Here are pictures of what I did this weekend. Never have I been so determined. Never have I cherished the results so much.
Inspired by Bleak House, I searched for the perfect pattern to recreate an 1850's gown a few weeks ago. I had read reviews on Truly Victorian patterns, and they all seemed very positive, so I went to the site and looked around. This dress caught my eye immediately, and I ordered it. Then, I bought a roll of tracing paper and traced my size of the pattern, so that I could keep the pieces all in tact in case I needed them later (by the way, these patterns are sized differently, and are fitted much better than generic patterns).
Saturday morning I woke up early and sewed all day. Sunday morning I woke up early and sewed all day. Today I woke up early and sewed all day. Voila!
The dress above was my first attempt at this new pattern I ordered. It looks quite nice as long as you don't look on the inside or read the actual directions too closely. I purposely changed the sleeves for more of a day look, and skipped the piping altogether on the bodice. I had never made piping, and the idea was too intimidating, so I just used store bought bias tape. And, instead of sewing on each hook and eye separately I used hook and eye tape for the first time. What an invention! It worked wonderfully. For this dress I also gave up trying to sew the skirt to the bodice as I intended, and just made a waist band for the skirt and finished off the bodice with bias tape.And then....I began again with the most lovely fabric I could find.
This one went much smoother. This morning I got up and went straight to the store to pick up some cotton yarn to make piping (an idea I found during research). I found my zipper foot, cut out the strips of fabric (on the bias), pressed them, and sewed in the yarn. Easy as pie! If only I knew. The piping made the gown look much better, and I found out why I was having trouble attaching the skirt to the bodice without it. I was so frightened when I finished sewing the skirt to the bodice. It was inside out and there was a pile of tangled fabric in my lap. But when I turned it to the right side it looked absolutely perfect! I don't know how I did it on the first try.
This time I also used the sleeves from the pattern. They are a little overwhelming when the dress is on, but I admit I like the way the look very much.
The colour is much richer in person - a deep rust red.
The end to a delightful weekend.
5 comments:
Maria this is beautiful! You are so talented, good at so many things. It's hard to believe, looking at all your pictures, that a driven, hardworking 21st century young woman did all this herself. Bravo! I wish I was half as determined.
Thank you Juniper! Sometimes (more often than I like) I wonder if I really was born in 1988 - hence the survey I have. I had a few arguments with Mr Valeriano about it last year. He argued that my idea of what past centuries were like was wrong and ill-founded. That, of course, coming from a philospoher. Yes, I am very 21st century in my actions and lifestyle, but I have an acute obsession with the past that has inspired me to try my hand at the various arts so popular then and so unpopular now.
Now, I could philosophize about why I do it, but I won't right now. Maybe I'll put that in my normal blog.
Amazing! I second Juniper -- this is beautiful. It was fun to see you tonight! If I don't see you again for a while, I hope you have a great summer and really enjoy Scotland next year!
Dear Hester, I have a "friend" that can't sew a bit, not a bit. Would she survive in the 1800s?
Also, there really is a large difference between the light colored and the red colored dress. Those little details and finishes make all the difference. And although noticing the details can cause obsessive behavior and forgetting the big picture, it is also the details that show we notice, care, and intimately love what we do.
And those seamstresses that have devoted passion to the fine art of needle, thread, and fabric will know more than an untrained eye what fine work is. If I may twist Longinus a bit, make your work as if it will be judged by the greatest seamstresses of all time, as if they are examining your work.
And if I may blab on--WE are the most detailed and finely knit of all creation. It's only fitting that or garb displays this, framing us for display to the world.
Your friend would have survived, I believe, in the 1800's without any sewing skills. Especially if she were of the middle or upper class. And if she was a working, poorer woman, she probably would not have had too much time for sewing except to do simple mending and such. And if she had to, I am sure she would have learned to tolerate sewing enough in order to clothe herself and her family.
Only a few gowns were necessary, and these were often made by professional seamstresses.
And yes, we are the most detailed and beautiful of creation. Modern clothes are hardly fit for us to wear. But after wearing one of these gowns all day it is no wonder that we have sacrificed these "fine feathers" for jeans and a T-shirt.
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