It was a distinct turning point in my historical costuming. I thought I was doing pretty good – my costumes were fairly accurate in style, my undergarments were all present, and my fabric selections did not include polyester or nylon. I soaked up all I could on how to make my Victorian clothing better. What I Read More...
Tag: Cotton
For the Love of Dirndls – Fabric Options
Hello Fabrics!!! In continuing my current obsession of dirndls, I wanted to cover fabrics one can use to make these wonderful ensembles for daily wear or special occasions. Before jumping into your fabric stash be sure to review my post on general elements of dirndl and Trachten wear, then also my post on dirndl patterns Read More...
Victorian Clothing and the Heat of Summer
It’s summertime for most of us – time to debunk the myth that layers of Victorian costumes are so much hotter than today’s clothing. Read More...
The Autumn Dress Fabrics, The Delineator, October 1902
THE AUTUMN DRESS FABRICS WITH ILLUSTRATIONS IN ACTUAL SIZE, OF NEW DESIGNS IN FANCY VELVETS, AND VELVET CORD This 2-page article was featured on pages 546 & 547 of the October 1902, The Delineator magazine. Just think! Our great grandmothers were pouring over these fabric & color hints to get the latest news of 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...
How to Flatline a Bodice
Flatlining. No it’s not dying in pursuit of that ultimate dream costume. Neither is it the process of killing your bodice to make it work. Ha! (Although, it feels like it kills us sometimes!) I use the term “flatlining” often when describing this historical sewing technique. It is also called “mounting” and “adding an underlining.” Read More...
The 1871 Harvest Grape Bustle Dress
Hooray for quick bustle dresses! My newest completed (or nearly completed) historical costume is an easy bustle dress made while teaching the online Victorian Bustle Day Dress class. I kept the design pretty basic as I needed something I could actually finish in about six weeks. Below is the fashion plate I used for inspiration. Read More...
The Red Dress: 1883 Caramel Apple Dress
Here is my finished bustle at its debut at Costume College 2012! It all started last December with the idea that I needed a “quick” bustle dress. (yeah, right!) Then I was on this kick that I HAD to have a red costume. Because every woman needs a red dress… you know. 🙂 Well, the “quick” part Read More...