Better Late Than Never, September

Happy fall, y'all!

I'm sorry that I didn't post... at all... this month, but September was an unexpectedly rough month. However, I finally got photos taken of some of my latest projects, and so I can now share them with you! I made a few modern things this month, did some stash-busting, and received one of the best compliments I possibly could have. Here's (some) of my month, illustrated in sewing projects!

I'll start off with the two modern things I made this month: an elastic-waist skirt and a suspender skirt.

It's Paris! (and for some reason my computer wouldn't let me rotate this photo, sorry about that)

I had exactly one yard of this wonderful cotton print, showing a bunch of the famous sites in Paris, and I really wanted to put it to good use. So, I whipped up a cute skirt that I can wear with pretty much anything! The fabric was wide enough for me to cut it in half so that I could gather it quite a lot, giving me a very full skirt. I sewed the two yard-length pieces together, giving myself a tube with a circumference of two yards. I then wrapped a piece of elastic around my waist, marked it, and cut it to size. I turned over the upper edge of the skirt, forming a channel the same height as the elastic (mine was an inch - I think if I did this again I would use at least a two inch elastic for a bolder waistband), and then inserted the elastic into the channel, effectively gathering the waistband of the skirt. A good tip for things like this is to attach a safety pin to the end of whatever you're feeding through the channel, so that it's easier to move it through. Finally, I sewed the elastic together at the ends, and then hemmed the skirt.

I timed myself, and the entire project took exactly 20 minutes! I can't wait to wear this while traveling - I think I'll pair it with some warm tights for the autumn to start...

Next up is my new suspender skirt! I've wanted a skirt like this for years, but couldn't find one I liked that was also affordable. I got some new fabric for free, and so I decided to finally make myself a suspender skirt! I've been referring to this one as my Tim Burton/Corpse Bride skirt because of the pattern and colors, and also because I had "This is Halloween" stuck in my head the entire time I was sewing it (two. whole. hours.)

It's more purple in real-life, don't worry!

This skirt is also easy to make without a pattern. I started with a simple circle skirt, and then cut out two 2" strips of fabric for the waistband. I cut a slit down the back of the skirt for a zipper (a 9" zipper would work well), and then sewed one of the waistband strips to the skirt. I set the zipper, and tried the skirt on, measuring how long and where I wanted the suspender straps to be. I cut out two more strips of fabric to the desired length of my straps, each 4" wide. I sewed the strips into tubes, and attached them to the top of the waistband. To finish it off, I added the other waistband strip by sewing it to the top of the first one, and then whipped stitched it to the skirt on the bottom. Finally, I hemmed the skirt, and was ready to wear it!

You can cross the straps in the back or not, it's your choice! You can also sew the crossed section in place if you want to, although I didn't.

I'll pair it with a long-sleeved white shirt and black tights. Maybe I'll even add some light purple or orange as it gets closer to Halloween!

The final project I have photos of is my 18th century wool bed gown! In the 18th century, bed gowns were the equivalent of a modern sweatshirt. You wear them over your other clothes, and you can secure them with a straight pin and your apron to keep them out of the way while you're doing work.

The green neckerchief is also new, and I have a reddish-pink one to match... eventually I'll post something about the accessories I've been sewing recently!

I found the fabric at a local thrift store, and it was 3 yards for $3! It's almost pure wool, but luckily the small percentage that is synthetic isn't discernible by touch or by appearance. I'm usually a stickler about only using 100% accurate fiber content at this point in my sewing, but for something like this I was willing to make an exception.

The original, laid out on my new fabric.

Since bed gowns are pretty much a big 'T' with flared sides and gussets, this was easy enough to make, and it was even easier because I already had one that I could trace! However, if you don't have a bed gown to work off of, here are the simple measurements you need:

• Across your shoulders, wrist to wrist. This, plus approximately 2" for hemming/finishing, is the top of your bed gown. If your arms are short enough, or your fabric is wide enough, you can make the top line up with the fold, like I did. (Ex. My fabric was 60" wide, and that is also my wingspan)
• The base of your neck to mid-thigh/knees/where ever you want the bed gown to go down to. This is the finished length, and how far down from the top you need to measure.
• Measure around your arm at the widest part (a) and from your wrist to your armpit (b). Add at least 2" to measurement 'a', and then divide that total by 2, giving you measurement (c). Measure 'c' inches down from the top of your fabric, and mark that at both edges of the fabric, as well as at a point 'b' inches in from each side. Connect those dots, and you have the sleeves!
• Finally, draw a diagonal line from each armpit point to the bottom corner of your fabric. This will be the "wings" of the bed gown, so you can make these as wide or as thin as you want.
• You'll also cut out two 4"x4" or 5"x5" squares for gussets, depending on how much movement you want in the arms.

