1829-33 Dress

1829-33 Dress with Pink Ruffle of Awesomeness

 Post-surgery & post-mini-stroke, I decided to get back to "work" as soon as I could to troubleshoot the areas I'd have difficulty with.  Math was a big one.  Reading comprehension, balance, coordination & speech were all effected.  I've had to learn to slow down, in speech, typing, thought, action & self-expectations.  Full Steam Ahead isn't working because -- no steam.  Everything has gotten better, but a few areas still need a lot of work (reading comprehension - I can write, but reading directions is a real pain - literally.  Memory - I just plain forget to do things, or have obvious gaps that I know happened but can't recall at all.  Some physical things like precision hand work & turning around & stepping to the side, I lose my balance or get dizzy... and my emotions are about on par with a 4 yr. old, which is better than the 2 yr. old I was a few weeks ago... sometimes I still can't see things, or rather, my eyes work fine, but I don't understand what I'm looking at)...
But oh how far we've come!

Perhaps I should call this my Rehabilitation Dress as it presented me with numerous problem solving issues and a multitude of mistakes that required constant change of plans, rip-out, re-do, calm-down, it's OK.  The final price will never reflect the number of hours that went into this, and I'm a bit "eeh" on the finished product, but it was good for me.  It will fit a human being & she will look lovely in it - which is what matters.

This dress re-taught me my multiplication tables, addition & subtraction.  The day I was able to divide by 3 in my head was pure triumph.  Reminding myself how to do something as simple as gathering vs. pleating was a joy, because I'd forgotten how.  I wrote out directions for myself to follow.  I re-read them to see if I understood... I re-adjusted plans based on the yardage available & re-purposed several things to make the dress better than the original plan would have been.

There are some problems with it, for example: the neckline & sleeves do not fit in with the modes of the time.  While both are correct, I'm not sure a high neckline was ever paired with short sleeves.  I may cut it down at a later date if I can't find an example of this configuration.  The roller printed stripe/floral was almost always paired with long sleeves.  The fact that I was 2 yds short of the fabric I needed... well, sometimes these things happen & if I hadn't already cut it, trusting that the yardage on the tag was there, I'd have chosen different fabric.

Construction process:

Piped & pleated fronts

I'm going to skip over the front pleats & piping for now, only because explaining how I did it is making me dizzy.  I promise I'll fill in later... but I will say that if I ever do this again, I'll cut them individually & stitch them on that way - it's more fabric conservative & less likely to be the wrong direction.

Piping pinned on Back & Side Backs

Stitch the piping on the back seams (note: the CB seam should have been on the fold, not a seam - I got my wires crossed when cutting & didn't have enough fabric for a re-do).  This is not incorrect, it's just not the way I wanted this particular dress.

Bodice with way-small armholes

The bodice stitched together.  The center front bottom is raw here because that gets turned up & hand-stitched so that the pleats maintain their form.  In the future, I'd do this a bit differently, using the individual pleats, vs. a big piece of fabric.  One very tricky thing about this pattern is that the "normal" size of armholes doesn't apply.  The armhole is actually down on the arm, not at the shoulder, so it seems to be way too small, but is, in fact, the right size.  (This played with my head quite a bit trying to remember that)... but it DOES work.

Sleeve with piping & cuff

I changed my mind about the sleeves three times.  The first ones I cut were pink linen, full-length & mimicked the inspiration dress quite closely.  Once I decided to go with brown piping (I was out of pink), I switched over to this tan-ish linen that matches one of the tan bits on the bodice.  I'm not unhappy with it, but I'm not Super-Yay about the change in plans.  The piping & cuff match the dress.

Bias Strip for Hem Decoration

Due to a 2 yd. fabric shortage, I couldn't have the length of skirt I wanted with the bias ruffle out of the stripe/floral.  Alas.  Cry.  Weep.  Agony.  Creativity!  So I took the scraps & cut them into stripes & flowers, stitched them together with pink linen & did a bit of quilting magic for the hem.  By doing all this fiddly stuff I got the look of the diagonal & a fussy hem that pushes the date of the dress back just a bit in style... more in line with the late 20's than the early 30's, but then museums are full of transitional elements.
So, if you want something like this, sew strips of color together, press seams & cut on the bias.  Sew bias edges together to form a straight seam (you'll have to line it up on the straight & use a ruler to determine where to sew it - this was 1"-1.5" down the first strip depending on the width of the next one).  Try it, you'll see what I'm talking about.

