Small things

Hello people, 

Some time has past and I've been working on many different things, but most off them are to small to make a full post about it. Besides that I made a couple off small things I also been working on two bigger things, where I don't always have the motivation on working continual. Thats the biggest reason for all those little pieces, I avoiding a bit the real big projects. Today no different.... 

So I shall share some pictures, most off this things are finished. But the bonnet I'm working on is an item I began last spring but never worked further on, and is still a piece that I don't finish at this present. 

I made in january an flanel underskirt for more colder costume days. The fabric I bought earlier in November, but didn't find the time to make it earlier. I don't gonna wear it this winter anymore, Spring is next month. But Next winter I hope to have a real 1890's winter costume to go with it. I hope.... 

So next was a new Chemise, I had enough fabric left over from the first pair chemise and drawers and wanted from early on make some more underpinnings. Most off the stuff I had already in stash, so I'm happy to add this piece for the victorian garderobe. Hope to add an new pair off drawers soon. Also this time has the chemise no sleeves. 

And this is the ongoing bonnet I started last spring. This time I worked on a lining so my hair would't get stuck at the raw straw back.

I hope when I finish it I also have a new regency ensemble to go with it. 

 And today.... Today I'm working on more pieces, I finished already the sleeves on this blouse I made last year. I had one ruffle where I didn't had enough lace for it. I had this time so much left over lac that I didn't only finish the ruffle and sewed in. I had enough eyelet lace and blue ribbon to give it that extra touche. And I really love the extra ruffle and lace. 

I also been working now on some stuffing bags to but in my 1890's sleeves. Perhapes I make some photo's... but perhapes not. 

Today is all about sleeves, because when I'm ready with the stuffing bags I will work on sewing the sleeves in my 1870's day bodice. But that is for another post, I've been working on more pieces, but I mentioned that was for the other bigger projects. and the day bodice is one off it. You can see a glimpse off it at the background photo right to you. ;P

So back to work, I have a lot of catching up on sewing :)

Steampunk dress

I made this dres way back in 2013. But I began making the dress a year before in 2012. It lay down for almost a year before I pick it up and finished. 

I have worn this dres once, twice perhapes three times. But no more than that. I couldn't not find myself in the steampunk scene and after this dress I didn't make anything close to it. Perhapes I would give it a new try after all those years, try something new. But if I'm honest, I'm more off a goth girl than a steam girl. But I have enjoyed this dress, for sure! 

I think this is the second ever made costume I sewed myself, if I finished it first before my lavender colored rococo based dress it would be the first. But because it layed so long on hold this was the second one. But the first I cut. 

So you can clearly see that I used the famous Simplicity 2172 for the coat and corset. For the bloomers I used Simplicity 2777. For the crinoline I used Truly Victorian TV141. I even made a capelet, but didn't wear it really anytime. But I used TV590. 

I gave the coat last year an update because it didn't fit me met that great. The sleeve where the biggest problem. They never did fit me that good. So I took them out end increased the shoulder and replaced the shoulder caps so the didn't fall off my shoulder. And loose the sleeves because the
they never gave me freedom of movement. Also loose the neck ruffle and took all the stitching out off all edges because they wehre not flattering att all. Last but not least, I machine sewed button holes, beacuse the old ones where handstitched. I want to make a new blouse for it and redo the bloomers as well. 

 I don't know if I wear it soon again after finishing the old costume, perhapes I sell it. Perhapes I do weare it. Will see. 

This how the costume looked like without the crinoline before I began dismantle the sleeves and the neck ruffle. 


If I'm honest, I don't know yet wich form I will to strive, but the redo is far from finished. I'll shall share progress if I'm working again on it. But for now, I still have some of old pieces I want to share that I made back in 2013 before ending this post for now. 

 The mantle I made but never wore. Maybe I sell it.... Or give it away...
 











 And a bag I made, I wore it a lot. Not only with the costume but also in my daily life, it is worn out now. A fun project back then. I made it by scratch, but it wasn't difficult to draw something so simple. 

I have to apologize for the poor picture quality. They are made a long time ago, and some pieces are not in the same shape as short after finishing them.


I'm gonna put here some pictures that are made a long time ago. Two made in a shoot at an old train station and the last one is made on the first event when I wore it. 

 So if I have some news from this oldie offcourse I'm gonna share it. Till next time. And have good start at 2018. 

1873 Evening dress

I wore this dress in november at an ball. Winterball in Castle d'Ursel, Belgium. It was for me the first time I attended a ball and it was such perfect evening. I want and will attend more off these balls in the future now I know how fun they are. 
The ball was year bound. So the dress code was 1873, first bustle period.  It gave me the chance to make the dress I wanted since 2012, when I began dreaming off historical dressing. But I wanted to make this dress only when I was ready to make this dress, I wanted to invest in expensive fabrics knowing I wouldn't mesh up the dress. The sad thing, I began early with the dress, but could not finsish it in time. I miss some rows of trimming, and I will sew them on the skirt for next time I wear it. But it was a bit of disappointment when I realized that I couldn't finish the dress in time for the ball. 

