Sewing stuff

[isabelladangelo]

I started on the 18th c stays. I think I might bind them in the remaining red silk I have but I don't know yet. I'm using black thread to make the outlines of the boning really pop. I'm going to hand sew it so it might be done by the time I'm back from vacation. Yes, I'm bringing the project with me to St. Kitts.

I was going through my fabric stash yesterday and saw, again, this fabric that I've had for a while. It's gorgeous. It's a cotton jacquard in a deep red and gold. I finally have decided what it should be. I'm going to make (another) 1550's Venetian gown out of it. The slight difference this time is that I've created my own pattern for it. I normally just edit an existing pattern of a bodice and add a skirt. The muslin I made for this one is a slight bit different. Hopefully, it will come out okay.

I basically want to make a couple more Venetians for myself before Pennsic because front lacing dresses at Pennsic are a good thing. Not that I mind asking people to help all that much in the morning but I would like to be able to lace myself in and run if necessary...and have a pretty dress to boot! ...especially a pretty PERIOD dress and not one of the "irish" dresses. (Okay, so I have one up in my room...I only wear it to renn faire though. It's not an SCA dress.)

Comments

Introduction

[ren_flora.livejournal.com]

Hi! orlacarey just referred me to you... Checking your blog, I see you know 18th century costume.
Next Monday I need a costume to play a late-18th or early-19th century lady (the wife of White House architect James Hoban, circa 1790s). Would you have any ideas on where I might buy/rent/borrow an appropriate costume in the DC or Baltimore area? That, or could you recommend any not-to-complicated commercial sewing patterns that could be made in one weekend?

Thanks!
Flora (RenFlora AT yahoo DOT com)

Re: Introduction

[isabelladangelo.livejournal.com]

Hi and welcome!

I've only just begun to dabble in that area myself. In terms of renting/buying:
http://www.costumescreative.com/index.asp in Silver Spring

Gene’s Costumes 10636 Connecticut Ave, Kensington, MD (301) 949-4111 (I honestly don't think they are even open anymore but the building is still there)

In terms of making: I'd go regency (~1790-1820's). It's fairly simple, flat lines that isn't too terribly complicated. The best Big 3 pattern out there is Simplicity 4055 with the underthings in Simplicity 4052. It may be too much to make both the underthings and the dress so I'd be tempted just to make the dress. I'm guessing this isn't down to the skin accurate? So a sports bra (eck!) might be subsituted for now just in case you don't get the short stays and chemise done. Although, for me at least, chemises are always pretty easy. I can get one done in under an hour so you might want to try to get the underthings done as well.
Stick with plain colors you can wear a long narrow sleeved chemise underneath it if you wish. You can also just add long narrow sleeves to the dress.
Feel free to ask more questions. I know of at least a couple of people on my blog who will be able to tell you a lot more than I ever could on that era. :-)

Just to give you an idea of what regency looks like:
http://www.sensibility.com/pattern/regency.htm

The lady that did this pattern also did the Simplicity patterns, or so I've been told.