What do you mean hand sewing an entire 18th century dress in one weekend is insane?

[isabelladangelo]

Okay, so not the entire thing. The boning channels for the lining are machine sewn. And the petticoat is machine sewn. But the bodice pieces are being handsewn together and I'll probably do another mix of machine/hand sewing for the trim. Unfortunately, the way I'm putting the dress together, it just doesn't look right if it's not handsewn in certain areas.

The dress is pink and will had a pink silk and green velvet trim down the front. The stomacher is ivory with green velvet trim. I'm just wearing my old ivory petticoat that I think pretty much everyone had seen twenty times now. Very useful things those ivory petticoats. They go with everything!

No pictures -sorry! I lost the recharger for my camera at World's Fair and I have yet to go to Best Buy and get a new one. I'll do that tomorrow and then take pretty pictures! By then, the dress will probably be done... I'm going for a rather basic polonaise and, so far (the bodice only needs one more seam), it fits beautifully. :-)

Comments

[mc-cadieux.livejournal.com]

Sounds lovely, I can't wait to see it :)

[isabelladangelo.livejournal.com]

Pictures later today! I just finished the stomacher and it came out a lot better than I thought it would...

[mc-cadieux.livejournal.com]

Yay!

[vesper2000.livejournal.com]

Don't forget to take stretching breaks.

[isabelladangelo.livejournal.com]

:-) I have. Actually, is walking from the computer back to the papasan to sew counting?

[kaypendragon.livejournal.com]

Do you have a favorite petticoat pattern or petticoat sewing tips?

[isabelladangelo.livejournal.com]

Oh yes! For a petticoat, all I do is take a little over four yards of fabric, cut two 3" strips from a side of the material (so 3" by 45" or whatever the width of the fabric is), and then cut the remaining material in half.

Pleat/gather the two pieces of material to the middle of the small strips. I have a 28~29" waist uncorseted. It goes down a couple of inches when I'm wearing my stays. I like to pleat to about 14" so that both pieces are 14" across the top, making a total of 28" total to be pleated/gathered to the waistbands which are those two 3" strips of fabric. (I really hope that makes sense) Match the middles of the fabric to the middle of waistband. Sew 'em up and sew up the sides of the material to about 8" from the top (so you'll have room to get to your pockets!). Hem the bottom edge and make sure to flip the strips over like any normal waistband. Don't cut the strips since you can tie them for the sides. Just fold them under and sew 'em up so you can't see the raw edges.

[madamekat.livejournal.com]

The colors sound so pretty. I can't wait to see it!

(Might you wear this for our upcoming -yet unscheduled- trip to Williamsburg together later this Summer?)

[isabelladangelo.livejournal.com]

Oh yes! If it's not raining. :-)

When would you like to come down? I'm about three hours away from Williamsburg...well, the way I drive. :-)