Challenge #20: Outerwear #3 The story behind the Pelisses...

I apologize for the lack of updates here, but I've been busy.  I posted a little about Victoria's Pelisse here. and a little about my own here.  But I thought a bit more description/information is warranted.  See I've some sewing experience, I consider myself an intermediate seamstress, but I've NO experience AT ALL when it comes to tailoring.  Also, this is my first time using wool (nice thick fat warm wool).  I sew on a Singer Merritt 4350 that was given to me in 1990 when I joined the military and moved away from home.  So the idea of sewing outerwear was daunting to say the least.  However, I needed to have two warm coats for a Regency era sailing trip in October in the SF Bay Area.  So off I went to find fabric and I lucked into a great sale at Fabrics.com.  I was able to obtain a couple of lovely wool blends at $2.95/yard!  I also ordered a lovely cotton print to line the jacket with (alas the fabric for mine was out of stock).

I started by making mock-ups.  I usually turn such things into linings and was lucky enough to (mostly) be able to do that here.  They are made differently and each suits our personality I think.  Victoria's is a no nonsense kind of coat with a lined bodice and sleeves but an unlined skirt.  Mine is a little more lively with a lined bodice and skirt, but because I will be wearing long sleeved dress I did not line the sleeves.

Vicki's took a little more doing because she has scoliosis so we decided to avoid the collar and such and to fit the jacket to HER instead of just making the jacket and then altering it to work for her.  We could have added a shoulder pad for the right shoulder to bring it more in line with the left, but I felt it was more period to follow her body's shape than to create the illusion of another shape.  Her left shoulder is 4cm (~1.5 inches) higher than her right and the apex of her left breast is higher too. Oddly enough her right breast "looks" larger than her left - but I think its an illusion based on the fact that her left breast stretches upwards  I think they both have the same mass but that mass is distributed differently on her body.  Think of her rib cage like a fan on the horizontal plane.  The left side is spread open a bit and the right side is closed up just a little tighter to compensate.  Just like you do when you stretch to reach something, but hers never relaxes back to normal.  So while visually her pelisse looks "off" it really isn't. It took a lot of patience and taking it apart and putting it back together to make it fit but it worked.

My pelisse has a fuller skirt to accommodate my hips ('cuz well I got 'em).  Also, I kind of like the swing.  I added a blue lining to the skirt so that when it moves you get glimpses of blue... I used a print in the bodice that looks a bit 18th century.  The collar was a little tough because the pattern has you cut out the top and bottom the same size and I later learned that you want to cut the bottom layer about a 1/4 inch smaller than the top to accommodate for the fold over when its on the jacket.  I dealt with that by taking a tiny tuck along the bottom of the collar so that it lays prettier.  I even got an overlap on the bust and was able to make it double breasted (with machined buttonholes and everything!)  Also it looks a little like what I would expect a Hobbit's winter coat to look like...

Both jackets seem to be wearable in modern clothing (with the correct support). Which is nice. All in all, I'm rather pleased that I managed to make up actual wearable garments!

<wiping sweat off forehead> Now to less stressful sewing!  (I think I'll make me a huswife)

Challenge #20 Part 2 My Pelisse

      

  

Fabric: Wool/Poly blend - Lining is cotton (From my stash)
Pattern: Sense and Sensibility Spencer/Pelisse
Year: Regency (Roughly 1800-1820ish)
Notions: Buttons ($4.20)
How historically accurate is it? Pretty good, period pattern, fabric looks period, a mixture of machine and hand sewing.
Hours to complete:Several, I did this over the course of two weeks.  
First worn: For the Tall Ships in October
Total cost: < $30 (I have a couple of yards of wool left over).

Challenge #20: Outerwear #1 Vicki's Pelisse

  

Fabric: Wool/Poly blend - Lining is cotton
Pattern: Sense and Sensibility Spencer/Pelisse
Year: Regency (Roughly 1800-1820ish)
Notions: two brown coat hooks
How historically accurate is it? Pretty good, period pattern, fabric looks period, a mixture of machine and hand sewing.
Hours to complete:Several, I did this over the course of two weeks.  Vicki has scoliosis (her left shoulder is 4 cm higher than her right) so it took a lot of fitting and adjusting and taking things apart (even with a mock-up)!
First worn: For the Tall Ships in October
Total cost: > $30 (I have a couple of yards of wool and cotton left over).

Jen's Pelisse, Part One

So I'm using the Sense and Sensibility Spencer/Pelise Pattern to make outerwear for our Tall Ship Adventure.  I've cut out the pattern size based on my corseted measurements.  After fitting it on my dress form (Prof Sprout) - its's WAY to big.  It doesn't help that I cut out the double breasted pattern and want the front edges to kiss and if that was the only difference I wouldn't be frustrated already.  However it is still too big when I fold that back.  Photos below.  At this point I've pinned it in two different ways to see what I will like better.  

