First Post Costume College 2018 Sewing Project

Post CoCo 18 I felt kinda down about my sewing skills. My ballgown didn't turn out as I was wanted and I kept seeing these amazing creations that I couldn't duplicate. But then I remembered something Kate said at CoCo and she said we were each just at a different point in our development. So it was kind of funny that I started this apron when I got home from a piece of fabric I got at the Bargain Basement. It helped to pep me back up even though it's such a small project. I did sew it completely by hand.

The pattern from the apron came from the Workwoman's Guide  Plate 11 Figure 14

I used the bib measurements as they were because of the fabric I had left over from cutting the skirt and the waist band.  The ties of the apron ended up being as wide as the finished waistband which isn't how it's supposed to be but it works. The bib pins to the front of your dress so I'll be looking for HA pins in the near future. The leftover fabric will be used for a housewife or other small item. 

The Facts:The Challenge: Extant OriginalsWhat the item is: 1830’s / 1840’s Cooking Apron
Which extant original did you copy: Plate 11 Figure 14 of The Workwoman’s Guide by A Lady
Material: Checked Cotton
Pattern: Plate 11 Figure 14 of The Workwoman’s Guide by A Lady
Notions: Twill Tape Ties and Two Straight Pins
How historically accurate is it? I’d say 85%. I’m sure about my ties being the right size, or color and the Workwoman’s Guide assumes you know stuff we don’t now so the bib size may be out of proportion. Checked linen may also have been more appropriate than cotton but cotton is mentioned in other apron descriptions as being used.
Hours to complete: I think from thinking up the idea to completion is was about 4 hours. My hand sewing is slow.
First worn: Not yet. Have to finish an outfit to go with it.
Total cost: Free. The fabric was from the bargain basement at Costume College 18. The ties and thread were in the stash, so they cost something at some point but it is no longer remembered

1891 Mountain Dress: Skirt and Blouse

This outfit is one of my favorites that I made. The skirt isn't the one that is included in the pattern Ageless Patterns 1094. The skirt was way tooo long and even the facing being attached in the skirt length it was still to long. Instead of fighting with it I made Truly Victorian 299: 1901 Split Skirt out of a wonderful fabric from fabric.com: Season of Wool Solid Chocolate Fabric. It was a dream to sew though a bit on the itchy side so I don't recommend wearing it against the skin. The skirt was made in time for the Historical Sew Monthly Challenge for May: Specific to a Time of Day. The blouse is made out of  Windham Threads of Time Star Stripe Cream Fabric.

As I was making the blouse my brain malfunctioned and I forgot that Ageless patterns does not include allowances for facings or plackets. I improvised a hidden buttonhole placket and surprisingly the blouse fits quite well. My only wish is that the neck was a little bit bigger but with using almost every scrap of the 2.5 yards the pattern called for I don't have enough to redo the collar. The collar and cuffs are interlined with linen to help give the cotton body. One thing about the pattern that fought me was the sleeves. The gathers as they are marked cause the puff of the sleeve to be too far back on the arm hole. I had to gather more of the sleeve head to make it look correct. The blouse was completed in time for the Historical Sew Monthly Challenge for July: Sleeves.

The hat is McCall's Pattern 6975 view G. Finding a correct "Alpine" hat in general is hard but trying to find one to fit a small budget is harder so I went for making my own simpler hat. The hat was made from skirt scraps and I got the pattern for about $5.00 and it's lined with linen scraps. I bought the wire the pattern called for and then promptly forgot to add it but the wool and linen and interfacing seem to give the hat enough body and it was comfortable to wear. Now the boyfriend wants one as will but view H with the taller crown.

The boots are American Duchess as are the stockings. Unders include a modern cami (shock and horror) as I ran out of time to make a proper chemise and closed drawers from Folkwear's Edwardian Undies pattern. The placket on the pattern didn't make sense to me so I improvised. I buttoned my drawers over my corset (corset provided by historicaldesigns on Etsy ) and didn't have an issue using the facilities. I spoke with someone who was wearing split drawers with their wool bicycling bloomers and they said their drawers were baggy enough that no itching in places that shouldn't be itched by wool was occurring. 

The only remaining piece of this outfit is the jacket. I plan on making a mock-up to avoid the problems I had with the blouse. 

Costume College 2018 ReCap

So plans were made and life intervened. Internship for my Master's kicked my butt so I didn't get nearly what I wanted done.

The Barn Owl dress for the pool party was completed first from Butterick 6483 by Gertie. The theme was in the Realm of the Goblin King. The bard owls are supposed to echo David Bowie character in the Labyrinth, Jareth, when he is spying on Sarah in "our" world at the beginning of the movie. Points go to the woman working the information desk Thursday night for being the only one for getting the reference without me having to explain.

Friday shifted gears to be 1890's Mountaineering outfit (minus Jacket) for all day. The 1913 dress continues to fight me and is again on the time out pile. I got to meet Kat from http://madamemodiste.blogspot.com/ and I jumped over the mountain that is my shyness to ask her to take a picture with me. There was a group who did a Victorian Adventure meetup that she was a part of so we matched in bloomers/split skirt. The boots are from American Duchess and were super comfy, the stockings are from her too. I used her tutorial to move the buttons which was way easier than I thought it would be.

Saturday daytime and Sunday were vintage with my Wearing History overalls and Simplicity reprint blouse for Saturday and a modern chambray blouse for Sunday. I met Lauren from Wearing history and she even took my picture! It was a nervous fangirl moment but she is lovely to talk with and even did a podcast on social anxiety that I found very reassuring. Pardon my geeky smile. The shoes were a thrift store find, they're Italian and also really comfortable.

Now the Ball Gown was sewn in a frenzy and it isn't where I wanted it to be so there is reworking to be done but here it is with all the finery (in the hotel hallway *FAIL* when there were pretty backdrops at the Gala Dinner). I bought tiara at the Marketplace the night before from https://ateliermela.net/

No through out the pictures I keep seeing that I really need to up my hair and accessories game. I did make my hat for my 1890's outfit but that was it really. 

Oh where are the pictures of all the lovely things I made for the boyfriend you ask? Well there aren't any. None. Zilch. Zap. I had no time to get anything done for him and boy did I have plans. However he did purchase a full sew of clothes (minus his frock coat) from http://www.holzer-combehaberdashery.com/ No pictures though as he is really picture shy.

I had lots of fun though and met more people this year that last thanks to Lauren (Wearing History) and Lauren & Abby (American Duchess for their podcasts on Social Anxiety and Costuming Events.