Finishing Up The Year!
I'm not going to tot up everything I made this year because it's kind of pathetic, but I will tell you what I got for Christmas!
- What Clothes Reveal, Linda Baumgarten: no explanation needed.
- Seventeenth-Century Women's Dress Patterns, Book I, Susan North and Jenny Tiramani: truly amazing resource that shows off how far technology's progressed. X-ray pictures of garments that show all the layers of fabric, interlining, and boning; pages of full-color detail photos; delicately-drawn patterns of clothing and bobbin lace and construction steps. I got an Amazon gift certificate as well - I may use it to buy book two. I'm not sure when I'm going to get to use them (Dutch settler party at Fort Orange, maybe?), but they are FANTASTIC resources.
- Period Costume for Stage & Screen, Jean Hunnisett: I've always been a bit leery of this one because my impression based on the title was that it was about stage/movie costumes, patterned for looks rather than accuracy. However, it's actually very basic patterns of extant clothing and underclothing, with some hints for doing things in a costumey way (eg, filling out an 1830s sleeve with tulle). It looks especially good for bustles and such, which aren't usually patterned in books like this, and also foundations/linings for people who are good enough to be able to drape over them.
- From the Neck Up: An Illustrated Guide to Hatmaking, Denise Dreher: OH MAN. The idea of hat-making terrifies me and yet I would really like to be able to do it as it's kind of expensive to buy them. And bonnets! I want to make a bonnet. The instructions look very clear and adaptable.
I'm not planning on doing the Fortnightly challenge, as I'm terrible at sticking to a schedule or really getting anything done, but I do have definite, specific plans for what I'm going to make this coming year, and I will tell them to you in chronological order.
- late 1830s day dress (with corset and petticoats), for Victorian events in general. I have the chemise made, as you've seen, and I have the fabric for the corset and dress. The trouble is I don't quite know what to do for the corset: koshka-the-cat's pattern, Waugh's pattern, or my pattern. I think I might do a mockup of my pattern, and if I don't like it, Waugh's.
- 1900 sailor suit from Frances Grimble's The Voice of Fashion. I need to do all of the underclothing as well; Waugh and Hunnisett give the same pattern, but Hunnisett's is on graph paper so I suspect she wins. (I actually bought some cotton shirting for the combinations, but Fabric.com ran out and canceled that part of my order. I did still get twill for corsets, though.) For a summer picnic, so I felt athletic dress would be proper and fun.
- early 1920s waist and skirt (plus underclothes - I have a combinations pattern, and I'm right now going through lots of brassiere patents online); the skirt pattern is here, and I might adapt this 1910s pattern for the waist or use one that Jenni (of Historically Dressed) has, depending on time things. Same deal with the combinations/chemise fabric as before; I do, however, have a blue and red striped shirting for the waist and a mustard gold "linen look" for the skirt.
- mid-1920s evening dress (with train for court wear), which will be worn with the previous underclothes. I got a beautiful synthetic crushed pale pink satin for this. The dress I patterned was velvet, so I might have to flatline the satin with something else to get the right weight and drape, but since I'm already starting with synthetic here I don't feel too bad about that. This one's going to be more of a costume than a reproduction.
Honestly, if I get all of this done this year I'll be very impressed with myself.
- What Clothes Reveal, Linda Baumgarten: no explanation needed.
- Seventeenth-Century Women's Dress Patterns, Book I, Susan North and Jenny Tiramani: truly amazing resource that shows off how far technology's progressed. X-ray pictures of garments that show all the layers of fabric, interlining, and boning; pages of full-color detail photos; delicately-drawn patterns of clothing and bobbin lace and construction steps. I got an Amazon gift certificate as well - I may use it to buy book two. I'm not sure when I'm going to get to use them (Dutch settler party at Fort Orange, maybe?), but they are FANTASTIC resources.
- Period Costume for Stage & Screen, Jean Hunnisett: I've always been a bit leery of this one because my impression based on the title was that it was about stage/movie costumes, patterned for looks rather than accuracy. However, it's actually very basic patterns of extant clothing and underclothing, with some hints for doing things in a costumey way (eg, filling out an 1830s sleeve with tulle). It looks especially good for bustles and such, which aren't usually patterned in books like this, and also foundations/linings for people who are good enough to be able to drape over them.
- From the Neck Up: An Illustrated Guide to Hatmaking, Denise Dreher: OH MAN. The idea of hat-making terrifies me and yet I would really like to be able to do it as it's kind of expensive to buy them. And bonnets! I want to make a bonnet. The instructions look very clear and adaptable.
I'm not planning on doing the Fortnightly challenge, as I'm terrible at sticking to a schedule or really getting anything done, but I do have definite, specific plans for what I'm going to make this coming year, and I will tell them to you in chronological order.
 |
| February 1840, The Ladies' Cabinet; something along these lines ish, basically it'll have those sleeves minus the ruffles |
- 1900 sailor suit from Frances Grimble's The Voice of Fashion. I need to do all of the underclothing as well; Waugh and Hunnisett give the same pattern, but Hunnisett's is on graph paper so I suspect she wins. (I actually bought some cotton shirting for the combinations, but Fabric.com ran out and canceled that part of my order. I did still get twill for corsets, though.) For a summer picnic, so I felt athletic dress would be proper and fun.
- early 1920s waist and skirt (plus underclothes - I have a combinations pattern, and I'm right now going through lots of brassiere patents online); the skirt pattern is here, and I might adapt this 1910s pattern for the waist or use one that Jenni (of Historically Dressed) has, depending on time things. Same deal with the combinations/chemise fabric as before; I do, however, have a blue and red striped shirting for the waist and a mustard gold "linen look" for the skirt.
- mid-1920s evening dress (with train for court wear), which will be worn with the previous underclothes. I got a beautiful synthetic crushed pale pink satin for this. The dress I patterned was velvet, so I might have to flatline the satin with something else to get the right weight and drape, but since I'm already starting with synthetic here I don't feel too bad about that. This one's going to be more of a costume than a reproduction.
Honestly, if I get all of this done this year I'll be very impressed with myself.
If you get all of this done this year, I'll be very impressed with you, as well!
ReplyDeleteMeanie!
DeleteBoy, this is really exciting, and I can't wait to see how you put it together, especially the issue of the undergarments for the 1910-20 outfit, which should really make the shirt sit well. I have some old illustrations of "long line girdle" type underthings that, judging from the photos, my grandma was wearing back then under her skirts and waists. And the Victorian number is just ravishing!
ReplyDeleteBest to you in the New Year!!
It will be tricky! I don't think I'm going to try to make a corset/girdle yet, although I probably should, but I'm still deciding on brassiere patterns.
DeleteI keep meaning to post those pictures you so kindly sent me, and I will soon.