These first two photos show the double breasted overlap and how much excess fabric there STILL is...

On the left (which is the wearer's right side) I'm taking the excess out of center front. On the right I'm taking it out of the princess seam.  Right now I'm liking the left side better, but I'm going to try it on to see over my dress etc to make sure I'm not pinning too much out.  On both sides I've taken two inches from the front piece...  Below are more photos showing the pinning.

   

HSF - #4 Embellish

We don't want to discuss how late I am with this one (ahem, MONTHS).  Although in reality I've done loads of embellishments since then, but this little project only fits this HSF challenge.  I originally made the reticule a couple of years ago when I first made my blue Dickens work dress.  This is the same fabric.  For this project I simply added an applique that I found in my grandmother's stash.  This will be my new everyday reticule for Regency... since most of those dresses are green or red this won't match so it will be perfect.

The Challenge: Embellish

Fabric: none

Pattern: none

Year: Regency Era

Notions:an applique from the stash

How historically accurate is it? weeelll, it isn't embroidered per se but it LOOKS like whitework - right?

Hours to complete:less than one (once I found and cleaned everything.

First worn: For Costume College

Total cost: nada

My VERY FIRST completely hand sewn dress! And HSF #18

Remember this?

Cartridge pleated skirt

Well, unfortunately 20 yards of Indian cotton doesn't pouf out a skirt much and while it was fun to make and learn that "Yes, I too can do it!" - its the perfect color for the next project (HSF #18) I have.  See, I want to make the jumper Anne Hathaway wears in Becoming Jane.

Screen Capture - Anne Hathaway - Becoming Jane (2007)

As you can see, its a sheer-ish dress but with a chemise and pantalettes, its very modest.  I was sick for much of the stitching, however the skirt is four panels re-gathered into the original waistband.  The bodice is simply two panels with a curve at the top and at the armsceye.  I also made the cord for the neckline by hand as well!  I don't need to tell you that it was really hard to turn the fabric until I figured out to use the smallest safety pin I owned...

The shirt is an old shirt that was in my repair basket.  I've had it for around 10 years and it was a favorite until the lace under the bodice tore.  I repaired it with the machine (zig-zag) and cut the full length sleeves into 3/4 ones and added the cuff/tie by hand.  (The shirt was done in a couple of hours this evening).

Ta-da!

        

HSF #18 -Re-make, Re-use & Re-fashion

Fabric: Indian cotton (from the skirt) and an old blouse I've had for about 10 years or so.

Pattern: hand drafted (on the fabric)

Year: roughly 1795

Notions: hook and bar, thread

How historically accurate is it? Its based on a movie costume - I've not seen extant examples that are similar, but a its a summer day dress it wouldn't have lasted long anyway.  Those were probably turned into quilts and rags when worn out.  Certainly not kept as treasures.

Hours to complete: about a week of hand sewing in the evenings (about 4 hours a day)

First worn: For the photos - but I'm taking it to costume college.  It feels comfortable enough to wear in class and not too distracting.

Total cost: $0 (Woo-hoo!)

Long Sleeve Chemise (aka HSF #13)

I love Regency - the clothes are just so comfortable... and I wanted to make a long sleeve chemise based off one I saw in a painting. 

Statens Museum for Kunst: Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg: The Nathanson Family 1818

As the chemise in the painting is sheer - and I'm going to be wearing it under a (probably) poly velvet dress I got at a festival fundraiser last year - I decided to use Indian cotton.  I purchase my fabric at a local Indian food store in in town at about $2/yard.  I'm sure the owners think I am crazy for all the turban fabric I buy...  

Since I was going for fast and easy, I used a pattern I've had for a while as the basis.  I went ahead and cut out full widths of fabric for the front and back pieces and pieced it together following the patterns instructions (from memory) and then measured my neckline.  After cutting out a rectangle about 30 inches long and 5 inches wide, I started to gather the bodice.  I used the "zigzag over thread" method of gathering that my Mam-ma used.  

I was worried about getting the armband tight enough to stay up until I decided to use elastic cord and the place the lace over it.    Check it out!

The Challenge: Lace and Lacing

Fabric: Indian cotton and cotton lace from my stash.

Pattern: Butterick 6196 (the shirt part)

Year: 1818

Notions: Lace and elastic cord

How historically accurate is it? Its mostly hand sewn and the fabric is cotton - but I used elastic cord so I wouldn't have to tie it every time...

Hours to complete: about a day

First worn: Not yet

Total cost: <$10

HSF #2

The Challenge: UFO (UnFinished Object) - I ended up flossing the boning channels in my Regency Corset.  I had already shortened it enough, so I'm thinking that boning the channels (which I never got to after the alteration) will be enough.

