Embellishment challenge update-1880's hat finished

Ah...that's better.


And the details:

The Challenge: 4 - Embellishment

Fabric: 100% silk dupioni, Plaid

Pattern: NA

Year: 1883-85-ish

Notions: straw hat, black cotton lace, purchased floral spray

How historically accurate is it? I'd say medium. I was inspired by a few particular hats but the proportions aren't quite right for the period. I'm having a hard time going for tall rather than round.

Hours to complete: started by shopping at about noon on Saturday, finished at about 9:30 pm on Monday. Maybe around 12?

First worn: Soon, I hope!

Total cost:
$ 2.99 USD for the hat and $3.99 USD for the flowers. All the rest is from the stash.

Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge 4: Embellishment

Phase 1

Purchase cheap costume hat and remove 'embellishment' begin to unweave rear portion.




Phase 2

Re-weave rear portion of hat to shape around read of head/back of neck. Attempt to finish much more nicely than original. I tried being lazy and just re-weaving dry but I was getting too much breakage at the edge so I wet the straw. It was so thin that I just had to run the faucet on it for a bit. I think it's easy to tell which strand was done by each method. :) I also wove the extra bits into the existing crown to cover the four eyelets which had been part of the original design.








Phase 3

Paint the hat.




Phase 4

Line hat and bind outer edge. I lined the hat with leftover scrap silk from the bustle dress I hope the wear the hat with, then realized that committing myself to silk meant that I couldn't edge or trim the bonnet with the polyester ribbons I had been planning on incorporating. They just look too cheap and thick and clunky in comparison! I'm going to have to find something appropriate to introduce on the hat so it doesn't look to matchy-matchy but a good start is to use my plaid fabric in a variety of ways to play up the inherent differences. Thus, the inside of the brim is a band of black surrounding a band or gray, the interior of the hat is a band of stripes surrounding the original plaid, and the edging is a band of alternating black and black and brown stripes. Whew!






Phase 5

Touch up paint on the hat!

Phase 6

Trim. And trim. And trim some more!

When I cut up my scrap fabric to get material for the edge binding I also cut out the straw-and-black striped section I planned to use for trim. I used my new scalloped pinking shears for the very first time and...wow! I have hoards of tiny black cotton lace that has yet to be used on the dress which I think I'll use to trim the edges and give the bows more body. You can't really go wrong with adding more trim to an 1880's hat!

Hmmm, however, you can go wrong by adding too little!




It just looks a little skimpy on the sides...

Historical Sew Fortnightly #3 - 18th Century Blue Linen Stays

The Challenge: #3 - Underneath it All

Fabric: blue linen body, white cotton canvas interlining, white cotton lining

Pattern: adapted from the mantua makers 18th century stays, back in about 2006 when I was clearly a different shape.

Year: mid to later 18th century

Notions: purchased bias tape, twill tape and gros grain ribbon, metal boning

How historically accurate is it? Low to moderate. I was more concerned with getting a smooth line, fast (ha!) so I went with machine stitching and metal boning...however, the eyelets and the binding of the tabs on the bottom edge are all done by hand!

Hours to complete: I just don't track time...at all...but something like a final rush of about 17 hours work at the end of a very long wait. And now it's done!

I have proof!

First worn: February 12, 2013

Total cost: I have no idea of the cost overall but I spent about $4 on ribbon to lace it closed.

To tell you the truth...

I am still not inspired to work in the blue linen corset! I've been plugging away...stitch...watch tv...stitich...read fanfic...stitch...space out...

When you add all the stitching together it is not a whole lot. :) I'll keep plugging away through the weekend and hope for the best. I guess I just don't like binding tabs.

***(two days later)***

The tabs are done! And it only took me, what, eight years to do?!

Isn't she pretty?

Now on to the eyelets. I actually *like* doing eyelets so I am hopefull it won't be another eight years. :)

Working on challenge #3 - Underclothing!

