Flatlining 19th Century Sleeves

Flatlining – or the process of mounting an underlining to a fashion fabric – is a hallmark of garment construction in the 19th century. You find it everywhere in all decades of this era – in bodices, skirts, collars, reticules… and also sleeves. Essentially, flatlining in these antique pieces is what we’d call putting in a Read More...

Constructing a Victorian Bustle Dress

It’s that moment when you are ready to jump into your first Victorian dress and hold out hope that it’s not as complicated as it “seams.” Because I’d been sewing clothes for about a dozen years before I got into historical costuming I wasn’t afraid. The gorgeousness of the 1870s & 1880s called me strongly. Read More...

Petticoat Lengths and Widths

We’re talking about petticoats again!! [This should come as no surprise if you’re a regular reader here.] It’s that important to your overall historical look to do the best you can with these undergarments. From the “why” to the fabrics used to selecting the patterns – each component plays a part. That now brings us to discuss Read More...

Ruching Basics for Victorian Clothing

Ruched panels – in all their glorious, gathered loveliness – seem to pop up frequently throughout the Victorian Era (1837-1900). You’ll find ruched bodice panels, puffings as skirt trims, and gathered accents in ribbons for all sorts of marvelous decorations. The process of ruching isn’t hard. But in some ways it looks so complicated! Ruching, Read More...