Almost there....

more or less, with only a day in which to finish up. The stays still need to have hand-stitching over the eyelets, but if I had to, I could use them as is...my little secret. If I had them to do again (and I think I will) I'd cut the gores for the next smaller cup size, just to get better lift. They seem a bit loose around the top.

The green dress is finished except for hand hemming, which I expect to finish during evenings in a hotel room, over the next few days. The fabric is a bit heavy for the style, but I think it's ok. I'll have pictures later this week.

I'm working on the white-on-white striped dress. It's not exactly going to be what I had really wanted, but time just got in the way. It will be good though. The sleeve is the long sleeve, cut to a short sleeve length. I just did not want the puffy short sleeve that came with the pattern. I wanted the smoothly fitted sleeve seen in some of the art of 1795-99. I compromised with the slight puffing at the cap of a sleeve that fits somewhat smoothly the rest of the way down.

This whole process has certainly been about compromises, settling for stash items instead of buying new, settling for techniques that were not my first choice. I have NOT serged anything! I'm going to do French seams on the white-on-white, and on the baby blue underlayer. Yes, the white-on-white is over the top of a baby blue batiste. I'm doing two full-length layers, not the tunic length over long skirt seen in some paintings. I like the look, especially with the sleeves in the sheer white only.

It's too late for pictures tonight, but I'll add some over the next few days.

I had thought that it would be fun to photograph the process of building these gowns in some detail, but maybe on future projects. Too much of the time on these gowns, I was making it up as I went along, winging it, compromising between the Sense & Sensibility instructions and the Simplicity versions of the S&S patterns. It was too much to be thinking about taking pictures too.

Well, if I'm going to get these done tomorrow...I need SLEEP!

Moving right along...

Progress, slow but steady.

I got the interfacing layer for the stays cut out and sewn. I'll be darned if I can figure out how to fit myself, but it doesn't really seem to far off, so I'm going to gamble on it being ok. The outer and lining layers got cut, sewn and basted on either side of the interfacing. I'm ready for the eyelets, but will have to go to the hardware store in the morning to get a real awl or icepick. I just don't seem to have anything that will make enough of a hole for the hand-stitched eyelets. Here it is, waiting for eyelets, boning channels and boning, and binding. Actually, I really like it.














The chemise is finished. It's basic. The picture isn't very exciting, but finished is the key concept here.



So this evening, I was ready to cut the white-on-white stripe, but I'm having second thoughts about that gown. Instead, I cut the gray-green jacquard, to my own amazement! I'm not sure how well the fabric is going to work for this period, but I'm definitely going to find out.

Mid-way through the cutting out, I realized that I had misunderstood the gown assembly, and that I needed some lining. Luckily, I just happened to have a nice piece of dark green 100% cotton, acquired at Britex in San Francisco over 17 years ago. It should work well as the under layer of the skirt and the bodice lining. Nice to be able to shop in one's own stash.

As for the white stripe, I'm thinking maybe a pale silk satin under layer would be much better, but don't have the silk satin, so this would delay this gown until after Costume College. I don't want to do that, but will have to sleep on this one, think about it some more tomorrow. Maybe shop my stash once more too.

So I'm making progress. Four days until I leave for California. Four days to sew up, hopefully, 2 gowns. If they go well, I may try to squeeze in a really cute, novelty print chemise, just for grins and chuckles. We'll see.

And as for the costume...well...

Ah yes, the costume. Oh boy. Thank heavens the late 1700's, 1795-1799 specifically, produced some of the simplest women's styles since the ancient Greeks! Of course, those same Ancient Greeks provided the primary inspiration for much of what was worn during those 5 years, plus a few years on the other side of 1800. Sewing and fitting the chemises, stays, and gowns of the Directoire/Empire period isn't too terribly much more difficult than sewing a basic, elastic neckline, peasant top from the 1960's-70's - yeah - pretty easy for the most part. Not as easy as a Greek peplos or chiton, but not too bad.

Fabric was my first challenge. Inspite of having a stash the size of Mt. Rushmore, I really didn't have anything appropriate for this costume. I have a few basic white cottons suitable for chemises and stays, but nothing for a late 18th C. gown. Odds of finding anything locally? Why even bother looking. So I headed for the net, and had a pretty good time at Renaissance Fabrics. Ordered dark green cotton velvet, a dark grayish-green jacquard, a gold/taupe stripe, a white-on-white stripe, and both white and off-white cotton lawn.

Green Velvet

Gray-green jacquard

Gold/taupe cotton stripe - the light strip is more gold than it appears here.

White-on-white stripe

Off-white cotton lawn

The velvet is lovely, but not for this project. The jacquard is a rather large motif (see picture) and a little stiff, but might work. The stripe is a heavier, stiffer cotton than I wanted, and may not be useable for this at all. Not sure what it will be good for. The white-on-white stripe was the best piece for this project, provided I put a lawn or batiste layer under it, in addition to the chemise. I know the Directoire period gowns were very light and sheer - but not for me!