There are just too many tempting possibilities with this challenge. My mind is full of ideas and I want to try them all! clocked stockings, Steampunk combinations, regency corset and/or bodiced petticoat, 1880's corset, Lacy wrapper...but I'm starting with this

The blue linen 18th century stays that went into my UFO pile before I moved away from California back in December of 2006. I just need to bind the last 6 1/2 tabs, make the eyelets, add laces and I'll be done! Done. I like the sound of that. It occurs to me that I probably have enough in my UFO collection to have a project for all 26 of the challenges. Maybe I should see what else I can get finished!

Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge #2-UFO

My handkerchief camisole moved right into being my object for challenge #2 Since it was, indeed, a project I had stalled on!

After waiting another week I gave up on my local store restocking the ribbon-threaded lace I had used on the front of the camisole and purchased some ribbon and tiny lace edging to approximate the feel on the original lace. Since I didn't have enough of the original lace to replicate the front I used two uncut handkerchiefs to make the back panel, buttoning the two sides together at the center back with mother of pearl buttons.

I hand stiched the trim onto both sides of the ribbon to make straps, filled in the underarm area with two rows of the lace, and used the small amount of the original trim I had left on the center-back of camisole between the straps.

The additional supplies cost about $6 so the complete project report is now:


The Challenge: #2 - UFO: Un-Finished Object

Fabric: 4 white cotton men's handkerchiefs

Pattern: adapted due to short supplies from one found on line at http://www.tudorlinks.com/treasury/articles/hancamisoles.html

Year: published 1913

Notions: 6 1/2 yards, ribbon-threaded Cluny lace insertion trim. 1 yard ribbon, 3 yards Cluny lace edging

How historically accurate is it? I think my compromises would likely have been made by a period seamstress facing the same shortage in supplies so...pretty accurate! All seams (aside from the original hankie hems) were hand sewn in order to maximize the effect of the lace and I used cotton thread and real mother of pearl buttons. The only thing I would change is the fiber content of the ribbon.

Hours to complete: I just don't track time...at all...but it was finished by the deadline!

First worn: Not yet.

Total cost: Approximately $30.00

OK, it's badly in need of ironing, but it's done!

UPDATE!

Then I got on a roll and finally finished up my lobster tail bustle. It only needed the boning channels closed and a couple pairs of ribbon ties at the waist. DONE! No more safety pins!

The Challenge: #2 - UFO: Un-Finished Object

Fabric: A combination a plain and woven "tucked" cotton fabrics pulled from my stash back in October, 2012

Pattern: Truely Victorian's large lobster tail bustle, adjusted for size

Year: Circa 1885

Notions: metal 'hoop skirt" boning from my stash. 1 yard ribbon left over from the camisole project

How historically accurate is it? The pattern is accurate and the technique but the materials...not so much. I happen to have some 'pin tucked' fabric in my stash and used it for the look without the labor.

Hours to complete: About an hour to complete the bits I hadn't done before Teslacon 3.

First worn: November, 2012

Total cost: Approximately $1.00 to complete

Historical Sew Fortnightly Project #1...sorta

The Challenge:

#1: Bi/Tri/Quadri/Quin/Sex/Septi/Octo/Nona/Centennial – due 14 Jan. Sew something from __13, whether it be 1913, 1613, or 13BC


Fabric: 3 men's 100% cotton handkerchiefs

Pattern: The c.1912 handkerchief camisole from Every Woman's Encyclopaedia as published online at: http://www.tudorlinks.com/treasury/articles/hancamisoles.html

Year: 1913

Notions: 6 3/4 yards Cluny lace beading with ribbon(not enough!), white cotton thread.

How historically accurate is it? Pretty dang accurate. I've been following the instructions but used larger men's hankies to adjust the scale of the finished camisole to my size. I'll be setting the straps further in from the side seams--also a size adjustment--and adding more rows of lace to square up the bodice but I am staying true to the shape, style and technique of the original directions.

Hours to complete: I haven't tracked my time , nor finished the project so...unknown

First worn: unknown

Total cost:

About $24 at this point, probably will finish closer to $40.

I need more ribbon to finish it up. Waiting for the local shops to stock something suitable... (Sigh)