But when the evening arrived I shut that feeling off dissapointment on myself off and enjoyed every moment. When I decided that I wanted to make a new silhouette I knew that I needed everything new. from chemise till the petticoats. my old corset was worn out and never of the best quality. So even that had to be don before I could began with the outer layers off the dress. 

 After the ball I knew the little faults the dress had so after the ball I fixed most off them. You can see that the bodice got ride up sometimes, that was because there wasn't a waistband sewed in, I knew that even before the ball that it would be a problem. So a few days after the ball I placed a waistband in the bodice and that problem was fixed. I sewed the afternoon before the ball all the hook and eye closures in the petticoats and skirts, but came a bit shortly, I survived, but after the ball I bought some hooks and eyes and sewed them where they had a lack off it. And I'm still a bit tinkering on the system for pulling up the train enough so people don't stand on it when I'm dancing... I had a little accident. But I want to finish first the trimmings before I finish the pulling up system. 

So for the layers.. everything is newely made. Also I was thinking ahead for future victorian dresses, so I chose for pieces that would also go for other decades. Until I have time to be more precise for corsets and underpinnings. Petticoats are a different deal. 

So it feels like the first time since I began with corsetery I felt like I nailed that corset. 

Off course there are things I would do different the next time, but I'm very happy with this result. I took the pattern off an original corset from 1880 that was not only in new state but also fitted perfectly my body. I didn't make any adjustments to fit it better. I had the chance to borrow it from a dear friend I always be greatfull for. It was for me the first time to take a pattern directly from an garment at all.

So because this was a for me large part of sewing this hole dress, I made the decision to use for the other pieces patterns out off the envelop to spare me some time.  

The chemise and drawers I made from Truly victorian  TV102. I knew black cotton would be a better choice for under an black dress. But here is again the part reuse it for other victorian dresses, and many off them have white blouses and are a bit see through... and white is easier to wash and that sort stuff. In the future I will make a black set. 

 A closer look at the neck line. I like that you can choice if you use the button closure at the shoulder. For ironing very handy. And under a close up from the hem.














I don't have a closer picture of the drawers.

So this are the layers under all that black. I used TV108 for the grand bustle. It did easy together, instructions where easy to follow, nothing out off the ordinary. The two petticoats are made from TV170. One from a more sturdy beige colored cotton and the second one from a bleached thinner cotton and had a lace hemming, i really love this pattern and hope to make some new 1890's petticoats soon because my old one is in a really bad shape. The last layers before the actual outer layers begin is the trained petticoat, I made this on from the same pattern I used for the outer skirt, so the skirt wouldn't suffer that directly from the ground. I used TV208. 

So I began first with the skirt and the apron. I wanted to finsih them at least with minimal off trimming before I sewed more on it, and run out off time if I hadn't finisched the bodice first. I used TV208 for skirt and apron, and the fabric I used is black dupioni silk. In these three pictures you can see the skirt before I began with the bodice. But after these pictures there is not much changed. After the bodice I sewed only one row of ruches at the apron, for more I hadn't time. The skirt has two pockets instead of one, I'm happy with those spaces. They are big enough, so no need for a handbag.

 The dress with the bodice, only the buttons and buttonholes where needed here. 

For the bodice I used TV416. I didn't changed anything about the pattern, but for a next time perhapes do some alterations or draft something completely different. 

I think I would do more bustle periods in the future, I feel really good in this dress. 

For this dress I'm gonna make a day bodice as well for a day event in June, with new gloves and a hat. And offcourse finish the skirt.

So last but not least, I did something I dreamt for years. My first pair of American Duchess shoes. A pair of renoirs, and I love them! They are really comfortable. I danced the night away, stand most off the time. And believe me, I can't stand long on my feet before they begin nagging, completely with heels. But those heels are from perfect height. With those beauty's no problems at all. I hope to order there soon, but it's really expensive to order over sea..... 



 

And the prove I danced the night away....!

I need some new self-adhesive soles.....

 Happy new year!!

Drindl dress

 

I don't have a lot of pictures of this dress and not even making off pictures. So perhapes this will be a short post. You see here the front, I used Burda 7057. I'm not that a great fan of Burda in the first place, the one time I made earlier back in 2013, it came so terribly out I can't even rework the dress. But I wanted to give Burda another try. This time it was better, but there where still parts I don't like about how the dress turnt out. 

