FlG_M0hEhegIULMU2tsEUlULCa/s320/bodice.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96gOTWX9p3U1YP0MGgR-qowKOSbrV0PZSvFO33FM23Hll2xUZ8wIoaZcOpM9oYn8sK0m8irwb0_fpsak0HYQMrZyKIb6kxKmwdOa_6T5uP9OwV6bElLwJquUwPlPiYWvQXT729r4XNrKQ/s1600/frontskirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="346" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96gOTWX9p3U1YP0MGgR-qowKOSbrV0PZSvFO33FM23Hll2xUZ8wIoaZcOpM9oYn8sK0m8irwb0_fpsak0HYQMrZyKIb6kxKmwdOa_6T5uP9OwV6bElLwJquUwPlPiYWvQXT729r4XNrKQ/s320/frontskirt.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihtvup1DIz0FFkVufAEUMzEzEDhSCdRvmH2t_iJdawxPmmg-zQgSuoT_J0uYLJI3xsGxDul5YnKJ9-KPnWj2QRvYwDELkrN3vVrSELY-ZarUa71RdjqxS4e_Kdf6IzLBYRQb2h-srHASFZ/s1600/frontbodice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="616" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihtvup1DIz0FFkVufAEUMzEzEDhSCdRvmH2t_iJdawxPmmg-zQgSuoT_J0uYLJI3xsGxDul5YnKJ9-KPnWj2QRvYwDELkrN3vVrSELY-ZarUa71RdjqxS4e_Kdf6IzLBYRQb2h-srHASFZ/s320/frontbodice.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-8cyjiZhv61gqH7Eq5SS3Yx-kaEHyIsJ7Levv1Cx-TxgzJgjyFL4NX4lqfryllH3A-MGBxAYq-6ShlCuIoeSUVbs_rgqMqgPfZ86-RiTZjlTvqu_I6td4Wm_qa0vjkOPwk5f6b70TCAE/s1600/buttonhole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="346" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-8cyjiZhv61gqH7Eq5SS3Yx-kaEHyIsJ7Levv1Cx-TxgzJgjyFL4NX4lqfryllH3A-MGBxAYq-6ShlCuIoeSUVbs_rgqMqgPfZ86-RiTZjlTvqu_I6td4Wm_qa0vjkOPwk5f6b70TCAE/s320/buttonhole.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<i>These were seriously super-strength buttonholes.</i></div>
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<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi000b89fgTyYM9gBRIS7_yKUZ1OtUquRgdEy0EYzpKjGvVoSUzMjMDbskw-yb9TuFX5PCJJkel6yDi39945RVHgGMnCe0ecMdgxLmyFiZ7zoahg3dq8mW9Hq8-DbVyrv_-9fQ1wOyCHMuX/s1600/backpleating.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="616" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi000b89fgTyYM9gBRIS7_yKUZ1OtUquRgdEy0EYzpKjGvVoSUzMjMDbskw-yb9TuFX5PCJJkel6yDi39945RVHgGMnCe0ecMdgxLmyFiZ7zoahg3dq8mW9Hq8-DbVyrv_-9fQ1wOyCHMuX/s320/backpleating.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>In the back, the pleats face towards the back; in the front, the pleats also face towards the back, which is a little less common than front-facing, but still relatively normal. Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i></div>
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This dress was a little confusing, because of it's size. It was quite small, but it seems like a good guess that this dress was worn by a short lady. The total length was 38'' in the front, and the skirt circumference was only 115''. The modifications are very good and not theatrical. The skirt has a strip of about 2 1/2'' sewn onto the bottom that is discreet, but also wouldn't have been a part of the original design, and it also feels to be of a slightly different quality than the rest of the dress. The hem facing was only maybe 4'' high, and was of some sort of course brown stuff that almost felt like horsehair.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiywigD2IcZnJfV8zq7vUPnZLBHAP7OZ5nwHtkEzjs1hfl7tIXGf3yWYsT6KkK_7gPFZAkRdrrH40fPPJZz79LkqFo3cQIWPPKsP05E4tjmydTF-W3wMQIoMJxNgHIwoLYl2ZMgCPns1DcU/s1600/hem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="346" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiywigD2IcZnJfV8zq7vUPnZLBHAP7OZ5nwHtkEzjs1hfl7tIXGf3yWYsT6KkK_7gPFZAkRdrrH40fPPJZz79LkqFo3cQIWPPKsP05E4tjmydTF-W3wMQIoMJxNgHIwoLYl2ZMgCPns1DcU/s320/hem.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkESM17YVCp9ksK1m1jAzrsICvcI-rU3-n7rdEEsN93ymm9g4bEkG3WvIkD6kN5NNg4Yzy2uXq98IgsU2c0cAgBHCT1neC3Lxi6KIBckrQLUKrOWsZdR5rPEHnHbldBJ04DJ4rIqovAlbK/s1600/horsehair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="346" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkESM17YVCp9ksK1m1jAzrsICvcI-rU3-n7rdEEsN93ymm9g4bEkG3WvIkD6kN5NNg4Yzy2uXq98IgsU2c0cAgBHCT1neC3Lxi6KIBckrQLUKrOWsZdR5rPEHnHbldBJ04DJ4rIqovAlbK/s320/horsehair.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i></div>
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The inside lining also showed that the darts had originally been in a different location by the fading patterns, and then ripped out and moved over. Again, it was skillfully done, and despite the fading and stitch marks on the inside the outside showed no wear or stitch marks. I don't know how they managed that! How large the first darts were is difficult to discern. I did not get a very good picture of the fading, sorry!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmi530ikr1ZgihS8UzhpiIZL6_fdZdBZf-l-C2BPKq083Gj4Oij7i6zeeFLJ101VPdlukEHfcBqmbXEwh_K_OjCR60lax80DUwQkwZJEehpRb1fuXIaSbsmMlFFMPO0uBuGhTMWXdLlR3A/s1600/insidebodice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="346" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmi530ikr1ZgihS8UzhpiIZL6_fdZdBZf-l-C2BPKq083Gj4Oij7i6zeeFLJ101VPdlukEHfcBqmbXEwh_K_OjCR60lax80DUwQkwZJEehpRb1fuXIaSbsmMlFFMPO0uBuGhTMWXdLlR3A/s320/insidebodice.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<i>You can also see the two different colors of lining.</i></div>
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<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i></div>
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The bodice closes up the front with functional buttons, but also has a row of hooks and eyes starting mid-bust going down to the waist to stabilize the whole thing. The shaped coat sleeves are unlined, and the only trim on the entire dress is a cuff-shaped piece sewn to just the outside portion of the dress with narrow braiding, also in black. The bodice was lined with two different shades of brown; the darker one in the front portion was twill, and the lighter color in the back was a plain weave that was either polished or plain, I can't remember.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZanTRWC3ZF_Qycm_F3sfYdPzVY-n3bUxZ0ScwnNj9pE0iPUzJFhQyMmjEuEuILken7cMGTlH5RmgmfxEWv6HYqC88ntF4a8gExkP0PGKueaWEd71wqjAm-p8gDWCnRusz3dvWS1wxTM7/s1600/cuffdetail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="616" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZanTRWC3ZF_Qycm_F3sfYdPzVY-n3bUxZ0ScwnNj9pE0iPUzJFhQyMmjEuEuILken7cMGTlH5RmgmfxEWv6HYqC88ntF4a8gExkP0PGKueaWEd71wqjAm-p8gDWCnRusz3dvWS1wxTM7/s320/cuffdetail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i></div>
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A few construction peculiarities: the back curved detail seen on many dresses is actually a faux back; the entire back is cut as one piece, and then folded and top-stitched to appear to be three separate pieces. You can read more about how to do this in The Dressmaker's Guide. However, with this dress they didn't even bother to make a crease, there is simply a line of stitching! You can see in the large picture of the back how without the fold, it doesn't stand out quite so much; whether the maker was simply inexperienced, lazy, or pressed for time we will never know.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19GiyVKpf0eWdjE8wIhsjZW5a1aLsXDdQ7VIRL64Cg9Mr42E2y_aY1wceSl0oiCmvucgAsPc3H_cgkqAfVGwRqvnvXP6L38kACji6VhNOZ5PR9R_XFKCHGb2yZfIczeNTgSZ9ZyjkISpA/s1600/curvedback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="616" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19GiyVKpf0eWdjE8wIhsjZW5a1aLsXDdQ7VIRL64Cg9Mr42E2y_aY1wceSl0oiCmvucgAsPc3H_cgkqAfVGwRqvnvXP6L38kACji6VhNOZ5PR9R_XFKCHGb2yZfIczeNTgSZ9ZyjkISpA/s320/curvedback.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Musuem</i></div>
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The skirt has an excellent example of a dog-leg closure, and that striped fabric is a very short section of waistband that isn't visible from the outside. The skirt was attached straight to the bodice, except for a short portion that was attached to just the scrap band. The dress has piping on the neck edge, armscye, the bottom edge of the bodice and on the bottom edge of the sleeve.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEC6_odRLaWI3xLXGisCUxrtcnyRIGGD_lmRAt7H9djOnmwqAK44969f0u9pOnF64eDzbzNiCFL8Binl4Y6J7Ew8dOWMgaO7kCqruazpEpaVlYs28YQsNllSOtqLx-1LO8qscZ9nFji0hN/s1600/striped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="346" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEC6_odRLaWI3xLXGisCUxrtcnyRIGGD_lmRAt7H9djOnmwqAK44969f0u9pOnF64eDzbzNiCFL8Binl4Y6J7Ew8dOWMgaO7kCqruazpEpaVlYs28YQsNllSOtqLx-1LO8qscZ9nFji0hN/s320/striped.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i></div>
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The only thing we really have to work with is the sleeves, and the skirt. This style of sleeve is called a coat sleeve; a coat sleeve is characterized by being made of an outer piece and an inner piece sewn together in a curved shape. When the dress is hung up on a hanger, the sleeves will "shake hands". It's simple and tidy, and because it lays very flat it's a good base for a lot of fancy trim. Or, simply no trim. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQqMXq5BTRFeoNMHCEv70PHPg7mVuI59wdoG0SjQptUmxf19SKWEYj5my_eOJmizbhQp6iGhRwegHrm2djbV7Z6n76QOUqYjpLBmjCvkQruPlgc55DzSpEt5FivLzLWyPWZl-7VIlPakF/s1600/1864.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="823" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQqMXq5BTRFeoNMHCEv70PHPg7mVuI59wdoG0SjQptUmxf19SKWEYj5my_eOJmizbhQp6iGhRwegHrm2djbV7Z6n76QOUqYjpLBmjCvkQruPlgc55DzSpEt5FivLzLWyPWZl-7VIlPakF/s320/1864.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>
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<i>Mrs. James Guthrie, c. 1864-66, by Lord Frederick Leighton</i></div>
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The problem with coat sleeves, is that they are difficult to distinguish from a regular straight sleeve in a drawing; in photographs, it's pretty easy to see. The other problem with coat sleeves is that it seems as though fashion plates may have considered them "boring"; because of how many extant dresses have them, and how many women were photographed in them, we know they were very common. But based on a fashion plate.....you might not even know anyone wore them. Fashion plates still show them, but they generally are shown with undersleeves during the earlier 1860's. Like the previous pagoda sleeve fashion, except less droopy and still having a curved shape.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvcYjvqX2Bw48AFlD0DN7w7UoH2kOg9abKezZFTNm634wcdLK9RW3CBqnH_R8JGBc27B9LMwBHI7n8n0hoYSDIu8WC4OJHpcVp3DptiHaNwDBJaG-e-C5TrrJcaesF13rso8-Lgk6i52yE/s1600/1861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="417" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvcYjvqX2Bw48AFlD0DN7w7UoH2kOg9abKezZFTNm634wcdLK9RW3CBqnH_R8JGBc27B9LMwBHI7n8n0hoYSDIu8WC4OJHpcVp3DptiHaNwDBJaG-e-C5TrrJcaesF13rso8-Lgk6i52yE/s320/1861.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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<i>1861 Journal des Demoiselles; this particular example is an earlier style of coat sleeve that was only around for a few years, between 1860-1862. Sort of a cross between a coat sleeve, and a bishop sleeve. It has a lot of fullness at both the shoulder and the wrist, but unlike a plain bishop sleeve it has some shaping to make it curve inwards. </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFJapSn_xXe7UkBoNKG38sPGQ_Ndb6Z3PBujwS0a-9GTUjhpKVdH4fCK1XdQOcj1JUajPoE0p-lQvA2C3KD1yNVZlrcc564B3HELFQCTRoXkKTpTJ2LHmFJEGVVqS78K1AD55myw6bhqn/s1600/1862opencoat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="533" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFJapSn_xXe7UkBoNKG38sPGQ_Ndb6Z3PBujwS0a-9GTUjhpKVdH4fCK1XdQOcj1JUajPoE0p-lQvA2C3KD1yNVZlrcc564B3HELFQCTRoXkKTpTJ2LHmFJEGVVqS78K1AD55myw6bhqn/s320/1862opencoat.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
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<i>1862 Petersons fashion plate; this is a good example of an open coat sleeve. It's very tailored, but still has a curved shape even though it's open. In 1862, we see examples like this, but also some that are larger and more open, but this was sort of the new sleek look. Some people still prefer to call all styles of open sleeve a pagoda sleeve. I prefer to think of a pagoda sleeve as having either no shaping on either seam, or some shaping on the front seam; open coat sleeves have shaping on the front and back seam, to keep it tailored and curved. To give it an exact title may be beside the point.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgYOIhUhHnKDiBLeYTluHStaENYQodV6WiuLM9X6nrGZk_z9tWY3WP0W8-f6LDnRjubGguatYiE2ZppTbFt7XHJFP5Y9dSXLdJnNQkEPvgsxwWh5nxqVgZTmhNf4QvCPdABnHz2xIsuun/s1600/1863.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgYOIhUhHnKDiBLeYTluHStaENYQodV6WiuLM9X6nrGZk_z9tWY3WP0W8-f6LDnRjubGguatYiE2ZppTbFt7XHJFP5Y9dSXLdJnNQkEPvgsxwWh5nxqVgZTmhNf4QvCPdABnHz2xIsuun/s320/1863.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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<i>1863 Le Follet; this is the closest shape and size to the extant. It is a closed coat sleeve, meaning tapered to the wrist, and it's worn with cuffs instead of undersleeves. This is my no means cut and dry on the dating; there are dozens of examples from before and after this date that look just like this. It's a bit generic. Within the realm of photographs, we see a lot more variation on coat sleeve size, shape, and style than in fashion plate. Most photographs don't have a date, though.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6pyDNm9vECKbW2VbpxtAnWJq9TE1fats3llrfCznyvDYqXblvocreBb18dCHuxSYc2OO5hlBaC07yUWrLInwiIvuQ2RtcVulEjoHL24GxXpSJgXTAPfP21ULfcaXU6B4MTcjp-PBDqgql/s1600/1865coat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="347" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6pyDNm9vECKbW2VbpxtAnWJq9TE1fats3llrfCznyvDYqXblvocreBb18dCHuxSYc2OO5hlBaC07yUWrLInwiIvuQ2RtcVulEjoHL24GxXpSJgXTAPfP21ULfcaXU6B4MTcjp-PBDqgql/s320/1865coat.jpg" width="245" /></a></div>
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<i>1865 Les Modes Parisiennes; French fashion plates like this one were often recycled through American newspapers, but often 6 months to a year later! So this one may have not even made it to the states until 1866, if at all. The other fashion plates except for the Petersons follow this general rule as well. This style of coat sleeve is much more tailored, even from the extant dress, more common from 1864 all the way to 1870.</i></div>
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We see a few examples of coat sleeves in 1861, but they are increasingly more and more common each year, and are still fashionable even up until the early 1870's, although by then the shoulders were a bit less dropped.</div>
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The only other thing that we have to work with is the skirt. The skirt is constructed with plain rectangles, with the fullness about evenly distributed, with a little more towards the back. Right around 1864, most skirts are very commonly made with gores, although some women had been wearing gored skirts since 1861. The skirts are sewn with an angle so there is less fullness in the front at the very top. By 1865, they are gored enough so that there are almost no pleats in front. This skirt shape could have been worn as far as 1865, but even in that year it would have started looking a little outdated and would probably have been ripped apart to re-shape the skirt. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuB65gHaE-FAAMCLlScs_P_4VeWf5OcpbJqdctW_L81nYWO0x5bbf9wxy2BM3L-NQvL55EDhupUo5m8CluebFWm6IHaNVnJCmIl3X1kPGW8_EN5j4nbx9RadHcBxmBs2eUuh1qOg7jh-Gr/s1600/1861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="545" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuB65gHaE-FAAMCLlScs_P_4VeWf5OcpbJqdctW_L81nYWO0x5bbf9wxy2BM3L-NQvL55EDhupUo5m8CluebFWm6IHaNVnJCmIl3X1kPGW8_EN5j4nbx9RadHcBxmBs2eUuh1qOg7jh-Gr/s320/1861.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
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<i>1861 Journal des Demoiselles; this skirt shape is more generally round all the way around...</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpWaBWz009zlF5Y3Of4KfxewoMKc3Ui9FkWtLfeMfbF8RKvjN_LGPvYI3UhZXyWzfWD4imXKwoorvcU-PImMBI5nSWQAjvVuym3n6f0_KLeSPfHh3mjVIQYyQ1qCqvZb5BVnvP9566a5U/s1600/1865.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpWaBWz009zlF5Y3Of4KfxewoMKc3Ui9FkWtLfeMfbF8RKvjN_LGPvYI3UhZXyWzfWD4imXKwoorvcU-PImMBI5nSWQAjvVuym3n6f0_KLeSPfHh3mjVIQYyQ1qCqvZb5BVnvP9566a5U/s320/1865.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>
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<i>c. 1865, sold <a href="https://new.liveauctioneers.com/item/5299204_141-a-pink-and-white-striped-moir-ball-gown-circa-18" target="_blank">at auction.</a></i></div>
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<i>While we don't know the exact date of this dress, the broad stripes show the gores I'm talking about. Goring the skirt takes out fulness at the top, which gives it a distinctly triangular shape at the top. The black extant dress uses straight rectangle panels, instead of triangle panels like this striped example. </i></div>
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So between the sleeves and the skirt, it probably would have been constructed between 1861-1864, but could have been worn up until 1865-1866. It's also possible that it could have been made a year or two earlier, and then the sleeves redone in this year range. </div>
