My first mock-up of the round gown confused me. After I got it on Pollykin, I was trying to find out how the dress should open. The bodice of the flat pattern I was working off of (in Patterns of F…
Yes, I love bad puns. Waaay back last summer when Kitty Calash and I were prepping for our millinery shop in Salem, we patterned little reticules based after Ackermann fashion prints in the book Fashions in the Era of Jane Austen. Well Kitty did more patterning. I did more chatting. Below are photos of two that I prepped for Salem, along with a few other reticules and an over-sized workbag I had made last year... #1 This bag is about the size of my hand, which is small. I can wear child's gloves. To make this more accommodating... ...we made little side slits, much like petticoat pocket slits. The bag is lined with a linen-cotton fabric. ...and features a little gold trim leftover from my 1812 ballgown. This coral silk is the same fabric as the sash and leading strings on my daughter's 18th century gown. She's quite fond of it and used it regularly in Williamsburg last fall. In fact, she's holding it in this photo that we took right before attending an evening program at the Palace, which was later featured on Colonial Williamsburg's blog, MakingHistoryNow.com. (Scroll to #5.) #2 This little gold silk bag was the second one we patterned. It has a drawstring top... ...lined with the same fabric... ...and true to Regency style, it's small. The two bags on "display" in our early 19th century millinery shop. #3 Inspired by these little projects, but wanting a bag that's a more realistic size (I'm a #TotesBig fan), I made this late 18th century workbag.... ...based on this French print from Pinterest. My adaptation, made from blue silk, is four sided. It's trimmed with red silk just like my 1807 Ann Frankline Lewis gown... ...and has cute little tassels. My iPad mini fits in comfortably. #4 Being in the reticule spirit, I made this little bag which is available in my Etsy shop... ...and is inspired by this Costume Parisien print from Pinterest. #5 As well as this classic reticule, which is also in my Etsy shop. And yes, it's based after another French fashion print. If you're craving more on reticules, click here for a great terminology post by the Dreamstress and peruse extant bags on my Pinterest board.
Isabella reporting, Since so many of you enjoyed my post earlier this week on recreating Georgian silk floss fringe at Colonial William...
Apologies for the super long post – but there was a lot of different things that went into making this dress. We decided last year while I was four months pregnant, that we would go to the Sa…
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This is a story about cartridge pleating in the 18th century, specifically on fitted-back (robe a la anglaise) women’s gowns. About how I first did not know anything about it, and then learne…
Basically everyone asked says that I should do the piemontaise and I must confess that I feel most inclined to that one as well. So a ...
The “mantua” developed in the latter part of the 17th century (c. 1670s-80s). Here is an example from that period at the Costume Institute at the Met. The third quarter 18th century Ni…
Hello and welcome to Alicia finishes everything 2 months after her self-imposed deadline! The challenge of finishing a whole riding habit complete with undergarments was already hefty to undertake …
The quilted petticoat was a ubiquitous item of women’s 18th century clothing, and spanned all social classes being worn by both the wealthiest elite and the very poor. However, this does not…
I've been both taking and collecting pictures of 18th century trims. I'll start with photos that I took during my visit to Colonial Williams...