If you look closely, you can see my markings on the fabric. (Sorry for the poor photo quality, I was sewing in the hallway of a friend's apartment when I took this.)

I sewed the sleeves and sides together first, and if you're not cutting on the top fold then you'll also sew the back together at this point. You'll also add the gussets when you sew up the sides. After putting the sides together, I cut a slit up the front as well as two inches on the either side of the center on the top fold so that the wool doesn't scratch my neck. Fold those extra two inches under diagonally, and then hem the front. You can also add a strip to reinforce the back neckline here - mine is extra big, because when you sew in front of the public they sometimes manipulate and rip your sewing on accident. After that, all that's left to do is hem the bottom edge, and you're all set to stay warm in the winter!

(This is also where those nice complements I mentioned come in - I had multiple people mistake my hand sewing for machine stitches! I was delighted, and I'm really proud of my work on this.)

My shirt says "I'm Sew Fancy", and I love it. I got it from JoAnn Fabric, and they have so many cute sewing/knitting/crafting themed shirts there! (I also have one that says "Sew Happy!")

Kirsten photographed me in my bed gown, and the photo shoot turned into a HomeSense ad haha - but look! It's so cozy!

When I showed my finished bed gown to my parents, I modeled it while wearing 21st century clothing, and my mom pointed out that it looks a lot like some of the modern sweaters that are pretty popular. So, I now have the most versatile garment that spans three centuries!

It was 81 degrees that day, but I still managed to be cold - I'm glad I had my new bed gown!

Day 26: Media

As anyone who has ever tried to watch a costume drama with me knows, I am very picky about historical eras portrayed in the media. However, I do have a few movies that I absolutely adore the costume design in - feel free to comment and let me know what you think I should watch next! I love costume eye-candy!

Anna Karenina is a beautifully done movie, and although the costumes are a bit out of my era (1877) I could still watch it all day long. The plot is pretty depressing, but the clothing and filming is gorgeous! It's no wonder that the movie (and costume designer Jacqueline Durran) received five nominations for costuming awards, and won four.

The movie is super sad, but the cinematography alone makes up for it. If you liked the scenery and film techniques in Grand Budapest Hotel, you'll love them in this movie

The Duchess is another one of my favorite costumed movies. This one is in my era, and has already inspired a giant hat that I made in a millinery class in college (well, the movie as well as the painting of the original Duchess of Devonshire, Georgiana). This movie (and costume designer Michael O'Connor) won five awards for the costuming, and there are so many outfits that I would like to sew!

I really like how the neckerchief/fichu works with the gown here. This is one of the few times I felt like a neckerchief completed an outfit, instead of simply adding on to an outfit.

This outfit was my all-time favorite. It's only a matter of time before I sew something like this...

However, as much as I love those two movies, my all-time favorite costume drama is Marie Antoinette. The clothes are so pretty, and the color scheme is to die for! Of course there are a few costumes that aren't quite accurate (as is the case in every costume drama ever), but I really love how well the movie conveys the extravagance of life at Versailles as well as the lead up to the French Revolution. Marie Antoinette was by no means an innocent character, but it is interesting to see the background she came from and some of the things that drove her choices. Plus, the use of modern music does a great job giving contemporary audiences a sense of the era in a different way than is normal. Milena Canonero did a great job with the costumes, and definitely deserved the three awards she got for Best Costume Design!

I might make a gown very similar to this one soon!

My favorite outfit in the entire movie is the light blue gown with the red belt. I would love to make it some day, because there isn't a single thing about the dress that I don't like! However, I could also say that about almost any gown Marie Antoinette wears in the movie, so...

Day 22: Event

Sometimes, the projects that you plan for the longest get sewn in the last possible minute, and the shortest amount of time. That was certainly the case for my graduation dress, at the very least! I'd been planning what I wanted - something 1950's style, mostly green with gold accents - for most of my senior year, and I purchased the fabric and pattern (Simplicity 1459) around Christmas time. I searched diligently for gold accents, like a belt or shoes, but struggled to find anything that I liked. I also put off sewing the dress in order to work on other commissions and to focus on my studies.

Finally, with just a few days left until graduation, I cut out the pattern and got to work. The dress came together very quickly, and the pattern couldn't have been easier to follow, but unfortunately I was very tired the night I worked on it. I needed less than three hours to sew the dress, but because I was so tired by the end I made one small mistake. I didn't discover the mishap until I put the dress on the morning of graduation however, and tried to put my ID in the pocket I had added - I'd sewn the pocket in the wrong seam! Instead of the pocket being on my right hand side, I had put it in the middle front of the skirt! Thankfully, the skirt was full enough that it wasn't noticeable, and I was wearing my graduation gown for most of the morning anyway.

