I'm going to be recreating a dress from the book Fitting and Proper, which my Mom got me two years ago as a present. It's the same book that my mitts were modeled from, so I had to enlarge the pattern, and then fit it to myself. I took a bunch of measurements, and then started drawing on big paper that had come in shipping boxes at one point. I tested my patterns out with the lining first, and then I started sewing!
The biggest challenge for me with the dress was not knowing the order in which to do things... I've become so used to working with a pattern that not being told exactly what to do (no matter how often I might ignore those instructions) seemed really nerve-wracking for me. My biggest struggle was figuring out when and how to attach the lining... I wasn't sure the right time to do it, or what seams on the skirt should still be showing when I was done. So, because I was confused, running out of time, and the lining had become bulky with the seams and darts I had sewn to figure out the size, I decided to forgo lining the dress - I know, that's not a good decision. However, I intend to line it some day, and for this weekend I'm sure I won't miss the extra layer! (side-note after the fact: I did not miss the lining; in fact, the dress was the perfect weigh! It kept the sun off but was still breathable.)
I'm not entirely sure that I'll ever try to sew a dress this way again, I don't like what I decided to do with the skirt, although I am looking forward to sewing another gown in the same style, just using a different technique.
I ended up finishing the gown at 2 AM, in a hotel room in Williamsburg, with lots of help from my mom and support from my dad, on the day that I was going to wear it - better late than never!
I did discover that one of the shoulder/sleeve junctures was simply too big, so I pinned it with a big safety pin on the inside to keep it from falling off of my shoulder. The only other issue was that the plackets sometimes shifted away from my pocket and hoops a bit, but that was easily fixed with two more hidden safety pins.
Under the Redcoat ended up being one of the coolest events I've ever been to! There were more reenactors than there were tourists, and everyone was really into it. There was a blockade set up on DoG street right before the Magazine, and in order to get through you needed to have the proper papers to show. The first time I tried to go through I explained that I needed my papers, and was escorted to the guardhouse where I was made to swear my loyalty to King George III and then presented with my papers. I assumed that I would be able to use those same papers again the next day... I was wrong.
When I tried to get through the barricade the next day, using the previous day's papers, the soldiers were NOT happy. Even though I told them that it was an honest mistake, I was taken at bayonet point to the guardhouse, and held for awhile while they searched a few other rebels. Two girls had had their hands tied, and made a run for it, and once they were captured it was discovered that the man in front of me (a Colonial Williamsburg employee) had a cherry in his pocket, which he handed off to one of the girls, who ate it and flung the pit and the stem far away. The guards were speculating about the existence of a fruit code, when they turned to me.
"Turn out your pockets." Uh oh. I had taken a banana from the hotel breakfast buffet that morning, and was keeping it in my hoops in case I became hungry, and that most certainly wasn't period...
"I'm afraid they won't turn out very well, sir."
"You can either turn out your pockets here, or we will send you into the guardhouse, where our ladies will strip you of your clothing, and search your person for contraband - and we'll watch from the windows."
Here goes nothing.
I started to pull things out of my pockets, all the while gesturing to mom that I was still concealing the banana. Unfortunately, she wasn't getting it. As I mouthed, I have a banana, she thought I was telling her I was warm, so she called back, "Fan yourself!" That wasn't the biggest help in that moment.
After emptying two fans, a kerchief, and miscellaneous other items from my pockets, I had to pull out the banana. The guards were shocked, and very confused. After a beat, they realized that they had to stay in character. They tried to play it off as being a strange exotic fruit, and wondering if they could trust me, seeing as I could be part of the fruit code, or just involved in interesting business to have acquired such an exotic food. Eventually, they let me go, giving me new papers, and looking at me perplexedly as I walked away.
I also got to meet some really incredible people, including a former colleague of my mom's.
All in all, one of the best weekends of my life! :)
(This project was originally completed in the late spring/early summer of 2013. Because of various reasons, it has been posted very late. Sorry!)
I'm not entirely sure that I'll ever try to sew a dress this way again, I don't like what I decided to do with the skirt, although I am looking forward to sewing another gown in the same style, just using a different technique.
I ended up finishing the gown at 2 AM, in a hotel room in Williamsburg, with lots of help from my mom and support from my dad, on the day that I was going to wear it - better late than never!
I did discover that one of the shoulder/sleeve junctures was simply too big, so I pinned it with a big safety pin on the inside to keep it from falling off of my shoulder. The only other issue was that the plackets sometimes shifted away from my pocket and hoops a bit, but that was easily fixed with two more hidden safety pins.
Under the Redcoat ended up being one of the coolest events I've ever been to! There were more reenactors than there were tourists, and everyone was really into it. There was a blockade set up on DoG street right before the Magazine, and in order to get through you needed to have the proper papers to show. The first time I tried to go through I explained that I needed my papers, and was escorted to the guardhouse where I was made to swear my loyalty to King George III and then presented with my papers. I assumed that I would be able to use those same papers again the next day... I was wrong.
When I tried to get through the barricade the next day, using the previous day's papers, the soldiers were NOT happy. Even though I told them that it was an honest mistake, I was taken at bayonet point to the guardhouse, and held for awhile while they searched a few other rebels. Two girls had had their hands tied, and made a run for it, and once they were captured it was discovered that the man in front of me (a Colonial Williamsburg employee) had a cherry in his pocket, which he handed off to one of the girls, who ate it and flung the pit and the stem far away. The guards were speculating about the existence of a fruit code, when they turned to me.
"Turn out your pockets." Uh oh. I had taken a banana from the hotel breakfast buffet that morning, and was keeping it in my hoops in case I became hungry, and that most certainly wasn't period...
"I'm afraid they won't turn out very well, sir."
"You can either turn out your pockets here, or we will send you into the guardhouse, where our ladies will strip you of your clothing, and search your person for contraband - and we'll watch from the windows."
Here goes nothing.
I started to pull things out of my pockets, all the while gesturing to mom that I was still concealing the banana. Unfortunately, she wasn't getting it. As I mouthed, I have a banana, she thought I was telling her I was warm, so she called back, "Fan yourself!" That wasn't the biggest help in that moment.
After emptying two fans, a kerchief, and miscellaneous other items from my pockets, I had to pull out the banana. The guards were shocked, and very confused. After a beat, they realized that they had to stay in character. They tried to play it off as being a strange exotic fruit, and wondering if they could trust me, seeing as I could be part of the fruit code, or just involved in interesting business to have acquired such an exotic food. Eventually, they let me go, giving me new papers, and looking at me perplexedly as I walked away.
I also got to meet some really incredible people, including a former colleague of my mom's.
All in all, one of the best weekends of my life! :)
(This project was originally completed in the late spring/early summer of 2013. Because of various reasons, it has been posted very late. Sorry!)
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