It was a success! I have been wanting to make a sacque back gown since watching Dangerous Liaisons when it first hit the theaters wayyyyyy back in my youth. I tried unsuccessfully to make one almost 3 years ago and I screwed it up amazingly. I used the JP Ryan pattern (I love JP Ryan patterns!) but this style did not work for me. On her pattern the front of the gown is essentially draped and I could not get it to work at all. About a year after that I was reading Period Costume for Stage and Screen. The author mentioned the easiest style sacque to make was one with a separate front bodice piece. There is an older Simplicity pattern that is a sacque of this style and the stomacher closes up the middle with hooks and eyes. It's out of print but can be bought on the secondary market. However along came the AD Simplicity 8578 sacque and I rejoiced! It has the separate front bodice piece I was looking for. Yay! Pattern info: Pattern is for the gown and petticoat. You will need panniers, stays, 1 under petticoat to add fluff. The gown is a fabric hog and the yardage requested is fairly accurate. If you want to cut down on yardage you could just make your petticoat out of two 54 inch widths of fabric cut to the length you need. You can find directions on line to make a basic petticoat. The petticoat in the Simplicity 8578 pattern has a center piece and two side pieces for front and back. Hence the (6ish) yardage requirement. Several of my fancy gowns just have a basic two panel front and back petticoat. My panniers are average size. At my height (5ft 4ish) I can usually get away with 2.5 yards of 54 wide fabric for one petticoat. Fabric: I used silk taffeta from Silk Baron. Gorgon for the gown and Regatta for the petticoat. As far as trim I decided to keep the petticoat solid Regatta blue so I can wear it with another gown if I want to. Of course that would require me to make another gown...... Size and alterations: I made size 20, bust 42. I didn't do a lot of alterations. This style gown is somewhat adjustable in size because of the ties on the inside back and the stomacher. I also knew this would be my first go around with this pattern so I would only do basic fitting tweaks. I had to shorten the bodice about 1/2 an inch because it was a bit too long and looking pretty janky over my panniers. The sleeves are a bit roomy so I did a 1/2 inch thin arm adjustment (I do not have thin arms. Mine are average don't ever work out middle-aged lady arms.) That's about it. Side note: Something to check next time. In the pictures on the Simplicity web site the front of the gown is longer than the petticoat. Mine is just the opposite. The petticoat runs a bit long and I did take a pretty deep hem on it. I like the length but apparently it should be shorter than I have made it. Eh.....no biggie. Putting it together: No issues. It is a lot of fabric to move around and it gets cumbersome. The instructions are clear and concise. The back neckline gown to lining RST seam is fussy as hell and mine looked not too good when I was finished. Lol. It's the reason mine has trim going all the way around the back of the neck. For my stomacher I basted one side to the gown and sewed hooks and bars on the other side. It's very easy to put on. Final notes: I love my gown. It's not perfect but I am so pleased to have finally made my dream dress! I felt so elegant when I was wearing it! I highly recommend this pattern and I will make another at some point. I made this gown because I was invited to an 18th century party at the end of September. The Countess was also in attendance as well as some of my other homegirls. It was a magical day & evening! The lovely Countess wore her beautiful new gown! Ready to greet the guests! A fabulous group photo before supper was served. After supper photo by In the Long Run Designs. They were so nice to work with! Playing cards and winning! During the picnic both The Countess and I had scheduled a photo session with In the Long Run Designs. I decided to wear my trusty JP Ryan green silk gown. The Countess also wore green so we were like twins!! Lol, it wasn't planned but we had fun with it anyways. Here are some of the pictures from the picnic. The green chicas Contemplating nefarious shenanigans.... A stroll in the garden. Defending my virtue! The Countess looking pretty saucy! This event was one of the highlights of my year! I have made some wonderful friends in the last few years and I am truly grateful for the good times we have together. Thanks for stopping by and sorry I have been SO VERY neglectful of my little blog.
The Standard 18th-Century Petticoat We've had a request from one of our loyal readers for a detailed tutorial on how to make an 18th-century petticoat. Confused by the directions on a commercial period pattern (and I don't blame her, they are quite horrid) and frustrated by the conflicting information she's found online, she asked if we could offer a straight-forward, easy-access guide to cutting and assembling an accurate petticoat. So here goes! The pattern: No pattern or complicated draping is necessary to make a standard "straight petticoat" (i.e. one intended to be worn without skirt supports). Of the extant petticoats in this "straight petticoat" category that I've encountered that date from approximately 1750-1785 (including quilted ones), almost all have a skirt width of between 100"-120". When making one, I wouldn't go much under or over that. Under 100" looks too skimpy on one extreme, and at the other extreme, greater volume can be (and was) achieved through multiple petticoats, a quilted petticoat, and/or the way you choose to lay your pleats at the waistband. The general rule of thumb I've heard repeated by re-enactors is a skirt width of 3 to 4 times your waist measurement, which works out to within the 100"-120" range for the average individual. Other than that, the only "pattern" you need comes from two key measurements: your waist measurement (with stays on) and your waist to floor measurement (with appropriate shoes). Keep in mind that these instructions are only for a petticoat that will *not* be worn over skirt supports. If you plan to wear side hoops or a bum or hip roll, you'll need to accommodate that with shaping at the waistline. It's not complicated, but in the interest of keeping things simple and easily accessible here, we'll save the "shaped petticoat" for another tutorial! Construction Details: Below is a step-by-step guide to cutting and assembling a "straight petticoat". 