Williamsburg Tailorshop

I've been holding off on this post for a few days because I wanted to have my completed Chemise a la Reine featured for a few days. As always, my favorite stop in Williamsburg is the Tailor's shop. There's always so much to look at, and the displays change. Check out the full side hoops hanging on display in the store!There was also a pair of Stays (I recognize the JP Ryan pattern) and a small set of pocket hoops (the red plaid hanging on the rope). They were so small, I wondered if they were maybe for a child, but I didn't get the chance to ask. In the background, you can see a white Robe a la Francaise muslin example on display.
I got really excited when I spotted the Calash hat (it's green and red in the upper corner). These hats were very large and were wired so it would stand tall and accommodate the hairstyles of the day.
There was a beautiful silk waistcoat in progress that was on display. I didn't get the best photo, but I just love this picture of the projects the tailor is working on, and the bolts of fabric in the background.Here, the tailor is sitting cross-legged on top of a table in his store window. This was apparently the preferred way for tailors to work. It was comfortable, gave them room to spread out their project, gave them the best natural lighting, and displayed their work to the passing public. I loved the men's silk dressing robe he was working on (I think these are called banyon's). They were introduced as trade with the orient became more common, and were acceptable casual clothing.

I could be mistaken, but I believe the gentleman is the tailor who will be teaching the 18th century stays workshop that I will be attending in September through Burnley and Trowbridge.

Completed Chemise a la Reine

Well, it might have been 4 am the day of the event, but I did manage to finish this project! My living room still looks like a sewing disaster area, but here is the final product (okay, okay, no project is ever final...I'd like to go back and lengthen the hem and permanently sew on the arm ribbons):I think I might be wearing my rump a little bit too low, and I was disturbed to see that this style wasn't particularly flattering on my body-type. I don't know why I'm surprised - it's essentially a 4 yard tube gathered around me with draw-strings. It was bound to add some unwanted bulk. I was, however, very pleased with the sash, the hat (isn't it at a nice jaunty upturned angle?), and my wig.The pattern left a few things to be desired (though it did get the job done). First of all, the pattern called for 60 inch wide fabric. I looked everywhere, but could only find 45 inch wide fabric, so I had to piece together my gown. While I was cutting it out, I happened to measure the width of the pattern piece that required the afore mentioned 60 inch wide fabric - it was 72 inches wide!!! I can't imagine how frustrated I would have been had I purchased 60 inch fabric, only to find out that it wouldn't work or that I hadn't purchased enough fabric.

The next problem came when I realized that there were no instructions on how to finish the upper back edge of the gown. The lady from reconstructing history was very kind and wrote me back with instructions on how to finish them, but I was in such a time crunch that I had forged ahead making it up on my own. My top closure drawstring runs all the way around the top edge of the gown - the front, the shoulder straps, and the back. Apparently I should have created separate casings for the front and the back, and finished the shoulder straps by simply roll hemming them. I may still go back and fix this.

The pattern also called for me to sew the gathering casings as one of the first steps (just after cutting out and assembling the dress pieces). The result was my underbust and waist casings were not at the right spot. In my opinion, the better construction technique would have been to start by gathering the top edge casings, sew on the shoulder straps, and then try on the dress with the undergarments in order to mark the correct placement for the waist and underbust casings. Again, I am definitely considering unpicking my stitches and fixing this.

My final gripe on the pattern - no illustrations whatsoever. For a $30 pattern, that's a lot of problems...and I think my points are pretty valid. Unfortunately, it's currently the only pattern available for the Chemise a la Reine, and in the end I was able to make-do. Here's a final shot of me in period surroundings:

Hat Construction Footnotes

Well, as expected this project turned into a last minute dash, and about half way through I stopped having time to record what I was doing. However, I thought the hat construction process was pretty neat, so I'm posting what documentation I do have.

I started out by cutting out buckram pattern pieces and sewing the hat brim and hat tops into the correct shape:Next up, I hand-sewed millinery wire along all the edges of the hat to maintain its shape:I purchased baby blanket felt to interline the hat. I used a combination of stitching and spray-on craft glue to attach the wool to the buckram:Sadly, that's all the photos I have. The next step was to repeat the process for the interlining with my outer-layer fashion fabric. Once that was done, all the hat pieces were finally assembled (this is when it really started to look like a hat). The final steps were binding the edge of the brim, lining the hat, and decorating the lat. I chose ostrich feathers, pheasant feathers, and a blue taffeta bow. I'll have to get a photo taken at a better angle to really show off the hat, but here's the final product:

