Aprons from History

I never thought choosing an apron design would be so hard....but when you have to incorporate 'stripes' into the design you start thinking how you can do this and stay historically accurate.

I have my time limit Pre-1938. So I start looking for patterns and images on pinterest.

Lets start with aprons from the 1930's...

There's a servants uniform

Source: manchestergalleries.org via Lady on Pinterest

And this one which is I'm guessing for the housewife

Source: etsy.com via Lady on Pinterest

they both tie round the waist and have a 'bib'

Then I take a walk back to the 1920's

photo: www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/html/warm/B-SW002

Showing both waist and a tabbard type apron.

Then 1899-1919

Source: google.com via Lady on Pinterest

This one from 'Grand Hotel' has a bib and some lovely details like the frills and tucks.

 Then 1830-1899

Source: en.wikipedia.org via Lady on Pinterest

Alice has an apron

Source: manchestergalleries.org via Lady on Pinterest

Then the early 1800's

Source: osfcostumerentals.org via Lady on Pinterest

Source: romantichistory.blogspot.com via Joanna on Pinterest

Both with and without 'bib' waistline high.

Pre 1800's

Source: sew18thcentury.com via Lady on Pinterest

Source: vintagetextile.com via Lady on Pinterest

Soooooo....what to choose? There are a few elements to consider:

• How much fabric do I have to play with?
• What do I need an apron for? (Cooking/sewing/cleaning)
• Does it need a bib?
• Does it need a pocket?
• What hight should the waistline be?

Who'd have thought aprons would be so complicated!

Fitting Shells, Slopers and creativity

Butterick 5627

Right here is goes. 

The frustrated fashion designer in me keep seeing dresses/tops etc. but not having patterns for them. Be it modern, vintage or historical. 

So I was thinking what is the best route…a fitting shell, or a sloper? How do I draft a bodice from scratch?

I am getting more adventurous with adapting existing patterns…although more trial and error than maths. 

But I'd just like a basic pattern that fits me with 'no frills' that I can use as a basic starting point and then change necklines etc.

Should I buy a commercial pattern? Or draft from measurements (although I'm terrible with maths)?

Or just pin fabric on me and go trial and error system again?

Or should I use the 'sultry sheath' patten from the book  have to create the 'sloper'? After making the pencil skirt I already know that fits.

Which method do you use?

Horrockses Fashions

Well I'm planning to make a horrockses style dress this year using the free pattern on their blog....

Free Pattern 

Although it doesn't show how to do the skirt...so not being confident enough to draft my own skirt I will use the flared skirt pattern for the dress in simplicity 2588. And use the top section of butterick 5556 (the one on the right) to make a matching jacket.

 

 

And a friend of mine pointed out to me this link.

It a slide show of pictures of an exhibition in Scotland.

I love all the prints and the simple yet elegant style.

I think I could recreate something like the dress in pic no6. If I could find the right tie up shrug.

But then in picture no7. the green dress has a matching jacket which appeals...and I do like the bow.

If they sold them nowdays I think I'd save up to buy one and wear it till it fell apart. lol!

So what's your fave Horrockses dress?

Crinkle Cotton and Aprons

Now what to do with 3 metres of pale blue crinkle cotton?

Originally I was planning to use it for toiles, but once it arrived I saw that wasn't viable. Next I thought a circle skirt would be nice. But that seems is a bad idea.

Then I saw some aprons over at Hectic Eclectic and thought ooh, maybe I can try an apron. Its only gonna get covered in flour so if its a bit scruffy it won't matter.

There's a slip on apron pattern on antique pattern library from the 1920's which I think I might try.

"How hard can it be?"

If it works out I'll be using it for some baking...instead of covering myself in flour as usual.

Embroidery - some thoughts

I'm finding my preference for sewing by hand, making small items and strong sense of design plus the visual way in which I learn is suiting embroidery much more that clothesmaking. I'm enjoying making designs up from scratch and learning new types of stitching. I have found Stitch school blog an easy way to learn the stitches. I've even tried to mix embroidery and applique.