Decorative Hem Construction

Next was assembling the hem on the base fabric (mint green cotton - yuck) to extend the hemline to an appropriate length (10" longer than my fabric).  I used a row of brown piping, the patchwork bias strip, several rows of piping between the brown & the green, and then a Pink Ruffle of Awesomeness.  There was much changing between the regular presser foot & the zipper foot to accomplish this.  It made me rather dizzy.  For the ruffle, I evenly pinned the fabric on & then hand-gathered it as I stitched vs. using thread to gather it in.  This is more efficient on very large pieces that don't require perfectly spaced & even gathers.

The World Needs More Pink Ruffles

The finished hem in all its Pink Ruffly Awesomeness... 
(I do wish I could learn how to make these pictures turn in the direction I want them).

It still needs a belt & a corded petticoat to go under it... maybe a pelerine just for fun.

_____________________________________________________
 
[In case you are wondering why I'm going on about personal medical stuff, well, I can't separate it out from my creative process.  It's now part of who I am, and it's a struggle to deal with it - I'm finding new mental land-mines every day, and working to overcome the things I've already found.  To get myself back to being ME, I can't deny or ignore it... so, Dear Readers, I'm afraid you'll have to read about my brain damage along with the Pink Ruffles of Awesome.]

Featured Gown

As a favor to a friend I'm posting a gown that I made for her here. You can find it on the "for sale" page of our web site with all the pricing info, etc.
















This was worn once by my best friend & maid of honor to showcase her lovely ink art.
She partied hard, but there are no stains, runs or tares in the gown.

Due to a pressing need, she must sell it and I've agreed to list it for her. So if you want to look as fantastic in this as she does & can pay the asking price + shipping, please contact me either through the e-mail address here or the contact info listed on the Oakhill site under "contact us."






The Curiasse bodice top is a cotton / synthetic blend in a gold tan & pink brocade with a lovely historic pattern that dates back to the mid 18th century, lined with olive linen. It is boned and closes with many buttons.












The hoop skirt has a pale gold faux-silk (polyester) base and a neutral green sheer striped overskirt that is edged with pink ribbon that has a beautiful gold floral pattern.
















The 120" hoop has a drop-waist, is made from tan cotton & has white ruffles up to the hips, the ruffles are mystery fabric.

As a side note, a full-grown man can fit under the whole thing without wrecking the line of the dress. What can I say? it was a great party. And I'm the boring one in the family!


The outfit can be worn with or without a corset, which is not included.

It is dry-clean only.

This is an excellent buy for anyone getting into mid-19th century dance as long as you aren't particular about fabrics.

It's also available just in time for Halloween.

The top could double as a work-place vest if paired with a button-down shirt and flowing skirt.

Rev War Gown

The English Gown or Robe A l'Anglaise was one of the most common gowns worn in England, France and the Americas in the mid to late 1700's. It's a two piece gown consisting of 1: the petticoat and 2: the bodice with attached overskirt.

The back is beautifully fitted, which is the main difference between the Robe A l'Anglaise and Robe A l'Frances or sack back gown.

The outsides were finely finished with decorations such as ruching, bows, fringe, lace, etc. depending on the owners wealth and the occasion. The insides, like most 18th century garments, were roughly finished, lined with inexpensive silk, cotton or linen. The arm holes were often left raw (I overlock, but leave the edges to fuzz).
English Gowns could be worn with paniers, hoops and bum rolls, or over "natural" figures (just the stays with no hip augmentation).
To save money, many women used a cheaper fabric on the back of the petticoat where the overskirt would hide it.

Depending on size (hip augmentation) and hem/train length, this gown can take anywhere from 6 1/2 to 15 yds. of 60" wide fabric.

The longer the train, the richer the lady. Working class garments would be hemmed to stay out of the mud.

