Today I started on a tucked petticoat... 3.5 panels of 36" wide muslin (122" when seam allowances are taken into account). I made it long enough that I could put seven 1/2" tucks into it. I have it hemmed, all the tucks added... and it only took me 3-4 hours! (I kept taking breaks so I don't know exactly how long I worked on it). All I need to do now is make a hoopskirt, and I can measure it on the front, sides, and back, and trim the top off the petticoat to make it the proper length, and gather it onto a waistband.
Tomorrow... I'll work on either the dress (I'm done with the sleeves and need to do the bodice), or on the chemise/drawers.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
New fabrics...
Yes, I am crazy.
I ordered some new fabrics today, semi-sheer cotton lawn. They were a great price, less than $5/yd.
I've had the Past Patterns Sheer Muslin Dress pattern for quite a while now, and I'm wanting to make a gown from it. I think it will look rather similar to this one (by the way, I have that exact fabric in my stash somewhere! I paid $4.95/yd for it... and found a lady online who ordereed some at the same time I did, and is trying to resell it for $14/yd. Ouch).
I'm writing a book about some reenactors who fall in love (the full story, I think, sounds pretty cool) and I want the heroine to be wearing a dress similar to the one in the link above, the first time the hero sees her. I'd have her sitting in the grass, reading a book, but she might get grass stains on that lovely white cotton...
So, here they are. These swatches are 10" wide, so just imagine them being more than twice the size they are on-screen. The first one is an embroidered swiss dot... I don't know how accurate it is for 1860's use, but if any of these fabrics turn out to be incorrect for that era, then I can use them for some really awesome Regency dresses.
I ordered some new fabrics today, semi-sheer cotton lawn. They were a great price, less than $5/yd.
I've had the Past Patterns Sheer Muslin Dress pattern for quite a while now, and I'm wanting to make a gown from it. I think it will look rather similar to this one (by the way, I have that exact fabric in my stash somewhere! I paid $4.95/yd for it... and found a lady online who ordereed some at the same time I did, and is trying to resell it for $14/yd. Ouch).
I'm writing a book about some reenactors who fall in love (the full story, I think, sounds pretty cool) and I want the heroine to be wearing a dress similar to the one in the link above, the first time the hero sees her. I'd have her sitting in the grass, reading a book, but she might get grass stains on that lovely white cotton...
So, here they are. These swatches are 10" wide, so just imagine them being more than twice the size they are on-screen. The first one is an embroidered swiss dot... I don't know how accurate it is for 1860's use, but if any of these fabrics turn out to be incorrect for that era, then I can use them for some really awesome Regency dresses.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
My daughter's dress is nearly done!
Wow, that was an easy pattern! No gathering at all, except for the sleeves! No zipper, no buttons, nada! All I have left to do is hem it. Oh yes, and iron out the fold creases.
I ended up trimming it with some iridescent ric-rac I bought ages ago. I wanted to go to Walmart to find something (I actually wanted some of that white daisy/pink centers trim)... but I didn't really want to drag my rambunctious 3-year-old down there.
I ended up trimming it with some iridescent ric-rac I bought ages ago. I wanted to go to Walmart to find something (I actually wanted some of that white daisy/pink centers trim)... but I didn't really want to drag my rambunctious 3-year-old down there.
Finished my daughter's jacket
I haven't worked on it in several days... I've been spending my little bit of free time working on my NaNoWriMo novel (whoops!) I finished the jacket this morning. It looks cute, and now I need to find a button for the front. I'll probably have to swing by Walmart for that.
I was at Walmart the other day trying to find some fabric that will coordinate with the dusty rose pink shade of the jacket... but I could find NOTHING! Everything clashed, it was awful!
So I dug through my fabric stash and found some pink fabric that has little cutesy hearts all over it (Valentine-type stuff). I got it at Walmart several years ago. I bought a coordinating print at the same time that is a sort of checkered white/pink print with a different style of heart on each square. I decided not to use the skirt pattern that goes with the jacket because I cannot find any nice tees for my daughter to wear with it, so I decided to go ahead and make her a dress from Simplicity 5234, using the coordinating Valentine prints. Hopefully it'll look good!
Now, to get started on that. There's a Spongebob Squarepants marathon on TV until 4:00 so I'm going to be VERY bad and let my 3-year-old be distracted by that (she is a major Spongebob fan).
I was at Walmart the other day trying to find some fabric that will coordinate with the dusty rose pink shade of the jacket... but I could find NOTHING! Everything clashed, it was awful!
