Lark Rise to Candleford

I'm so happy when I find a show I like and I'm only on Season 1. My new show to sew to is Lark Rise to Candleford. Not to be confused with Cranford with Judi Dench (which I also love). Lark Rise takes place in the 1890's in Oxfordshire. It takes place in Larkrise, which is a country Hamlet and Candleford, which is a small town expanding with the times.

The narrator is Laura Timmens, a poor girl from the hamlet, who goes to stay with her mother's cousin Dorcus, the owner of the Candleford post office. This show does what BBC costume shows do best, pathos. Laughing through tears, crying or just plain laughing. It's nice from a costuming standpoint because there are different social strata represented, from the workhouse girl to the country squire. It also stars some old favorites. Brendan Coyle:

Hellloooooo Mr. Bates

Julia Sawalha:

Saffron Darling, Saffron Sweetheart

and Ben Miles:

Patrick from the British "Coupling" not to be confused with the horrible US show of the same name.

I can't tell you if anything horrible happens because Im  only on Season 1, but if you have Amazon Prime you can watch it streaming for free.

18th Century Insanity

I'm still busily handsewing the boning channels on my corset, so I don't have anything to show you there. I have picked up another challenge though. This ones not due until Costume College 2014, which is the last weekend in July. Demode Couture is having an 18th Century Court Ensembles project. Those of us participating will wear it for the Costume Gala at Costume College. Think super wide skirts here. Marie Antoinette on steroids.

I was trying to find a parody, but they are so big that I parody would be redundant

 Since I don't really want to negotiate such a huge skirt, I decided to go earlier in the century and make a mantua. The stomacher is missing, so I will pretty much have to make that up, but that will be fun to research.

I'm insane, but I won't be hand embroidering this thing

I just have to keep my eye open for some kind of bedspread or curtains or upholstery fabric that mimics this. I can always add more googaws

Dicken's Corset or OW! my thumbs are killing me

Spring Green Linen for the fashion fabric

I have been sewing my poor fingers to the bone all day on my corset for Dickens. I do enjoy hand sewing, but sewing through 2 layers of cotil and a layer of linen, is really tough on my thumb.This is my first corset, but I'm using Jennifer Rosbrugh's Historical Sewing Victorian Corset Sewing Workbook and following it step by step. It really helps take the mystery out of it.

It's a lot greener than this in person

I'm getting better at the little stitches, but its hard not to get a little wonky. The linen weave helps though.

bad flash photo

I'm proud of how well the busk came out, it wasn't as tricky as I thought it would be.

City of Vice

I love to sew by hand, and I love to have costume dramas or sewing shows playing on tv while I'm doing it. They vary in historical accuracy of course, but I watch them all. I discovered a new one the other day; City of Vice.

This man wrote Tom Jones, do not throw your panties at him

The setting is London during the reign of George II, and tells the story of Henry Fielding (of Tom Jones, book, not singer) and his brother, and of their quest to start London's first police force. The show is historically accurate as much as possible, using Old Bailey Sessions papers and memoirs of the period. It's very gritty. Sort of like Law and Order: SVU meets the History Channel.

come for the beautiful costumes, stay anyway

It's set mostly in the poor parts of the city, so not as many pretty pretty costumes as I like, but the show itself is very good. We do get to go into a brothel at one point and they had nice clothes, but the storyline is not for the faint of heart.

Sex swing of the18th century

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!

Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge #24: Re-do

For my Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge #24: Re-Do I decided to do the Challenge #3: Under-it-all.

Here are my first pair of crotchless drawers. Ooh la la. I made them for Dickens Fair, and they'll be hidden under at least two petticoats and a skirt, so they aren't really very sexy. They were historically for convenience purposes, and will be so again while negotiating porta potties at the fair.

Don't you want me baby

Another sheet bites the dust in the name of fashion

They have a drawstring waistband and are made from 100% Cotton.They have little pintucks on the legs. I'm practicing my straight stitching and getting better, but it's a work in progress.

Good thing this will be UNDER wear

Doncha wish your girlfriend was hot like me.

The Challenge: #24 Re-Do or #3 Under it All
Fabric: cotton
Pattern: Laughing Moon #100, Ladies Victorian Underwear 1840-1900
Year: 1840
Notions: Cotton Thread, Cotton Cording
How historically accurate is it? I did everything by hand and it's all natural materials. If the pattern is historically accurate then it's at least 95%
Hours to complete:24 hours , the pintucks and the self bias binding added time to the mix
First worn: Just parading around my house making my daughter laugh
Total cost: Cording 25 cents, sheet $1 . So $1.25

Dicken's Fair is calling

Okay, now that the prohibition pub crawl is done, it's time to start getting ready for Dicken's Fair. I need to make; a corset, a chemise and drawers, two petticoats, a skirt, a blouse and a jacket. All by hand. Luckily Dickens runs through December 22nd. So we will go, when I get the outfit ready. I've decided I need to be really organized if I'm going to pull this off, so I started by putting my pattern in order. I also have one leg of the drawers finished. I'm off and running.

Keep patterns in order by using a binder with page protectors.

The pages of directions are put int the binder so they can be read like a book.

All the pieces for each part of pattern are kept together in a page protector.

Since this is a muslin mockup, I marked each piece in the seam allowance.