The most common fabrics were silk, printed / painted cotton and linen. Some gowns were made of wool, but this was an exception as wool is too heavy for this large garment. English gowns closed in the front, and could have a closed overskirt or an open overskirt (shown here). Closed gowns were known as "Round Gowns." Front closures included hooks & eyes, lacing with a stomacher, buttons with loops, bows, pins, and a variety of other innovative means of keeping one's dress in place. Petticoats often matched in the upper class garments, but contrasting fabrics were worn by all social classes.

It's a remarkably flattering gown, which looks great on almost every figure. The back is fabulous if the lady has a lot of "junk in the trunk." The bigger the bum, the better this thing looks. It's comfortable to wear and (depending on the closure) easy to put on & take off by yourself. It must be worn over a pair of stays, or it won't look right. Stays can be very conical or more natural like the ones used to make this dummy... (made from me in my stays).

I got this pattern from (where else?) the Cut of Women's Clothes. It was very easy to make. The back is in 4 pieces, the front & sides are joined.
Sleeves are one piece with the most elegant darts to shape them (and they are very comfortable). I hand-stitched the lining to the fabric at the elbow to keep it in place.
The overskirt is in 4 pieces (if your fabric is wide enough it can be done in 3): fronts and backs. The fronts have a dart to shape the skirt over your paniers. Adjust to fit whatever is on your hips and/or bum. This gown was made for either small hip pads or my natural hips (which are more than any 18th century woman could hope for). I'm sure there are pocket slits for larger paniers / hoops, but this gown doesn't have them.
I added plastic bones to the lining to provide more shape and prevent it from riding up at the waist. There is one bone at the back, 2 on the sides and 2 in the front. More could be added, but it's not necessary, and I'm not sure how often bones were sewn into mid 18th century bodices.
I knife pleated the petticoat & overskirt, but if you enjoy self-torture you could do cartridge pleats. Cartridge pleats must be hand sewn and finished with a ribbon on the under side. Google has some great tutorials on how to do these. The gown is machine sewn and hand finished (hems are machine sewn), and has a "raw" edge (overlocked) between the bodice and overskirt. This allows for easy alterations, and is very historic. I used French seams on the petticoat and overskirt so there are no raw edges to worry about. The bodice is lined, everything else is the natural fabric so it maintains it's airy fullness.

The fabric is white cotton brocade with floral medallions which were a pain to match up. If you plan on making a dress like this from printed or patterned fabric, make sure you buy extra so you can match up the designs, or it will look terrible (at least 1 yd extra, 2 if you can afford it, you can always use this for embellishments if you don't need it). Please remember to account for your seam allowance and use tailor's chalk and a ruler if you really want to get it right. Once you sew the patterned fabric together, that's it, so make sure your pattern will fit you. (this one has some play left at the side seams where no one will ever see it).

This dress is for sale on the Oakhill Clothiers site, and the armholes have been left open so it can be easily adjusted to fit. I have just enough fabric left to make a matching pair of stays OR pockets OR to cover a pair of shoes (which I don't do). I may be able to squeeze a short ruffle for the petticoat, but I don't think it's necessary.
There are no embellishments on this gown, I leave it up to the buyer to decide if they want more or if the fabric should stand on its own.
This would make an excellent bridal gown, and it would be perfect for an 18th century ball.

90% cotton (may be a little nylon or poly, but it burned well with very little black smoke & crusty stuff left over)
100% cotton lining
plastic bones
closes with hooks & eyes.

I don't know why the front didn't photograph well, it's very beautiful and slimming in person. There is a little tip-up at the center front that emphasizes your bust while preserving modesty...
A lace or lawn modesty cloth & sleeve flounces would accent this gown perfectly.

The main difference between the pattern I used and the pattern shown here, is that my bodice is separate from the skirt (this allows for more flexibility in pattern placement... and it's easier). I think these are from the Victoria Albert collection, but I'm not sure. The pattern plate is available through many web sites and books, some even translate the french for you.
The lovely print is from a calendar by Dighton, May 1785. Note her fab head-gear and sheer apron.

Fantasy Empire Dress

I've already posted about the "one week wedding dress, OW" and how the first dress wouldn't fit, so I had to make another. When Bride's World was coming around, I decided that I already had a beautiful dress almost finished, and limited time, so I finished the "first" green dress and this is what came of it. (Thank you Liz, you are a lovely model).