However, this serves as a good reminder - don't sew your clothing the night before an event, and if you absolutely must, please make sure that you're not loopy from lack of sleep!

Day 20: Not in a Million Years

There are very few things that I won't sew, but I always said that the 20th century was far too modern for my taste... and then I sewed a bunch of 1950's dresses. Then I said that I would never use synthetic fibers again, and I also said that anything pre-1955 couldn't possibly be flattering to me and... I sewed a dress for the Christmas Eve service that completely ignored both those declarations!

It started out when I decided I wanted one of the red dresses from the movie "White Christmas", but then realized that those might be a little over-the-top for a Christmas Eve service. So, I reevaluated my options, and decided to sew something inspired by them instead. I used Vogue pattern 2401, which is from a 1952 dress, and pulled some fabric in the most Christmas-y of colors!

Tigger helps me cut out the fabric, "What? You want me to move? But I'm holding down the pattern pieces!"

I only had two days to work, since I got started on December 23rd, but luckily the dress came together quickly!

The bodice looks like a crop top from a Barbie doll I had!

Dusty Rose kept me company while I hemmed and finished the edges. My cats are the best part of sewing at home!

The finished product on the dressform - having a dressform definitely made this project a lot easier!

I tried it on, did my hair, and then headed to church!

You can't wear a vintage dress without a vintage coat!

I'm really pleased with how it came out, and with how easy it was to sew! So, even though I swore off the 20th century entirely, I expect that I'll soon be adding a few more garments to the already sizable pile of "modern" clothing that I own.

Ta-da!

Day 15: Workspace

            When I went apartment hunting, I had a few requirements. The place had to have a washer and dryer, the sink needed a garbage disposal, and there had to be an airy floor plan with lots of natural light. I also needed to be able to picture myself sewing there. The week before graduation I found a desk at a thrift store that I’m pretty sure was originally used in a hospital, and was also ridiculously heavy. With the help of two of my friends we moved it to the storage unit I had rented for the month, and after graduation we moved it into my new apartment, which met all of my requirements.

            The second I saw the desk I knew it would be great for sewing, with a sturdy work surface and a nice cutting space, as well as ample storage. I don’t have my own sewing room yet, but it occupies the sewing section of my bedroom, and is lit by the sunshine lamp my parents gave me for Christmas.

            I completed my sewing space by framing some postcards I had purchased in Bath, England, at the Fashion Museum there, as well as some fitting reproductions of World War II propaganda from the Imperial War Museum in London and a print picked up from a Colonial Williamsburg sale. I also hung a bulletin board so that I could pin up inspiration, primary sources, to-do lists, and fabric swatches, and my sewing books are lined up neatly between homemade seashell bookends.

Gowns from the Fashion Museum in Bath

My sewing books, sandwiched between seashells from Myrtle Beach collected post-graduation

My favorite print from the CW sale

            My fabric stash is in a tote in my closet, and my mannequin sits opposite my desk, easy to drape projects around.

            It might not be the giant sewing space with a full wall of windows I think of when I picture my ideal home, but for my first apartment I’m incredibly pleased!

Day 13: Pro Tip

I'd like to start off by saying that I've been sewing for 14 years, and my first thought when I saw this prompt was "But I don't have any pro tips!" So, while I have one very specific piece of wisdom to share, I'm also going to say this: Don't undervalue your work! If you've sewn something, that's awesome! If you messed up while sewing, you learned something, and that's awesome too! And if you did all three of those things, then you have more skills than you did before you started that project! After sewing my calash, I brainstormed a list of at least five things I would change if (when) I sew another one, and so my next calash will be even better! The one I just finished is good, but the next one will be great.

Okay, I'll get to my main piece of advice now:

            Invest in the nice fabrics. I spent so many years not being confident in my abilities, and telling myself, “If I save money on fabric now, I can buy the nice stuff in a few years when I’m better.” That’s bad advice. What actually happened was I ended up with a bunch of well-constructed and researched garments that I can’t wear because they’re made of polyester and fake silk. Sure, if you’re making a mock-up you can use the poly-taffeta from the $2 sale at JoAnn’s, but for your final project it’s worth it to spring for the nice silk. Fifteen dollars a yard may seem like a lot, but it’ll end up in a project that can be worn for the rest of your time reenacting, altered to fix small mistakes as you learn better, and, if worse comes to worst, you can refashion it into something else entirely, just like they did in the 18^th (or 17^th, or 19^th, etc.) century!

