A stitch in time

Micheal found it on eBay of course and decided it was something I would love since I've been embroidering a lot lately :) 

It's an embroidery pattern for the Coldstream Guards badge, which is a regiment he collects.

It comes with two different sized transfers and has directions for stitches and colors.

It's probably from the time around WWII, though I really just guessing there. I just love that it's approved by the War Office! :) I think I'll make myself a handkerchief with the small one in a corner, though I will trace the design rather then heat transfer to preserve the kit. 

Where good sewing projects go to die

The stacks, I call them.

Here is my list of unfinished sewing projects, from which I will be finally completing one for the next
HSF challenge:
1. Ball gown bodice to match red silk 1860s dress
2. Ball gown bodice to match silver 1860s dress
3. Jacket to match already made skirt of a turn of the century walking suit in green
4. Late 18th century chemise de la reine
5. Striped silk robe a'la francaise
6. Skirt for the brown wool regency Spenser jacket
7. Black velvet late Elizabethan open gown
And in a completely different pile of unfinished projects there's a men's sack suit in brownish plaid wool for Michael ;)

HSF #1: Regency ball gown

The challenge: ". . . to sew something that would have been worn in  __13, whether it be 1913, 1613, or 13BC".

http://thedreamstress.com/the-historical-sew-fortnightly/hsf-challenge-1bitriquadriquinsexseptioctononacentennial/

I chose to do an evening gown from the regency. It is actually a UFO that I started last spring and didn't finish in time for the event. Previous work got me as far as having the under dress cut out.

Fabric: the under dress is made of a sagey green poly satin from the stash. At one point I think I had close to 20yds of this stuff and this dress is likely the last full size project I will get out of the fabric as I am now down to about a yard. The over dress is an embroidered silk chiffon that came from one of my favorite sellers in the LA Garment district, it just spoke to me and i had to have it, at the time i didnt even know what i was going to use it for. I bought 5yds originally and this project used just under four, so I have some to spare :)

Pattern: the body of the dress came from Butterwick pattern 6630.The sleeves I drafted in myself as I didn't want a puffy sleeve. The over dress came from Butterwick pattern 4890though with heavy modifications to the front so it would meet in the middle and drape away low, also I shortened the train a good foot as trains always make me nervous and would hate to ruin the dress by having it stepped on, as the silk is fragile to a degree.

Year: per the challenge it's 1813 ish :) I was copying this fashion plate:

Notions: hooks and eyes for the back closure but I might take those out later and have it lace closed as I trust lacing more when dancing. Even when alternating direction on hooks and eyes they can still slip. Also there a little pearl buttons to close the front of the dress where it meets. 

The trim at the edges is just wavy cut fabric, it's okay, and looks nice at a distance but is not what I had in my head so it will likely get removed and replaced when I find what's in my head ;)

How accurate: I give this one 4 or 5 out of 10, the patterns were definitely not historically accurate but the resulting shape is. Also the under dress fabric content is not correct nor is the embroidery on the silk, having been done by machine. And most of the ensemble was machine sewn. But I feel it is a good match to the inspiration fashion plate so it gets good points there. 

Hours to complete: 20-23 hours. The hand sewing took me a long time as did messing around with the skirt of the over dress to get it to layout like I wanted.

Total cost: stash fabric and notions are hard to calculate but I remember the silk being $25 a yard and about four yards went into this project so something like $100+. 

First worn: this dress has not been worn yet and likely won't be worn for quite a few months, as I think the nearest Regency ball is this summer, as we can't make the Jane Austin evening happening this weekend.

Evening headwear - Regency

So my plan for my new evening dress is to make a turban for its headdress, now granted im not going to wear this dress anytime soon so that might change :).I just think they are so extravagant and different, see: 

Chirp chirp . . .

Says the little bird. Well at least that's what I thinks my little sewing bird would say if it could :)

For Christmas my mother got me a reproduction sewing bird. At the time I thought how beautiful, but not likely to get much use in my world. Ha! Then comes along the HSF challenges and here I am using it :)

I set it up at the kitchen table which had the right width and with my traveling sewing kit I was fully functional. That and catching up on my TiVo and I quickly and painlessly got through all the hand sewing for the regency over dress. What a super helpful tool!!! Totally going to use this little guy for all my hand sewing. The more I hand sew the more I love it!

My little repro bird came from The Victorian Trading Company. And is quite sturdy if a little on the small side.
http://www.victoriantradingco.com/store/catalogimages/9i/i1916.html

This museum site had a nice overview of the history of this sewing toolhttp://www.monmouthmuseum.org/sewingbirds.html

Really neat stuff and it would be cool to have a real one some day . . . 

Regency evening gown progress

So I have decided I am copying this fashion plate: 

Only instead of a yellow under dress I am going with green which is much more flattering on me :)

The green under dress is fully constructed i just need to set the hook and eye closure for the back and some trim to the edges like on the fashion plate. It went together in a flash, well it helped that it was already cut out :)

The over dress is being more tricky and time consuming, the material is so thin and fragile that I am having to sew it all by hand (so not my favorite thing to do!) but it's the right thing to save this fabric and make it turn out well. 

I'm almost done actually just need to finish the scallops up the front. And add the little button and loop closures to hold it closed in front.

Regency evening gown inspiration

For the latest Historical Sew Fortnightly challenge I am going to do an 1813 evening gown. I want to do color and something fancy like the below. As beautiful as the pure white gowns are, on me and my super paleness, I just disappear, color is my friend ;)

Lace overlay on an evening gown:

The use of color in regency gowns rather than white.

Cleaning out the sewing room

Some of my friends and fellow costumers have been cleaning out their sewing rooms and posting about it on their blogs. And while I really had no intention too, reading about them put a bug in my brain and so I ended up cleaning instead of sewing on the next HSF challenge last night.

I had a lot of stuff out from Dickens and other projects. So things got stored away again (ie hats in hat boxes, patterns back in their bags and costumes back in their right tubs).

And there's Dolores my dress form with the beginning of that HSF challenge dress on it.

I added enough stuff to my collection this year that I need a tub or two more to get the last of it stored away. 

Those three white trash bags there in the bottom corner are all filled with some of my earliest costume attempts for myself and my sister that I am finally getting rid of, they are all headed of to other homes to be further enjoyed :)

I am lucky enough to have three machines: my moms 90s White, my grandmothers 1930s Pfaff, and a mid 90s Singer overlock (in its case under the table as its new to me and I haven't had the chance to use it yet!!)

I store my fabric in these wire cubes from Target in the closet and I also use the cubes like shelves for all my patterns, books and boxes of notions.

Campo de Cahuenga

The reenactment last weekend was at the Campo de Cahuenga in north Hollywood, celebrating the 166th anniversary of the signing of the articles of capitulation that helped California become part of the union.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Cahuenga

The articles were signed by John C Fremont and Andres Pico. Michael was asked to play Fremont this year by his friend who plays commodore Stockton and organizes the reenactment at the old campo.

I went along for moral support and as an excuse to wear an 1840s era dress, of which I have wanted to make one for a long time but never had an event to wear it too.