One of my favorite things to do in historical costuming is to break down an existing garment, fashion plate, or painting and figure out how to make it. It’s like candy to me – must have! So when April D. on our popular Facebook page asked me to do a deconstruction of this gown, Read More...
Pintucks – the Old Fashioned Way
Pintucks! So gloriously tiny! So delicate! So straight & even… or not. Pintucks have a charm about them. They call to us because they signify something regal or heavenly. They appear aloof and untouchable. The beauty they add to Victorian petticoats and Edwardian chemises elevate such tantalizing garments. So as dressmakers from another time, Read More...
Everybody Has Different Goals
Maybe you’ve been there – a new costumer at your first dress-up event. You are so enthusiastic you didn’t even sleep much last night. (Either because you were too excited or you were finishing your costume… just like the rest of us.) But then you experience the horrible occurrence of someone telling you – to your Read More...
1844 Striped Summer Dress
Many years ago (like, back in 2007 – why does that sound so long ago?!) I decided to make a 1840s dress for Costume College. The class track was The Crinoline Era so I needed a dress to go over my corded petticoat. In stripes of course! I found a fashion plate to copy, pulled Read More...
1876 Trained & Ruffled Petticoat
Back in 2008 when I was making one of those every-other-year masterpiece costumes, I was insane and had to make all the undergarment layers too. From that detailed project list came the need for a trained petticoat to 1) support the trained silhouette, and 2) keep the underside of my skirt relatively clean (you know Read More...
Picking up the Pieces…
It’s hard to think of sewing and write blog posts when a most beloved family member is taken to her deathbed. My paternal grandmother left us for her eternal heavenly home on April 10th. For the past couple weeks I’ve taken a step back from the usual stresses of life. (Of course, the bills still Read More...
When is Trim Applied to a Garment?
Do you love trim and passementerie? But of course you do! It’s one of the delicious elements that draw us to 19th C. clothing. I mean, gored skirt panels are rather similar no matter what decade you’re studying, but the *trim* is really what sets styles apart. When we are trying to reproduce historical fashions Read More...
Victorian Corset Class Seat Giveaway April 2014
We are approaching 10,000 fans on our Facebook page and we want to celebrate YOU! In honor of this great milestone, we want to give away a valuable seat in our next online Victorian Corset Class! 🙂 Congratulations to Julia Allison who won the spot in class!!! You can read all about this popular online class Read More...