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I also want to talk a little bit about who might have worn this dress before I go into mourning, because at a glance you might guess that it could have been worn by a child. The fullness is very narrow (115'' circumference), it's very short, etc. <b>However </b>(and this is a big however)....the difference between children's fashion and adult fashion is extreme. Children's dress, usually without exception during the 1860's, was not darted and boned. It also always closes up the back. The exception to this is sometimes you see pictures and fashion plates with buttons going down the front, but because there is no crease it is purely decorative, but even this is relatively uncommon. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjB05N3DjSIituxsREDaHMClZ3QdSCxzx6JcrWBBRZyDG2o1cABVdL6i8e4rEzd6iyei2QMLLKQLV_S1_4E83VsUi1lMi78d8c3KOIi_h-JvPSjSei-lvMVSaj0MlHqn2Y_v9oFnI5BhI6/s1600/cdv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="866" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjB05N3DjSIituxsREDaHMClZ3QdSCxzx6JcrWBBRZyDG2o1cABVdL6i8e4rEzd6iyei2QMLLKQLV_S1_4E83VsUi1lMi78d8c3KOIi_h-JvPSjSei-lvMVSaj0MlHqn2Y_v9oFnI5BhI6/s320/cdv.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvnY3T3_2rWp4HNInOPVqEG34bC7v4ypf1LSxnCfKcCrgiKakqSnnSpFoy28rxQaF6GLCt6JjZOroP3cJk4ZnmeWpf5g3opNActlrB1upClOL742-Ps2Q_cwitiiQTwLJeG4TIOm6ESi3/s1600/cdv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvnY3T3_2rWp4HNInOPVqEG34bC7v4ypf1LSxnCfKcCrgiKakqSnnSpFoy28rxQaF6GLCt6JjZOroP3cJk4ZnmeWpf5g3opNActlrB1upClOL742-Ps2Q_cwitiiQTwLJeG4TIOm6ESi3/s320/cdv.jpg" width="255" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSIeZ1vShJpNKw5CvzNanK-3gsh3P1U2VLPvVwfCfES9_ktETaonqWJdLU80txaeyNaCXe2fRKImRsvz2xZx_OoP9DYHGdH5uxyLqUZsz4kpfTQb8VJ58abAYZTGTWOKmBnpcEA9UP_yec/s1600/cdv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="403" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSIeZ1vShJpNKw5CvzNanK-3gsh3P1U2VLPvVwfCfES9_ktETaonqWJdLU80txaeyNaCXe2fRKImRsvz2xZx_OoP9DYHGdH5uxyLqUZsz4kpfTQb8VJ58abAYZTGTWOKmBnpcEA9UP_yec/s320/cdv.jpg" width="201" /></a></div>
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That being said - it could have been worn by a young woman who grew an inch or two in a couple places, but because most women stop growing between 15-17....it makes more sense that it was a hand-me-down. As a grown woman, you don't accidentally make it too short....you know exactly how long to make it. So this dress is most definitely a hand-me-down, or even possibly sold and bought second-hand. That also explains the dart placement; while I can't tell whether the old darts were larger or smaller, different body shapes need different placement, so I'm not even sure that matters.</div>
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Now, the final question: mourning or no?</div>
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While this dress is very plain, and possibly boring, this is a good example of what an average lady might have a best dress, or possibly just a conservative nicer dress. It fulfills what every magazine of the time describes as the dress for any occasion: black was considered to be in good taste, because it was never too flashy. And being over-dressed was, in several different magazine's opinions, vulgar and having good taste in dress often meant being cautious about sending the wrong message about your station through excessive dress.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEaxaIPhRNY7-ZHci-N-my7XuLElKdULtWVd2nmG2RtpXxtClRrXK5X9qLS7WzGawuIufkA_upM1zxpc4jwY96JP0LhmjK5Q8r3dLmJmRuqPJMtVji8AZfMC0SKC3c9LUqUyo997e4bl6P/s1600/mourning2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEaxaIPhRNY7-ZHci-N-my7XuLElKdULtWVd2nmG2RtpXxtClRrXK5X9qLS7WzGawuIufkA_upM1zxpc4jwY96JP0LhmjK5Q8r3dLmJmRuqPJMtVji8AZfMC0SKC3c9LUqUyo997e4bl6P/s320/mourning2.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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<i>An 1860's lady, in mourning</i></div>
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1860 Petersons:<br />
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"All the lighter kinds of mourning are a good deal affected by the changes in fashion; but the deepest style of black undergoes but little alteration, except in the shape of a bonnet, the cut of a sleeve, or the length of a sleeve. The material used is bombazine, and the trimming must consist only of folds of heavy English crepe. Broad folds of crepe may trim the skirt of the dress, but are not now considered as indespensible to deep mourning as formerly." 1.<br />
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Later in the same article -<br />
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"Where a less rigid kind of mourning is required, a fine black alpaca, or double width delaine, is worn.....with this dress, although black collar and sleeves are generally worn, still white crape, or tarleton collars, and sleeves are admissable. Black barege and grenadine are always used for summer wear in black, but the must be made very plainly and invariable worn over a black skirt and body lining".<br />
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"A still lighter kind of mourning is of black silk, trimmed with crape, or, if wished less deep, with black gauze ribbon, etc. The silk must be of a <i>dead black</i> and quite lustreless."<br />
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"After this stage of black, the style varies according to the fancy of the wearer. Small black and white plaids, purple and black, gray silks, lilac and white, are all worn for various depths of mourning.....in this stage of mourning, it is almost impossible to particularize the various combinations of colors, or the styles of dress. Much more trimming is allowable; lace or worked collars may be worn, gloves may be of lilac, gray or pearl...."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfY5B3IW32wfxQXruI_cUv7Lujt5oPHO9ATkC5YFjszAeq71BrEyXJiCeKQU6K7FeeLonP6ZxQy0EeAl7rPxF7_AABKUksvOIsGuj69mL6O9wLXKtA2W3o2WO1ZQ98PgeOpMw0EoULaLMJ/s1600/halfmourning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfY5B3IW32wfxQXruI_cUv7Lujt5oPHO9ATkC5YFjszAeq71BrEyXJiCeKQU6K7FeeLonP6ZxQy0EeAl7rPxF7_AABKUksvOIsGuj69mL6O9wLXKtA2W3o2WO1ZQ98PgeOpMw0EoULaLMJ/s320/halfmourning.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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1860-65 dress that is a perfect example of half-mourning. From the <a href="http://collections.lesartsdecoratifs.fr/robe-de-jour-10" target="_blank">Les Arts Decoratifs</a></div>
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So there is a common theme among the first few examples: BLACK. And not just any black, but things like dead black, or lustreless black. Crepe, bombazine, and barege in black colors actually absorb light; the reason being that they are made of wool or wool/silk mixture. A women in mourning is a bit like looking at a black hole. This dress is too shiny to be considered proper for full mourning; however, it is acceptable for half-mourning.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEEz7LpxXd7UYFsQbG-KRABXYoVshA7Syx4f8ixofqrV13TNuLcCPTR4aY004xxWqmFTaS3Rr_17TSv19jqsZhwmKpXZbmclvdaJcoR4x4XHMzscJQDA9LJIW52Li5oELhqUmNpJG2v4i3/s1600/mourning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="496" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEEz7LpxXd7UYFsQbG-KRABXYoVshA7Syx4f8ixofqrV13TNuLcCPTR4aY004xxWqmFTaS3Rr_17TSv19jqsZhwmKpXZbmclvdaJcoR4x4XHMzscJQDA9LJIW52Li5oELhqUmNpJG2v4i3/s320/mourning.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
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<i>Two 1860's ladies, in deep mourning.</i></div>
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1861 Godeys "In first mourning, black crape collars and cuffs on grenadine or crepe sleeves will still continue to be worn. The English fashion of adding a gold thread to the applique pattern in crepe , may find favor in New York, and at the South, but scarcely in neat, plain Philadelphia, where mourning usually <i>is mourning, </i>and not a mass of crepe bows, bugles, and tinsel."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UV1pUvGZ2tyFXtnuOdpL5lwRsVSEblk0G0WGlUbyZJ_OH4extAkrHqHBsypi2EhZ0aKz-jdIsx5xnup94UjGY6f-iWqy11UzOqzWOzztAPlpySDZLwjrxcuGSzPbqslGl8fM5Kujp9kn/s1600/madeleinewrapper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="680" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UV1pUvGZ2tyFXtnuOdpL5lwRsVSEblk0G0WGlUbyZJ_OH4extAkrHqHBsypi2EhZ0aKz-jdIsx5xnup94UjGY6f-iWqy11UzOqzWOzztAPlpySDZLwjrxcuGSzPbqslGl8fM5Kujp9kn/s320/madeleinewrapper.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
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1862 Petersons; there was a pattern originally included, and while this wrapper isn't specifically for mourning, they give the suggestion that you make the dress in black delaine, with the front made in black silk quilted in white for mourning.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOkFG0LWShDGNSP5vJCMAhceRTSWNXlvxs2HWg9ioA0hguP7V3oEPt43JjgakeqEaVV2bcNRNlwocoTr6KQD4VnVneATyw8Gl12ILbdF_nLKlvVKLDI0ZXgvUO2m_RIV3VMStC9Ok-UbS/s1600/1862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="237" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOkFG0LWShDGNSP5vJCMAhceRTSWNXlvxs2HWg9ioA0hguP7V3oEPt43JjgakeqEaVV2bcNRNlwocoTr6KQD4VnVneATyw8Gl12ILbdF_nLKlvVKLDI0ZXgvUO2m_RIV3VMStC9Ok-UbS/s320/1862.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>
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January 1862, from Englishwomen's Domestic Magazine; in the comments on these dresses, they give suggestions on how both can be adapted to mourning by making them in a combination of black, gray, purple and white. Because women in full mourning were not expected to attend social functions like balls or evening parties, we can assume they mean half mourning.</div>
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Even though we now have evidence that this dress is appropriate for half-mourning....did it have to be? The answer is no! Black was considered fashionable and appropriate for almost every occasion, and magazines often give many examples of fashionable black, gray, and purple clothing with no mention of mourning of any kind. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYBp_yZZiO5tCXkcBePK8CF_d56xFqUnDMQ2yCTul8DEJ_PcvETqvwdEtm7FZMKZ2WJV74fOhuWHd8iXQDrFnc2QSwJSNKNWpiX1cr_cPSoETWMM7EAuVHYH3FyhDZs7VOWrOllIOzTdw/s1600/1861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="504" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYBp_yZZiO5tCXkcBePK8CF_d56xFqUnDMQ2yCTul8DEJ_PcvETqvwdEtm7FZMKZ2WJV74fOhuWHd8iXQDrFnc2QSwJSNKNWpiX1cr_cPSoETWMM7EAuVHYH3FyhDZs7VOWrOllIOzTdw/s320/1861.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>
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1861 Portrait of a Lady, by Ferdinand Krumholz. </div>
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How do we know the above lady isn't in half-mourning? She has a white collar, and if you look closely you will see that she has a green ribbon on her left side. Women in full or half mourning were expected to wear caps on their head that were usually white. On her right side, look even closer and you will see....flowers! This is simply a very conservative dress. </div>
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BONUS: A recipe from Petersons for how to re-blacken faded mourning clothes. "<i>Black reviver, </i>for faded mourning dresses, black coats, etc. 1. Boil in two pints of water down to one, two oz. of Aleppo galls, in powder, two oz. of logwood, one oz. of gum arabic, then add one oz of sulphate of iron. This may be evaporated to a powder. 2. Galls, eight oz; logwood, green vitriol, iron fillings, sumach, of each one oz; vinegar, two pints. 2<br />
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1. <i><a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101076519915;view=1up;seq=642;size=125" target="_blank">1860 Petersons, pg. 86</a></i><br />
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2 <i><a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101076519915;view=1up;seq=968;size=125" target="_blank">1860 Petersons, pg. 406</a></i><br />
For further reading on mourning, here is a podcast with Samantha McCarty:<br />
http://blog.americanduchess.com/2017/05/Podcast-Episode-2.htmlMichaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-58223152025941567972017-08-02T14:38:00.001-07:002017-08-05T15:31:01.823-07:00#2: Current ProjectsI have a couple projects going on at once.<br />
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This late Victorian corset has been fun; this is my first attempt at roll-pinning, so we'll see how that goes. I'm basing the boning pattern off of one from the ROM. There was a LOT of hand-basting involved.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7O2cr4k-x5eZUu56ivUtDOmCWiBADpRfuZJ72peX986eeJ-NUSModAIZijATu2XEIqaQ89oZwvumubcvywiCBJs5rbc36iJjxEbEqBarPhq8GJNz1CdqPkeIkp0CUcbQ5WSha7SZbt_U/s1600/IMG_0906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7O2cr4k-x5eZUu56ivUtDOmCWiBADpRfuZJ72peX986eeJ-NUSModAIZijATu2XEIqaQ89oZwvumubcvywiCBJs5rbc36iJjxEbEqBarPhq8GJNz1CdqPkeIkp0CUcbQ5WSha7SZbt_U/s320/IMG_0906.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Last year, I made a Regency evening gown (still no good pictures, sorry!). I ran out of time before the ball to truly reproduce the original sleeves I was basing it on and instead did a plain puff sleeve. I pulled it out recently to replace them with the more interesting ones. The lower half cuffs are really interesting!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQy5kSel0r3ElsKF4Iw0JghYnqxyk_8_5VGcGnC7F8APjipbYnDyEjXImg9Wm5klMj1d7Sjdknj6fxspH8C_-a0kl-vgGWygowmqXUsUs3zHjMqPb0-nG_R-qz0PuwBwJjYy1YVjHmcYSG/s1600/sleeves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="560" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQy5kSel0r3ElsKF4Iw0JghYnqxyk_8_5VGcGnC7F8APjipbYnDyEjXImg9Wm5klMj1d7Sjdknj6fxspH8C_-a0kl-vgGWygowmqXUsUs3zHjMqPb0-nG_R-qz0PuwBwJjYy1YVjHmcYSG/s320/sleeves.jpg" width="193" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="http://collections.lacma.org/node/214695" target="_blank">Woman's dress, c. 1800 via the LACMA</a></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKutK8g6vJKTBJeFXeRvIZ4VBjPWHqLRsK6SjHvuG6FPQF_GP58u0DEaqW-xHH59wtqO704GROngBlwwL1Cvf8Glm2vOMsBfhDKu1VcJTJykqC09VAFHIwQ-S0XJ4yUszQwef1V46v0Tgp/s1600/IMG_0927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKutK8g6vJKTBJeFXeRvIZ4VBjPWHqLRsK6SjHvuG6FPQF_GP58u0DEaqW-xHH59wtqO704GROngBlwwL1Cvf8Glm2vOMsBfhDKu1VcJTJykqC09VAFHIwQ-S0XJ4yUszQwef1V46v0Tgp/s320/IMG_0927.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>My computer is being finicky and now the picture is sideways....you get the idea. The cording is done by lining the cuff, then laying the cord between the layers. Instead of flat-sewing them into a channel, I sewed the curve that I wanted, then squished the cording up against it, then rolled the cord over the stitching line and did another row of stitches The result is that the cord is encased in only the outer layer, and the stitching is hidden beneath the cord. On the underside, there are two rows of stitches almost on top of each other. </i></div>
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Which leads me to my next project, and the reason I ever revisited it in the first place. I was wanting something to wear over it, because it was rather boring, especially since I pin up the train for dancing. Open robes are automatically out, because they ALWAYS have a train in originals. I've seen costumers simply cut it floor length, but considering that we don't see any extants like that...that isn't the way to go about it. So the only parameters I was looking for were a colored garment of some kind that did not have a train.<br />
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Originally I thought a little sleeveless bodice, BUT....since you now know that I love research, I started researching designs. The white under-dress is appropriate for 1797-1802, so I tried to find a fashion plate within those dates. While going through several 1798-99 magazines, I found a few designs that showed what was called a half-robe. After looking through <i>dozens </i>of various half-robes and sleeveless bodices, I picked this one, because of the Neoclassicism; the Grecian lines are my favorite!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB0R4EF2ZHS1-qUU8pwXyfOW4KfASQULbw-jTNYlDlE3FttvzOmSjJnUE_mKymTaODrjkck2xg9LJ9j2FBfLkGlCO7nwqEtKpLQTgYWL4K7A1dcRIRctcMmZcUKn0JxZdSLKWrzgZaoUne/s1600/1799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB0R4EF2ZHS1-qUU8pwXyfOW4KfASQULbw-jTNYlDlE3FttvzOmSjJnUE_mKymTaODrjkck2xg9LJ9j2FBfLkGlCO7nwqEtKpLQTgYWL4K7A1dcRIRctcMmZcUKn0JxZdSLKWrzgZaoUne/s320/1799.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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<i>1799 Ladies Monthly Musuem</i></div>
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Janet Arnold has a pattern for a half-robe, but she states that they were only worn over a dress or petticoat for morning wear. However, the fashion plates and advice from 1799 clearly show a few that are intended for evening, or full Dress. A half-robe and half-dress are very different; a half-robe is a short robe, while half-dress refers to the level or formality of dress, being sort of half-formal.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6OcvvtK27vi1lWWCo9p1ggA-YlAyRpioCHJuHM_C6UViDUeWy4Vgbn8foezeONEB59e7RAsgnbuggk7wrvpM51pbNMILXS7OxT0_N_d3tCho5-B_Ukvy8AWy5nWSU1uxfXrh0dlNjMoX/s1600/halfdress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="309" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6OcvvtK27vi1lWWCo9p1ggA-YlAyRpioCHJuHM_C6UViDUeWy4Vgbn8foezeONEB59e7RAsgnbuggk7wrvpM51pbNMILXS7OxT0_N_d3tCho5-B_Ukvy8AWy5nWSU1uxfXrh0dlNjMoX/s320/halfdress.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>
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<i>Here is a 1799 half-robe for half-dress.....</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zoEA-50RlwgOndhOpAREOEuCmPFQFrauX4f3HsXIp_SGia2ay-BaJungqvrzxdv9fAab1xs5yS5HKwytaL2kIetY7WkHIdKwAmCIEAjR94RK2eXVUf4yh_t6-GveQ3Kbee1mB8FO4n5P/s1600/1799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zoEA-50RlwgOndhOpAREOEuCmPFQFrauX4f3HsXIp_SGia2ay-BaJungqvrzxdv9fAab1xs5yS5HKwytaL2kIetY7WkHIdKwAmCIEAjR94RK2eXVUf4yh_t6-GveQ3Kbee1mB8FO4n5P/s320/1799.jpg" width="222" /></a></div>
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...<i>and a 1799 half robe for full dress! The image on the right is also a good example of the trained open robe I was referring to.</i></div>