Due to the fabrics I used, I can't market this as an historic gown, but it sure is pretty (and for sale).

The fabric has to be pressed before every single wear, and it doesn't like being stuffed in a garment bag.

Fabric:
The green is a polyester sari fabric in a graduated green (goes from bright grass green to spring green) with gold *stars*and a beautiful gold & green border design. (When I purchased the fabric for the original dress, it was on a 100% silk label, which is the only reason I got it, but I'm glad I did as it's lovely... I pretty much knew it was polyester, but the color was perfect and time was short).
The lace is 100% cotton with little primroses & leaves embroidered in a diamond pattern over hexagonal netting. It's very pretty and very forgiving.
The bodice lining is 100% cotton quilting fabric.
The trim is 100% cotton gold braid.
The flower is a silk yellow orchid, that is easily changed for something else (a tassel, a different flower, beads, etc.), but the lace panel needs something to weight it down.

This dress went through a lot of style changes. Mostly due to the fact that I had very little lace left over from the first dress. I kept the scraps that were too small to mail to the "OW" bride, and that's what I had to work with (this lace is no longer available).
-The top was already sewn together, but I did let out the side seams to better fit the Liz doll (t-shirt, duck tape, cardboard, stuffed with plastic grocery bags and finally covered with fabric to make it look good. I may post on how to make a really good duck tape dress form later). We knew the Liz doll was bigger than the real Liz, so the back didn't quite close, and the front was very tight on the doll.
-The skirt was already sewn together, and just needed to be attached to the top. The design issues were in the sleeves and the lace overlay on the skirt. I had very little lace, and no more green material... maybe enough for a clutch purse.
-Not pictured (and not finished) are the glove/sleeves. They are the same green sari fabric, no lace. They go from mid-arm to wrist, and do not attach to anything, they just magically stay on your arms... it's kinda cool.

I looked at 3 different fashion eras for inspiration.
-The early 1800's, which was the inspiration for the "OW" dress, and the base for the pattern.
-Ancient Greece and Rome, which heavily influenced the Empire style of the early 1800's.
-1910's tea and evening gowns, mostly for the glitz that I wanted in this dress.

Process:
Most of this was sewn together already, but going way, way back to April here's the process:
-I designed the dress using 3 different historic patterns and a lot of mistakes.
-Cut the fabric for this dress a bit haphazardly (the OW took better advantage of the fabric patterns). Made sure the bottom design stayed on the bottom of the skirt to proved an all-around border, and removed the need to hem.
-Flat-lined the lace to the top and sewed the bodice together.
-Sewed the skirt using welted seams, so it's very clean, no raw edges. There is a gathering effect in this skirt that is not in the OW gown. I wanted a cleaner look in the OW dress, so instead of gathering the extra fabric, I made darts. The gathers in this dress are very nice on someone's body, but not so nice on the hanger.
-Sewed the bodice lining to the bodice around the neck and back only. Left the sleeves and the bottom open for the sleeves & skirt. (in the OW dress I made drawstring channels so I knew it would fit the bride, in this one it's a fixed dress).
-Took my time arranging the sleeves & lace overlay on the skirt.
-Sewed the gold trim on the lace edges.
-Sewed the lace overlay to the green skirt, sewed them all into the dress.
-Sewed the sleeves into the armhole & hand-finished the armhole.
-Added gold trim to everything.
-Sewed on hooks & eyes.
-Added the flower at the last minute to weight down the front lace panel (it has a tendency to curve a little).

One of my favorite things about this dress is the asymmetry in the lace overlay on the skirt.
The other thing I really enjoy is that the gold trim alternates direction as it goes around the collar, under-bust, front and back overlays. It helps your eye move up & down the dress, instead of making you spin in circles.
Although the bodice sits on the shoulders it does not restrict arm movement, and you can dance & generally move around without flashing the room. I wouldn't try tying my shoes in a room full of gentlemen, but that's what slip-ons were made for.
The back of the lace overlay is cut in an M shape and is very elegant when you move.

I'd like to do more of these fantasy dresses, this was fun, frustrating and very rewarding when I finished it. Now if I could just find some beautiful lady to buy and wear it, my artwork would be complete.