How to Scale Up a Diagram

Since I received Janet Arnold's books for my birthday, I've started scaling up some of the patterns so I can actually use them. They're all on a diagram, and each tiny square = 1''. Of course, I doubt I'll ever get around to making some of these things, but I like to hang on to the finished patterns.

Many ladies like to go to a print shop and print the patterns up to scale, but I've been doing mine at home. It takes a bit of time, but not a lot, and it isn't that hard. The books themselves suggest to draw out a grid on paper and then transfer it, but I tried that and it takes forever just to draw out the grid! I think I spent an hour using that method just for the front bodice piece. The method below is my own.

You will need:

-A fairly large quilting mat.
-A long ruler; I use a quilting ruler that is 18''x3''. A yardstick could potentially work, but a normal 12'' ruler would be too short.
-A roll of see-through plastic tablecloth; the kind that is used for parties and cut to the table size, then thrown away afterwords. It is imperative that it is see-through, that is what makes this process so easy!*
-A couple weights, or anything heavy that happens to be nearby (a candle, the Bible, a mug of coffee, which wasn't a good idea....)
-A permanent marker, and a normal old pen
-The pattern you wish to scale up!

My adorable dog, who likes to supervise.

*Now I am going to talk about how much I love this stuff. I bought a big roll at Zurchers for around $10, and it is the best thing ever! Not only can it be manipulated like fabric on a dress form, but it is see-through, which is a great advantage in doing scaling work. It also stores better than paper, which creases and rips. This doesn't really rip, but it can stretch if pulled too much. I actually tried to sew with it like a mock up, but the feed-dogs on my machine didn't like that.

Before I begin, there are certain pieces which I don't bother with. Usually, this means skirts, especially if they are just rectangles sewn together. Even if it has a train or the like, I know that it probably wouldn't be the right length anyway, so I just go ahead and mark the circumference and occasionally length of the skirt somewhere on one of the other pattern pieces.  Complicated draping on bustle skirts might be the main exception, or some of the really fitted skirts in the 2nd volume.

To start, spread out your plastic roll onto the mat and put a couple weights on the corners. Match up the edge of the plastic so that it doesn't butt up directly to that line but a little past it.

If there are any straight lines on the grain of the fabric, like center front or back, start there and use your ruler to keep it neat. You'll work off of this line. Use the normal pen, because later we'll use the permanent marker to darken the final lines. The particular pattern I'm scaling today is a 1770-1780 bodice. Most of the dress in the 1700's are pretty easy, because the very front is straight. However, the front on this one isn't on the grain, so I'm going to start on the bottom.

To draw the rest of the confusing curves, there are a couple different ways to do it. 1, mark it slowly square by square, or 2, mark dots every so often and connect them with a smooth curve. Below, I'm doing a little of both at the same time.

I usually pay attention on the grid to where the lines go through the square. Mentally, I'll mark it either as 1/4'', a hair to either side of that, or right from corner to corner, etc. Take advantage of the little dots within each square inch on the mat.

Here, I've come to where I'd rather not mark out every single line, so carefully counting out the squares I made a reference point at center front. I'm just going to 'wing it', so to speak. Isn't my way of drafting great? Maybe that's why I have to spend so much time mocking up...

Good enough, says the sewing demon within me.

On all the lines that are straight, but aren't on the grain, I like to work completely around it until the end, and then use the ruler to connect them.

Outline the finished product in permanent marker so that any lines that you may have had to fiddle with to get straight don't mess you up later.

Remember, the Janet Arnold patterns don't have seam allowances included, so when cutting out the pattern to store, allow a couple inches all the way around for some flat drafting. Of course, I should take my own advice, since I messed up and there wasn't any on the side seam in the end. Don't forget to also add grain arrows to keep it all neat! To store them, pin all the pieces together and date them so they don't get mixed up.

Buying Cotton Prints from Chain Fabric Stores

When I started looking at fabric for very, very first period-correct dress (well, mostly correct), I was told a ton of do's and don'ts for buying prints. I had no idea what to look for, and kept liking fabrics that apparently weren't good enough.
I am in no way an expert, but have trained my eye to be able to skim over all the fabrics at Joanns and have an idea of what may or may not be acceptable. None of these are hard and fast rules, but are fairly basic guidelines as to what to look for. I pretty much only do 1860's at this point, so these rules probably won't apply to anything going into the 1870's or later.

Look for strong contrast in printed fabric. In general, go with something that has two very different colors, suhc as orange with blue or red with yellow. Light pink with another medium pink print is probably not a strong enough contrast, although light pink with dark might be okay. The brown one below might have been okay, except that there is hardly any contrast.

Repetitive prints are the very first thing I look for. That is how I can skim so quickly and determine what may or may not be okay. The red one below is not even enough, it looks random. The blue one is actually very good, although I've seen it in person and the dots are a little metallic.

No solid colors for cotton! White is fine, but solid dye in cotton wasn't stable, and would show fading very fast. Chain fabric stores sell fabric that looks pre-faded, so don't use those either. Some dingy colors (like gray-blue) are also not appropriate.

Avoid tonal or teeny-tiny prints, which eliminates just about every single one at Joanns. If it appears solid when you stand back, the print is too small. Anything that is just one continuous solid mass doesn't work with the way fabric was printed back then.

Don't use anything with a black background. Black shows fading very fast, even with print on top. This is one I'm not sure about, but was told.