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Since I love to be different, I decided that a half-robe it is! Especially since I haven't really seen one done accurately for formal wear. The Simplicity 4055 pattern (which I have successfully used several times) is an example of how most modern people interpret that look, by having the outer layer and overskirt sewn as one to the dress. Historically, the half-robe was a distinct look created by wearing a basic dress or petticoat, and then another dress over the top. This makes it easier to have many looks in one by simply swapping out the over dress, rather sewing them together.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03ajjr-xYMq6U_xxpSa2GZld0dptIxgnaEi9FvBsjGpapg0NRwVdpYxoJUdui5T26Olk0Xln2nHLeemGiJS_lL_Rg2a7VVW75gcsV7wFcJB7zDIJZgIrmX1Z1bjb7Hms1CHL-shGDp0ka/s1600/simplicity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1142" data-original-width="795" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03ajjr-xYMq6U_xxpSa2GZld0dptIxgnaEi9FvBsjGpapg0NRwVdpYxoJUdui5T26Olk0Xln2nHLeemGiJS_lL_Rg2a7VVW75gcsV7wFcJB7zDIJZgIrmX1Z1bjb7Hms1CHL-shGDp0ka/s320/simplicity.jpg" width="222" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ88WYXrnZhJNqH8hB-zMMl2RVO2ccWxR-JvHLs1oinkzyzdDz9_hVvlOW3_VmGzxqLxPlntiHJAwv6QMo2OmbKKZgGg6T5RguJXjG7RIUe_tklk-5es5w3JMlXMBC4znFD7rk1yMfdgz3/s1600/IMG_0919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ88WYXrnZhJNqH8hB-zMMl2RVO2ccWxR-JvHLs1oinkzyzdDz9_hVvlOW3_VmGzxqLxPlntiHJAwv6QMo2OmbKKZgGg6T5RguJXjG7RIUe_tklk-5es5w3JMlXMBC4znFD7rk1yMfdgz3/s320/IMG_0919.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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So here is the draped half robe on my dress form. I was merely going for the overall shape and fullness ratio, obviously it will be a bit longer. I also wanted something that was easy, so essentially it is 2 rectangles with one corner cut off, sewn up the long edges only up to the waist edge. It will close with a drawstring around the waist, and some sort of clasp or pin on the shoulder. The original description says it should be a <i>diamond </i>clasp...however, I'm on a budget and cannot afford a diamond clasp.<br />
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I don't have the fabric for the half-robe yet, and I don't have the hardware for the corset yet. Funds are low, so I'm waiting to be paid in August to order supplies.Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-24740632765258502012017-08-01T06:45:00.000-07:002017-08-01T08:19:07.245-07:00# 1: About Me<div>
My name is Michaela! I am a teenaged, homeschooled girl who really, <i>really</i> likes research. And occassionally sewing, since I have to have SOME proof that I know what I'm talking about.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-VcgqGw_Hdgg3jglKEcqhCady6k6y9VBWnsDnsIr8N2xLZwZP8bCja5niu7DFZ39pXFvnorGM1FpDFXcqSGBEOk6YzDCOofAeUXiPKxjviHJjHopDEvaEHsZEOoxpfXWRgkN6j1rwh-Z/s1600/sideprofile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="516" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-VcgqGw_Hdgg3jglKEcqhCady6k6y9VBWnsDnsIr8N2xLZwZP8bCja5niu7DFZ39pXFvnorGM1FpDFXcqSGBEOk6YzDCOofAeUXiPKxjviHJjHopDEvaEHsZEOoxpfXWRgkN6j1rwh-Z/s320/sideprofile.jpg" width="171" /></a></div>
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I lead a very hobby-intensive life. My personal interests have been a part of my schooling since I was very young, and it has really encouraged me to turn my passions into a career. Here is a brief summary of what my life looks like, minus the sewing, since you probably already know about that.<br />
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I own two quirky horses, 3 mostly normal chickens and a lazy dog who snores while I sew. Ocassionally, he lays on the sewing machine gas pedal while it's on.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbXo1zfjK8wNhx7XmDYVyrB2obaFMNDi10BfJDSq1psGakIHxpq53zq0r6Q0C0RakZRJAqIoApSQ1IWaQL9MWBTOr_AcY66hUGKPiBSGr6IjcY3dgwUsky95gfiF5vcazyuJIvcfJNJcN-/s1600/benji.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbXo1zfjK8wNhx7XmDYVyrB2obaFMNDi10BfJDSq1psGakIHxpq53zq0r6Q0C0RakZRJAqIoApSQ1IWaQL9MWBTOr_AcY66hUGKPiBSGr6IjcY3dgwUsky95gfiF5vcazyuJIvcfJNJcN-/s320/benji.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>He does NOT like to go for walks.</i></div>
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My horses are a big part of my life, and I try to get out and train my horse Chocolate several days a week.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWv22EWKgVBvyCunIE6t9qDC7Jt5-ehEJNYlHT9zb_LmhE9wsEKnH6Chnob2428HHkOgo4iVPF_5Jg2DTgjY0A2Ul7lKxFZ90WMkrpLsNzyp6iOc7NZ6fv6ToTcZwM-nMGNIpYjiiTu5y/s1600/chocolaterolling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="640" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWv22EWKgVBvyCunIE6t9qDC7Jt5-ehEJNYlHT9zb_LmhE9wsEKnH6Chnob2428HHkOgo4iVPF_5Jg2DTgjY0A2Ul7lKxFZ90WMkrpLsNzyp6iOc7NZ6fv6ToTcZwM-nMGNIpYjiiTu5y/s320/chocolaterolling.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Chocolate, being the dork that she is, couldn't wait another 5 seconds for me to take the halter off....</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7KIYTiXqxAqYWMkiEX2kVOtF6zII4UClZvXYjtWrX15Jqg9Sm-LWOeTF44WxfL6lJE65_AxqfFn-BszXImE9__S_NAYY2ed7Wm3lJ2Xsxmm3OkIh-9imHdz3A5WmWfJVuczoXQpzpY_I/s1600/Barbie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7KIYTiXqxAqYWMkiEX2kVOtF6zII4UClZvXYjtWrX15Jqg9Sm-LWOeTF44WxfL6lJE65_AxqfFn-BszXImE9__S_NAYY2ed7Wm3lJ2Xsxmm3OkIh-9imHdz3A5WmWfJVuczoXQpzpY_I/s320/Barbie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>And this is Barbie Doll, the finicky wonder-horse, whose mission in life is to complete every little girl's dreams, but make existence miserable for anyone who isn't just that.</i></div>
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I've been learning and teaching English Country and contra dancing for maybe 6 years, although currently Argentine Tango is the newest style that I'm learning. I teach piano lessons, but I also have a few sewing students. Ocassionally, I'll paint, although I'm not very good at it. I love to read Children's fiction. Is that weird? Or the historian Plutarch of Chaeronea. Either will work. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHgdZ3uN3U6mEeflcQybaTvYqqpfAccW2z87RoY0r-Rl4F6SeSyIUVzG6fQ2u7_fbFiZayqulJKuTY0rT2LiGB3CNA-xXnHYxa8OxLW8FkePfHq8OOAuMVf6-SV067h6hthBb_Y5InWzs/s1600/dancing5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHgdZ3uN3U6mEeflcQybaTvYqqpfAccW2z87RoY0r-Rl4F6SeSyIUVzG6fQ2u7_fbFiZayqulJKuTY0rT2LiGB3CNA-xXnHYxa8OxLW8FkePfHq8OOAuMVf6-SV067h6hthBb_Y5InWzs/s320/dancing5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have one little sister, who sometimes models for me. She doesn't sew, but she does love dancing and sometimes goes to reenactments with me. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwdVoJsVBTK-s9IR4DShEzfnp2zwTbB2D2VaXqs2-e0buPNhlmaE-rF4BcW8Lj3hdca-51bmqp6VTODH4r5boXN4ymX_fqFapNLHDB2tldIe3L499woJ8iPy-JloDqreTAh5pFGS1LkV7/s1600/camille.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwdVoJsVBTK-s9IR4DShEzfnp2zwTbB2D2VaXqs2-e0buPNhlmaE-rF4BcW8Lj3hdca-51bmqp6VTODH4r5boXN4ymX_fqFapNLHDB2tldIe3L499woJ8iPy-JloDqreTAh5pFGS1LkV7/s320/camille.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQkIUOlE2VE7cCKlxzxmW8CJVQGuUKtCVn70NHoC4P1j4Ht5IAiB-R_850QFbnz41ULCvgb1poXXR9ZwQ8aCsxGKSDSLBJjHBbBQKqXDFoJWFHiroYS2GPh9l0mFXokAe_Ni2t_IEn3jUx/s1600/zombiebite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQkIUOlE2VE7cCKlxzxmW8CJVQGuUKtCVn70NHoC4P1j4Ht5IAiB-R_850QFbnz41ULCvgb1poXXR9ZwQ8aCsxGKSDSLBJjHBbBQKqXDFoJWFHiroYS2GPh9l0mFXokAe_Ni2t_IEn3jUx/s320/zombiebite.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>She also really likes SFX makeup....which is really gross. But I sometimes model for that.</i></div>
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I'm really nerdy about stuff that no one cares about. Like equine genetics....or Neoclassicism. I enjoy bunny trails in my research, and lately I've been going out of my way to learn about stuff that no one in the costuming community has explored. I HATE following trends, especially in the costuming and research community. I have a very Type 4 (<a href="https://my.liveyourtruth.com/dyt/home/" target="_blank">DYT)</a> personality, and I enjoy being my own authority on a topic that I have researched myself, without anyone's opinions influencing me. So if you like a little bit of unusual, welcome to my blog. </div>
Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-77772057386941703412017-07-31T13:02:00.002-07:002017-08-06T13:30:25.939-07:00CoBloWriMo!!!August is Costume Blogging Writing Month! The challenge: write (and publish!) one blog post every day for a month. The entire challenge is pretty interpretable, but I want to push myself to get as much published as possible, because I have a lot already written out.<br />
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I love writing on this blog, but I seem to have a disconnect when it comes to actually publishing a lot of stuff. I'll be taking a road trip at the end of the month, so I will hopefully be publishing every day, barring that weekend.<br />
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There are a list of writing prompts for each day....I will try and follow them, but I have a couple things that I want to write about that may not work out. Oh well, the idea is to WRITE....and they are merely prompts.<br />
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<br />Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-80385799991557220172017-04-19T12:37:00.001-07:002017-04-19T13:50:27.214-07:00Extant Garment: 1850's Dress<div style="text-align: center;">
This is Part Two in the 4-part series about a trip to the Idaho Historical Museum, in which I saw several different extant garments. See <a href="http://mysoulisfedwithneedleandthread.blogspot.com/2017/03/not-yo-average-field-trip-1848-51.html" target="_blank">Part 1</a> here.<br />
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This next dress was simply written down as just 1850's; read to the end of the post to hear my thoughts on the actual dating of the dress.</div>
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This dress was absolutely breathtaking, but was ripped apart to some degree for theater. I did a pretty good job of not even bothering to take pictures of the modifications. Some of those things are: ripping off whatever lovely gauging was originally there and putting in a drawstring waist, shortening the skirt between the two tiers (although this was actually pretty discreet and might have been original), and putting in a large 3'' panel between the two front edges of the bodice because whoever wore it wasn't even close to small enough. That panel though....ack! If the dress is too small, then why bother?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2p74LQ-9vsE3jok65b8lrOUi9vrYh9WR3iHn8RqnJ5WjErfYAvqkEa5NYdn2z4xhWFpTU187-VDXi94OAN3IZq4FAe7O6q5E9C7kd7M8-G01NWjo-Bznf3Bn2f1FcnkhnL_6PiRfgV4W/s1600/1857gold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2p74LQ-9vsE3jok65b8lrOUi9vrYh9WR3iHn8RqnJ5WjErfYAvqkEa5NYdn2z4xhWFpTU187-VDXi94OAN3IZq4FAe7O6q5E9C7kd7M8-G01NWjo-Bznf3Bn2f1FcnkhnL_6PiRfgV4W/s320/1857gold.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i><br />
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The skirt panels were maybe the most beautiful fabric I've ever seen. They did a good job of matching the pattern across each tier, so it was close to seamless. The bottom ruffle measured 20'' from hem until the bottom edge of the next tier, then the next tier measured 18.5''. There was a section above that that didn't get measured, but the overall length was a little more than both of these combined. There was no hem along the bottom, because the print runs along the selvage, which was very small and neat. The skirt was lined with brown glazed cotton that stopped where the bottom tier was mounted on. The bottom edge had a narrow tape wrapped around it.<br />
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(Yes, that is a seam line right there)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8x4y7ol2n-k2RDML7ph9ENmxXSn0JkJToyRNkIkb55NT3XKphSiPMr0IQ5d11o6_Sm0aalVZHb2VcSNE3P8cZxdY5D2VP_Al4YvbZMblrZFSihhanWf53iRaOkPIuUneUQTXLLkk-PQC_/s1600/1858skirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8x4y7ol2n-k2RDML7ph9ENmxXSn0JkJToyRNkIkb55NT3XKphSiPMr0IQ5d11o6_Sm0aalVZHb2VcSNE3P8cZxdY5D2VP_Al4YvbZMblrZFSihhanWf53iRaOkPIuUneUQTXLLkk-PQC_/s320/1858skirt.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwy9yWPq-N1-Zdgm06vsGROamOXW9pisy3m1jLFxpRmurdtTKIeEpBObEHABYQIMulATXaAmFd83PbJi-iDZEtymEQx7NE_YMZ0rHOKJ_NoEOmzdL2BXwfhj8BZ8QEK0eN4g9eWzgBS97F/s1600/hemtape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwy9yWPq-N1-Zdgm06vsGROamOXW9pisy3m1jLFxpRmurdtTKIeEpBObEHABYQIMulATXaAmFd83PbJi-iDZEtymEQx7NE_YMZ0rHOKJ_NoEOmzdL2BXwfhj8BZ8QEK0eN4g9eWzgBS97F/s320/hemtape.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i></div>
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The bodice is a solid gold silk, lined with the same brown glazed cotton as the skirt. The sleeves were so beautiful! They were open pagoda sleeves, lined with white silk halfway up. The inside of the sleeve was trimmed with box pleated white ribbon. The outside portion of the sleeve was trimmed with a matching brocade ribbon, 1 1/4'' wide and pleated, with tassels hanging from the points on the sleeves.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchEYU-KWLvL1k_wBwuzpwNu6odyIFGmG-9w-pGEjbbpVTRVoxvgqMmYAi-fdoltxBHuVCMKnSGm55TnW4v3sURlqFq8lLijpQt7thK05INOygXjw8niQxzsRG-Rg11TEgmtJcw2VqbG32/s1600/sleeve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchEYU-KWLvL1k_wBwuzpwNu6odyIFGmG-9w-pGEjbbpVTRVoxvgqMmYAi-fdoltxBHuVCMKnSGm55TnW4v3sURlqFq8lLijpQt7thK05INOygXjw8niQxzsRG-Rg11TEgmtJcw2VqbG32/s320/sleeve.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lksqKhkVq0DgmgsZssUXc7f8m5obuOm4WEMvS1HKIN59YMWZn8dmdCVMEaxLJt1xn7oGIAGakic3klZnN0zik_0OD-vXe0NAvCXfhvdFILWzWDV9dREy2M_XKmR-TPX8nvQuT9AgzQX5/s1600/boxpleats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lksqKhkVq0DgmgsZssUXc7f8m5obuOm4WEMvS1HKIN59YMWZn8dmdCVMEaxLJt1xn7oGIAGakic3klZnN0zik_0OD-vXe0NAvCXfhvdFILWzWDV9dREy2M_XKmR-TPX8nvQuT9AgzQX5/s320/boxpleats.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i></div>
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The back pleats were positively divine and laid so well, and thankfully hadn't been messed with. The original stitching on these was a little sloppy, but I think this dress must have fit it's original owner very well. A 5'' bone was stitched inside a casing up the center back; the total length of the pleating out the back measured 16.5'' from the natural waist to it's longest point.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuvPNrL-uNiwUKZseZS-kDDSwBYPlZTinfjs29XyoW7JN0XjDLq37irOy9oX0X1_Pw3M6TqLGaXpXXCCu3hRCiAXI7RisnqYTNjCkL5myMakqvKz4BYEwB6uctZ7adOcrDxauI2mEJR0C/s1600/backpleats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuvPNrL-uNiwUKZseZS-kDDSwBYPlZTinfjs29XyoW7JN0XjDLq37irOy9oX0X1_Pw3M6TqLGaXpXXCCu3hRCiAXI7RisnqYTNjCkL5myMakqvKz4BYEwB6uctZ7adOcrDxauI2mEJR0C/s320/backpleats.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipekDLx1EXQfkkhiyi0y0X6XVCBpltjpZP_sjjSqzUxUnTBWKB4W5RW6t9Nnj3mmLrHCdW_tYVwusNT8NkPjOKsutsLA3ug2nr4ubWH4c8IvImxFcU8J1AMJ4juLfeq_WPAM-IvMne2vpN/s1600/backbodice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipekDLx1EXQfkkhiyi0y0X6XVCBpltjpZP_sjjSqzUxUnTBWKB4W5RW6t9Nnj3mmLrHCdW_tYVwusNT8NkPjOKsutsLA3ug2nr4ubWH4c8IvImxFcU8J1AMJ4juLfeq_WPAM-IvMne2vpN/s320/backbodice.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i></div>
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This picture is of the underside of the basque, showing the sloppy stitching used to sew on the lower portion of the basque to the main bodice. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25dbLB41Ss6oKOVvCaD4INKvlO2NixYwroARWWRWnSiRfBgQ-fXCrMOz_wl8CWTdNHIx44UCcf7KM4uSA14lImItgSnplI2T1xRE7ruyfIQ8x_jwJnMVRJtWymzh8HwpJVc8Y8bLb-PMC/s1600/undersidebasque.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25dbLB41Ss6oKOVvCaD4INKvlO2NixYwroARWWRWnSiRfBgQ-fXCrMOz_wl8CWTdNHIx44UCcf7KM4uSA14lImItgSnplI2T1xRE7ruyfIQ8x_jwJnMVRJtWymzh8HwpJVc8Y8bLb-PMC/s320/undersidebasque.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i></div>
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The darts are boned with whalebone, with the bone being encased in a dart. The dart take-up was left inside the dress, but clipped. The waist of the bodice was 26.5''. The neck edge, armscye and bottom edge were all piped.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Mw-EJjeQ6GrTWbmV5RZt_tzp5tUWKcnNaH2DyT8c17DsIF-brPB0RnNX6kaEjBUg06qD97Oabkbq63MxbFeaismUcOOkaO5jXnSc2O1f_Yxt3lqN-QBxMe1jS1OT4QfpOu7JGYcgh39P/s1600/neckedge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Mw-EJjeQ6GrTWbmV5RZt_tzp5tUWKcnNaH2DyT8c17DsIF-brPB0RnNX6kaEjBUg06qD97Oabkbq63MxbFeaismUcOOkaO5jXnSc2O1f_Yxt3lqN-QBxMe1jS1OT4QfpOu7JGYcgh39P/s320/neckedge.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_aS6HsKmqNMmJ38GXmJ1nJUNmiVx7eUxAABc9yf8ur6rMkWxYombDJju-1ElhEfX2VQkVR5VE8-Mw4s5Sf4UUPYxkE7-felsnLDYG5chghrG4JaL34KvOb6snC7YTUAgdZPj1XTnowQE0/s1600/insidedart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_aS6HsKmqNMmJ38GXmJ1nJUNmiVx7eUxAABc9yf8ur6rMkWxYombDJju-1ElhEfX2VQkVR5VE8-Mw4s5Sf4UUPYxkE7-felsnLDYG5chghrG4JaL34KvOb6snC7YTUAgdZPj1XTnowQE0/s320/insidedart.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<i>Photo Credit: Idaho Historical Museum</i><br />
This dress might have been worn over a hoop petticoat or crinoline, which were invented in 1856. However, the 1858 Ladies Home Magazine advises that ladies choose the older style of horsehair or corded petticoat over the hoop skirt. Listen to this:</div>
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"....but, of course, a horse-hair skirt of modest dimensions, or a corded one is indispensable, unless a resort is had to hoops, and they take all the life, grace, and taste out of a skirt, by inflating it equally all round, instead of gracefully casting off the skirt more fully behind, and thus giving it an oval shape instead of a round hooped one." <i>1</i></div>
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A few key things I'm looking for to date this dress:<br />
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- A double-basque in the back, but doesn't extend around to the front<br />
-Double tier skirt</div>
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-The pagoda sleeves (really large, open sleeves to be worn over puffy under sleeves)</div>
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-While I did use the color of the last gown, a semi-neutral color isn't helpful. But...I will look for - TASSELS!!</div>
