Journal · de · le · Costumier

So...

The stays weren't going together properly and I took a few days off. I'd pinned all the major seam lines, but it the lining was bunching under the front.

I knew what I had to do. I didn't want to.

So, I bravely and without tears tore out five painstaking laborious seams. I'd read a tip that the best way to keep the fabric straight measured up to the lining was to pin it every inch in squares, as though it were quilted.

So, three or so hours later, a box of pins, an inevitable pinprick to the thumb which bled on the damn silk brocade, a visit to google to determine how to rid silk of a blood drop, soap water and qtips later, the damn thing is pinned. The seam is marked and your intrepid explorer will yet again thread her damn needle, take a breath or four or ten and again begin the boning casings.

Heh. I win. Maybe.

Someone posted this picture today to lamodeillustree. This is my next costuming project. I *must* have this gown! (Click through for larger image.)

1805 dress must make!

I have:

*cut out the first layer of brocade (fashion) fabric and coutil, then hand basted them together
*cut out the 2 layer of coutil and nearly finished sewing (by hand) that layer together

To do:

*sew the first layer together
*line up with second layer and baste together
*begin marking and sewing the boning casings

Then to do:
*bone
*decide whether or not to do an additional layer of fashion fabric (so the boning casing seams don't show)
*cut out and assemble lining layer
*attach lining layer
*create lacing holes
*bind edges

After corset finished:
Chemise
Pocket hoops
Robe a la francais

The one benefit to all of this hand sewing is that my backstitch has become very even and much easier to work. This will make sewing the boning casing lines (which will show on the front of the stays) a breeze, even if it will take long hours of work.

I've decided to do as much of the sewing for this by hand as possible so it is as nearly period as I can make it (other than the two non-period fabrics, of course).

Then to think about Miss V's costume.

So there is this whole hullabaloo about whether it's okay to construct period garments in non-period fabrics. I set out with the best of intentions to confine myself to only period fabrics: silk, linen and/or cotton. Actually cotton isn't even allowable for many French/European repros during the 1700s (18th century), which is the era my dress comes from.

However, it is incredibly difficult to find good fabric in either silk or linen that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Good fabric is not just about quality, it also has to be about the pattern, if there is one. A pattern cannot look too modern, there must be some believability that it would've actually been available in the 18th century. Not a whole lot of those around.

There are reproduction fabrics. There is a particular good maker of said fabrics in Europe, but to buy it from one of the resellers here is $35/yd+. Bit steep for a robe (dress) which consists of 8+ yds, a petticoat that consists of 4+ yds, not to mention the linen needed to make the pocket hoops as well as the shift (chemise). I'm still undecided about both an additional petticoat under the first and whether I need any thing under the shift. As far as I can tell I don't (need anything under the shift, that is).

So, at the fabric store I allowed myself to be persuaded into two fabrics (the one for the petticoat and stomacher) which are not at all period. They are both polyester, but the truth is they really do feel and look like silk. And this is not a period event anyway. Plus the fabric is truly a difficult color to match.

The clerk who helped me at Britex said that I can place all of the blame squarely on her shoulders for tempting me with non-period fabrics. Much as I wanted to go that route, the fabrics would've cost me anywhere from 2-4x as much as I ended up spending, minimum.

I'm excited about this project. :)

If it goes well, perhaps I'll find another occasion to make a more period-correct piece for.

Yesterday, with the help of a talented saleslady at Britex, I completed the fabric shopping for my ensemble.

In addition, I purchased a better fabric for making the sample stays, which I cut out last night and started stitching. More pics of that as it comes further along.


( more pics behind cut, hi rez )

dress fabrics for robe a la francais quilted fabric in lower r and upper l is petticoat fabric, embroidered fabric in lower l is for stomacher, upper r fabric is the main robe fabric (which will be most of what it seen), mid upper l.-ish is silk organza for ruffles and bows.

This is a costume I'm going to be working on for a masquerade ball I'm going to be attending. Wish me luck! I'll be sure to post pictures as I actually get started (in another week or so, when my materials and patterns arrive).

this dress extant period court dress from the 18th c

with this neckline from painting, mid 18th c

and this hem (also inspiration from this hairstyle) (notice the curved hem at the bottom)

J.P. Ryan dress pattern I ordered will be making dress on left

dress fabric ordered descr. on website says actual fabric is more pinkish hued

completed stays from the pattern I ordered goes under dress - not seen

J.P. Ryan stays pattern I ordered

Outer fabric for stays

front of extant period stays