1) Before you cut your petticoat panels to the appropriate length, you need to make a decision about how historically accurate you need/want to be. - If you want to recreate a petticoat that mirrors an original as closely as possible, you should try to replicate the width of period fabrics, which differed from the width of fabrics available today. Silk, for instance, which we typically find woven in 54" or 60" (and occasionally in 45") today, was very narrowly woven in the 18th century. Period gowns and petticoats retaining the original selvages have panels that are (on average) between 17" and 23" (for satins and taffetas). Linen, as Linda Baumgarten explains in Costume Close-up (pg. 58), was available in a slightly wider variety of widths, most commonly 27", 31 1/2", 36", or 45". Between 30" and 36" seems to be the typical range for cottons, while wool was woven in such a wide range of widths that basically anything goes (even 60" - after all, that's why one type was called "broadcloth"!). So after selecting your fabric, and if you choose to take the route of strictest historical accuracy, you must first adjust its width accordingly before preceding to the next step. OR.... - Your other option, while not strictly period-accurate, is also perfectly acceptable: work with the width of your fabric as it is, regardless of the content. Unless I'm doing an exact reproduction of an extant gown and/or petticoat, this is the route I choose, with the justification that 18th century seamstresses would *never* have wasted fabric or time by separating panels and re-stitching them; they would have taken full advantage of wider widths had they been available. This is a personal choice and up to your own individual accuracy ideals. Just so you know that in choosing to retain your modern fabric width, you're making a conscious, educated choice. 2) Now that you've settled on your fabric and decided on the width you need/want to use, decide on the appropriate length for your petticoat. If you're working on a formal gown, a longer toe-length gown (about 2" off the floor) is ideal (though you'll probably want shorter if you intend to dance in it!). If you want a working-class impression, just at the top of the ankle bone is best because it helps the petticoat stay clear of fires and mud. A walking-length petticoat (about 3-4" off the floor, about mid-high ankle) is the fashionable ideal for 1770s and early 1780s daywear. Period paintings and fashion plates are a great place to get a comprehensive sense of what styles look best worn at what length. Once you've decided on your preferred petticoat length, measure from your waist to that length and add 1 1/2" (this allows for the waistband and a 1/2" hem; if you want a larger hem (don't go over 1"), account for that here). Cut the appropriate number of fabric panels (to equal the 100" to 120" width) to that length. Two panels of 54" linen, cut to the appropriate length and laid on top of each other. 3) Stitch together your fabric panels using either a combination stitch or a mantua maker's stitch. If you have only two panels, leave the top 9 to 10" open on each side for pocket slits. If you have more than two panels, sew the entire length because you'll need to cut slits into the center of two of the panels in a later step. The two panels seamed together with a combination stitch. I usually don't make my seam allowances so large (18th century ones were typically tiny), but the selvage on this fabric was very wide and so had to be accommodated. 4) Finish your hem by folding it up 1/2" and then rolling it 1/2" again to encase the raw edge. Secure it using a slip stitch or hem stitch. Hems during the second and third quarters of the 18th century were typically small (why waste fabric?), averaging about 1/4" to 1/2", but if you have the fabric and prefer a deeper hem, you can go up to 1" (but not over). The 1/2" hem rolled and pinned... ...and stitched down (outside view is on the bottom, inside view on the top in the photo). Rolling the hem twice is the most common (and easiest) way to finish it, but if you're working with thicker fabric (wool or a quilted or marseilles fabric), or if you need to eek out as much length as you can, you could also bind the raw edges of the hem. This was called ferreting in the period, and is achieved by taking tape (wool, linen, or silk works, the fiber matched to your petticoat fabric), stitching it to the bottom of the petticoat, and then flipping it to the inside and securing it so that about 1/4"-1/2" of the tape remains visible on the right side. Your third period option is to face the hem, typically with a light-weight silk; this treatment is almost always reserved for silk petticoats and silk gown skirts, though it is seen on expensive cotton gowns as well. Your facing strips can be anywhere from a narrow 1" all the way up to 9" (sometimes even more is seen). 