Go look. No, really!
http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/402978/portrait-of-a-lady
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Friday, March 8, 2013
Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge #11 - Hmmm...A Shift!
Am I being bad? Hmm...I'm really not sure.
I have the materials for my "Peasants and Pioneers" project, but not the inclination so I've started on the project I do have inclination for: Squares, Rectangles and Triangles. I've been thinking for awhile that I wanted to try a highly embellished camicia--from scratch. And as the days wind down to the commencement of the IRCC3 my mind has wandered to embroidery patterns, and needle lace edgings, and the 10 yards of sheer white linen (IL030) I bought when it recently went on sale at fabrics-store.com.
I pondered. And I thought. And I mused, and I pinned. And then I took up my scissors and started cutting!
And now, about 8 1/4 hours into the beyond-the-cutting-phase part of the project I am well on my way to my first completed bit of embellishment. Details will follow later but for now let's just look at my pretty pretty pulled-thread work!
I have the materials for my "Peasants and Pioneers" project, but not the inclination so I've started on the project I do have inclination for: Squares, Rectangles and Triangles. I've been thinking for awhile that I wanted to try a highly embellished camicia--from scratch. And as the days wind down to the commencement of the IRCC3 my mind has wandered to embroidery patterns, and needle lace edgings, and the 10 yards of sheer white linen (IL030) I bought when it recently went on sale at fabrics-store.com.
I pondered. And I thought. And I mused, and I pinned. And then I took up my scissors and started cutting!
And now, about 8 1/4 hours into the beyond-the-cutting-phase part of the project I am well on my way to my first completed bit of embellishment. Details will follow later but for now let's just look at my pretty pretty pulled-thread work!
Monday, February 25, 2013
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.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
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...
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...
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
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.
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.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
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. :)
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. :)
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
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!
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!
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