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When looking at different 1850's fashion plates, a lot of skirts that look like a triple tier are actually a double skirt, with a basque that acts like a a third tier. Like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08zTZMpkq2PNHTi-sUeXiL32oENUIkdvoBeRsD_TCRsxECqLIeR17SwpSNjmbQqW8kvOxjGEAExKy-37kUjbBVBm-zspW7Az01cohYmx9fkdOkDJepyKmu0TnfMiE3qfjcb7clA0fcF-w/s1600/1858doubletier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08zTZMpkq2PNHTi-sUeXiL32oENUIkdvoBeRsD_TCRsxECqLIeR17SwpSNjmbQqW8kvOxjGEAExKy-37kUjbBVBm-zspW7Az01cohYmx9fkdOkDJepyKmu0TnfMiE3qfjcb7clA0fcF-w/s320/1858doubletier.jpg" width="205" /></a></div>
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<i>1858 Ladies' Home Magazine</i></div>
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The above plate is actually almost exactly what I'm looking for. The overall design is exactly the same, and hits 3/4 of the things I'm looking for. The only difference is that the basque extends all the way around, while the original golden dress is only in the back.</div>
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Basques:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyT8iswXxO7QQTFsUbEau90tiGol9Wvukg0FN2oqcqJ3VYz_7uRozrVOVFuXYgczknKiEQYR-O7DIn2KLT5m9oygX229dpH03hYoPcIQsZ7nmABla3jFItd9nYfPGuL4U1ves14hz65XsM/s1600/petersons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyT8iswXxO7QQTFsUbEau90tiGol9Wvukg0FN2oqcqJ3VYz_7uRozrVOVFuXYgczknKiEQYR-O7DIn2KLT5m9oygX229dpH03hYoPcIQsZ7nmABla3jFItd9nYfPGuL4U1ves14hz65XsM/s320/petersons.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<i>1855 Peterson's</i></div>
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Basques are generally seen starting in 1855, but the overall dress design and silhouette is a little different than what I'm looking for. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOy3jCDbzHtsiaTI9ibr2PRJZgvF5XjkOg6OErDtiwlXoP8KBN_rLOBoTcW5r6X7F1C6hitRHY88SzKvKGnc2saqg6oMjE9A9wof4E-4CqFtNNrjQEoH7k_PqKhlWxI-kM7JPLBuo2eU9/s1600/1855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOy3jCDbzHtsiaTI9ibr2PRJZgvF5XjkOg6OErDtiwlXoP8KBN_rLOBoTcW5r6X7F1C6hitRHY88SzKvKGnc2saqg6oMjE9A9wof4E-4CqFtNNrjQEoH7k_PqKhlWxI-kM7JPLBuo2eU9/s320/1855.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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<i>1855 Peterson's</i></div>
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In the 1858 Ladies Home Magazine, they state:</div>
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"As to basques, being confined to walking and home dresses, and not allowable for full dress, they are rather tolerated than commended and will last only another season. This affords a good opportunity for those ladies to whom they are unbecoming, and this includes all but the very tall, to discontinue them." <i>2</i></div>
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Towards the end of the same year, same magazine, they describe almost the exact same dress, but say that the ladies in Paris and New York think that the basque part of the dress is rather old-fashioned, having been in for 5 or 6 years. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKub1frgG2ql3YKKXsX1qRIlddPDZ4lRncOcwvuwr-pvoM7S7X3z8SjuafOmP-Mtht-DipS7FlgRVeKRHySO_ytXhQV4j7mvEQSRro8LIKqn5jp7Nwa25xASdUwTkaGkA4Gfult22XSuU/s1600/1857basque.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKub1frgG2ql3YKKXsX1qRIlddPDZ4lRncOcwvuwr-pvoM7S7X3z8SjuafOmP-Mtht-DipS7FlgRVeKRHySO_ytXhQV4j7mvEQSRro8LIKqn5jp7Nwa25xASdUwTkaGkA4Gfult22XSuU/s320/1857basque.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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1857</div>
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In 1859, they are still used but are not so common.</div>
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In 1860, the references to basques are found mainly to describe coats, and counting the skirt part of the coat as a basque, but generally basques are completely disappeared.<br />
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After searching through literally 100 plates....I did not see a single dress with a basque only being attached in the back. I have a theory, but no way to prove it, so take it with a grain of salt.<br />
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When something new comes into fashion, it makes sense that, because it is new, you go ahead and make one in the most current style. But after something has been in style for, say, a year or two, and the overall style hasn't changed...you might branch out, and make one in a more unique and creative style. It doesn't make any sense that you would make a unique basque the exact year they have come into fashion, but it does make sense if you are looking to change it up a bit because you've seen the same thing for a year or two. So if we put basques between the years 1855-59...it makes sense that we might be seeing more creativity between 1857-59. I won't use this in the final decision on the dating of this garment, but it is food for thought.</div>
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Double skirt:</div>
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In 1855, skirts are usually either plain or many flounces. I saw <i>one </i>French plate with a double skirt, on a ball dress.</div>
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In 1856, about half and half between double skirts, and more tiers than that.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk_7G4UgFOjC077HPc2tsqHFFs9OP0F9EKi43iHSAcU3T7XaWBShMvukrLy1oGC9mmsQl4axB2rNghOlVY1XKCTBEryb4N-whzr8B89kRol6BpfsC4OGNCR5rbeCVXNwRMZPOOKezfyajW/s1600/1856petersons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk_7G4UgFOjC077HPc2tsqHFFs9OP0F9EKi43iHSAcU3T7XaWBShMvukrLy1oGC9mmsQl4axB2rNghOlVY1XKCTBEryb4N-whzr8B89kRol6BpfsC4OGNCR5rbeCVXNwRMZPOOKezfyajW/s320/1856petersons.jpg" width="194" /></a></div>
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1856 Peterson's</div>
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In 1857, quite a few different number of tiers are being used, but they recommend a double skirt. "....for the plain skirt over a crinoline or hooped petticoat, is rather too balloony in appearance; and numerous flounces do not enliven a skirt which is so distended as to deprive it of drapery; thus the double skirt, here presented, is the accommodation entered into by and between hoops and petticoats." <i>3</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfv2_fpRptFPRPFlruMxPqSLkRqGhgTtwtIXjlepnJDcgRxNvBxH8mm80_i9iKpw2vpEBLj44sK6GU6HqZK2B2RAp_-Tqws52bQS_npNFx6XISF98IuLI9lgyxufA9hnb8hhYT7cr6_mS/s1600/1857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfv2_fpRptFPRPFlruMxPqSLkRqGhgTtwtIXjlepnJDcgRxNvBxH8mm80_i9iKpw2vpEBLj44sK6GU6HqZK2B2RAp_-Tqws52bQS_npNFx6XISF98IuLI9lgyxufA9hnb8hhYT7cr6_mS/s320/1857.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
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1857 Ladies Home Magazine</div>
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In 1858, the Ladies Home Magazine says, </div>
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"The skirt question is the most important one just now, and it seems to be regarded as of too great consequence to render a full decision upon yet, for flounces, double skirts, and quilles (lais de cotes) are equally fashionable."<i>4</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Wg31_BJKF9psI_YxTbfepr_Jpm3XW7Y1D6IHO2qLduyshfbWLgQMCbioHgNPZrwioeZBlRBTTGa08cfhgJjZhcHqWh-EjxJbrQBcBo2rQpf8tF9AEstuRWzplMvyb4pHWIrt44vU7ksl/s1600/1858doubleskirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Wg31_BJKF9psI_YxTbfepr_Jpm3XW7Y1D6IHO2qLduyshfbWLgQMCbioHgNPZrwioeZBlRBTTGa08cfhgJjZhcHqWh-EjxJbrQBcBo2rQpf8tF9AEstuRWzplMvyb4pHWIrt44vU7ksl/s320/1858doubleskirt.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<i>1858 Godey's Magazine</i></div>
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In December of 1858 in Godeys magazine, it says, </div>
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"Double skirts are more worn than ever before; nearly all the imported robes, even in the richest cashmeres, mousselines, and all the silk and wool fabrics have them. Where the stripe or ornament occurs alternately, at the distance of a breadth apart, they are called <i>robes a lez.</i>" <i>5</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDMceEQGXJkWx3sOfo1KxL-SA_DwYrkIlk9sZSitf5mNO33tfinXbbjaNgfQvcdhg8mrhyK79URZDBYhcFFeyVRfISi6i4se_IpS_iqlXnNEDIRAhTWWK0IqOQABI7bRchksrdgy9MJ5AE/s1600/1859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDMceEQGXJkWx3sOfo1KxL-SA_DwYrkIlk9sZSitf5mNO33tfinXbbjaNgfQvcdhg8mrhyK79URZDBYhcFFeyVRfISi6i4se_IpS_iqlXnNEDIRAhTWWK0IqOQABI7bRchksrdgy9MJ5AE/s320/1859.jpg" width="190" /></a></div>
<i>1859 Walking Dress, from Godeys Magazine. </i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lQibxbVNITgL9TCJOc7TNvY_FV6bclucqiiNr723bLxxe3uiLEOP5OW9vtnkQx4YDftWSbD6ezwLRigKaN1x0FnPMWHBKN9wGZbSxCYycxd-9USF3Cphtna83p3xh0VHquVSFnV8DXyC/s1600/1859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lQibxbVNITgL9TCJOc7TNvY_FV6bclucqiiNr723bLxxe3uiLEOP5OW9vtnkQx4YDftWSbD6ezwLRigKaN1x0FnPMWHBKN9wGZbSxCYycxd-9USF3Cphtna83p3xh0VHquVSFnV8DXyC/s320/1859.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<i>1859 Godeys Magazine</i></div>
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Tassels:</div>
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Interestingly enough, I could not find very many, if any, fashion plates with tassels. Fringe galore, but tassels are only in reference to coats and the like. But after flipping through other extants, there are plenty of examples, they just won't help prove a point.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGog5jUhHEbSk0Mr1cWKtW7dQ6Gd9sUad5AVPcVg-bd6lcTim32NSZKOGWFIi7UJ238WQ8xcUyEW0UuipBGJrW1gO5BOIHkDeKEtVNl2j-3VDKp02ZFYXZ0CiRKuUuCqp-tyOrxjH-5AG/s1600/1858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGog5jUhHEbSk0Mr1cWKtW7dQ6Gd9sUad5AVPcVg-bd6lcTim32NSZKOGWFIi7UJ238WQ8xcUyEW0UuipBGJrW1gO5BOIHkDeKEtVNl2j-3VDKp02ZFYXZ0CiRKuUuCqp-tyOrxjH-5AG/s320/1858.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
<i><a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/84237?rpp=60&pg=9&ft=dress+1850-1865&when=A.D.+1800-1900&img=1" target="_blank">c. 1858-60 Day</a> dress, via the MET</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQsmjhFjHkAmnCikap1lr6kZV8szo7ax3lnFZerTKskcGICt-_7R1zdGRxhfYC1NeqK6Mzi_r1a5vA9UhgR9FHfoUv-CYQABTSbciYRrD_rJiVC9261cGMYMQNpIGffDqyo_uGhlfB-_63/s1600/1858va.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQsmjhFjHkAmnCikap1lr6kZV8szo7ax3lnFZerTKskcGICt-_7R1zdGRxhfYC1NeqK6Mzi_r1a5vA9UhgR9FHfoUv-CYQABTSbciYRrD_rJiVC9261cGMYMQNpIGffDqyo_uGhlfB-_63/s320/1858va.jpg" width="253" /></a></div>
<i><a href="http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O122390/day-dress-unknown/" target="_blank">ca. 1858 Day dress</a>, via the V and A</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7i2s-ZDSWpx3ipDG8kfhwmfa7Gr9CuJ-VQjqa1itI04g-tE4StZ7KuQG69aEC_WlpPHJbWK0C6IbyXVaOYMMog1vYUfWkh5Q8YPY-aX5zz2EuzqRMqxdIqAeVf9hT7kEjQxaBR9NM3Z7G/s1600/1858.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7i2s-ZDSWpx3ipDG8kfhwmfa7Gr9CuJ-VQjqa1itI04g-tE4StZ7KuQG69aEC_WlpPHJbWK0C6IbyXVaOYMMog1vYUfWkh5Q8YPY-aX5zz2EuzqRMqxdIqAeVf9hT7kEjQxaBR9NM3Z7G/s1600/1858.gif" /></a></div>
And then we have ALL THE FRINGE AND TASSELS....AT THE SAME TIME!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1_x-H1d0NgGOYLum2j6E4z_gGidupreRGAUqwk_S0TnB-tY97cSU7IzVZQqH0rGdnNzfYTv_-ecexjyk9-ZvNjcPofHwXTh1rwAQpAT3xbWVIDMDhlSyKpjM7sfxqOE1mulDkCR8_xGEy/s1600/1948-74-1a--c%252C2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1_x-H1d0NgGOYLum2j6E4z_gGidupreRGAUqwk_S0TnB-tY97cSU7IzVZQqH0rGdnNzfYTv_-ecexjyk9-ZvNjcPofHwXTh1rwAQpAT3xbWVIDMDhlSyKpjM7sfxqOE1mulDkCR8_xGEy/s320/1948-74-1a--c%252C2.jpg" width="201" /></a></div>
<i><a href="http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/50531.html?mulR=1199365330|613" target="_blank">c. 1858 Day dress</a>, via the Philadelphia Museum of Art. </i><br />
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I don't use extants to date other extants, however looking through a list of originals is surprising. Browns, golds, and tans were very popular. If you just scroll through my 1850's Pinterest board, that color scheme is very common. Border prints (meaning large motifs worked across one edge of the fabric, instead of all over) were very popular, because of how well they could be shown off in a tier. Just for fun: the original dresses' twin!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lB4AEZMMNt0tYrpnskoChVg4GCd4c7S-fZx3SXvhfo5_7-DAbTIpsE93UBdZc-VITUhkb7nhdlSGY59CAF1-_YcV7Jpu3pqUJDhobM_2Npsw91eNgjkz5JkfBv7OnO5QRL5oXS7f0GaK/s1600/goldtiered.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lB4AEZMMNt0tYrpnskoChVg4GCd4c7S-fZx3SXvhfo5_7-DAbTIpsE93UBdZc-VITUhkb7nhdlSGY59CAF1-_YcV7Jpu3pqUJDhobM_2Npsw91eNgjkz5JkfBv7OnO5QRL5oXS7f0GaK/s320/goldtiered.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/84715?rpp=60&pg=8&ao=on&ft=dress&when=A.D.+1800-1900&pos=446" target="_blank">c. 1859 American dress</a>, from the MET</i></div>
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Now, in regards to the sleeves, it's a bit trickier because open sleeves worn with under sleeves was a popular style for a really long time. Take a look at my last research project, where I studied in-depth when that style first came into fashion, which was around 1848. For this particular dress, looking at the exact context and shape is important, because not all open sleeves look alike. </div>
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First, you have sort of a tiny, funnel-shaped sleeve which is very long, coming at least to mid-forearm, but often longer than that:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUtFRYb_IeyBlRK8wqhvNC8pNcWuHRII_6U0_27bGU6GQEZMGydxCjelnJqSEy2RMPcnlwA_U1TOueHwYVVDlPotW3ODyyhA51E4NSES6QxrDGuFZydkK0_4RaAS6Gw-_4PtlQy2e2XpB/s1600/1849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUtFRYb_IeyBlRK8wqhvNC8pNcWuHRII_6U0_27bGU6GQEZMGydxCjelnJqSEy2RMPcnlwA_U1TOueHwYVVDlPotW3ODyyhA51E4NSES6QxrDGuFZydkK0_4RaAS6Gw-_4PtlQy2e2XpB/s320/1849.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>
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<i>1849 Godey's Fashion Plate</i></div>
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Then the sleeves graduate to a very long open sleeve, which is often slashed up very high in front. The actual shape of the sleeve is very triangular, and because of the slashing it tends to be very droopy. When I describe triangular, I'm not talking about the points on the sleeve, like this dress has; I'm referring to the way the top of the sleeve comes down from the armhole, with very straight seams. Some curve, especially on the inside of the arm, may be necessary, but especially the back of the arm will be very straight. The under sleeves that are worn with this particular style have to be longer than earlier and later styles, because of how much arm is exposed without them. This style is considered a pagoda sleeve.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4emFFVXjPr9tGulCYQOSX9iRwZknXC6kWlR3OHP-wve8BCzHw63lAPI7wZhpclNyc-01Bcuk8DYqKWeBssadi4EqMEd3c3XS73Zq60uOkLfKTA9-c-H4dKvAgl0LiRAiNX3F7vFGVY_fB/s1600/1858doubletier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4emFFVXjPr9tGulCYQOSX9iRwZknXC6kWlR3OHP-wve8BCzHw63lAPI7wZhpclNyc-01Bcuk8DYqKWeBssadi4EqMEd3c3XS73Zq60uOkLfKTA9-c-H4dKvAgl0LiRAiNX3F7vFGVY_fB/s320/1858doubletier.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
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<i>1858 Ladies Home Magazine</i></div>
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And then later in the 1860's, the coat sleeve (a shaped, curved style that is fitted to the wrist without any gathers) is meshed with the pagoda to create what is considered an open coat sleeve. It's a little more tailored in appearance, without any droop, but can be anywhere from a modest-sized opening, to gigantic. There is a decided curve in the arm part without any major slashing, coming down to about mid-forearm, or slit a little up to the elbow, but not above. One key fact with open coat sleeves, is that it is generally curved enough to fit around the under sleeve that the inside part of the open sleeve doesn't show. With this golden dress, they took the time to trim the inside of the sleeve...because it was meant to be shown. The fancy lining and box-pleated trim would have looked amazing, drooping down over an under sleeve. So this dress has pagoda sleeves. Both the pagoda and open coat were worn up until 1862, but generally the droopy triangle shape is not so much worn. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgETBMVg6H0aGVvjPrTVkPgg3RPfrFTNAFnL_E8VyEjSqlLnYFGv1WirolSp5BtHJoJ96EmwZF3QA2Ncbh2DtIDeuHV26s6QJtCMKymfRlN8p2sXGfHXeC8zMRSXaEXxf4tcb1udiM46x/s1600/1862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgETBMVg6H0aGVvjPrTVkPgg3RPfrFTNAFnL_E8VyEjSqlLnYFGv1WirolSp5BtHJoJ96EmwZF3QA2Ncbh2DtIDeuHV26s6QJtCMKymfRlN8p2sXGfHXeC8zMRSXaEXxf4tcb1udiM46x/s320/1862.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
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<i>1862 Petersons' Magazine</i></div>
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This particular dress has pagoda sleeves, based on the fact that there isn't any crazy shaping. There is a small slash, but it doesn't come up very far. It's a bit generic, and style could have been worn anywhere between 1855-1860.</div>
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Overall conclusion: 1856-59, but really leaning more towards 1857-58.</div>
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I can't attach every single 1850's gown from my research board, but if you feel like looking through it, it's really easy to see a lot of similarities. Double tier, basque, open sleeves.....tell me if you find any with tassels used in this way!</div>
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<i>1 <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=fUrQAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=ladies+home+magazine&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi-2euOm7HTAhVGxrwKHXP2DcAQ6AEIMDAC#v=snippet&q=horse-hair&f=false" target="_blank">Ladies Home Magazine, Volumes 11-12, Page 110</a></i></div>
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<i><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=fUrQAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=arthurs+home+magazine+volume+9-10&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjJ7921nLHTAhXGa7wKHdJzBw4Q6AEIJTAA#v=onepage&q=basques&f=false" target="_blank">2 Ladies Home Magazine, Volumes 11-12, Page 51</a></i></div>