5) Now it's time to finish the pocket slits. If your petticoat uses 2 or 4 panels, all you have to do is roll the selvage edges of the side slits and hemstitch/whipstitch them down. It also helps to stitch a couple stitches, forming a bar, across the very bottom of the slit to prevent it from tearing. The thread bar, formed from a series of overlapping stitches, that secures the bottom edge of the pocket slit. If you're working with a thicker material (quilted/marseilles, for instance) that is difficult to roll, you could also bind the pocket slits. If your petticoat uses three panels, fold your petticoat "tube" in half on one of the seams (that seam will be your center-back, and its opposite point your center-front), and then in half again, so that you've divided it into quarters. Cut 9 to 10" down on the fold (and on the grain of the fabric), forming your two pocket slits. Narrowly roll in the edges, as above, and whipstitch them down. To finish the bottom edge of each slit, make buttonhole stitches to strengthen the curve and stitch a thread bar just above. As this method is already expertly detailed in The Lady's Guide to Plain Sewing, Book One and by Nicole of Diary of a Mantua Maker, and because I didn't use this technique in my example, I'll refer you to those resources if you'd like extra guidance here. 6) Next, measure your waist in stays and divide that figure in half. Add 2" to that number and that is the length into which you need to pleat each half of your petticoat. Adding the 2" allows for a little overlap at the sides when the petticoat is tied on, so that the pocket slits don't hang open, and it allows for greater adjustability in your waist size without using the dreaded drawstring waist (horrors!). If you'd prefer your petticoat to meet and tie exactly at the sides with no overlap, don't add the extra 2" and just use half your total waist measurement instead. 7) Pleat the front half of your petticoat to the figure just calculated above. Begin by dividing the front panel in half to find the middle. Make a 3" to 5" box pleat at the center. This creates a smooth, flat front which helps contribute to the illusion of the narrow waist and full hips that was so fashionable. It also reduces bulk and allows the front of your gown or jacket to lay as flat as possible across your stomach (who would object to that?!). A 4" box pleat at the center front. Then make knife pleats (1/2" to 1" wide up to about 1775ish, and then you can go narrower if you'd like to) facing towards the pocket slits so that the panel equals your measurement calculated in step #6. In this example, I did a 4" center box pleat with a series of 1" knife pleats. Don't stress the pleats too much; as long as they look more or less even on the outside, it doesn't matter what they're like on the inside. If you look at extant gowns, more often than not, the skirt pleats look perfect from the outside, but are shockingly uneven and even messy on the inside. What no one sees, no one knows! The front panel of the petticoat, showing the center 4" box pleat and the 1" knife pleats angled towards the pocket slits. The total measurement for this completed panel is half my waist measurement plus 2". 8) Pleat the back panel of the petticoat by making an inverse box pleat, 3" to 5", at the center. Then make knife pleats facing towards the center-back inverted pleat, about the same size as the ones you did for the front, until you reach your required measurement from step #6. The 4" inverted box pleat at center-back, which mirrors the one you just made for the front. The 18th century was all about symmetry! The completed back panel, showing the inverted box pleat and the 1" knife pleated angled towards center-back. 9) You can skip this step, but I find it makes the next part easier. Do a running stitch or blanket stitch across the top of the pleats on each panel to secure them in place, about 1/4" from the top. It can be as messy as you like because the stitches will be fully concealed beneath the waistband. I prefer a blanket stitch when using thicker fabric (like marseilles) or fabric that tends to unravel easily (like the linen in this example), but a running stitch serves very well when you're working with something like a firmly woven cotton or taffeta silk. Blanket stitches secure the pleats in place and prevent the fabric from unraveling. 10) The last step is to finish the waistband. Again, you have options here that are commonly used and generally approved by reenactors and historical clothing experts. Truly documented waistband treatments are almost nonexistent because waistband treatments happen to be one of those things that rarely survived the passage of time on extant petticoats. These two methods, however, are both firmly and confidently within the realm of historical probability, however, so use them with confidence! - One option is to cut two lengths of cotton or linen tape (1/2" to 1" wide), long enough to wrap around your waist and tie in a generous bow. Stitch the tape to the top of each panel to form the petticoat waistband and ties. You can either sew it right-sides together, then flip it over and whipstitch it down to the inside, or fold it in half and secure it in one step with a spaced backstitch, catching all layers at once. The latter is my favorite, mostly because by the time I get to this step, I just want to be done with the petticoat already! 