18th Century Stays for Historical Sew Fortnightly Bodice Challenge

This is going to be a 'quick and dirty' blog post because I'm in a rush. I finished these for the most part last weekend and didn't get a chance to post the picture. Stays or Pair of Bodies, is just the older term for corset. (essentially, for the layman, I'm sure there are costume historians that would have more information). These were completed for the Historical Fortnightly Challenge #5: Bodice. I made mine from Reconstructing History's 1740's to 1790's downloadable ePattern.

The back is supposed to have a 2 inch gap, but I just keep losing too much darn weight

The original pattern had a back closure only, but it's virtually impossible to fasten by myself. Since my ladies maid quit in a huff after I asked her to stop boffing the stable boy, I've had to dress myself.I cut the front down the middle and added lacing, so I can get it on without help.

This photo makes me want to yodel

The stays are made from Silk Dupioni on the outside with linen interlining. I bound the edges with pre-made bias tape (cheater!) and the bones are all 1/4 inch cable ties. These are not historically correct of course, but whales are so hard to catch these days and they don't give up there bones easily.

Fairy Tale for the Historical Sew Fortnightly

The Fairy Tale challenge for the Historical Sew Fortnightly challenge isn't due until  April 1st, but I'm so excited for it. I am busy busy busy sewing some 18th century stays and will post pictures soon. In the meantime though, let's talk fairy tales. I am 50 years old and I have gray hair. I love my gray and I'm actually pretty happy with my age too. Sooo, where does that leave me in the fairy tale world? I can be an evil witch, an evil stepmother or an old crone that keeps the princess in the tower. Of course, nothing says I can't just make myself a Cinderella costume or some other youth driven fairy tale, but I don't want to. Why? Because I'm proud of my journey. So, I'm going to write my own. At least, I'm going to write my own outline of one and base my costume on my story. Working title: The Autumn Queen. I have a lot of orange, rust, and mustard yellow fabric also. I love the idea of a woman who struggles and reaches her autumn years and then finds out she is a Queen.

I would totally rock this Dolce and Gabbana crown

It has to be historical, but since it's a fairy tale, I can also go a little nutty with it. I love some of these fairy tale illustrations.

Illustration by Jennie Harbour

Pamela Colebourn

Felix Lorioux

I need to use them as inspiration, choose a time period and just go for it. Of course, you can't go wrong with a Worth gown.

So me

Now if anyone can think of a Fairy Tale, from any country that involves an older woman as the heroine and not the evil nemesis, I'd love to hear about it. Not a myth, but an actual fairy tale. Bring on the knowledge!

Day to deadline and.....stalled

Pieced together front

Sometimes, when I run into a snag it just completely stops me in my tracks. When I went to cut out the pieces of my linen shirt with the pattern, they were all too small, so I pieced them together. So tomorrow is the deadline for the Historical Sew Fortnightly 2014
Challenge #1: Make do and Mend.

Inside out, French Seamed

I just can't figure out how to make it work. I was getting frustrated, so I put it aside. My other plan was to fix the bodice of my Dickens dress. I was still sewing it at 4am the night before the fair and I realized I didn't have any hooks and eyes so I cut buttons and buttonholes off a silk blouse and attached it. It enabled me to close it and wear it, but it looked kind of messy.

Really messy

I also wanted to fix the pleating and the seams of the sleeves. The problem is; this event has passed. I'm kind of over this dress right now, so I'm having a hard time motivating  to mend it. Also, I still don't have any hooks and eyes.

Soooo, not sure if I am going to make this challenge. But...on a high note, I used my $25 gift certificate to Bookshop Santa Cruz to buy myself a few treats.

I have always love Tom Tierney paperdolls. I have a small collection

and one more

A book with patterns meant to fit tiny Asian women. What could possibly go wrong.

Meet Tessie

I am proud to introduce to you, "Torpedo T*ts Tessie" heretofore know as "Tessie" She is a Uniquely You dressform that my darling boyfriend bought me for Christmas. There is a fitted dress that fits over the form, which is kind of a memory foam, that you sew to your exact size and then fit over the form. When I actually do that, I'll let you know how it goes.

Holy Torpedoes Batman!

I'm participation in the Historical Sew Fortnightly 2014 again this year, and the first challenge is 

#1: Make Do & Mend – due Wed 15 Jan. Let’s start of the year with a clean slate, and with a bit of a tidy up.  Use this challenge as an opportunity to get your historical wardrobe in order by fixing any little bits that have worn out and gone wrong.  Alternatively, you could focus on the historical precedent of making-do by re-making something into a historical garments, whether it be a bodice from a worn-out skirt, a chemise from old sheets, a bosom-friend from an old cardigan, or a new historical hat from an old modern one etc.  Finally, you could just those people who had to make-do by making something for a historical character who would have scrimped and saved and re-made and mended until the fabric entirely fell apart.

I have a pretty linen shirt that I bought at the thrift store. It is far too big, but I think I can make it into a nice victorian shirtwaist.

I took the whole blouse apart with a seam ripper, with the intention to then use the pattern pieces from the Folkwear Schoolmarm pattern shirtwaist, but of course the pattern pieces are way to big, so I'm going to have to get creative. Make it work! I put both the half finished walking skirt and the tucked in uncut shirt on the corseted Tessie, to do a little visual mockup of what it will look like. The picture isn't great, but you can get a bit of an idea. I have some other linen from some old pillow shams. If I tea dye the whole thing and those pieces, it may all look like it goes together.

The whole shirt will be reshaped.

More detail of the lace

Dicken's Fair Dress

I bought some fabric for my outfit for the Dicken's fair, but it turns out that it wouldn't be historically correct to make up a plain skirt and a plaid bodice as I was planning. I got very lucky though. I found a $100 cotton plaid on sale at Joanne's for $2.99 a yard.

A little dreary, but I think it will look good with the pattern I'm using

I'm going to use the Truly Victorian Pattern TV456: 1856 Gathered Dress. Which has recieved good reviews.

I think the gathered fan front will be more flattering on my generous bosom, than a high necked fitted bodice.

I got free shipping, so I have to wait 7-10 business days for the fabric. I'll just make all the other parts of my costume first (including a corset. Ack!) and then whip that baby right up.This will also fit in nicely for the Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge #26: Celebrate!