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<i><a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.a0004598645;view=1up;seq=214" target="_blank">3 Ladies Home Magazine, Volumes 9-10, Page 198</a></i></div>
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<i>4 <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=fUrQAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=double%20skirt&f=false" target="_blank">Ladies Home Magazine, Volumes 11-12, Page 155</a></i></div>
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<i><a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015016441530;view=1up;seq=646" target="_blank">5 Godey's Magazine, Volume 57, Page 570</a></i><br />
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Link to a Pinterest board with original 1850's dresses:<br />
<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/michaelacoy9/1850-1859-day-dress/">https://www.pinterest.com/michaelacoy9/1850-1859-day-dress/</a><br />
Link to Pinterest board with 1850's fashion plates:<br />
<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/michaelacoy9/1850-1859-fashion-plates/">https://www.pinterest.com/michaelacoy9/1850-1859-fashion-plates/</a><br />
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Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-76544463570041177372017-03-31T13:08:00.001-07:002017-03-31T22:24:08.595-07:00Not Yo Average Field Trip: 1848-51<div style="text-align: center;">
One of the biggest take-aways from Costume College 2016 was how many of the most knowledgeable people there spoke specifically of dresses that they had seen in person. They spoke of what they had seen at the such-and-such museum, and how they had seen the so-and-so technique used inside a garment they had handled.</div>
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My first thought: how do I get my hands on original garments, so I too can speak from first-hand experience? Whatever knowledge I possess has been through the internet, and construction is something I've been interested in. Finding pictures of the <i>inside </i>of a garment is tricky, and even misleading. So I did a little research, and discovered that my local museum actually has a <i>huge </i>collection, just not on display. In fact, it's not really even catalogued anywhere that you can access.</div>
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After coming home from Costume College, I knew that spending time at the museum was something I wanted to do, but you can't just waltz in and grab an antique garment off a rack at the museum. You have to send in a physical paper form requesting permission, and they have to actually vote to give you access. </div>
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I brought my camera, a measuring tape (actually a few) and a notebook and pen. I was worried there would be more that I needed and couldn't think of, but nothing came up.</div>
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There are four dresses altogether; they were c. 1847-52, c. 1855-59, c. 1862-65, and c. 1866-68.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstBexM8a936MaEfrxbbSnnFdSmvUA3JHY7yw8mEbfW1FebNVLlp4cE9QuTGxotiCj8mIpkYjt777WgJTUqHVxB9Rk62tbVVUy6v_8tZ6GyZAqnppBoTKeStiHviY0OBDPjlVuCcwh7pGW/s1600/1848fullfront.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstBexM8a936MaEfrxbbSnnFdSmvUA3JHY7yw8mEbfW1FebNVLlp4cE9QuTGxotiCj8mIpkYjt777WgJTUqHVxB9Rk62tbVVUy6v_8tZ6GyZAqnppBoTKeStiHviY0OBDPjlVuCcwh7pGW/s320/1848fullfront.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
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The first dress (c. 1847-52) is a shot silk, blue and brown. It has a full front with very controlled pleating that fans up to the shoulder; it's lined with a fitted lining, of which I can't remember what it was. The buttons up the front aren't functional, but the edges on the front are barely sewn together, almost like someone wanted a front opening dress, then changed their mind. It hooks up at the back of the bodice.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2qSb2qZlqkINIFccs3cEde-W0k3g9WIfgeNJ5q8D7__OmvODUYsQ4hokMLcjYNAuSo6Y-y3ncIJpucgmU7_Ct6-ALIFbFldabq0JJm2qWHpSQhfN_qfjwOz1Bfx2eAa2eOXHIYezGgpG8/s1600/1848shattering.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2qSb2qZlqkINIFccs3cEde-W0k3g9WIfgeNJ5q8D7__OmvODUYsQ4hokMLcjYNAuSo6Y-y3ncIJpucgmU7_Ct6-ALIFbFldabq0JJm2qWHpSQhfN_qfjwOz1Bfx2eAa2eOXHIYezGgpG8/s320/1848shattering.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdptH07vDMVeyTu1n55KU2oTHdjSas7lwqKhELCjjbYFHTytgVuy7P3LMRZpOHxzl_9ZdleVxlxjnGWUyGYE5DAVS851shmYi5ov6CDY-L19O0AyU_rfCwmbkhpCz95jRoQKhEE6goUGuZ/s1600/1848shoulderpleats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdptH07vDMVeyTu1n55KU2oTHdjSas7lwqKhELCjjbYFHTytgVuy7P3LMRZpOHxzl_9ZdleVxlxjnGWUyGYE5DAVS851shmYi5ov6CDY-L19O0AyU_rfCwmbkhpCz95jRoQKhEE6goUGuZ/s320/1848shoulderpleats.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>This picture is showing the pleating, as shown from the backside.</i></div>
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The waist is very dropped (maybe 2'' below natural waist on the side) and the length of the skirt doesn't quite seem proportionate. It's possible it was shortened for something theatrical, especially when you see a picture of it on a person without any proper undergarments.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZY7UIvKZDd7rvw5hPWxu2wYdMfb0P8t5pLdrU37LxNWS1z9VvS2u6_6P4ZVBYDNGMuYiHOl4ff8-c5o03iM4d-102g7HhqJJnP5KWj0ZBMigvOQZw7c5VDnHdOM22P5lbek9tcWz-1H3/s1600/1848photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZY7UIvKZDd7rvw5hPWxu2wYdMfb0P8t5pLdrU37LxNWS1z9VvS2u6_6P4ZVBYDNGMuYiHOl4ff8-c5o03iM4d-102g7HhqJJnP5KWj0ZBMigvOQZw7c5VDnHdOM22P5lbek9tcWz-1H3/s320/1848photo.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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*Forehead smack*</div>
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Although you can see how the length is *now* proportionate. The back story to this picture is this dress was <i>allegedly </i>was worn as a wedding dress in the 1860's by this woman's great great great grandmother, or something or that sort. It's plausible to me that this could have been a wedding dress, but certainly not in the 1860's. I've heard some researchers say that family stories are the hardest ones to believe, because stories and dates can easily be twisted through the years. Especially if the story skipped a generation. Something like this:<br />
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Gen. #1: This dress belonged to my grandmother. She was married in 1848.<br />
Gen. #3: This dress belonged to my grandmother; I can't remember the date she was married, it might have been in the 1860's.<br />
Gen. #5: This dress belonged to my grandmother, who was married in the 1860's and because it's been in the family for so long it must have some importance. Therefore I assume this must have been her wedding dress.<br />
The other reason family heirlooms are tough is because if the garment was donated to the museum, the museum is obligated to include any information they provide, even if incorrect. And telling someone that they are wrong about a family heirloom is also a sticky spot, so shutting up and just putting a really broad date range like Nineteenth century appeases everyone.</div>
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The sleeves are open, meant to be worn with undersleeves (supposedly these ones); the silk on the underpart of the sleeve doesn't actually reach the armscye, but a patch of cotton is sewn and the sleeve cap covers it. The strips sewn onto the edge of the sleeve and cap are of blue silk velvet.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOItkrK1exasOloOIPfXNJQbA0wBFh4OYHe_DBcgIAmyktQWF8WDW1gZnX78Ky76s9bTkffDD1VMtEfL9lHThOGh6cjnDacJa2FZeqLyP3UQaYAucWO3-oVBvdQwl2HnpNbMs9a5-HcJM8/s1600/1848undersleeve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOItkrK1exasOloOIPfXNJQbA0wBFh4OYHe_DBcgIAmyktQWF8WDW1gZnX78Ky76s9bTkffDD1VMtEfL9lHThOGh6cjnDacJa2FZeqLyP3UQaYAucWO3-oVBvdQwl2HnpNbMs9a5-HcJM8/s320/1848undersleeve.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8xGv72GPgcQ-Wxpc82XrHtUktqZGUGd4dcsOjkA7wuBWsTx13NNIwUCH7FC8ctOjvhrNP8b78fOUKE56xRzHc9WaRCcw9LraeIFq4ZY-ux5KM0-eDj24rn-OVpLVLD2hMYXz6-0gj-0o/s1600/1848sleeve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8xGv72GPgcQ-Wxpc82XrHtUktqZGUGd4dcsOjkA7wuBWsTx13NNIwUCH7FC8ctOjvhrNP8b78fOUKE56xRzHc9WaRCcw9LraeIFq4ZY-ux5KM0-eDj24rn-OVpLVLD2hMYXz6-0gj-0o/s320/1848sleeve.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<i>I like how the above picture shows the exact blue in the fabric in the upper right, by the pleats.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5Pnntr69F5rEunbVP_pnLVk_3YyiNXTaUi0oPurzFIGvDWZ-Kw5M20iLGwJDPYckr76qrUxIa1R0Kd9y_mrGv1dFrfcEAaRJoJsnnqpxFDxcmpwh-_0XlkB6K-gZ88oA5cANXEPg7M_Y/s1600/1848uppersleeve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5Pnntr69F5rEunbVP_pnLVk_3YyiNXTaUi0oPurzFIGvDWZ-Kw5M20iLGwJDPYckr76qrUxIa1R0Kd9y_mrGv1dFrfcEAaRJoJsnnqpxFDxcmpwh-_0XlkB6K-gZ88oA5cANXEPg7M_Y/s320/1848uppersleeve.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<i>Upper portion of the sleeve.</i></div>
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The skirt is bag-lined with a really small turned hem and a braid running around the edge. It's now occurring to me that this dress might have had, at one point, a flounce of some sort running around the bottom that would have lengthened it considerably, but I don't remember there being any evidence of anything being removed. Then again, I didn't spend a lot of time on the skirt.</div>
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Now for the research: in order to date this dress, I'm looking at a few key things that stand out to me:<br />
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-The open 3/4 length sleeves, and the cap on top.<br />
-The dropped waist<br />
-The pleated front<br />
-The shot silk (normally color doesn't come into account at all, but shot silk was just enough of a fad in the 1840's that I'm using that)<br />
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First the sleeves. I found evidence of open sleeves just barely coming in in 1846, but they were just short of full length and not open at all. You might describe them as a "funnel sleeve"; just looking at at original, it might be easy to say something like, "this lady must have had slightly short arms". I couldn't find any fashion plates until 1848 that looked even close to the shape I was looking for, but 1849 and 1850 were much closer.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTZA0zDEv0KNpZmGgU8x8YRK4kgfZ6Fx4oSL-vqb6lq4XOWtAEaX0_0OrecsERNQyOA0IO6NvJwlPC-3Vj9H9bjsnCtGxRJmjkK2HyhF6U6otpbIHQ6osBhfZalL_EZpoU_ogGZIuegojk/s1600/1848fashionpl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTZA0zDEv0KNpZmGgU8x8YRK4kgfZ6Fx4oSL-vqb6lq4XOWtAEaX0_0OrecsERNQyOA0IO6NvJwlPC-3Vj9H9bjsnCtGxRJmjkK2HyhF6U6otpbIHQ6osBhfZalL_EZpoU_ogGZIuegojk/s320/1848fashionpl.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<i>1848 Godeys Fashion Plate; this sleeve is considerably longer and less open.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDMSr3sKtntNWj0ArjEqYjLDFF2k9cnCaDzz9_4qb_12Noh6RgQBppSIPDlc2UQ5ebR34pSlxuMPcyZKpztxn-bClqx46rK9rXaKSAR-2oLxlChlgepajT-cYTytFM9NoeJHLxXFkiKHQX/s1600/lesmodesparisienes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDMSr3sKtntNWj0ArjEqYjLDFF2k9cnCaDzz9_4qb_12Noh6RgQBppSIPDlc2UQ5ebR34pSlxuMPcyZKpztxn-bClqx46rK9rXaKSAR-2oLxlChlgepajT-cYTytFM9NoeJHLxXFkiKHQX/s320/lesmodesparisienes.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>
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<i>1848 Les Modes Parisiennes. The dress on the left has open sleeves with undersleeves, while the dress on the right has closed, straight sleeves, so sort of a cross-over going on. All fashion plates prior to 1847 with open sleeves are barely open, so rather unlikely.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WSy7ZLcUFVpFY4YwzDljE0heO2E7VscHX9ueB_HfnGWpAHaq3vqQ3v2S0jMr0LqER_wVxotqrOIxROy9DQYVEAfkhy76BOISqzl6Ot7OO1RRPv6KDXDOAG2LM6K4FHDlWiGKlg75MfY_/s1600/18483.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WSy7ZLcUFVpFY4YwzDljE0heO2E7VscHX9ueB_HfnGWpAHaq3vqQ3v2S0jMr0LqER_wVxotqrOIxROy9DQYVEAfkhy76BOISqzl6Ot7OO1RRPv6KDXDOAG2LM6K4FHDlWiGKlg75MfY_/s320/18483.jpg" width="229" /></a></div>
<i>This 1848 fashion plate is much more open that the last plate, so obviously there is a range of what could have been worn. </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0peRgzJ8HbJSmy8XhBr027raQWk1kppu1BOOs5Fq-Tn4lefJ_PiP_n9o_aW4CTeJb37-lSJBwKaizsGJU85zDPunWPo2t2RrQ7dBLZ6WUOgME77u-_I6X4StfYM3-d-d59ERQDprAg6f/s1600/1849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0peRgzJ8HbJSmy8XhBr027raQWk1kppu1BOOs5Fq-Tn4lefJ_PiP_n9o_aW4CTeJb37-lSJBwKaizsGJU85zDPunWPo2t2RrQ7dBLZ6WUOgME77u-_I6X4StfYM3-d-d59ERQDprAg6f/s320/1849.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
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<i>1849 Godeys Fashion plate. The shape is much closer to this dress than any other open sleeves from previous years. </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDX4K8oEdVZGPmnxXOtbJQzviBndyWoZ82SNTsSn120MN2IJLZUF_AEtGpWxfelouVk22DhrG356h1lbB_m_DV7K2T21M8esVumwMZzP5mX3pYXSFQef_EZpDb4IVMMus9u6EIoe-okId/s1600/1850fp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDX4K8oEdVZGPmnxXOtbJQzviBndyWoZ82SNTsSn120MN2IJLZUF_AEtGpWxfelouVk22DhrG356h1lbB_m_DV7K2T21M8esVumwMZzP5mX3pYXSFQef_EZpDb4IVMMus9u6EIoe-okId/s320/1850fp.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
<i>1850 Le Follet</i><br />
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There comes a point, when dating garments, that the date it was probably made and the years it could have been worn are a bit of a gray area. To me, the overall flavor and attitude of the dress match 1847-49, but the style of dress technically isn't out of fashion until around 1851. Even though there is a fair amount of guesswork when dating garments, taking into account how specific the dress is can give you a good idea of how broad of a range it might have been worn. For example: I'm making a dress, and I want it to be conservative so it doesn't fall out of fashion too quickly. I would be more likely to choose a conservative color, and made it in a style that was less specific. If I want a dress that is more fashionable, I'll make it as current as possible with the intention of only wearing it a couple years. This dress has enough key points that show that it was definitely fashionable, and therefore would have been discarded and replaced with something current, so erring on the side of cutting off the end of the year range is not out of the question.<br />
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Now I noticed that most of the dresses that had open sleeves between 1847-1850 did NOT have caps on the top, but decorative caps did seem to be commonplace on straight sleeves. At first I thought this might have been more of a personal preference thing, but after looking at a number of extants I saw many different types of caps encompassing many different sleeve styles.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg91JRHVHHAr3Uip8gmkL0IxfWxnzMtwzLOcAFzaDlQQUUAR31SLAnDhyvSPIxLQlhio31MaC8Y80r6e3qthglUBAAp3E-jMJNll31ul1Bx995r4aNPQAa9mRRlSNCF6l4R7f0BXBIVfu80/s1600/1840sstripe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg91JRHVHHAr3Uip8gmkL0IxfWxnzMtwzLOcAFzaDlQQUUAR31SLAnDhyvSPIxLQlhio31MaC8Y80r6e3qthglUBAAp3E-jMJNll31ul1Bx995r4aNPQAa9mRRlSNCF6l4R7f0BXBIVfu80/s320/1840sstripe.jpg" width="154" /></a></div>
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<i>This dress is almost identical in design, except with gathers instead of pleats and a round waist instead of pointed. From <a href="https://www.augusta-auction.com/component/auctions/?view=lot&id=15948&auction_file_id=36" target="_blank">August Auctions</a></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3HBX5p8nUWfZJgMUsmadnLQoTBYYm3GbN2gDQc0FVqT0XOU_zc1lGLJDloV3EmKdgZxyLZrlwQzQHS70VmZc1_c1va2d22VotcKiQDY4KW-xl3FcgOaXTc2FirFMLsUhycyln_atCpPT/s1600/1845wrapper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3HBX5p8nUWfZJgMUsmadnLQoTBYYm3GbN2gDQc0FVqT0XOU_zc1lGLJDloV3EmKdgZxyLZrlwQzQHS70VmZc1_c1va2d22VotcKiQDY4KW-xl3FcgOaXTc2FirFMLsUhycyln_atCpPT/s320/1845wrapper.jpg" width="176" /></a></div>
<i><a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/108104?rpp=20&pg=44&ao=on&ft=*&deptids=8&when=A.D.+1800-1900&what=Dresses&pos=861" target="_blank">c. 1845-50, from The Metropolitan Museum of Art</a></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxHj68Yg3EvNFp1r_ZQSNoNq75ERDLpxOFqpFzZVX_zWEe9dl7sKoa6w8ACX_HabZ-rJu4sDT63QlnO241eVUVcDGGzuSqfs1P6KOpfEMo7d1MjfrKc6SA-uBH1SWGybR8SoErMTLNlgd/s1600/1844brown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxHj68Yg3EvNFp1r_ZQSNoNq75ERDLpxOFqpFzZVX_zWEe9dl7sKoa6w8ACX_HabZ-rJu4sDT63QlnO241eVUVcDGGzuSqfs1P6KOpfEMo7d1MjfrKc6SA-uBH1SWGybR8SoErMTLNlgd/s320/1844brown.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<i>An earlier example; these are a good example of the earlier open sleeve, which show up on occasion between 1844-47 before becoming more commonplace. c. 1844, <a href="http://fashionmuseum.fitnyc.edu/view/objects/asitem/759/51/dynasty-desc?t:state:flow=1a386155-59d8-4f83-923a-683306faeb70" target="_blank">Museum at FIT</a></i><br />
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As for the pleating down the front, those are sometimes difficult to spot in fashion plates, although different variations of controlled shirring, pleating, and even creative methods like a honeycomb pattern were used very often.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdU5yv-O-_soxFu3BDlx2FVv4HGGvShsvhxe8lNqQ6y35KTzzAGMH7rDzt_7LtJSDcmb_XIDjnUbZuWUn62bb37wyTELDKkzhmDzHF20in3bIUYy5AamQGN9t_E47r2c_APKgN9aywtHT/s1600/1849pleated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdU5yv-O-_soxFu3BDlx2FVv4HGGvShsvhxe8lNqQ6y35KTzzAGMH7rDzt_7LtJSDcmb_XIDjnUbZuWUn62bb37wyTELDKkzhmDzHF20in3bIUYy5AamQGN9t_E47r2c_APKgN9aywtHT/s320/1849pleated.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