1" cotton twill tape, folded in half and pinned across the top of the petticoat pleats. One option is to use spaced backstitches to attach the tape waistband. - Your second option is to make a waistband of self-fabric. Cut two rectangles 1 1/2" wide and the length of one panel plus 1". Fold under the short edges 1/2". Place one of the long sides even with the top edge of the petticoat panel, right sides together, and backstitch them together about 1/4" to 1/2" from the top. Flip it over, fold under the edge, and whipstitich it down on the inside. Cut two lengths of narrow tape (that is, two lengths per side, or four total), about 30" long, insert the ends (maybe about 1/2") into each side of the waistband, and tack them on. A self-fabric waistband is also an option... ...with narrow tape ties tacked at the sides of each panel to wrap around the waist. Congratulations, you've finished your petticoat! The completed front panel... ...and the completed back panel. The fabric: Petticoats can be made of any period-appropriate fabric. When choosing your petticoat material, keep in mind that printed petticoats were only worn when they were made of fabric matching your gown; never was a printed petticoat worn with a solid color outer garment. The reverse, however, is perfectly acceptable (that is, it was common to see a printed outer garment with a solid color petticoat). Be careful with plaids, as they tended to have regional or ethnic associations. Checks appeared only on aprons, men's shifts, and as lining material, so it's best to avoid those as well for this particular project. Use only woven stripes with a balanced design. If you're unsure, it's best to stick with solid colors that could feasibly be achieved with natural dyes. Keep in mind that wool takes dyes more easily than linen, so you would be more likely to find brighter colors in wool and more muted shades in linen. Finishing the look: Always wear at least two petticoats. To don your new petticoat, pull the strings from the back panel around your waist to the front and secure them slightly off to one side (this helps to keep your center front as smooth as possible). Then wrap the ties from the front panel around your waist and tie them in the back. Tuck in the ends so that they're less likely to pull or come undone. The completed petticoat (which actually sits about 2" further off the ground on me than on the dressform) And finally, if you create a petticoat using this tutorial, we welcome your feedback and we'd love to see photos of your finished project!
Brunswicks are considered to be a travel garment of sorts. Something fashionable, but practical. Much like Riding Habits can be worn. It'...
I don’t know, I actually had a bit of a struggle deciding on the term to select. Eventually, Jumps and or Waistcoat won out. In looking for inspiration pictures and information, I found that …
“Bouquet Francaise” is the name the @littlebitGerman gave to the Red Francaise after she saw it in person and I think it describes it beautifully. Throughout the bulk of it’s exis…
What was worn under a chemise a la reine? Stiffer boned stays? Soft stays or jumps? Bust separating stays? Â Or could you go without a support garment?
The riding habit seems (to me anyway) to have been an equivalent to modern day “sportswear”, as in casual daywear. In addition to being worn for actual riding, it was a woman’s &…
The “mantua” developed in the latter part of the 17th century (c. 1670s-80s). Here is an example from that period at the Costume Institute at the Met. The third quarter 18th century Ni…
After two quick afternoons of sewing, I'm proud to say that my Curtain-Along contribution is complete! (If you're not familiar with the Curtain-Along, click here.) Everyone is making gowns, which I admire and all look great, but I wanted to do something different. "Sew" I chose to create an embroidered under petticoat. Crewel embroidered petticoat, 18th century August Auctions Mid-18th century petticoat, Vermont, linen plain weave with wool embroidery MFA Accession Number 38.79 Mid-18th century New England petticoat, linen and cotton ground with wool embroidery. MFA Accession Number 50.3175 Knowing that there are oodles of examples of beautifully embroidered under petticoat borders such as.... Crewel work petticoat border, 18th century New England. Linen ground with wool embroidery and worsted wool tape. MFA Accession Number 50.3123 Petticoat border, New England 1758. Linen plain weave with wool embroidery. MFA Accession Number 40.571 Petticoat border, 1758, Ipswich, MA. Linen plain weave with wool embroidery. MFA Accession Number 61.158 ...I used these as inspiration when curtain shopping. I searched online and found beautifully embroidered fabrics curtains like: Pottery Barn Margarite Embroidered Drape, starts at $129 a panel. Ballard Designs Crewel Embroidered Drape. This is no longer available but the sale/clearance price was $100 per panel. I wasn't willing to pay anything close to that amount. It seems to defeat the purposes of Jen's initial inspiration of the curtain fabric being similar to the reproduction fabric, yet much cheaper. Thanks to Etsy I eventually found a vintage pair of valences. Made from, most likely, a polyester yarn, the embroidery is done in chain stitches, which is accurate, and the design seems relatively 18th century in inspiration. The fabric on a Joann's-type osnaburg. At $25 it's a good fit. A detail of the embroidery. There's a great embroidered under petticoat from the UK National Trust that's all pieced together, which I used as my curtain-along inspiration / documentation: Petticoat 1740-1760, linen and cotton National Trust Collections Inventory Number 814614.8 Initially I thought I would unpick all the machine stitching and sew the whole thing by hand. Given the time consuming nature of unpicking machine stitches, I bagged that. I sewed the valences together; and then I sewed the valences to three pieces of a beige linen fabric--all on the sewing machine. (This is a big accomplishment for me as I'm much better versed in hand sewing.) Since this project is more costume-like than reproduction-like, I decided to keep the rod pocket seams so the valences retain their "curtainness". I pleated the waist and whip stitched the tape in place... ...and before I knew it, it was done! A peek at the inside. Some day I'll make a reproduction embroidered under petticoat with beautiful images. In the mean time, since students often ask about the many layers of 18th century clothing, this makes a great talking point.