And just tried out as many stitches as possible. The crazy quilt has been great for practice.

Stitches wot I have sewn

The stitching on the reticule has been my neatest so far.

Which brings me on to....

To use an embroidery hoop or not to use an embroidery hoop...that is the question.

So far I've done fine without one, but wonder if there are advantages to using one I have yet to discover. Is it worth getting one and if so what size?

Regency Dress for Jane Austen Festival

I have finally decided on an outfit.
Dress. I am going make...
This one.

See link

Although will make the spencer longsleeved.
So, last night I decided to try to see if I could do a drawstring dress using the S&S pattern as my base and using the 'moulage template' to compare and adjust so I knew how deep I needed to go to fit (see I can work some stuff out myself). Oh and I made sure I added ample fabric to top and bottom of bodice just in case. I can get it over my head, the armholes don't feel like the are too far forward. Got to put the drawstring in and see how it feels next.
Now I get how to add the drawstring about the neck.
I'm confused how to add it on the waist? Trying to figure out of I should slightly gather the bodice first attach to skirt pieces then add the drawstring like on my modern clothes is like little loops the string goes through. Or is there something that needs to be done on the bodice first? Or do I just use a sash?
Haven't got enough spare fabric to do a long skirt so might do a shorter one so I can experiment.
My aim is to have a dress I can pull over my head rather than struggle to do up with a back opening. Don't want 'snaps' as they might undo. Buttons I avoid not having buttonhole option on my machine. Hook and eye again its the coming undone problem.

I'm thinking about doing this for my hair/head dress.
But having turban/hair wrap in pink and white instead of blue and white.

Quick Update
I'm wondering if I should now change design as my mock up drawstring isn't really suiting me. Plus I really aught to use the material I bought originally.

Regency Dress - getting it to fit

My 'pattern' for bodice (ignore the darts-I moved those later)

I was really struggling with getting the bought pattern to fit me correctly. So at the advice of the lady from this blog. I made my own pattern using two rectangles to make a lose 'tunic' which I then pinned and cut and drew on while wearing to create the shape I wanted. Still need to tweak the back. Lower the collar a little and add in the curved seams but I just wanted to put it together quickly to get the 'fit' right. And when it comes to it I may cut the collar front a little lower. When it came to the darts in the final toile I used the 50's dress I had made as reference.

I used an old oversize shirt I'd got for the bargain price of £1 a couple of years ago. (I'm quite liking the plaid with cream look on the dress. lol!) Now I know if I like the fabric on an oversize blokes shirt I can buy it and turn it into my bodice material.

Back

Front

Next step is the skirt...which definitely needs another panel or two in it to make it wide/full enough.

Some regency dress designs

"Can you make me a cambric shirt?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Without a seam or needlework
Then you shall be a true lover of mine."


Here are some I drew out quickly....got a few more I need to scan in. I have a shirtdress at home I find really comfy...and it just happens to be empireline. Quite tempted to use the top part as a 'template'.

I also have a smock top I like the top and sleeves for.

Well anyway here is some sketches color will be added later.

The bodice would be a solid green and the skirt a white with yellow and green flowers. Trimmed with olive green ribbon.

I like the dress on the right

Dress on the Left has top based on the photo at bottom of page. The right is simple drawstring would be done in faded pastel pink or white cambric with floral braid trim.

Dress on the left is 'nautical' inspired (would be in blue & white). Dress on Right white petticoat with crossover pellise in a solid colour.

Spotted this dress on another blog. I think it would suit me.

Regency Dress part 2

So I'm having an argument with my toile at the moment. It just doesn't fit or flatter with or without the appropriate foundation garments.

Front

Back

Inside Back

 I ended up for some reason with the bodice being bigger than the skirt. So Instead of pleating the skirt had to gather the top more. So plan A has failed.

Plan B is to try and make my own pattern (with help-if a certain person doesn't decide she's got more important things to do)

My plan C is to buy a modern maxi dress, put it with my chemise and have a shawl or spencer jacket.