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<i>1849, Ladies Cabinet</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWARpnaKQXeWyT5xd0udYRLii1qctHVEP3tC1MhE4h69k37QahyphenhyphenMzckvY7hTaD2J_1SwIS1yTkyf3atwP6juNoPvUxze96TD0R0_F0zDXXi2cr30TivLy539ruIfQl42rpjJJcmSE1dWkr/s1600/1851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWARpnaKQXeWyT5xd0udYRLii1qctHVEP3tC1MhE4h69k37QahyphenhyphenMzckvY7hTaD2J_1SwIS1yTkyf3atwP6juNoPvUxze96TD0R0_F0zDXXi2cr30TivLy539ruIfQl42rpjJJcmSE1dWkr/s320/1851.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<i>1851 Le Moniteur de la Mode</i></div>
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As to color, it is difficult to say exactly when shot silk went out of fashion. For those of you that don't know, shot (or changeable, I can't discern if shot and changeable are different) silk is a silk that has a different color warp from the weft. It was very common to have two violently opposing colors, which leaves the overall effect rather muddy, but iridescent from certain angles.<br />
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I search every Godeys magazine within this narrowed search range for "shot silk". In reference to dresses, it was mentioned quite a lot in descriptions and in the general fashion column until abruptly in 1852, it is declared quite out of fashion.<br />
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Here is an excerpt from a humorous story called "Sketches from Real Life" published in the 1847 Godeys. In it, the main character and a Mrs. Dawkins are discussing how Mrs. Dawkins' son (called Jeemes) is in love with the main character's cousin Judy (called Nabby) and discussing what she should wear in order to appear to her advantage.<br />
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"But here comes Nabby with her changeable silk on. It's my mind for her to wear that. It's one her Grandmarm Dawkins gave her. I took a mighty fancy to it the first time I ever see the old lady wear it. Jest examine it; you'll parcieve that the warp is a bright yaller; e'en jest an orange color-and that the fillin' is a dark blue. Now, if I could have my choice, I would ruther by one half have it than Mrs. Feeswind's tarnaltane."<br />
"I like the stuff the ground's made on well enough," said Nabby, "but I don't like the set on't. Do you Hepsey?"<br />
"The waist is not quite long enough for the fashion," said I.<br />
"That's nothin'," said Mrs. Dawkins, "Nabby never looked well in a long waist and never will."<br />
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In October of 1851 Godeys, it describes a dress "One of the most elegant dresses we have seen is a Jasper silk (shot with seven different colors, but so blended that they seem one soft shade of violet)..."<br />
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While in 1852 Godeys, it says this:<br />
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"Some of the plainer, or less expensive fall silks are in graduated stripes, shot or changeable fabrics being entirely out of vogue."<br />
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Which brings me to my last dating point - dropped waists. Thus far, we've already heard in 1847 that dropped waists were fashionable from the story. In 1850, we hear ".....made with full skirts, sleeves gathered at the wrists, and infants (gathered) waists, corded with silk, and gathered full with a straight belt. No point whatever......the waist cannot be too long from the arm to the belt, but the length is not increased at the bodice." However, there are plenty of fashion plates that refute the idea that round waists were universal. Looking at fashion plates is completely misleading, and the exact intention of waist placement is hard to tell, partially because magazine figures weren't even close to accurately proportioned to begin with. So I'm going to turn to another textual (exact date known) source: paintings (you may need to zoom into the painting to see what I'm talking about).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXKjO0HADHHWcPE5HIvr-eAPNw-BcblSDxtaEnKjo_xnosDIS7W5Iwe-gIItoxvSGaT0hc62fpsd-G740Go4hhpOU4f9ALiOM90ltHc7UOnURsRftwJejpNODrf-NV-ghhqB0GeKwLzCoQ/s1600/droppedwaist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXKjO0HADHHWcPE5HIvr-eAPNw-BcblSDxtaEnKjo_xnosDIS7W5Iwe-gIItoxvSGaT0hc62fpsd-G740Go4hhpOU4f9ALiOM90ltHc7UOnURsRftwJejpNODrf-NV-ghhqB0GeKwLzCoQ/s320/droppedwaist.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
<i><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/467530005045474806/" target="_blank">Katherine Mary Webb Palmer, 1846</a></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wUu3z3AOBFO0VbWZQwFxy8UjG049BsLNAl3Rs3T5mxW63jDYs7NJ3NOtO66XPiGSG6EQlXu79v9fRbhDMEpIGUXPVyivcc89Cl5PoZiFkyUOio6JXVo7YNG8D6vDciNVzsHnjwxHSkwA/s1600/1846droppedwaist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wUu3z3AOBFO0VbWZQwFxy8UjG049BsLNAl3Rs3T5mxW63jDYs7NJ3NOtO66XPiGSG6EQlXu79v9fRbhDMEpIGUXPVyivcc89Cl5PoZiFkyUOio6JXVo7YNG8D6vDciNVzsHnjwxHSkwA/s320/1846droppedwaist.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
<i>Another 1846 dress, with a decidedly natural waist. Dona Marie-Louise Ferdinand de Bourbon, by Franz-Xavier Winterhalter, 1846.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCO1WCZk5qyRtXLH8eErwVCFDvshjXB57Q5MIoE5i_gVGQu9ANEVN8REjDSDHe1SZmYJHwo_1jDNvGjLd-0KzZMjL7X5K0zXYufKZv-ruNDUlrp7CAeHNx0dP72VDPsF82s_s7X6WNdvDl/s1600/1849waist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCO1WCZk5qyRtXLH8eErwVCFDvshjXB57Q5MIoE5i_gVGQu9ANEVN8REjDSDHe1SZmYJHwo_1jDNvGjLd-0KzZMjL7X5K0zXYufKZv-ruNDUlrp7CAeHNx0dP72VDPsF82s_s7X6WNdvDl/s320/1849waist.jpg" width="235" /></a></div>
<i>While the point on this one is extreme, the waist is also at a natural placement. Queen Isabella II of Spain, by Federico de Madrazo, 1849</i><br />
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From what I'm gathering....personal preference was everything. A lot of overlapping dates on when waists were dropped, and in different contexts. And then I realize....I don't remember the exact provenance of this dress. Where it came from, etc. All the people that could afford an expensive portrait were in Europe. We have a couple expensive Winterhalter paintings of Spanish and Austrian royalty, and that hardly seems relevant.<br />
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So hitting a brick wall on the dropped waist, but the overall idea that I'm getting is that long-waisted dresses were a decidedly 1840's idea, so I'm still sticking with my 1848-49 original creating date.<br />
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Another interesting tidbit that I discovered in a copy of the 1850 Godeys Magazine, June, in the advice and questions column towards the back. Here is what it says:</div>
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"Some excellent friend lady friend has asked of us the meaning of a term prefixed to our fashion plates, and, as the request is a fair one, we shall take pleasure in defining the precise definition of <i>Americanized </i>as applied in the modes which we give.<br />
In the first place, American ladies have not yet given up <i>waists </i>of a respectable and natural size, a part of the figure the French <i>artistes des modes </i>sometimes omit altogether, if we accept a faint shadowy line connecting the bust and skirt. Again, our ladies like a little more drapery than the Parisians consider in good taste, and it is therefore necessary to add sleeves and corsages to some of the costumes that are otherwise graceful and pretty. These are two of the principal items; and, as we have matters of more general interest to discuss, we leave the subject for the present to our friend's kindly consideration."Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-45581187183814775982017-03-29T12:38:00.002-07:002017-03-29T12:43:52.926-07:00HSM #2: 1863 Ballgown Reproduction<div style="text-align: center;">
Photo credit: My sister Camille! We're just discovering that she has an incredible eye for creative shots.</div>
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Whew, this project was supposed to be a <i>quick </i>bodice, and it turned into a 30-hour ordeal, complete with handsewn eyelets and a total of 4 different tries of the pleating down the front.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-mAqMu-qWxoAuTMS_Indj1GVt2rxHJyW0JvE3WgYmARW6mNqWiwqxjFjXjMgJleciWfcre58ZyQHCOgNABGg2VqjBvPh8vPM-5IcksVlqt4sOeIbk6G1HY_Xn12bZf9MgudGNXiqS9gq/s1600/dressfront.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-mAqMu-qWxoAuTMS_Indj1GVt2rxHJyW0JvE3WgYmARW6mNqWiwqxjFjXjMgJleciWfcre58ZyQHCOgNABGg2VqjBvPh8vPM-5IcksVlqt4sOeIbk6G1HY_Xn12bZf9MgudGNXiqS9gq/s320/dressfront.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>
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Short backstory: I bought this green plaid silk at a screaming deal in the fall of 2015. I only bought 6 yards (54'' wide) because I was short on money, but I really wanted the fabric. Fast forward to summer of 2016; I couldn't believe that I had managed to get an entire dress from 6 yards, with some leftover! Everyone who makes 1860's dresses recommends purchasing 7-8 yards. I was even able to match the plaid.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixLm_SPPlhWE1_XKQuIrlb-DOnw2q2o68uywAh6rr0G0KJ3YRLTGgVKUIVvQdtIJlijSbNH5vy3kM9UVMYOVXXZJ_9Ohny4Bff0QI-ZdUw-9uQ6yhA2Aa0VwwCeuuIyyHCua5tIJzZ1ojw/s1600/backfullgreen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixLm_SPPlhWE1_XKQuIrlb-DOnw2q2o68uywAh6rr0G0KJ3YRLTGgVKUIVvQdtIJlijSbNH5vy3kM9UVMYOVXXZJ_9Ohny4Bff0QI-ZdUw-9uQ6yhA2Aa0VwwCeuuIyyHCua5tIJzZ1ojw/s320/backfullgreen.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>
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Fast forward again: It's 2017, and I want a new ballgown. As much as I love the red one, it's soooo heavy, and it was never fit me very well (my absolute first try at darts). I've lost 20 pounds accidentally in the last year, and I knew that I just didn't want to wear it again. So I pulled out the leftover fabric and checked to see if the pattern pieces would fit. Just barely...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbRs1c7QFso8KNRkdu2epEPzJeQDCajb6l5LPQkuRHWYU-g5l3dV1p0zVctcM65Y4JXfXxKSb-Kb4KF4TppgyTFX7wI2qlzItThy4_LUGkdWMAd7VYSy4vyB8uspHfUsimtrieWlsRcrU-/s1600/sideprofile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbRs1c7QFso8KNRkdu2epEPzJeQDCajb6l5LPQkuRHWYU-g5l3dV1p0zVctcM65Y4JXfXxKSb-Kb4KF4TppgyTFX7wI2qlzItThy4_LUGkdWMAd7VYSy4vyB8uspHfUsimtrieWlsRcrU-/s320/sideprofile.jpg" width="171" /></a></div>
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I managed to cut out all the pieces exactly the way I wanted them....except the sleeves. There was no portion on my fabric that was big enough even to fit the sleeves on, much less to make sure they matched! So the sleeves are pieced, but I positioned each pieced part to fit about where my true armpit is (as opposed to the rotated underarm seam). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidml9sgE1eBwXy9ZdHeket3otIvovSRba5xo5MT0Y_pWSXA7PTIkAk0Jn_TUaMshsu9JZBVVMnHWq8Jt2AcdbAeQe915aShCBAfW9b0q-0f3HSYXo063a1l4gczZFi-n7m7aWeuPFgHXDj/s1600/sleevedetail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidml9sgE1eBwXy9ZdHeket3otIvovSRba5xo5MT0Y_pWSXA7PTIkAk0Jn_TUaMshsu9JZBVVMnHWq8Jt2AcdbAeQe915aShCBAfW9b0q-0f3HSYXo063a1l4gczZFi-n7m7aWeuPFgHXDj/s320/sleevedetail.jpg" width="183" /></a></div>
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On my last darted bodice dress (the day bodice to this ensemble), I fitted the darts with the bodice <i>inside out</i>. Now, it's come to my attention that I am a little lopsided (just a smidge). Can you see how this doesn't work out? 1/2'' smaller on one side, and with the dart pinned correctly on that side and then flip it right-side out, that smaller darts are now on the <i>larger </i>side. Duh. No wonder I've always been so confused as to why the center front isn't exactly in the front! These darts turned out so well, thanks Mrs. Clark!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkjImUgHtgLcJ6O0dB_9qGUy-3ftkx6iULHdyUk3blRmq73OMldu-yzUB_Tlp_VXSOlzgUXQfUHPKXGgK83TtpUGidqyeOLFstK3Y5uI9CZhePmrKLHcizIMH6Hcz3Dw6PYKBlqD-erc0/s1600/dartsdetail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkjImUgHtgLcJ6O0dB_9qGUy-3ftkx6iULHdyUk3blRmq73OMldu-yzUB_Tlp_VXSOlzgUXQfUHPKXGgK83TtpUGidqyeOLFstK3Y5uI9CZhePmrKLHcizIMH6Hcz3Dw6PYKBlqD-erc0/s320/dartsdetail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Camille: "These lines right here are cool!"</i></div>
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<i>Me: "What lines?"</i></div>
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<i>"I mean seams."</i></div>
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<i>"You mean the darts?"</i></div>
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<i>"Yeah, those things!"</i></div>
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So this dress I tried pinning it with the right side out, then marking the seamline on the inside and flipping it around. With this technique, I also discovered that I always thought the seam of the dart had to be straight. But when you stop and think about it, it makes no sense to always make the darts straight. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJyvED0c0tEMA5SRlpu90d7xvVReFCmdOXpKixdcovbCWjddF6eHCcrg4YRD5-AiQRrfV0FuCYkJeI9RM5Nbdh-u0upbN8gErmWHdFPnXCuvaXoG3k4GdqOZmolRb4QDIJQxdbtehPbNp/s1600/insidegreenplaid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJyvED0c0tEMA5SRlpu90d7xvVReFCmdOXpKixdcovbCWjddF6eHCcrg4YRD5-AiQRrfV0FuCYkJeI9RM5Nbdh-u0upbN8gErmWHdFPnXCuvaXoG3k4GdqOZmolRb4QDIJQxdbtehPbNp/s320/insidegreenplaid.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My normal way of boning is to just turn the dart into a casing and shoving the bone up the darts, but with a dart that curves at the top, the entire excess wasn't laying flat at all. After poking around, I found Jennifer Rosbrugh's article on historical boning, using 1860's original ball bodice's as examples. Bingo! So I sliced up the center of the dart, cut all the dart excess off (gulp!) and pressed them open. Then I whipped casings on by hand, centering them over the seam instead of off to one side.</div>
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Confession time: I have always had this mindset that I should make each and every seam as available as possible for future modifications, including darts. So up until now, I've always left the dart excess alone, even though it's a pain because all of my darts are HUGE. When I was at Costume College, I attended a class on 19th century bodice construction, and in the class the teacher taught that they never ever pushed boning into the dart. Well, I raised my hand and, a little bit timidly asked, "What if I want to keep the dart excess, instead of cutting it off?"</div>
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"Huh?" The teacher wasn't following me.</div>
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"You know, in case I want to adjust it in the future?"</div>
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"WELL WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO DO THAT???" She was looking at me like I had just sprouted cabbages from my ears. I kind of wanted to curl up and die. I don't know why the question was so preposterous to her, it was perfectly valid, but I was embarrassed enough that I didn't explain my reasoning. Reading between the lines: the real reason I have never cut off the darts is because I know I can't possibly have a 23'' waist forever, and it seemed reasonable to me that anyone who lived in the 1860's might have had the same concern.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2tQVsqIeu2_qrRtLRC9jfRrG80OehJo_oUIVhlTK1D81XKRRoB7EDlkRMSO4GLguHslDcJjQdtWBw8W3vDwhrdHOBxe_9zwNLSPt8OMZ7J5LXygbCjmJtgruZIHvqkqXZvWH7rHuxHge/s1600/hemdetail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2tQVsqIeu2_qrRtLRC9jfRrG80OehJo_oUIVhlTK1D81XKRRoB7EDlkRMSO4GLguHslDcJjQdtWBw8W3vDwhrdHOBxe_9zwNLSPt8OMZ7J5LXygbCjmJtgruZIHvqkqXZvWH7rHuxHge/s320/hemdetail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I've since learned that certain fabrics like silk don't easily forget thread holes that have stress, so moving a dart may not work because the lines from the old darts will still probably show. That being said, it is still possible; I went to my local museum to look at a few original 1860's dresses, and one of them you could clearly see the old dart line, and they had moved it over about two inches to the front. You couldn't even tell from the outside! But if your darts aren't perfectly straight, they may not lay well if you don't at least clip into them. Either way...you most likely will be making the excess unusable.</div>
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I wasn't originally intending to do a reproduction, but it felt like a waste to not do something that is at least similar to this dress that is in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. As much as I like this dress....I don't like bows. Not even a little bit. So I dropped the idea of a reproduction, and posted a picture of the blank dress on a Facebook page I'm a part of, the Civilian Civil War Closet, for ideas. It was a little overwhelming, but I also got some good ideas. But 99% of the suggestions were....bows. "Bows on the shoulders!" "Put a bow on the rump!" "Don't skimp - use ALL the bows!" Other suggestions included fringe, beading, contrasting flowers, lace, a bertha and ruching/pleating. So basically any type of bodice decoration ever seen, ever. But I was surprised that so many people encouraged the bows. So whether this counts as a reproduction I'm not sure.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg64AM1ZRQF1G2LuOeiiuO-6PeEazW6dNGu04hG3SXbm-j7c6zUX5hz0T4mZLYVNXqfd_aP8Ua3W1BDrrHfbUdNnE7oZ6KIgAWrg_4oxZ9lWwUku9d7eP28wncVUaFStaiBsHfgeu6kzyRz/s1600/greenplaidball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg64AM1ZRQF1G2LuOeiiuO-6PeEazW6dNGu04hG3SXbm-j7c6zUX5hz0T4mZLYVNXqfd_aP8Ua3W1BDrrHfbUdNnE7oZ6KIgAWrg_4oxZ9lWwUku9d7eP28wncVUaFStaiBsHfgeu6kzyRz/s320/greenplaidball.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/womans-evening-dress-458241" target="_blank">Evening dress, ca. 1859-1860 from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston</a></i></div>
