When I first started making pleated ruffles for my historical ensembles I used straight pins and a ruler. I didn’t know any different. You’ll find a variety of ways to make pleats, but this one worked well for me. And I’ll still use it when it’s the look I’m going for. So when you don’t Read More...
Tag: Trims
Ruching Basics for Victorian Clothing
Ruched panels – in all their glorious, gathered loveliness – seem to pop up frequently throughout the Victorian Era (1837-1900). You’ll find ruched bodice panels, puffings as skirt trims, and gathered accents in ribbons for all sorts of marvelous decorations. The process of ruching isn’t hard. But in some ways it looks so complicated! Ruching, Read More...
Victorian Dressing Gowns & Tea Gowns: A Brief Overview
We all have our “comfy clothes” we wear around the house. For some that may be yoga pants and a t-shirt; for others, jeans and sweater or cotton dress. If friends come over for a Saturday BBQ we might put on something a bit nicer… like shoes. But in thinking about those who lived in Read More...
Easy Method to Make 3-D Trim Motifs
Those gorgeous trim clusters on Victorian dresses – sigh! But how were the dresses cleaned with all that trim attached? I first realized the value of making 3-D trim removable after the first wearing of my 1876 Wedding Cake Evening Dress. After copying the fashion plate for the exact placement of roses and lace and Read More...
1873 Licorice Princess Dress
What is it about black dresses?? Apparently they are very well liked by the general population as I received more compliments on my new evening gown than expected. (Thank you!) And this happens to be, essentially, my first black costume aside from my 1862 cotton mourning dress. So… is it the black, or is it Read More...
Van Dyke Points for a 1830s Dress
“Please tell us how you made those little points!” – This was the general request when I posted the above photo on the Facebook page showing my dressmaking progress on the 1838 Persimmon Puff dress. Now, I have been calling them “teeth” but after some research and useful suggestions from my followers they are van 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...
A Breakdown of How to Make the 1872 Blue Velvet Dress
Many of us, I think, use paintings, photographs and fashion plates as inspiration for our historical costumes. I mean, why not? They are beautiful and fully represent the time period of our choice. So what happens when we approach the creation of a particularly (seemingly) difficult garment? It’s so easy to be trapped into inaction Read More...