Afternoon Petticoat and Rump

Funny how some things really start to go together quickly after you've made similar projects. Today, I managed to cut out and complete the false rump and petticoat for my Chemise a la Reine. The first try at the rump was HUGE and practically stuck straight out from the back like a bustle. That's probably because the tutorial I found was intended for Elizabethan use instead of 18th century. I managed to cut it down a few times, and I think I have found the gentle sloping 'poof' at the back that I was looking for. It might still be a bit big...I don't know. There's still time to change my mind and make it smaller.The side shot below shows a different angle of the rump, as well as a good shot of the petticoat I made. I used my bolt-o-muslin (best purchase ever!) to make the easiest petticoat ever. I cut 4 lengths 45 inches long, sewed them into a tube, gathered them, and put a waistband on top. There are instructions on how I made them here. I'm not going to hem the petticoat until I finish the dress. I want to make sure that I'm happy with the size of the rump under the dress before hemming anything. Full steam ahead - I'm cutting out my dress next!!

Chemise a La Reine Gameplan

Here is my inspiration for my next project. This is going to have to be one of the quickest ensembles I've ever put together. I'm going to the "Under The Redcoats" event in historic Williamsburg in a week and a half. In that time, I need to make a false rump, a petticoat, the dress, sash, and my Gainsborough hat. The good news is I have most of the supplies I need, and sewing is already underway.

Here's the pattern I will be using, and below is the beautiful sheer voile I found at Dharma trading co. I'm amazed at how finely woven it is!

This pretty blue taffeta will be the sash and bows for the decor on both the Chemise and the hat. The black silk taffeta will be the hat covering and lining.

Here is my hat inspiration. This is Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, painted by Gainsborough (yes, that's why the hats are called 'Gainsborough' hats). There's a movie coming out about her in August starting Kiera Knightly...most know for her infamous menage-a-trois living arrangement. Fascinating historical person who directly imported the Chemise a la Reine from France (she was friends with Marie Antoinette), and also happens to be a direct ancestor of the late Princess Diana.
And here is the hat pattern. I've never made a hat, so this should be an interesting project (hold your breath that all goes well). It might not be done before next weekend. The millinery wire I need is stuck in the mail (tornadoes and such in the middle of the country are causing a lot of flight delays). I've already cut out the buckram frame, but can't assemble it any further until the wire arrives. Here's a gist of the shape:

I made this false rump pattern from instructions I found on the internet. Now we'll see how it looks. I always find that bum rolls/false rumps are pretty tricky. They can make you look like a plateau at the waist if you're not careful, and of course, they are supposed to be proportional to your body (the smaller you are, the larger the rump...the larger you are, the smaller the rump). It's almost a science trying to find the right rump to body ratio. We'll see how that goes.

Gravity Suspended

I have completed my regency chemise and corset. I think the chemise is one of the finest items I've made the date. By this, I don't mean my favorite, I just mean that it is high quality fabric that was painstakingly put together until I don't think there's a thing I would have done differently. The fit is perfect, and the drawstring neckline is really going to come in handy with some of my outfits.Next up: the completed Regency short stays (ie corset). As usual, I had fitting issues in the bust area. I even used the gusset inserts for my bra size, the but the cups were left bulging out from the corset. I couldn't even bring myself to take a picture of it. They pointed straight out like a Madonna corset gone all wrong. I solved the problem by running a drawstring along the neckline of corset, and drawing the excess fabric up (I'm not saying the cups were too big...in fact they were too small...I'm saying the cleavage was going everywhere except where they were supposed to). So the fit isn't perfect...the gussets shouldn't be gathered up like that, but it works. I'm now have bodice-busting Regency cleavage. Oh my.
The back of the corset really has an amazing fit - like a glove! If I can only covert the fit of the back of this corset to the longer Mantua Maker Regency stays, fix the shoulder straps (again...worked nicely on this pattern, but not at all on the long corset), and then add a neckline drawstring, perhaps I can finally fix my long Regency Stays.

Regency Corset

The nice thing about sewing, is that eventually you start to build up a nice stockpile of extra fabric. Thanks to my corset stash, I realized that I actually had everything I needed to make the regency short corset included in the Simplicity Pattern.Here are my selected fabrics for the corset: A white cotton coutil for the outer layer of the corset (leftover from my full Regency Corset), a stiff cotton duck for the interlining (leftover from my 18th century stays), and white cotton from my bolt-o-muslin for the lining.Here are the pattern pieces all cut out. It was surprising how little fabric this corset required. Despite the three layers, the corset is only designed to come to just under the bust: I like to think of it as a cross between a corset and a Wonder Bra.Here are all three layers of the corset, assembled and ready to be sewn together. That was plenty for one night, so the assembling, finishing with bias tape, eyelets, and boning will wait for another night.
As usual with this style of corset, the bust gussets were the most labor intensive part of the activity. Each layer had 4 gussets that needed to be inserted into the corset. The gussets can be very fussy, and they like to wiggle around as you try and sew them in place. I got a bit of a gusset factory line set up, which helped speed the process along.Here's what the outer layer looks like on it's own. This picture is a bit pink, but the corset is actually white. I didn't realize it when I took this shot, but the corset kind of has a bit of a Madonna/Material Girl look to it from this angle. That isn't what it will look like when it is done.

