HSF14 #6: Fairytale

The Challenge: Fairytale. 
Fabric: Cotton bed sheet 
Pattern:  Sense and Sensibility - The Elegant Lady's Closet. Drawstring Dress. 
Year:  1790s 
Notions: thread 
How historically accurate is it? Not too bad considering it's made from a bed sheet and machine stitch. The pattern it's made from is historically accurate and for my first ever Regency gown, I think I did pretty good (the stays are another story however). 
Hours to complete: I think I had it done in about a week or so with the here-and-there way I sew. 
First worn: March 22, 2014 at the Regency Exhibition Ball in Lansing, MI 
Total cost:  Believe it or not.. $5.47. I got the sheet at the thrift store for $3.98 (1 full or queen top sheet and 1 pillowcase) and $1.49 for the little flower trim... that I forgot to take a picture of, sorry.

This was my very first go at Regency era. I have never had much interest in it bu my friend Jennilee of Miss Leah Wilde's Sewing Blog found the Regency Exhibition Ball online somehow and we decided we would make the 4 hour drive to Lansing, MI to give it a try. We had a great time and will definitely be going back next year. The dancing was fun and easy to pick up on with the instruction, the people were friendly and we did not end up being the "country cousins" we thought we might be. I know what I want to do for next year thanks to all my movie watching to get into the right mind set. For weeks I watched everything Netflix had for Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Jane Eyre and Emma...... AND I discovered one of my new favorite movies... Austenland!!! I've seen it at least 1o times in the past month and it's my Friday evening routine now.

Now on to the challenge. I didn't really choose a fairytale and didn't think I would be completing anything for this one because I couldn't find anything on my list that fit. But while I was working on the dress it hit me... Cinderella. The blue that is in the dress is pretty close to Cinderella Blue and either a.) what would the mice had made her dress out of that they could have gotten easily? or b.) what if the fairy godmother didn't have  magic and maybe she was... I don't know, another servant in the house or something like that that knew how to sew? They would have used what they had on hand to make a ball gown. In my case, it was a bed sheet and pillowcase. And I used the magic of electricity to sew that sheet into a dress that I wore to a ball. It's a bit of a stretch I know, but hey, I have a challenge entry!

The Plan.

Check my awesome use of limit fabric! That's the whole bodice (minus sleeves) cut from 1 pillowcase! The scalloped edge and piping was removed and saved and ended up on the sleeves.

 The back panel *just* barely fit!!!!

Inside the bodice, showing the "lining" (this was really awkward to pin in place once it was on).

The bodice after the sleeves are in and the drawstring casing at the top made. I first made the dress with the short poof sleeves but they looked and felt absolutely terrible so I ripped them out and cut the elbow length sleeve instead and one size larger for comfort and had much better success.

Putting in the tabs on the back for the drawstring.

Skirt on and drawstring inserted.

The back before finishing the neckline. I picked out that spot on the left sleeve and fixed it, it looks like the right side now.

The trim added to the bottom of the dress. Sad thing is, if I would have figured out that I could get skirt out of the dress out of the single width of the sheet, I would not have had to take the trim off in the first place (though then there would have been a seam in the trim and with the way I did it, there is not, so that's a plus.)

The finished dress.

What I learned from this project: This style Regency dress was not made for my body type or maybe it just needs to be a different color, I never white anything with this much white.

Overall though, the dress was very easy to make in comparison to my other projects. and I might try and make the cross front dress from the pattern if I find another sheet I like at the thrift store... or maybe some curtains :)

HSF14: #5 Bodice

The Challenge: Bodice
Fabric: 2 yards of Taffeta
Pattern: Truly Victorian: TV420: 1879 Cuirass Bodice with Evening Options 
Year: 1879 
Notions: Thread, boning, trim, button forms 
How historically accurate is it? As close as I could get. Machine stitched including button holes. 
Hours to complete: I don't keep track. On and off for about a week. 
First worn: Broken Hearts Masquerade Ball on Valentine's Day
Total cost: $28.75 ($8 for taffeta + $7.49 for interlining +  $2.50 for lining + $2.82 for pearl trim + $5.97 for button forms +$1.97 for thread)


This time last year I made an 1870s bodice, so  I wasn't as stressed making this as I was making the other. The only daunting task I had in front of me was my plan for this to be a button bodice, where as I did hooks and eyes last year.

As usual, mock up first...

Fitting Front

Fitting Back

I had to take in the top of the back about a half of an inch. I probably could have stood to have taken in the shoulder seem just a tad but it ended up working out well enough.

Cutting everything out is my least favorite part. I wish I had a helper to do all the cutting!

I like it much better when it a starts taking shape.

Inside

Outside

Boning day is always exciting! Means I'm almost done!

Boning in their casing stitched down to the darts and seams.

 I finally got around to setting in the sleeves after inserting the boning. Things got a little out of order.

Lining time!!!!

I also decided to do covered buttons instead of buying something ready made.

Not bad for my first time doing these.