Be aware of any prints behind the prints, if that makes any sense. There are many wonderful reproduction fabrics that have a print on top of another that is historically accurate, but be aware that you may need to do some research if buying from a chain fabric store.

While floral prints are really pretty, it is veeeerrry hard to find any that are plausible at all. In the 1860's, any flowers were more geometric than realistic, which simply isn't done any more. Realistic is favorited currently, so that is what sells. The one below is a reproduction fabric.

Here is the absolute best place to buy period prints, even if it is expensive: http://www.reproductionfabrics.com/

When shopping online and it gives manufacturer options to limit it down, look for Judie Rothermel and/or Marcus Brothers. Marcus Brothers sells most of their fabric as 'reproduction', but only some of it seems plausible. It is a good place to start, and they do have a few good ones.

Some of the ones that fit all the criteria may not fit your taste criteria. The strong contrast and weird geometric prints sometimes don't match up with our modern color palate, but honestly I've just learned to deal with it and buy the fabric anyway. Wash dresses are supposed to be grubby, get-the-housecleaning-done dresses, and to me it doens't matter all that much if the fabric isn't perfect.

My favorite compromise: go with plaid. It's easier to find a plaid at your local fabric shop that both meets historical accuracy and your favorite colors. WARNING: the homespun plaid Joanns sells can be used, but is of a very cheap quality. Don't pay more than 3-4 dollars a yard, and remember that coupons are your friend. Joanns also takes as many competitor coupons as the amount of items you're purchasing.

12 Tips When Making Your Mock Up

For some people, this may seem like a ridiculous question, but I had no idea what a mock up was when I first started costuming. That is probably why none of them turned out just right.

When I make costumes, and I'll say I'm doing the mock up, some people give me rather blank stares and have absolutely no idea what I am talking about.

Basically, a mock up is a test of whatever pattern you are using to make sure it fits before you cut into your 'final' fabric. Some people swear by muslin, but I prefer using an old sheet or whatever cotton fabric I know I won't want. You piece together your sheet after cutting out the pieces, and then try it on and tweak it to make it fit. Here are some pictures I took of myself when I was trying to determine what to change. You may notice how in the pictures, I sewed up the back and pinned in the front, even though in the end it would be a back closing dress:

Thankfully the first costume I made in which I thought I knew what I was doing but really had no clue, it turned out to fit me pretty well. Sadly, the I made four costumes before I even heard what a mock up was. The first three were loose enough that it didn't matter, but I tried to make a tight fitting dress and it was much much too tight, so I only wore it once.

That same tight dress I came back to and  made a mock up in the same size as before, and I was surprised to find it fit perfectly. What I had done wrong was I made it completely, and then tried it on. It came down too low, so it seemed like a good idea to simple take it in in the shoulders. That was the worst mistake ever. The finished garment the armholes were so tight from where I took it in, and the front bunched horribly because the bust seams, which curved with me and would have fit fine, had been pulled up too much by the adjustment and the whole thing wrinkled up. I wish I had some better before and after pictures.

Here are some tips I have found very useful when making a mock up:

1. When sewing the pieces together, use the largest stitch available. That way, when you tweak it, you can easily rip all the pieces apart and use that as your pattern instead of the tissue and then have to remark the changes from your mock up to the actual fabric.

2. Use a different color thread from the mock up fabric you are using; seeing the seams is easier when there is a contrast.

3. Before putting on the mock up, make sure you wear whatever undergarments you will be wearing when it is finished. Also put on a tight-fitting tank top.

4. When trying on the mock up, put it on inside out. You can then pull in seams where it is needed just by pinching them to whatever size you need, then pinning them (be careful not to poke yourself!). 

5. When I put it on, I have found that I like to pin the mock up to my tank top at the side seams and the center front. If I'm working with darts or gathers,  then I can do it evenly.

6. If the pattern you are using has darts, don't cut into them for the mock up! Instead, mark where they will be on the mock up, then pin them in. You don't really need to stitch them in on the mock up.

7. On one of the back closing dresses that I made, I found it was helpful to baste up the back exactly how it would be when I was done, then keep the front open (there was a center front seam). Then I pinned the front with a half inch seam, like how it would be done when it was finished.

8. Don't be afraid to cut into that mock up! I have found that lots of patterns make the arm hole too small, so on the mock up I'll cut into the back part of the armhole quite a bit.

9. Also don't be afraid to mark your mock up! On the last pattern I did, I got tired of making notes, so I took a marker and wrote all my changes on the mock up, then took it off and took it in in some places. 

10. Not all the pieces from your pattern need to be turned into a mock up. I usually leave out the sleeves, and making an entire skirt for a costume usually takes more time than it is worth. I only add the sleeves if I think there is a chance they won't work, such as if the sleeves are particularly tight, or in the last case, the mock up sleeves were way too small.

11. If your first mock up is a complete flunk, such as it is too small or it is way too large, cut another one in a different size! I have one friend that drafts her own patterns, and does many, many mock ups on just one part of the pattern. She likes to make sure it is perfect; then the piecing together process goes much faster. On the other hand, I have a friend that always does only one. She slashes into that thing, and is really more of a measure once cut twice person. In her case, it takes more time for her to complete the garment, because she needs to make more changes to the actual finished product.

12. One of my friends really likes to really only focus on one side of the pattern. It really works well; she makes both sides of the mock up, but only makes changes to one side. In this way, it saves time and you don't have to get both sides perfectly the same. If you try this, make sure you pin your mock up to a tank top to make sure it doesn't slip around and the  front stays in the front.