Hours to complete: Really, less than one.  But I did it as I watched some TV.

Total cost: $0 all from my stash

This and That - UFPs

So, I've been spending a lot of time working on UFPs and little projects.  I added ruffled cuffs to a dress I purchased from a de-stash.  I may add ruffles around the collar but I want to wait and see...

Ruffled cuffs!

 I finished the strawberry embroidery for a pocket and just need to add the ties.

pocket embroidery done!

My new scrap basket (a $2 basket and a liner made from stash material)!

A pin cushion made from scraps of Prof. Sprout!

regency chemise

So I was inspired to make this when I purchased a regency dress from a de-stash.  I like regency but really haven't gotten around to making a chemise.  I want to make the sleeves long with a ruffle at the wrists as the fabric is itchy and I think that ruffles will look pretty.  I'm also debating making a chemisette with long sleeves  and a separate sleeveless chemise instead, so we will have to see.

I've heard good things about the elizabethancostume.net online pattern generator, so I'm going to try it.

http://www.elizabethancostume.net/smockpat/customsmock.cgi?page=1&bust=50&waist=44&hip=55&stowr=23.5&uparm=14&hand=8&stoh=55&stos=15.5&type=all&picsize=small&url=index&item=smock

Here are some other online resources I'm using:

http://sharonburnston.com/shifts.html

For fabric, I have access to a wonderful little Indian grocery and picked up 10 yards of voile weight Indian cotton. (oh ma gawd will that feel nice next to the skin!)  I understand that linen was the usual fabric for shifts, however I live in Northern California and wear my dresses in the summer mostly, if I lived closer to the coastline, I might relent.  Plus my fabric is only $2 a yard!

My goal is to finish this by Halloween... we'll see.

Child's late 18th century Dress

The down and dirty.  I had about a week to make this (and the bonnet) when I realized that I would be taking Lucie with me to the GBACG 18th Century Picnic.  It's basically a t-tunic with gussets and gores and some wee little drawstring casings for fit.

I basically measured her really quickly and ran with it.  (which usually doesn't work for me)  After the first fitting we added the gores to give her more walking room.

Photos are courtesy of a GBACG member, whose name I didn't get but shared the photos on flicker.  If you know her name, I'll be glad to add it here.  (flicker name marianme)

Feathers!

So this past weekend I went to the Pirate Festival in Vallejo with a dear friend.  I really enjoyed myself and found a beautiful new feather for my hat!  I also got a few looks (and some compliments) as other than a new friend in Napoleonic garb, I was the only one dressed in Regency attire.  I will try to update with a full photo later, but for now, enjoy the new feather!

Chemise

I've just finished a chemise for my daughter.  It's made of Indian cotton.  Due to her unique fitting issues I decided to drape the fabric on her to get what I wanted. (One shoulder sits higher than the other)  This also made the hem look off but it sits well on her. the side seams are machined and flat felled by hand.  The neckline, armseye and hem are all hand stitched.  I find in calming to stitch by hand.  It should be good for several time periods as I made the straps narrow enough and put enough scoop in the neckline to allow the straps to be pulled down on the shoulder. I added a lining in the shoulders to help sturdy it up a bit.  It's fairly simple and she will be adding lace around the neckline. We are considering adding a ruffle at the bottom; but I want to get started on my Victorian corset now...

Ongoing projects

So on my plate now are the following projects, let's see if I can keep these in the air...

1. Rehearsal for The Wizard of Oz. (the RSC version) Yes, I'm in the ensemble. I play a munchkin, a beautician and a winkie... The show is in May @ Solano Community College. You can go here for more info http://www.solanocollegetheatre.org/thewizardofoz.html
2. Trying, trying, trying to finish my victorian corset. Which I'm getting easily distracted from by
3. Making some Regency shirts for a few male friends. And I'm so thankful that I just finished...
4. Dragon Age 2 - the job here is to NOT get sucked in to play another game/alternate endings... /sigh
5. Oh, and did I mention I upped my WOW subscription? Don't know when I'll actually play now, but the point is that I CAN.

The point is that I'm gonna be busy, so if you don't hear from me in a while... see if I'm still alive on twitter...

sewing projects

So this weekend I did some sewing.

First I finished my DTD affectionately called "Molly" - which was super frugal as now I have a dress form custom sized to me! time + energy + 3 rolls of duct tape = dress form that could have cost $300.



Then I made a pair of regency pantalettes. Normally these would be two separate tubes that each tie around the waist separately. I modified this because except for this photo not a one of you will see them in action! So mine are a bit more modest, and only use one string to tie on. Hopefully this will let me avoid any possible calamaties that befell women of the period.



I also started the shift, which is almost finished AND started crocheting a cloche to wear. What makes all this frugal? I had everything I needed at the house. woo hoo!