Regency Chemise

We're finally pretty much moved into our new place, and I caught the sewing bug this weekend. I had the Simplicity Regency Underthings pattern, courtesy of JoAnne's .99 cent pattern sale, and I also had some batiste fabric I picked up at the Fort Frederick Sutler's event. So...The pattern went together surprisingly quickly. Frankly, I thought I'd just get it cut out, but instead I'm almost finished. Check out how nicely the sleeve gussets went in:I've done a project with sleeve gussets before (check out my Tudor Chemise) but it was a bit of a disaster. I couldn't figure out how to make all the flat-felled seams work out around the diamond the gusset forms. Luckily, with a bit of patience and meticulous ironing, this one turned out great! See how neat and tidy my seams are?
The only thing that kept me from finishing is that I don't have any single fold bias tape. I even hemmed the sleeves and bottom already. I thought for sure I'd have some bias tape lying around in my notions box, but no such luck. As soon as I get the tape all that's left to do is sew it around the neckline and then thread a cord through the casing it will form. Then I can lace up the neckline to the exactly the right spot, and voila! One Regency chemise (which will also double quite nicely for my 18th century outfits...no more cheating by wearing tanks under my corset).

I now am highly motivated to get my Regency gowns and undies finished, because I have an event to go to! Gatsby's Tavern is hosting a Jane Austen Ball in August, and I fully intend to be there sporting a fabulous Regency ball gown.

Costume Con 2008

I wish I could say that I was able to attend Costume Con in San Jose, California, but it didn't happen. However, Kendra of Demode (my favorite costume website) DID attend, and was in the group that won best in show. She and a group of her friends dressed up as the ladies in this famous portrait of Empress Eugenie of France and her ladies in waiting:Check out their YouTube presentation here. Simply amazing. This is exactly the kind of thing I would love to do. I just wish I had a readily available group of historical costumers. Clearly, I need to move to the Greater Bay Area and join their guild.

The good news is I just might have a chance to meet some of the ladies from GBACG next year, because Costume Con 2009 is going to be held in Baltimore, MD. WOHOOOOO!!!! I finally have a shot at attending THE costuming event of the year, and meeting some people who share my quirky hobby. Now I just need to find a friend to drag along so I don't go all shy since I don't know anyone there. I definitely not taking part in the historical competition my first time around. I feel like you really need to go see what's expected before putting yourself up on stage. Still, there will be plenty of other competitions, workshops, socials, and balls to go around. Plus, what a fun and exciting theme: Vampires, Villains, and Vixens. So...who wants to go with me??

Fort Frederick 18 Century Market

I'm still waiting on my sewing stuff to show up, but my husband was really great and packed an outfit for me when I heard about the Fort Frederick 18th century fair. That was a really funny international call - my poor husband overseas, digging through my costume bins, trying to figure out what on earth I meant by 'curacao.' He did a beautiful job, and I had everything I needed to be period from head to toe (I got to wear my new silk stockings, silk kerchief, and shoes).
I was happy that everything still fit. I haven't worn it since I sewed it way back in 2004. It was about time this costume had an outing! I love the picture (above) that shows off how I'm wearing my hat turned up.
My friend Missy from college came with me to the fair (along with poor Dave who was a very good sport the entire day...though we did find some powder horns and bows that struck his interest). It turns out that Missy is a big history buff, and a blossoming period fashion enthusiast (I think her preferred eras are medieval and civil war). It was wonderful to have someone with me to ooh and aah over the craftsmanship that we saw.
The fair was an enormous gathering of 18th century vendors, known as 'sutlers.' It was hosted on the grounds of Fort Frederick. The Fort was open, and we really intended to see the fort as well, but frankly there were so many tents to see that we didn't get a chance. There were some amazing dresses, accessories, fabrics, and patterns. It was a bit overwhelming at times. Above, I'm admiring hand quilted petticoats and pockets.
The really neat event of the day was meeting the Silly Sisters. I have admired their work and website for many years. I always look at websites when I'm looking for ideas, and they always had wonderful 18th century clothing. I was standing in line for drinks when I noticed the amazing quality and workmanship of the woman's gown, in line ahead of me. I told her how wonderful it was, and asked if she had made it. It turned out she was one of the Silly Sisters. I promptly tracked down their tent so that I could be photographed with both of the sisters. There business was hopping, but they were very kind and even answered a few questions I had about costuming for business instead of pleasure.
Finally, I just had to put up a few of the neat things we saw during the day. There were quite a few little ones in costume (one as young as three months). It was adorable seeing them toddle around in their long gowns, but I thought this shot was priceless. What a neat way to ride around and keep the sun off.
This woman was selling pottery, but it was her spinning that drew us to her tent. She was spinning a very fine grey wool, and then showed us a finished pair of thick wool socks she had made from the yarn. She had a partially knitted pair of socks sitting next to her as well. There's something very soothing about sitting and watching spinning.

