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: Ruffles
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...
Divide & Conquer Pleating Method
In many historical costuming instances you’ll need to pleat up a length of fabric to fit another. Most commonly it’s a skirt to a waistband. However, this can be anything really. A sleeve cap to a bodice. Length of trim to an overskirt. A curtain to a bonnet neck edge. A lot of times a Read More...
All the Flounces! 1850s Skirt Styles
If you love making and wearing flounces (aka deep ruffles) then welcome to 1850s fashion! Stuck between the demure, sweet, simple trends of the 1840s and the billowing hoops and war-torn fashions of the early 1860s, came the frilly, airy, and fanciful 1850s styles. This decade was all about the Skirt. (Oh, and the sleeves Read More...
Fabrics to Make Pretty Petticoats
Petticoats are those undergarments that invoke romantic notions, feelings of nostalgia, and visions of swirling colors from Oklahoma! If you’ve followed me for even a bit, you know I strongly support the wearing of petticoats. First, for historical costuming they provide much needed under-structure to support the silhouette; second, they are one of the easiest 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...
Ruffle Calculations for Height Differences
Have you ever made up a pattern with skirt ruffles, and then when you saw it on yourself it was, like, “Holy Smokes! I’m drowning in those ruffles! They are way too large for my short height.” Or perhaps you are quite tall and skirts seem never-ending in their length. Then you carefully mount a Read More...
How to Calculate Yardage for Ruffles
Ruffles are SO Victorian! You see them on so many skirts from the 1830s all the way through the early 1880s. But how do you figure how much fabric you’ll need for these fluffy strips of trim? 1 yard? 5 yards? Here is the easy formula for you… Read More...