Doing all those button holes and making sure they were precisely placed was the most nerve wracking part. Making sure all the buttons got in the right spot was only slightly less so.

Front

Back

Close up of the trim. This is also on the bottom of the skirt.

And finally.... the complete dress!

This was at the annual Broken Hearts Masquerade Ball here in Columbus, OH. This year is fell on Valentines Day which also happens to be my birthday!

As you can see from the picture, the petticoat tends to peek out from under the skirt at the back edges. I haven't figured out a solution for it yet beside loosening the cinch of the fan tail. Eventually I plan on putting a large fabric bow on the skirt to better conceal the cinch and then I should be able to loosen it a bit more. I will have to try and get more angles of the whole ensemble the next time I wear it, which will be in April for Steampunk Empire Symposium. Also, future plans down the line for this dress include making a matching day bodice and adding more trims to the skirt.

I forgot I had taken this picture of the back on the dress form:

HSF14: #4 Under It All

The Challenge: Under It All ... I ended up making 3 items so that I would have a full set of undergarments under my Natural Form dress.

Petticoat
Fabric: 10 yards pink broadcloth (7 from my Grandmother's quilt stash purchased in 1995 for the petticoat. 3 yard purchased new for the train). 3.5 yards tulle (purchased new).
Pattern: Truly Victorian TV125: 1879 Petticoat with Detachable Train
Year: 1879
Notions:  thread, buttons (from my other Grandmother's stash found in her closet), 1" twill tape (vintage - found at antique market for $.10!!!) 
How historically accurate is it? 90%? It's machine stitched and the buttons are plastic. 
Hours to complete: Unknown. Sorry, I don't keep track because I'm such a slow sewer. I can tell you that the train, except for the button holes, took 10 episodes of Law & Order SVU to complete and I did complete that part on one day. SVU is my new sewing motivation. :)
First worn: Broken Hearts Masquerade on Valentine's Day
Total cost: $13.56 total ($8.38 for the 3.5 yards of broadcloth + $3.58 for the tulle + approx $1.50 for a second spool of thread, first spool I have had for years + $.10 for the twill tape)

Chemise
Fabric: 3 5/8 yards white broadcloth
Pattern: Truly Victorian TV102: Chemise and Drawers
Year: 1885 
Notions:  thread, 2  buttons (from my other Grandmother's stash found in her closet), ribbon insertion lace, ribbon. 
How historically accurate is it? 90%? It's machine stitched and the buttons are plastic. 
Hours to complete: Unknown, but I think just a couple of hours all together. 
First worn: Broken Hearts Masquerade on Valentine's Day
Total cost: $8.77 ($5.78 for the fabric + $2.99 for the lace. Everything else was from stash.)

 Drawers
Fabric: 3 yards white broadcloth and scrap from the petticoat to make the ruffles.
Pattern: Truly Victorian TV102: Chemise and Drawers
Year: 1885 
Notions:  thread, 2 buttons (from my other Grandmother's stash found in her closet),  
How historically accurate is it? 90%? It's machine stitched and the buttons are plastic. 
Hours to complete: Unknown, but probably only a few hours all together.
First worn: Broken Hearts Masquerade on Valentine's Day
Total cost: $0 !!! :) (all material from stash)

Total Cost of the 3 Pieces: $20.73

These are part of an entire ensemble that Challenges 3, 4, & 5 will help to complete. The goal was to have everything complete in time for the annual Broken Heart's Masquerade Ball on Valentine's Day.... aka, My Birthday! ... And I did it with a few days to spare :)

Starting to cut out the petticoat.

 My awesome find at the Scott's Antique Market.... the booth of vintage clothing, fabric, crochet, lace, ribbons, thread, etc. I raided the 10 cent table for twill tape and bias binding for my future vintage dresses. 1" white twill tape had been on my shopping list for this petticoat and this saved me a trip across town to the fabric store.

Worked out perfectly!

The bias tape is used as a stabilizer for the buttons.

 

Hemming all the ruffle panels.

I started out wanting to put pleated trim around the bottom like the picture on the pattern....

But after 2 failed attempts at trying to get the right pleat ratio, I gave up and gathered it into a ruffle and saved myself tons of time. I will save the pleating for the skirt.

Working on the train...

Beautiful button holes courtesy of my new sewing machine!

Front of finished garment.

Back of finished garment.

 Close-up of the buttons. You can see that I had to use several different styles since I was digging them out of the jar that my Grandmother saved.

 I absolutely love the way this turned out! I love the feel of it on and how it hangs. I can't wait to wear the entire dress!

Here's the tag that was on the fabric from my Grandmother's quilt stash. Thank you Granny for dating it. :)

The Chemise and Drawers sewed up so quickly that I forgot to take pictures of the process.

Side view: drawers fasten on the side.

Played with the decorative stitches on my new machine.

Front

Back

The "sleeves"

The trim.

After the first wearing... the train on the skirt served it's purpose, the train on the dress suffered minimal alcohol and snow slush absorption. It washed easily and I air dried it.