It's beautiful! It's researched! It's well-fitted! It's... polyester??

            For me, I realized that I had to go big or go home on my 21^st birthday. I had spent months working on a zone-front gown that I put so much research and time into, but I made it out of modern materials. The gown was beautiful, and I was so proud of it, but I wore it on my birthday and I will probably never wear it again. Even though I loved wearing it on my birthday, that day was also tinged with a bit of embarrassment at having a gown that was noticeably out of place among the rest of the linen and silk in Colonial Williamsburg. So, I started investing in nicer fabrics, and now I can wear my creations forever.

            And yeah, don't break the bank if you're uncertain about something. Cotton muslin is cheap, it's even cheaper when you have a coupon, and it's great for making multiple mock-ups. But linen doesn't have to be expensive - I get most of mine from Dharma Trading Company or Fabrics-Store.com (wait for their sales, that's even better!). Silk can be found at Silk Baron, and I wait for sales in Colonial Williamsburg to buy their printed cottons. Finally, my favorite place to shop for all natural fabrics (and anything else I could want!) is Burnley and Trowbridge. I trust their products, they go to lots of events so you can buy in person if you don't want to wait for shipping/like to touch things before you buy them, and they are some of the nicest people with the cutest dachshunds you'll ever meet! 

            Have faith in your abilities! It’s better to learn with linen and silk than it is to learn on polyester anyway!

Day 11: Fave Friday - Favorite Fabric!

            It’s really hard for me to select a fabric that’s my favorite, but I’ll do my best!

-In terms of type of fabric, I absolutely love working with linen. It’s comfortable to wear, it’s easy to care for (just wash and dry it on hot before cutting/sewing!), and I can sew with it in any weather – I sewed the apron you saw yesterday in pouring rain! There are also multiple fantastic resources for linen, and it’s cheaper than wool or silk.

-In terms of an individual fabric that I’ve personally worked with, it’s still difficult to narrow it down, but I’d have to choose my sewing scissors cotton. I wanted a fabric that showed off my love of sewing, while being versatile enough for me to wear anywhere. I sewed a dress that I can wear to church, parties, or just around town, and I usually get asked if I sew/about my sewing when I wear it.

-In the miscellaneous section, I like fabrics with fleur de lis-esque designs, novelty prints, and anything with polka dots!

One of my favorite fabrics, a fleur-de-lis in blue given to me for Christmas (I made a dress for my birthday out of it!)

A hilarious novelty fabric that I own; I think the only way I could use it would be for ridiculous throw pillows or a pillow case!

A super cute novelty print I saw on JoAnn Fabric's website!

A Look at the Past

Even though I just started this blog a year ago, I have been sewing historical garments for six years, and I have been sewing for nine years. So, I thought I would give a quick overview of some of the other stuff I've made, and if anyone has any questions about anything you can feel free to comment and I'll reply!

Let's start at the beginning... This is me, age 8, in my very first sewn garment, a skirt! The material was really nice, a blue cotton with silvery-white dandelion puffs on it. It was an introduction to simple straight sewing, as well as sewing a drawstring and a casing. This is still hanging up in my closet :)

Me, age 8... yup.

So, I sewed a pair of pants after that, followed by a pleated skirt and a sundress, before deciding that I needed a colonial dress. I hadn't been to Williamsburg for five years, but when I was twelve we returned. I saw that they had a costume rental program, but it was out of our price range and really meant for smaller kids, so my mom suggested that I sew a dress of my own. She made one first for me, to see how hard it would be, and then I sewed one using the same pattern for my best friend.

Me, age 12, and Hopey, age 13

Hopey, TJ, and me two years ago! Our dresses still fit us, although I had just finished my blue dress and so I wanted to wear that. I wore my purple dress in December for the Illumination though!

Then, after a particularly cold December debut of the new dresses, I realized I needed a cape. So, I made one!

Brr! It's too cold for Hope and me to be out in just our dresses! (By the way, that's my Mom in the middle) :)

So I made a cape! This is my friend Nicole (we're practically sisters) playing with me in the Powell House, wearing my purple dress and a Civil War cape of her own.

Nicole and me in the stocks with our capes.

Following that, I made the blue Civil War dress that I've already posted about...

And then I made a corset, 1770's reproduction mitts, and a shift.

Of course, the corset is where my blog started covering my sewing life, and the prom dress, Dolley Madison gown, side panniers, pocket, muffs, and 1770's dress followed. And now here we are! I know that some of that stuff still needs to be posted, but all that is on its way. If you have any questions about anything I've sewn or posted pictures of, please just comment and let me know! :)