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The trim fabric is a matte polyester satin; I was planning on using cream-colored dupioni from Joanns, but they don't sell it anymore! This makes me mad; dupioni is always a nice backup for things like nicer linings and trim. The matte polyester is actually pretty nice, it doesn't have a crazy poly-sheen. It does add a surprising amount of weight to the dress, though. Originally I had a 4th bow sewn right onto this connecting tab in the back, but it was so heavy it drooped, so I ripped it off.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQiUz-VAaGji7J0RjdhqduAzZ3KIaOR_tMhtkaXKi0CTBk1Uyu1LEGQpNPxV9otKojqbw7cc5-6pDioGw6NziHS383ABMHZJI65EmLbWWOuZ2Xv1WYc3kWkNNo6ZDlQJ0sB1pwYIQRX2e0/s1600/backdetail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQiUz-VAaGji7J0RjdhqduAzZ3KIaOR_tMhtkaXKi0CTBk1Uyu1LEGQpNPxV9otKojqbw7cc5-6pDioGw6NziHS383ABMHZJI65EmLbWWOuZ2Xv1WYc3kWkNNo6ZDlQJ0sB1pwYIQRX2e0/s320/backdetail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I used the Truly Victorian 1860's Ball Bodice pattern. This was my 3rd time using it, and I definitely recommend it, but a mockup is important. The main bodice turned on nice on the first try, but the sleeves and sleeve lining were a little out of proportion. The pattern also comes with instructions for 3 loop bows. Basically, you sew two semi-large rectangles into tubes which become the loops held together by a small strip for the middle. Because at this point I was still making up my mind, I went ahead and made two bows and hesitantly pinned them on.</div>
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<i>TV 442</i></div>
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They were so cute! Normally - I hate cute. It's a word I've despised being described as, even when I was little. But they are just so perfect for the dress. So the bows on the shoulders are detachable, and underneath are small smooth strips covering the join of the pleated part on the shoulder similar to the back detail.<br />
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Oh yeah...and the reason this qualifies for this challenge:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8GvY1NK6FBzR8y1tKrbKJismpmYZrVbTdJmzs2jkOr5Io_UtqLE6vAhTucTAruOPCVU7iUYK9mg1mBBH3Bc-baMUC39o9IitcPTXGRY29e2YvL6jE4AxPxMBDyht-AbZuDuH5ihlAdAB/s1600/IMG_9715-%2528ZF-6041-49254-1-001%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8GvY1NK6FBzR8y1tKrbKJismpmYZrVbTdJmzs2jkOr5Io_UtqLE6vAhTucTAruOPCVU7iUYK9mg1mBBH3Bc-baMUC39o9IitcPTXGRY29e2YvL6jE4AxPxMBDyht-AbZuDuH5ihlAdAB/s320/IMG_9715-%2528ZF-6041-49254-1-001%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
(The first bodice made to go with this skirt)</div>
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Item: 1863 Ball Bodice</div>
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The Challenge: Re-Make, Re-Use, Re-Fashion - this is a little of all three things. The skirt is re-used from a day dress and this is the second bodice to go with this skirt for a different look.</div>
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The Material: 100% silk taffeta, lined with cotton muslin, and eyelets stabilized on the back with cotton sateen. Also batting for pads. The bows and pleated trim are a matte polyester satin (nobody shoot me!).</div>
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Pattern: Truly Victorian 1860's ballgown pattern</div>
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Year: 1863</div>
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Notions: Artificial whalebone, plastic zip ties, cord, thread, hooks and bars, gros grain ribbon in the drawstring at the neck, 1/8'' ribbon for lacing.</div>
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How Historically Accurate Is It? This might have gotten close to 100% had I not used a synthetic for the trim. And obviously plastic isn't historically accurate, but steel boning just does not work with my figure.</div>
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Hours To Complete: 30</div>
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First Worn: For pictures, and then to the Victorian Ball on 3/25</div>
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Total Cost: Taffeta was a lucky leftover, so the total cost of $16 was for the satin trim.</div>
Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-16798997814532869522017-02-27T11:53:00.001-08:002017-02-27T11:57:44.109-08:00Scroop Pattern Review: Modern Fantail SkirtHey there! I promise I'm doing a considerable amount of sewing...but it's a secret. <Insert evil emoji face here> My deadline will hopefully be before the 28th for the Sew Monthly Challenge (Re-Do, Re-Make, and Re-Use (or something like that)).<br />
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At the same time, I made an awesome skirt for my sister Camille! She is usually a great model, but I'm afraid she was deathly sick with the flu and didn't want her ill face all over the internet. I used the new Scroop pattern, the modern Fantail skirt. It turned out great! It looks sort of vintage, and I'm tempted to buy a pair of retro American Duchess shoes....but sadly I can only dream.<br />
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All the instructions made perfect sense; I've never tried an invisible zipper, but I was so happy with it! They are magical. The end. I had to hunt all over town to find an invisible zipper presser foot, but much to my chagrin the local sewing machine shop told me that I don't actually have a Pfaff machine.<br />
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Huh?<br />
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Can you read?<br />
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He then explained that all the Pfaff hobby machines were outsourced to...Janome. So I've been lied to! WHAT IS THIS FALLACIOUSNESS??? Thesaurus told me that was a word. BAM!<br />
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I was in quite a huff because they were outrageously expensive for a tiny piece of plastic, and I didn't have time to order it online. So I called my awesome friend and she let me borrow her machine! She was very helpful in showing me exactly how to install the zipper according to Leimomi's instructions. The pictures don't fully capture how awesome these pleats look in real life. Again, Camille was so sick and was in a hurry to get back in her pajamas.<br />
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In other words: The Modern Fantail is an excellent pattern, and I look forward to trying the historical version someday! 5/5 stars. </div>
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<br />Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-5881422125992845652017-01-09T12:51:00.000-08:002017-01-19T09:51:27.836-08:00Regency Attire and the Greeks: Looking at History Through Rose-Colored GlassesThis is a long-standing research project for me, and it has taken me to parts completely unknown. It all began with: what is historicism?<br />
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Historicism is a fascinating topic; it is derived from the idea that history long ago is influencing choices that we make today. Well duh! It can be as complicated or as simple as you choose to make it, but there as many different facets to historicism that are played out in different ways. In the world of fashion, we are constantly being influenced by things that have already been done, and finding new ways to make it "the new vogue"; in other words, taking something that was already tried, but in an exciting way that fits the newly adapted modern taste. Sort of a rose-colored glasses-type of thing.<br />
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When recreating historical clothing, most people agree that peering through a modern lense of any sort dilutes the true accuracy of any garment, simply because contemporary tastes are different than 100, 150, or 300 years ago. But another question to ask yourself is, what if looking through a lense would actually benefit us, as long as the lense was situated in the correct position?<br />
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Consider this: looking at a garment without any context is rather boring. You can learn a lot with an open mind, but with no expectation there is not really much to look at. When you look at a dress, you have no idea appreciation for <i>why </i>it is what it is. And we have already established that a timeline working backwards from where we are today is useless, as it tells us nothing we don't already know other than, "My, that dress is ugly!" of "I can't believe people actually wore that!" or "Wow, I was born in the wrong century! Except for corsets...." You have no historical lense.<br />
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<i>1830-34 dress from the V and A....1830's are probably the most misunderstood and most hated decade of fashion in the history of fashion.</i></div>
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To get into the correct mindset, it is important that you adjust your glasses to the date you are researching, and look both backwards and forwards. What has been accomplished at this current point in history? What is happening? What is everyone interested in? What was everyone interested 10 years ago? That is the backwards. Now the forwards: what can I do with this current dress in 2 years to keep it fashionable? Or 5? Is there a forseeable future for the next fashion-forward step, or is it unexpected? The most interesting thing I have learned in this research project is the importance of not only understanding the fashion timeline, but the previous 50 or so years in politics, art, music, religion, and mindset.<br />
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For a series of challenges which I sometimes participate in, one of the challenges was Historicism. Cool! I was excited to see what everyone came up with. A few who accepted the challenge chose to use Regency attire, simply because it's an easy default. Literally every costumer knows that as the 18th century came to a close, the good people of Europe and the America's looked to the Greeks for fashion inspiration, particularly when it came to color and a high-waisted, simple style. The Neoclassical era was born, and history was changed forever.<br />
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<i>C. 1804 Neoclassical dress from the V and A</i></div>
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I began contemplating what I knew already about the Neoclassical era, which is pretty much summed up in the above statement. As it churned the idea around in my mind, it began to sound off. I pulled out my calculator and punched in some numbers. The amount of time that passed from the end of the Classical era of art (around 31 B. C.) to the beginning of the Neoclassical era was......<br />
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1,826 <b>YEARS!!! </b>Ludicrous! Hilarious! Actually, quite ridiculous. That's like us, looking to Jesus Christ for fashion inspiration. Or the Bayeaux tapestry.<br />
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<i>Those helmets need to make a comeback....oh, and the shields. Note the blue horse.</i></div>
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What the heck were they looking at? No internet, 1,800 years after the fact. As seperated as we feel from even 100 years ago, with internet and resources, the Regency perspective of ancient Greece must have been even more romanticized that ours. Their rose-colored glasses were definitely on for this one as they examined the only source that they had: statues.<br />
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Next Up: The Neoclassical Era, and the Reality of 1800 yearsMichaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-72987424928919910322017-01-01T16:57:00.000-08:002017-01-03T12:29:49.421-08:002016 in Review, and 2017 GoalsI am so behind on blogging, I just want to weep and die. Because I really do love blogging, but getting caught up on 8 months of life has felt kind of overwhelming. So consider this a semi-catch up post, and I might go back and include more details on some of the better stuff.<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">In March, I completed a Regency ball gown for the Victorian ball for my sister Camille.. The fabric was bought in Sept. of 2015, but the Regency ball was canceled. So it was either make a new Regency ball gown to wear, or wear a Civil War ball gown that was really tight the year before. So the Clio dress was born. Camille actually named the dress, "Clio", but in my mind it has been named the Dress that Never Dies. She's worn it several times already with no thought of ever giving it up. No matter what time frame the event is, this is the dress she wants to wear.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">This was the first Regency dress where I put some real thought into the physics (ahem, that really means construction) of the flow. What I mean by that is that, I created each layer of the dress (outer sheer, inner solid layer, and a muslin lining layer) to work together instead of get in each other's way. So on the skirt, the muslin layer is really small, the next layer is sort of medium, and then the outer layer was way larger than both so when she twirled they would not conflict. The bodice was made in a similar way, because I wanted the gathers to lay nicely. The more layers you gather at once, the more it puffs out. Camille specificly said, "I don't want to be puffy." So the inner solid layer and the muslin lining was darted together, and then the outer bodice was hand-gathered over it. </span><span style="text-align: center;">This dress was for fun, it wasn't a research project or intended to be accurate in any way. The reason I never got around to posting about it was because I don't have any pictures of her not moving. But that is the best part; this dress looks the best in motion! So here are a few pictures, just so you have idea (on the left in the below picture)</span><br />
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It just sort of floats behind her when she dances!</div>
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Every time I see this picture of Camille (with her back to us in this picture) I start freaking out. LOOK AT THAT DRAPE! Am I allowed to fangirl over a dress I made myself?</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Between the months of May and June, I finished a pair of long corded Regency stays. They turned out great, I'm really happy with them. The style is looser than I prefer (they are supposed to be smoothing, not neccesarily crazy shaping), so they are not my absolute favorite to wear. I like my corsets <i>really </i>tight. It just feels good to me. </span></div>
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For the tucks and pleats challenge in February, I intended to finish my 1863 green plaid. Instead....it got done in July for Costume College! I hit a wall on the fitting, and just could not bring myself to fix it in a timely manner. In the end, I super love the dress, and it looks amazing! The fitting errors are invisible, which is code for the dress is really really tight. So not neccesarily an error, just a matter of comfort. It was based on a CDV, and it is very, very accurate. The only thing I can think of that is not accurate is I did not bother to research the buttons I used.</div>
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During August and September, I made a dotted sheer 1860's dress for Camille. This was her first higher-fashion dress, and she needed a hoop skirt to go under it. So the hoop was made too; that took like an afternoon. This was also the project that got sadly derailed from what I preferred, but only because of conflicting desires. I wanted to re-make this fashion plate, but Camille wanted a jewel-neck and long sleeves. Oh, and no ruffles. And the bretelles are a no-go, they look too babyish. This was also Camille's first dress where I agreed to make a significant drop in the skirt length. She felt super grown up in her longer skirt, hoop and awesome bonnet. The green trim on the skirt and the belt was taffeta from the garment district. These are probably the worst pictures ever....but her hooped silhouette is still super cute.</div>
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In October, I started a research project on Neoclassicism, to go along with the Regency gown I wanted to make. I picked an original I liked, and with all the undergarments complete I set out to cross off a bucket list project: hand-sew an entire dress. Normally, a Regency dress takes me somewhere between 20-25 hours. Using entirely different techniques, mockups from scratch, and the handsewing, the projected time frame was 30-35 hours. It took me like 20 hours. Easy peasy! I have plans to get pictures taken professionally, once I am not broke.</div>
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<i>The only reason I include this picture is because of my hair....super awesome tutorial to come. Based on the Kaufman head from the Louvre.</i></div>
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I took a couple commissions this year; that was new, and also fun. I made a pair of Regency stays for a friend, and instead of making it corded I used a stiffer fabric and a little bit more boning. Within the pattern, there is the theatrical version, and the historically accurate corded version. This was a pretty easy 20 hour project; the corded pair I made myself took waaaayyyy longer (like 35 hours, 75% of that on the cording). Next time I will go straight for the theatrical version, although there were a couple differences in the fitting on the theatrical one that were a little weird.</div>
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The other commission work I did was I made a riding habit shirt for a side-saddle riding friend, and also a gypsy headpiece for a costume class.</div>
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Some goals for next year:</div>
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An 1805 day dress</div>
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<i>C. 1800-1810 gown from August Auctions</i></div>
