How Much Yardage Do I Need??

We’ve all been there. Standing in an aisle of gorgeous fabrics… swooning at the computer screen… gazing lovingly (and with drool at the mouth) at THE.PERFECT.FABRIC for that next dress. Question is… how much to buy?? Will 5 yards be enough? 10? Or do I have to sell a kidney to afford some unmentionable amount Read More...

1890s Plastrons – Is that a Victorian Bib?

“Plastron” – say what?? It sounds so formal. Or rather gladiator. I mean, it’s traditionally the chest and sleeve pad worn by fencers. So how do they connect into Victorian fashion? (Hint: they aren’t chemisettes but are related in being Victorian accessories.) As with all things Late Victorian with feminine frou-frou and gorgeousness, you’ll come Read More...

A Look at a 1860s (or 1870s) Original Girl’s Dress

Late in summer 2017 I had a follower (Ruthann Gray) send me a girl’s dress that is in wonderful condition aside from the few random holes in the skirt and spots on the bodice front. I shared it recently in a Facebook Live video (posted below) going over each detail in the construction. For a closer Read More...

Dispelling the Myth of the Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Waist

It’s true when you look at photographs from the 1800s or observe antique dresses on custom-made mannequins it’s not hard to envy those petite waistlines. Do you do this? This perception usually leads to the generic thought: “Teeny, tiny waists are what women strived for back then. Everyone wanted an 18″ waist!” But did they?… Read More...

1880 Vanilla Dressing Gown – Constructing the Gown

The full length princess gowns of the late 1870s and early 1880s scare me. They do. I guess it comes from trying to achieve a good fit with such long seams over such figure curves as mine. So when I got the need to reproduce the c.1885 dressing gown from the Met Museum I had Read More...

1880 Vanilla Dressing Gown – Creating the Lace Panels

Over the years I’ve pondered making a Bustle Era tea gown – aka dressing gown. It’s also been requested I create an online class for those who want to make one too. (That’ll be coming later.) Well, I had the marvelous opportunity present itself a few months ago when, after over 14 years of anticipation and Read More...