Example of the kind of look

Of course the model there is 8 inches too tall (can you believe it only £5.99!?). I'd have to take the length up. But you get the idea.

I'm only going to get to do the saturday anyway.:(

Regency Dress

So I've been planning to go to the Jane Austen Festival in Bath for several years and each time something stops me. But this time I'm thinking properly seriously about it. And planning my outfit.

Day Dress

Evening Dress

My 'plan' is to have a plain petticoat with some embroidery round the base. Then have 2 open robes.....Short sleeve for evening, long sleeve for day. Also bonnet for the Day/Outside, turban or beret for inside. Got some nice feathers and ribbon I want to use. It won't have a train for practical and cost reasons.
Although I do like the 2nd open robe shown here.
Been looking on the V&A website. A lot of the open robes like this one have 3/4 length sleeves.
I like this as a colour for the 'evening' dress.

This is as far as I've got with what was supposed to be a toile...but I put so much effort into it I'm gonna tidy it up a bit, finish it and use it. Wear it as a petticoat maybe?

Bodice and Skirt

The bodice is sewn (no sleeves) and the skirt is tacked ready for sewing.  The fabric...well when I read the word lining when I first gt the pattern the only thing market lining that was cheap where I bought the fabric....well it was curtain lining. So its not exactly flimsy. lol!

Headwear
Well choices are:
Bonnet
Beret
Turban

I like the ones described here. Torn between the 'capote' and the rope turban.

1920's hat - part 2

So I re-drafted the pattern for the brim of the hat, keeping the existing crown.

Larger 'flip'

Tried to modify the back to 20's style.

Stitching close up

The hat is fine..just...well it doesn't 'sit' like I want. I want it to sit back on my head but it wants to be flat.

Soooo....I rejigged the pattern. First I elongated the 'triangles' that made up the crown to make them taller.

Then I re did the brim virtually from scratch using this as inspiration.

Of course this is just a 'toile' to see if the pattern worked before I used the proper material. I also haven't interfaced any of the fabric here as I would normally. Oh and that's another thing I am debating adding interface to the triangles too or maybe just lining the crown? But not sure how to do that and not have stitches show through. I'm also gonna put bias binding round the brim.
This is just for the flip up brim....
I have some heavy duty interfacing I plan to use for my 'downton abbey' style hat.

1920's Dress...ideas

So I want a 1920's style dress for winter. As you can see above I have a drop waist dress but its a summer one. Now |I have several options.
1. Use a vintage pattern
2. Find a free online pattern
3. Make my own using this blogger's dress as example
4. Use summer dress as basis to make pattern but use more 'wintery' fabrics and make straps ticker, then wear shirts underneath.
5. Get a cheap tunic dress or long jumper and add  pleated skirt on the bottom

And apparently its called deco grunge.
Spotted this drop waist dress...out of my budget though.

And this is the dress I'd love to have or as close as possible to it.
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O75004/day-dress-brique/

Downton Abbey

I love the costumes on Downton Abbey.
Always so elegant.
Behind the scenes
Lady Edith's dress and Lady Mary's Red coat and hat combo particularly.
Wish it would come back into fashion.

This is the nearest I get to the Downton Abbey Era dresses...

Was the past always summer?

Was the past always sunny?
I know odd question...but looking through 'vintage' patterns online. (20's, 30's, 40's 50's, 60s.) The majority seem to be short sleeved or at least very summery looking.
Is it just that the ones chosen were all summer ones or was it much warmer in the past? ;)

Sleeves
Hard or easy to sew and does length affect the difficulty level?

Patterns
Has anyone ever bought a pattern that fitted straight away and didn't need adjustments?

1950's dress sew-a-long

I hope to take part belatedly in this. Have some of the material already just waiting for pattern to arrive so I can purchase more material and start.
Can't decide on A)

Or B)

And of course then there's the notions. Bias binding....What colour?