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.