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An 1860's green plaid ball bodice</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCshpTuP1Q6L4mU_sw79UFWSOTh58MuODUOUW-ZQf3vmwFvWyKZOdqF9aiMMVkWJfVr3TUOCkTBz3FnRcuCkcFjQ23j1rbaUwp5xf6dmR_Svayp-9k5t9IQ-bvyC0VRqvPoVATlboBW5m5/s1600/greenplaidball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCshpTuP1Q6L4mU_sw79UFWSOTh58MuODUOUW-ZQf3vmwFvWyKZOdqF9aiMMVkWJfVr3TUOCkTBz3FnRcuCkcFjQ23j1rbaUwp5xf6dmR_Svayp-9k5t9IQ-bvyC0VRqvPoVATlboBW5m5/s320/greenplaidball.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>c. 1860 Ball gown from the Museum of Fine Arts</i></div>
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An 1860's Sheer dress with an evening and day bodice</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtz36aelcoP6Hyv2D5Br2-pUnEIiriRGtCn5CX51VTTTGv3H2RCiH_krsfU7H_cojuHnaFiwJEXDqsIOnueh7BTpgv2Q4sPz6bR88qTHrbt1M50PzC0W4j_mVEKj0AuTUmuOXlhJuxLyQn/s1600/sheerballgown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtz36aelcoP6Hyv2D5Br2-pUnEIiriRGtCn5CX51VTTTGv3H2RCiH_krsfU7H_cojuHnaFiwJEXDqsIOnueh7BTpgv2Q4sPz6bR88qTHrbt1M50PzC0W4j_mVEKj0AuTUmuOXlhJuxLyQn/s1600/sheerballgown.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i>C. 1860 original gown saved from Ebay</i></div>
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A full set of Civil war undergarments </div>
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An 1863 bonnet or hat (my poor head has been bare)</div>
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Impart some sewing knowledge to someone else</div>
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Make a dress from an entirely new decade. </div>
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On this last one, I'm thinking either natural form (finally!), or 1750's settler to honor my g-g-g-g-g-g-g grandmother Howe, who was kidnapped by Abenaki Indians along with her 5 children.</div>
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<i>1881 dress from the MET</i></div>
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<i>Picture depicting Jemima being sold by her (as the story goes) drunk Indian captor to a Frenchman.</i></div>
Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-86004303750550253812016-06-03T12:08:00.000-07:002016-06-03T12:08:10.832-07:00Historical Sew Monthly #5: HolesI was originally planning on finishing my Regency corset for this challenge, but an unexpected commission came up. So I made an Edwardian riding habit shirt instead!<br />
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This friend of mine competes her Gypsy Vanner horse in shows around the Northwest, and needed something to go under her riding jacket (for those of you horse-deprived people here is a good example of a <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/3096293465848182/" target="_blank">Gypsy Vanner</a>) Now, this particular riding jacket (sorry, I don't have pictures) has a much deeper V than your typical historical riding habit, with the point coming down to an inch or two under the bust. In my search to come up with what I was going to make, that deep point narrowed down what I probably would have made if the point was only a hand span below her neck, or something like that. Because of the V, I couldn't do any kind of stock-tie/cravat/whatever you call it; the reason I didn't feel like any of those would work was because whatever it was, it would have to stretch way down to fill in the point and wouldn't look right. The collar refuses to lay flat when it's all folded up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhShK07qhBmv6B3ZRNmj53WvHZe3PFbup9QLuS5X-rcrJR4zWuLe6N6Cr-qLf_KjIL7b0gQlioZ8Ow_wUVjt51iEfXRioLfW1e_RQLiPXd8f-Iyt9DSVymHJwdwG6hO5ZXQWr_ovgtlvC9E/s1600/habitshirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhShK07qhBmv6B3ZRNmj53WvHZe3PFbup9QLuS5X-rcrJR4zWuLe6N6Cr-qLf_KjIL7b0gQlioZ8Ow_wUVjt51iEfXRioLfW1e_RQLiPXd8f-Iyt9DSVymHJwdwG6hO5ZXQWr_ovgtlvC9E/s320/habitshirt.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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So I went with just a plain habit shirt and dressed it up with some pretty buttons that I bought at Hobby Lobby. It's based on rather ordinary chemisettes, except for the stand up collar and the fact that the muslin is probably not the quality it should have been. Yes, I starched it to death, so it was all nice and crisp but as soon as you start handling it it loses it's crispness. It is also probably a touch longer than most other chemisettes, which don't usually have to reach down below the bust. And yes, I hand-sewed those eyelets so the ribbon could pass through.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9hRK0Jm8TijGKbW951UbHZhI4t1NbYYSOWGDiz9BTctjWoB2O962Xo1rD71mNkome2g8A7nz41X8mwH66APwT8mfxUbFtVFAtyqdzBrQYZlpKPSrOS-CHoQigPgv3hJGuFhdN0oPSCr-w/s1600/eyelets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9hRK0Jm8TijGKbW951UbHZhI4t1NbYYSOWGDiz9BTctjWoB2O962Xo1rD71mNkome2g8A7nz41X8mwH66APwT8mfxUbFtVFAtyqdzBrQYZlpKPSrOS-CHoQigPgv3hJGuFhdN0oPSCr-w/s320/eyelets.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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I'm pretty proud of my drafting skills though, I did that part myself. I had to mess with the neck angle quite a lot to get the neck just right, but other than that it was pretty easy. I thought the collar would need some stiffening strip in it like interfacing, or canvas, but in the end it was short enough (only a tiny bit more than 1'') that it didn't really have any problems staying up. It's just a strip of bias, folded in half with the edges tucked in.<br />
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Speaking of tucks, I originally planned on having three on each side. Even as I sewed them in, I couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen to the neck curve. Alas, the third tuck was a bit much and ruined the neck shape. So I went with two and trimmed off the third tuck allowance.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsI7QqxmEpAItmQfN7gBmKyvxMDWvSzu_w6benbxMRqnZIjprhMQc0_6Wkhyphenhyphenn9WIOkCACxbexcvE0jC208cB9nnXvMyTs-SM6Hxg9mpwREq1kImSnxVezDy6s1Npojcqf7HkBNn3bY8Lj/s1600/neckcurve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsI7QqxmEpAItmQfN7gBmKyvxMDWvSzu_w6benbxMRqnZIjprhMQc0_6Wkhyphenhyphenn9WIOkCACxbexcvE0jC208cB9nnXvMyTs-SM6Hxg9mpwREq1kImSnxVezDy6s1Npojcqf7HkBNn3bY8Lj/s320/neckcurve.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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The buttonholes in particular were VERY troublesome. I have yet to get my machine to work in that area, so I asked a friend to come over to her house and use her high-tech sewing machine to sew my buttonholes. Apparently no technology can cure the fact that her machine is....temperamental. I spent maybe 2 1/2 hours on the first three buttonholes; the rest went fine, but 3 1/2 hours for machine-stitched buttonholes is outrageous.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBUu87oZFj-gopy3TeayzLShzTlEe_LBRIGx5sPz_nu9yCdG3EloYO2e_Bm1uDNxfdx7AqzGA-JMebfwbR10dc3bqedU8gYY2za49s7ssK_cu_xQ0MOLIAZKta-3bicAdmkPqNWeGjacPy/s1600/buttons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBUu87oZFj-gopy3TeayzLShzTlEe_LBRIGx5sPz_nu9yCdG3EloYO2e_Bm1uDNxfdx7AqzGA-JMebfwbR10dc3bqedU8gYY2za49s7ssK_cu_xQ0MOLIAZKta-3bicAdmkPqNWeGjacPy/s320/buttons.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span data-offset-key="6nqrf-0-0"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What the item is: Edwardian Riding Habit Shirt</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="c17qr-0-0"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Challenge: #5 Holes</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="bb30k-0-0"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fabric/Materials: Cotton muslin</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="cj7hk-0-0"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pattern: Drafted myself</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="e49gl-0-0"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Year: 1900-1915?</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="9i4u4-0-0"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Notions: Buttons, ribbon, thread, fray check</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="9havl-0-0"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">How historically accurate is it? Not a clue; there is nothing </span></span><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="line-height: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">inaccurate</span></span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> about the shape, although machine-sewn buttonholes and fray check aren't accurate. It looks great though!</span></span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="a6ean-0-0"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hours to complete: 10</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="b7cf5-0-0"><span style="font-family: inherit;">First worn: 6/4</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="9ha0m-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Total cost: $2.50</span></span></span></div>
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Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-43713731516240805692016-05-24T17:58:00.000-07:002016-05-24T17:58:57.593-07:00Challenge #5: Holes UpdateEven though it may seem as though I've dropped off the face of the blogging planet, my current project is a Regency corset. Yay! It's come along a little on the slow side; at first I thought the cording would be fun, but after the first panel....yeah, not so much. Actually, I do enjoy the cording, but it took me a little while to figure out what the best size cord channel was. After much pulling, yanking, and hand cramping, I finally ripped out and re-stitched a few from 1/8'' channel to 3/16''. What a difference!<br />
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Living in a dry climate, my air-erasable pen disappears REALLY fast. On my first panel, I was going along, taking my sweet time tracing and getting it all perfect. As I started pinning the pieces together to start sewing, I saw that the very first lines I had drawn were already disappearing. AAAHHH! So I sewed like the wind, and that was part of why some of the channels ended up so tight. But dang, they sure turned out nice!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPBEnHNTDIzkVK0RRluJA0Ix5_n_RNBoSACfqfFMQpjxitn5IJxJWl3BU0WtDQAE_56eGd0T1Pyyfwbi5aV-IxA0j4g4NoQDx2JjJxWHokY81EteX3guTZhLbgzvbVPOk2wsvDlo176wSo/s1600/IMG_0278_picmonkeyed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPBEnHNTDIzkVK0RRluJA0Ix5_n_RNBoSACfqfFMQpjxitn5IJxJWl3BU0WtDQAE_56eGd0T1Pyyfwbi5aV-IxA0j4g4NoQDx2JjJxWHokY81EteX3guTZhLbgzvbVPOk2wsvDlo176wSo/s320/IMG_0278_picmonkeyed.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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On the next back panel, I had the sense to go through and sew the middle seam of each set of cords. Then it didn't matter too much if the lines were erased because I had a better idea of how far away to sew it. I also didn't try to force the cord in and went back and re-sewed a few. It was worth the time to re-do a few. Plus an entertaining story put me in a better mood to fix it, vs. watching Lord of the Rings which I was only partially paying attention to what I was doing. Hence the not perfectly even embroidery, lol. The sun has yet to cooperate with my tracing efforts, so the front has not even been started with the cording. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIWsbRBHl6hVr6dpGqBEIakWE7SihCvpiUVncLdwp59ONIaqdI3ypS0ujB-e-sH_Zos9JgiqAIjxt3xxMjdJIWn5wvml1RHSX4hBVdj0Uj7XYfHRdKSnTSrBrYGZalNcgdC_lR3YcYXln/s1600/IMG_0280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIWsbRBHl6hVr6dpGqBEIakWE7SihCvpiUVncLdwp59ONIaqdI3ypS0ujB-e-sH_Zos9JgiqAIjxt3xxMjdJIWn5wvml1RHSX4hBVdj0Uj7XYfHRdKSnTSrBrYGZalNcgdC_lR3YcYXln/s320/IMG_0280.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Right now, I am in a bit of a slump because I got my wisdom teeth pulled two days ago. My brain is totally unmotivated with the pain-killers, so I'm guessing Historical Sew Fortnightly entry will be a little late. The dentist recommended a hot compress; this little gel pack was the only thing Walgreens had. I have named him Penguino, and he has been of great comfort to me in my time of suffering.<br />
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Plus I've had a friend ask me to make a few small items before the first week of June, so that is also slowing me down a little. She rides her horse side-saddle and enters in small competitions with her gorgeous Gypsy Vanner; she enters in costume classes and has a gypsy costume, but she wanted a headscarf that matched her outfit. I didn't take a picture of the finished product, but here is a picture of the pretty trim.<br />
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Also, last minute they changed the open 'costume class' to Edwardian side-saddle class, and needs a habit shirt to go under her riding jacket. So far, I've got a couple ideas.<br />
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A. A chemisette with a seperate stock tie. This is today a part of traditional dressage and fox hunting attire. She would need to find a stock pin, either fancy or plain. This is my favorite in the way it looks, as it isn't too complicated to tie and is acceptable in the modern show ring.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7woVjXLh7lXKNLKUsRHiYbyWig2Ap10qxbm55LkrHMt6_tJwmZfS75POxjXrLiIqwE15scP81qHmfg5K0-5OLlN7npxufwFB1uXBUMQ70a-JdjJgAtoPni1isU1gY7ZYTLPalpJ5fOMP_/s1600/stocktie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7woVjXLh7lXKNLKUsRHiYbyWig2Ap10qxbm55LkrHMt6_tJwmZfS75POxjXrLiIqwE15scP81qHmfg5K0-5OLlN7npxufwFB1uXBUMQ70a-JdjJgAtoPni1isU1gY7ZYTLPalpJ5fOMP_/s320/stocktie.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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B. A chemisette with an actual cravat. Probably my least favorite option, as they are more complicated to tie and she doesn't prefer anything that rides up too high on the neck. Also, they are not very feminine. I know the cravat is hard to see in this fashion plate, but up close I am not entirely convinced that isn't a man.<br />
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C. A chemisette with a jabot, either lace or muslin. I think this might be the easiest option to make and wear as I think I can make them one piece, although the ruffles might be too fussy. I also don't think they are particularly Edwardian; when I think of Edwardian attire I think sleek and traditional (as far as riding habits), and jabots are really a Colonial garment. The below jabot is listed on the MET as circa 1900. Ok, so maybe it is an option. But I think I would like to avoid ruffles.<br />
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<br />Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796447204869398077.post-48541022121308076312016-04-05T09:29:00.005-07:002016-04-05T09:29:57.275-07:00Historical Sew Monthly #3: ProtectionI know, a chemise is not the most original idea. But...a chemise does protect your skin from the potential burn that corsets can give. And it also protects your dress from sweat. So protection on multiple parts! I know, only one picture, but it is only a chemise after all.<br />
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I used the Laughing Moon pattern. I <i>loved </i>this pattern! It makes me question why I bother drafting all that stuff myself and working without instructions. I may just buy patterns as often as possible from now on. I also took the time to cut out all the little notches that you use to line stuff up. Let me tell you, it made a huge difference! It also probably saved me time, as I didn't have to pull the pattern pieces back out to mark where those notches were <i>after</i> the whole thing was sewn together.<br />
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This is a Regency style chemise, and the pattern is based off of an original; the straight line style with a drawstring and gussets in the armpits is appropriate pretty much between 1795 and 1830, maybe even into the 1840's. There was something really nice about not having to gather something to something else, and I would take the gussets and drawstring over gathers with a set band any day.<br />
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For Christmas I received Jennifer Rosbrugh's Regency corset and chemise class, so I also had the video tutorials to go along with it. I really appreciated her clear instructions on the gussets, that was really helpful; without them, I probably would have had to rip out the seams two or three times before figuring it out. Which brings me to my next point:<br />
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I HAND SEWED THE WHOLE THING! And it only took a couple afternoons!<br />
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So yes, if I wanted I could say this is 100% accurate since sewing machines weren't invented until the 1840's. But why bother since the chemise is the undergarment which will be least seen? I don't know, I just love hand sewing. Actually, my flat felled seams were a little on the sloppy side; I've done them before much neater. Next time I use this pattern, I'm going to use a smaller seam to make tidier flat-felled seams.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;">What the item is: Chemise</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;">The Challenge: Protection</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;">Fabric/Materials: 100% cotton muslin, the Sew Essentials brand (basically the cheapest brand, but it irons up a lot better than whatever brand I used last time).</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;">Pattern: Laughing Moon #115</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;">Year: 1795-1830</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;">Notions: Thread, ribbon for drawstring. </span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;">How historically accurate is it? 95%; completely hand sewn and the pattern is based off of an original.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;">Hours to complete: 10 hours of handsewing</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;">First worn: Not yet</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: center;">Total cost: $5</span></span>Michaelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06892233238987056062noreply@blogger.com0