 I think Burda would never grow on me.... But good, this dress it's not really groundbreaking. It's fun, but no more than that. I think to wear it with easy or hot events if I don't want something restricted of difficult to put on. What I would want to chance if I ever get in me head to do this pattern again.... I would begin with lenghten the bodice. I have a short torso, but this is ridiculous!! Even for me this bodice came in to short. And second, add boning. The instructions don't ask for them, but it would straight out the bodice and would look more pleasing for the eye. This would be the only two things, but for me they would be a game changer. What I changed this time about the pattern? I changed the skirt so the embroidery would match more and add some pockets. Pockets do everything. 

 So I don't think I have to tell more about this dress. It isn't that a accomplishment.. I hope to have some fun with it in the future, but not more than that. Burda don't do it for me. 

Till next time.  

1899 black-white bathing suit

So the right one is my main inspriation. 

I fell in love with this bathing suit, I don´t now how long ago, but it is a time ago. There are beside this picture two more of pictures of these young people. I show one other picture. 

Finding the real sources of these pictures was a real pain in the *ss. Because the cut of the dresses speak against the data I have found. The data I have found are between 1897 and 1899. I found where they where taken. Coney island. 












 



So here are a few pictures of mine version and the bathing suits my friends made and wore. 

As a group we wore all different bathing suits from different time periods. From 1890 till 1920's. Most of us made are bathing suits our self. Only one friend hadn't the time to make one so she borrowed from a friend who also made the life guard bathing suit for her boyfriend. Who has now three bathing suits at home.

It was a lot ot of fun to wear it, and I find it a pitty I had only that day this year to wear it. I hope to enjoy it coming year more, and also have time to made a bathing corset as wel. 

I wore it with my old corset who was deeply in need for replacement. 

So, let me see. what can I tell about the dress.. 

I drafted most of myself or redrafted patterns I already had.

The cap and bolero where me own addition. The cap because I felt my bathing suit needed a cap. And the bolero was for more practical reason. I burn very fast and so I could spare my shoulders from the sun, also if it was a bit windy, it would help to. Altough, a bolero is not really HA for an bathing suit. But I really hate to be burnt.











The entire thing is made from cotton, I considered wool, but I wanted to wash it normally. 
I began to make the bloomers. Perhapes these are only of all the pieces I dind't draw myself or change a pattern for. I used simplicity 2777. I also couldn't see any proof on the original pictures of bloomers under the young lady's bathing suit. But it was for me a logical assumption. Because there was no visual proof I had to improvise how it would look. But even then, I wanted some sort of pants under my skirt. For reasons above.... (see picture when turning) 
So a bloomer was for me a must have. 

 After I finished the bloomers I began with the skirt. I drafted the pattern myself. It went pretty fast together, the most time was spend on the stripes. 

This is the front view, in these pictures the skirt isn't finished yet. I originally wanted a systems with buttons on the waistband of the bloomers and buttonholes in the waistbands of the skirt and bodice, so if I decided to go for a real bathing experience, the pieces wouldn't shift of ride up when bathing. But because of time shortness for the event where I made it for. I eventually sewed the bodice to the skirt waistband en left the button system for what it was for now. 
I want to redo that part of the costume when I want to go bathing.

This is the back view. I originally wanted also some pockets in the skirt... but I stept away from that idea, sure pockets are very handy at an day event. But I really want to bath in this thing to... and bathing in something with slip pockets felt..... weird. 


I chosed for the colors with black and white, not necessarily because that in the picture the bathing suits looked like it was black and white. I know that black and white pictures can be misleading and that the original bathing suit could be made from total different colors. But I liked the idea of an white and black bathing suit. I had made lately so much things in blue for the 1890's, that I wanted something in other colors. And black was for me so long ago, that I choose for how the pictures looked like. 

 After finishing the skirt I went through with the bodice. I altered an pattern I already had in stash. Butterick 3765. The back is closed with black cloth buttons, I chose for that for a bit more contrast at the back. Other wise it was a bit plain. 

The front has an fake front for the stripes. The bodice it sewed to the waistband from the skirt for now.

After finishing the bodice the last importent piece for the suit to complete the original look was the belt. There was nothing difficult to make. After some studying the photo's I saw in the picture that I didn't show here, what was a side stand, a hint of sashes. So I chose for a closing that I could tie in to a bow.

The bolero is a mix of two patterns simplicity 1819. Where I used the bodice of the bolero and butterick 3417 Where I used the ruffled sleeve and shorten the three-quarters sleeves in to a small pouf sleeve.

Made a cap with a rosette. Making one was a lot of fun. I think I gonna make some more rosettes in the future.

Even the bathing shoes where self made. I wanted to try something I didn't do before. They weren't that good, but for a first try to make something close to shoes I'm not gonna complain.

So I wanted to update this blog a couple of times before new year, But I don't think that is gonna happen after this post. So I wish everyone a happy new year and till 2018!!