I managed, for the most part, to contain myself and avoid purchasing everything is site (no easy feat...a lot of the period organdy coifs were very tempting). I came home with a pattern I'd been looking for (wohoo...no shipping charges), enough batiste to make my regency chemise, and a clasp for my black cloak. Our stuff arrives this week, so once we sort out the chaos, hopefully there will be some sewing to show.

2008 Costume Planning

I've been doing some long term thinking about how I would like to add to my costume wardrobe this year and further in the future. Regency is obviously first on the list because that's what I'm currently working on. I thought an overdress would be nice to add some color to the plain white day dress I'm going to make:When the dresses are done, I would like to make a Spencer jacket. I already have a regency straw bonnet waiting to be covered with fabric and have ribbon added on.Next, I would like to move on to my late Tudor gown. I have already purchased the fabric, and researched the French kirtle and gown in the newly released Tudor Tailor. You might remember that I had already purchased a pattern for my Tudor gown, but the fit was all wrong (five inches too big on each side up top, and a 2 inch gap at the waist...makes no sense given how large chested I am). I had lofty ideas of trying to draft a pattern from the Tudor Tailor graphs, but having no pattern drafting experience whatsoever I thought this might not be a good idea. So, I'm hoping a birthday present from London will rescue my efforts. It would be great to have this done in time for the Maryland Renaissance festival in the fall.I have plenty of silk for a Civil Way visiting dress, so I think that should be my next project. I haven't decided for sure on which pattern I will use, but I'm leaning towards this one:Vague notions for beyond 2008:I was thinking I should make a new set of 18 century stays. I was never pleased with the way my strapless set turned out, and I like the Reconstructing history pattern.Next up is a Robe Anglaise. I'm having a love affair with the 18th century, probably fueled by the costumes in Marie Antoinette, but also because they tend to flatter my figure. I also have a place to wear them since I live near Williamsburg.I would like to make a chemise gown from the 18th century, also known as a Gaulle or a Chemise a la Reine.I might make a riding/hunting gown in red or hunter green wool or velvet. I've always loved this style since I saw Dangerous Liaisons and The Brotherhood of the Wolf. It would be better for outdoor events. I always worry about trudging around outside in my silk gown.

In the much more distant future, I hope to move into Venetian and Italian Renaissance dresses (I've got to learn how to draft patterns before launching into that), medieval dresses, and bustle dresses. The bustle era is actually my favorite. My reasoning for putting it off is I want to hone my sewing skills before making my dream gowns.

Regency Underthings

It's been too long since I've had anything to blog about. It's certainly not because I haven't had an interest in sewing. Since my last update, my husband and I have relocated twice (both moves were international moves. My sewing machine and projects can't exactly come on the plane with me when I'm limited to 50 lbs of luggage for the 3 months it takes for our stuff to catch up with us, so I have been missing my favorite hobby. It's given me lots of time to plan and think ahead.

I'm now back in the US...waiting still on my sewing supplies to arrive. I'll then have to figure out how I'm going to set up my sewing area and get everything organized before I can start sewing. I'm thrilled, though, that for the first time in about three years I can just pop out to my local sewing store if I run out of something, instead of having to wait three weeks while I order it online. My favorite fabric store is even nearby. Yay!!

So here are my current costuming priorities:

#1. Fix my regency corset. It's still not quite right. Thank you to Jessamyn of the Regency Costume Companion for her helpful suggestions on how I might correct the fit. I was thrilled to see that she had visited my site - I have consulted her website many times while researching the Regency Era. She suggests that I turn the corset straps to an angle so they will not cut into my shoulders, and will stay put a bit better. I'll give that a try and see what happens.

#2. Given how rigid the long regency corset is, I'm going to try a short version of Regency Stays as a back up. Simplicity had it's annual .99 cent sale, and I snagged their Regency undergarments pattern.Since the pattern comes with a chemise, I'll go ahead and make it up, along with the bodiced petticoat, and then move on to the two dresses I would like to make. I have a friend who really wants a regency outfit for Jane Austin outings, so this will all be good practice for her gowns.