So I dug through my fabric stash and found some pink fabric that has little cutesy hearts all over it (Valentine-type stuff). I got it at Walmart several years ago. I bought a coordinating print at the same time that is a sort of checkered white/pink print with a different style of heart on each square. I decided not to use the skirt pattern that goes with the jacket because I cannot find any nice tees for my daughter to wear with it, so I decided to go ahead and make her a dress from Simplicity 5234, using the coordinating Valentine prints. Hopefully it'll look good!
Now, to get started on that. There's a Spongebob Squarepants marathon on TV until 4:00 so I'm going to be VERY bad and let my 3-year-old be distracted by that (she is a major Spongebob fan).
Sunday, November 1, 2009
First project for November: nice outfit for my daughter
On Friday night I decided I was going to make a dress for my daughter, made with pink plaid flannel and using McCall's 5745. I made it according to her measurements, and tried to add 5" on the skirt to make it go below the knee... and it looks huge on her! I was hoping she could wear it to my sister's reception, but it looks more like a nightgown than a dress. Way too casual.
I think it will be better for me to make her an outfit from Butterick 4972. For the jacket I am using some rose-pink sueded cotton twill I got on sale a few months ago... this fabric is so buttery soft!! There's 5 yards of it, she only needs 1 1/2 yards for the jacket. I'll save the rest for myself, haha!! I won't be doing the little lace applique on the back, as I can't find any the same color as the fabric, and I think there'd be a bit of a draft! My daughter isn't crazy about the bubble-skirt look, so I'll see if I can just leave the hem down and have it be a simple gored/pleated skirt. I don't know what fabric I'll use... I'll have to dig through my stash and see if I can find a pink print that coordinates.
(Editing Monday morning to ask myself: What was I thinking? I forgot how tricky those shawl-collar jackets can be!! If I can just get through this little bit of it, then the rest should be easy, ha ha...)
I think it will be better for me to make her an outfit from Butterick 4972. For the jacket I am using some rose-pink sueded cotton twill I got on sale a few months ago... this fabric is so buttery soft!! There's 5 yards of it, she only needs 1 1/2 yards for the jacket. I'll save the rest for myself, haha!! I won't be doing the little lace applique on the back, as I can't find any the same color as the fabric, and I think there'd be a bit of a draft! My daughter isn't crazy about the bubble-skirt look, so I'll see if I can just leave the hem down and have it be a simple gored/pleated skirt. I don't know what fabric I'll use... I'll have to dig through my stash and see if I can find a pink print that coordinates.
(Editing Monday morning to ask myself: What was I thinking? I forgot how tricky those shawl-collar jackets can be!! If I can just get through this little bit of it, then the rest should be easy, ha ha...)
Friday, October 30, 2009
The skirt is done!
I finished the skirt last night. I survived! And I never want to see another bolt of tulle ever again! LOL!
Now, on to the bodice. It'll be a simple princess-seamed bodice made of white dupioni silk, and I found some pearl piping to decorate it with. It matches the color of the silk very well, and has a simple sort of elegance to it. (I love simple, elegant stuff). I think it's going to look really good! I just need to find the piping foot for my sewing machine!
Now, on to the bodice. It'll be a simple princess-seamed bodice made of white dupioni silk, and I found some pearl piping to decorate it with. It matches the color of the silk very well, and has a simple sort of elegance to it. (I love simple, elegant stuff). I think it's going to look really good! I just need to find the piping foot for my sewing machine!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Lacing tape
After about an hour of searching online, I finally found this stuff! I knew there had to be something like this available, something you could add to the back of a wedding gown so you could do lacing. (I've made loops by hand before, but it takes forever and it's a bit tedious to make sure they're all the proper size... I was wondering how I could make the process faster).
But, I finally came across some lacing tape that has 'loops' on it (instead of the metal eyelet stuff that Farthingales L.A. has). I went ahead and ordered 3 yards of it... I am really hoping that it is what I am looking for! The picture doesn't look promising, but that is showing the whole tape... it's supposed to be inserted so that only the loops show (and they're small).
But, I finally came across some lacing tape that has 'loops' on it (instead of the metal eyelet stuff that Farthingales L.A. has). I went ahead and ordered 3 yards of it... I am really hoping that it is what I am looking for! The picture doesn't look promising, but that is showing the whole tape... it's supposed to be inserted so that only the loops show (and they're small).
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