Then...the pattern. The time constraint was the major factor in choosing which pattern to use. I had several on hand, so did not have to lose time waiting for something to come by mail.

The main differences between the last years of the 18th C. and the first years of the 19th were fabrics and colors (or lack thereof), sleeve fullness, skirt fullness and details like trims. I wanted to aim for the simplest look of that 5 year period, 1795-99, not just because of time but because I prefer the smoother sleeve style of the early part of this look. I did not want to get into the Jane Austen, puffy-sleeve look.

Although, if I could go back a few years earlier, I'd love to do this:

This is Marie Antoinette in 1786, by the artist LeBrun, and my next project, I do believe.

But for now, I'm looking mainly at these images, all 1765-99, as my main reference.



Hoppner, 1795 --------- Boilly, 1803 -------------------- Boilly, 1798

I like the low gathered bodice on the right, or the smooth bodice in the middle. I also like the smooth, non-puffy sleeves. I would like to do the wrapped bodice someday, but not this week.

For patterns, I looked at these three:

The first on the left is the Regency Wardrobe from La Mode Bagatelle. It may be the best Regency pattern available, or not, but it's truly Regency and not as easily adapted to pre-Regency as I needed. The middle image is Sense & Sensibility's Regency Gown pattern. It seemed a more flexible pattern, given my need to make it look pre-Regency, but Simplicity has published their version of the same pattern, under agreement with Sense & Sensibility. I opted to use the Simplicity pattern for the convenience of the pattern tissue so I wouldn't have to take time to trace off pattern pieces. I will use the Sense & Sensibility pattern eventually but not while I'm in a hurry.

I will use the Sense & Sensibility instructions as they are more specific and detailed, and simply make more sense then instructions that Simplicity included. This is even more true and critical if using the Simplicity version of Sense & Sensibility's Regency Underthings pattern. Simplicity gives a vague instruction for seam finished and the best sequence in which to apply them. The S&S instructions are MUCH better.

So, I"ve cut and begun stitching a chemise and stays from Simplicity 4052, and expect to have them finished this evening. The stays look really comfortable! I'm going to make Simplicity 4055, with adjustments for the pre-Regency look that I'm seeking, first in the white-on-white stripe, and then in a color, time permitting.

Since all of this is initially for me to wear at Costume College, I had one more wild idea to squeeze in if time permits. For the Sunday Undies Breakfast, if they have it this year, I thought it might be fun to make up the chemise pattern in a really cute, contemporary print, for a nightgown for myself. The fabric is a ballet-themed print, showing little girls (3-yr-olds maybe?) in their tutus, in various poses, sitting, standing, holding toys. The colors are bright pastels of blue, pink and lavender.

I'll add pictures of fabrics, as well as the project in progress later today.

The Mad Scramble to Costume College

Well, here I am, less than a week from leaving for California, and just getting started on the cutting and sewing of one costume for Costume College! Nothing like waiting until the last minute. Of course, the moved-up departure date isn't helping any. I could leave 3 or 4 days later, but Chris needs a trip to the beach. He's had a very dull summer, so we're leaving early for Santa Monica. After we have our beach time, his dad will come out, pick him up and drive back to Phoenix...whew!

Before all of that happens, I am working on the little details of my costume - shoes, hair, a small bag maybe. The sewing part is no big deal, but the shoes and hair may drive me crazy. With my oh so very straight hair, the late 1790's are a real challenge. It's a pretty safe bet that I won't be looking anything like any of the pictures from that time!

Shoes...oh my. Well, it was suggested that canvas jazz boots might make a pretty good imitation of late 18th/early 19th century footwear, so I ordered a couple of pairs, one white, one black. Dance shoe sizing tends to be 1 to 2 sizes off from street shoes, so I called a company and got their advise on sizing. Lucky me! The 2 pairs fit great and are really comfy. I'm not sure how exactly I'll use them, but here's a picture.


I also made a trip to Payless ShoeSource, seeking simple flats. I have 3 possibilities, the first of which is pictured here:



The other two are almost the same, minus the arch strap. One is a skinny black & white stripe - side to side on the foot. The last is a slightly sparkly, course-weave fabric in a beige/gold. None of these are perfect, but for last-minute options, one or two of them should be manageable.

I'm contemplating ways to improve them, for period purposes, but will have better ideas about that after the costume is finished. More on that, later today, tomorrow...all week no doubt.

Well, summer is flying by...and I'm not getting much done! Need to have something in the way of a late 18th century costume ready for me to wear in about 2 weeks...probably shouldn't be on here typing!

Here's a little curiousity of mine:

http://www.cafepress.com/passion4fashion

I keep thinking that I should do more with this, but so far....nope.

I'll be back when I actually have something worthwhile to add here.