I've been procrastinating on, well, everything costume-related, and with Costume College a mere month away, it's time to get down to business with this striped gown. My material - I have enough for both a gown and a matching petticoat The gown is really for our trip
Isabella reporting, During my last few visits to Colonial Williamsburg , I've been intrigued by one of the on-going trade studies by th...
Although the women’s garments that have survived in greatest abundance from the 18th century are dresses, in actual everyday life jacket + petticoat combinations were at least as common. Thi…
What was worn under a chemise a la reine? Stiffer boned stays? Soft stays or jumps? Bust separating stays? Â Or could you go without a support garment?
Life feels pretty chaotic and uncertain right now, especially for small businesses in our community. Please consider giving them boost to help them through this stressful time.
LACMA - viaThose of you who follow me on Facebook will know I'm working on an enormous Robe a la Francaise for the Costume College Gala. I'm calling her The Silver Ghost. I'm about a third of the way through the project at this point
This is a story about cartridge pleating in the 18th century, specifically on fitted-back (robe a la anglaise) women’s gowns. About how I first did not know anything about it, and then learne…
For some reason I got a wild hair to do a
This is a story about cartridge pleating in the 18th century, specifically on fitted-back (robe a la anglaise) women’s gowns. About how I first did not know anything about it, and then learne…
This is a story about cartridge pleating in the 18th century, specifically on fitted-back (robe a la anglaise) women’s gowns. About how I first did not know anything about it, and then learne…
I've been both taking and collecting pictures of 18th century trims. I'll start with photos that I took during my visit to Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, USA, in March 2011. Yes, there I am, taking copious notes! Looking too serious, methinks :) I will be copying this style of pleating for my 1780s gown An example of fly fringe Elbow cuff trim Trimmed stomacher Beautiful use of lace, silk ribbon and thread buttons
I am using a diagram I found on the web so long ago I can't remember where it came from, but it's so very helpful!: I have used it before for measurements and scale it really makes a nice shape and size. I am using the same material as the apron so they can be a matched set and am hand sewing the whole thing like the apron. I am debating though, whether or not I want to do the ruffled edge. It's a pretty touch and I did cut out the material for it already, just not sure I want to do all the hand work! ;)
Caul and band sewn and worn inside out. Last time, I had showed you the toile of a dormeuse cap I am making up, sans any sort of gathering or pleating on the "wings". This post will lead you through the first part of cutting out and constructing the cap. My actual dormeuse design is more complex than the toile: it's a silk gauze version of the extant linen cap we saw in the last post. I will certainly add a ribbon around it to decorate it. I have read available accounts of cap-making online. Most useful so far have been "How to Make a Cap", by Sue Felshin, on the 18thCNewEnglandLife site, and The Mantua Maker's "Cap Research". The Felshin article dates to the early 2000s, but is thorough and acknowledges when it departs in construction methods from extant caps. It also helps that I have an antique lace cap in my collection. To all appearances it dates to the early 19th century, but the methods used to make it are nonetheless good to know. cap-kikiepa-109422-m186520 I am sewing the cap using part of the arsenal of 18th century stitches: backstitch, fell stitch, whipstitch, stroked gathering. I am using whichever stitch seems to make most sense for the seam/hem, rather than following a given pattern. The fabric for this cap is Indian silk gauze from Puresilks.us. It's lovely stuff. It is sewn with Gutermann cotton thread. I should probably use silk filament thread for this but did not want to separate threads from my silk DeVere Silks filament floss; that's not much fun to do. Cutting Out the Cap Pieces Here are the basic pattern pieces. The wings, top, are in plain form, without extra fabric for gathers or pleating. A quarter of an inch of allowance is accounted for, though. It was a pretty, sunny morning when I cut out the silk gauze for the cap. Miss Blueberry Muffin agrees. The gauze had been heavily starched and pressed before cutting, which