You *can* make smart looking machine buttonholes. This is not a myth. For those of you who choose not to take the time (or can’t for whatever reason) to make handmade buttonholes you can use your machine to great effect. Now granted, hand sewn buttonholes are period correct until the sewing machine could produce zig-zag Read More...
Edwardian Maternity Clothes
Ways to alter your c. 1907 skirts and shirtwaists to allow for your expanding figure…. This article from the Ladies Home Journal also talks about underwear (drawers, corset cover and petticoats) that should also be adjusted with great care. These alterations might work well for those who fluctuate in weight. Have you made adjustments on your historical costumes to Read More...
Finding the Motivation to Finish
A Regency dress should be simple to finish. Two or three skirt seams, a bodice seam, set onto a waistband, set in sleeves, neckline bias and back closure and Done! Yeah, right. Although it IS easy, that “simple” dress has been on my sewing table for two months now. TWO! I guess when you’re in Read More...
1861 & Dressed for a Party
Ahh.. you can just imagine Melanie’s birthday party ball right before the men go off to fight where the young ladies are dressed in their ruffled gowns trying to capture the attention of some young officer. Read More...
Quick Study of an 1880 Natural Form Gown
This beautiful silver blue silk taffeta gown was on display at the Fashioning Fashion exhibit at LACMA. It caught my eye, not just because it’s the Victorian style that I love, but the details are fabulous! Read More...
The Value of an Organized Sewing Room
I love things being neat and clean. But I’m also a creative spirit. So that means parts of my sewing room are cluttered with random fabric heaps, antique magazines stacked on top of hat boxes, various bins of ribbons, loose pieces of pattern paper, and of course the “current project” pile. But having some Read More...
Embroidered Voile Regency – Cutting & Pattern Work
Initial progress has been made on my ca. 1811 embroidered voile Regency gown. I pulled out all my most recent dress patterns and decided to go with a combo of my last Regency ballgown and the bodiced petticoat I made for under it. Here I’m tracing the original pattern. I then cut down the neckline, lowered Read More...
The Drool Fest
What better way to enjoy historical fashion than to look at the real thing! I had the grateful opportunity to visit the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) over the weekend. Through rain, fog, bright sunshine and a blowing snow storm (complete with police escort!) my husband and I got to gasp, drool and Read More...