made cutting easier and has prevented any fraying. Muffin really is a muffin, isn't she? She spilleth over, despite being on a strict diet. Of course, she is stockily built; her legs are short and paws are broad. She is built for snow and cold: wait until you see her winter coat! Okay, back to the cap. Here below are the pattern pieces, cut into silk gauze. The four long narrow pieces are the wings. They have not been shaped yet. One long side is the selvage. It appears a little wavy due to the starching, but has been straightened pretty well. You can see how sheer the gauze is. for the carpet pattern shows right through. It's a knitted wool carpet, by the way. Neat! Constructing the Caul and Band The image below shows the band, top, and the caul, bottom. You will notice that the caul as cut out is wider than the pattern. I cut it wider so as to have more to gather into the band, for a more capacious fit. First, I found the center of the band, and marked it with the pin, for later reference. Second, I turned up a 1/4" channel on the straight portion of the caul by folding over the bottom of the caul twice, and whipped it closed. Tapes will go through the channel and be pulled shut to pull the caul into a rounded shape that will fit the back of the head. Here is a closer view of the gathering channel. Next, I found the center of the top of the arch on the caul, measured out about 2 inches from each side, and gathered them tightly up. I held the gathers in place with a pin. After that, I found the center of the top of the caul again and matched it to the center pin mark on the band. I pinned the two together. Then I took one end of the band, and pinned it to one bottom end of the caul, leaving about one quarter inch sticking out beyond the end, Then I found the other end of the band, and pinned it to the other bottom end of the caul, again leaving the band sticking out a quarter of an inch. The next step was to make as narrow a hem as possible on the ends of the band, so they would be flush with the end of the caul. Sorry that I don't have a picture of that! Then the band and caul were eased together so that the sides of the band were smooth and all of the gathering was kept to the top center of the caul. Using black thread, I basted the caul and band together, leaving a quarter-inch seam allowance. You can see that I basted right over the gathered portion of the caul. The seam was then sewn for real using a small spaced backstitch. The valley of each gather in the gathered portion was sewn down so as not to squash the gathers. I did not sew all the way to the end of the caul: I left a little room for each end of the channel. Once two tiny 1/8" wide cotton tapes are added to the inside of each end of the channel, then I'll close the space up. Now we have the back and band for the cap. After the wings are sewn on, I will go back and grade all the allowances and then fell them carefully down. Here is what we have so far, from the back. Remember that the tapes aren't yet in the gathering channel on the caul. When in, pulled close and tied, the caul will puff and the cap fit more closely. Here's what we have from the side, again. I've worn it inside out to show the seam allowances. They will be graded, remember, and felled down. Next post, we will create the wings to fit to the front of the cap, and sew them on. That's been fun to figure out, surprisingly. I did it one way, saw that the results were less refined than hoped, rethought and redid the them and had better resuts, but because I didn't write down my process carefully beforehand, forgot a key construction method, so I am on my third try. Let's hope it's the charm. Before I leave you, some fun. School is closed for fall break, so the boys have played more or less peacefully this morning. A few minutes ago I could hear Noah's feet as he padded up the stairs. He was coming to show me his new invention: a video camera for filming horsey's football game. Horsey is cantering out of view, helped by Christopher, but here is Noah, filming.
This is a story about cartridge pleating in the 18th century, specifically on fitted-back (robe a la anglaise) women’s gowns. About how I first did not know anything about it, and then learne…
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I've been both taking and collecting pictures of 18th century trims. I'll start with photos that I took during my visit to Colonial Williams...
What was worn under a chemise a la reine? Stiffer boned stays? Soft stays or jumps? Bust separating stays? Â Or could you go without a support garment?
