HSF '14 Challenge 21: Re-do

I missed challenge #4 the first time around (I was visiting my sister in Washington) and so I took the opportunity to make a second chemise. 

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The Challenge: Re-do of underneath it all

Fabric: The same cotton batiste as the chemise I made for the UFO Challenge.

Pattern: Self drafted

Year: The Victorian era

Notions: Thread and ribbon

How historically accurate is it? Machine and hand sewn

Hours to complete: A day and a half

First worn: November 16th

Total cost: Free

HSF Challenge #20:Alternate Universes or The Red Queen circa 1840

I've been reading a lot of classic literature lately, and when this challenge rolled around, I was in the middle of Through the Looking Glass. I had a different outfit planned, but my fabric failed to arrive on time and so I turned to my reading material and came up with the red queen.

The bodice is made of red silk dupioni bought way back in the mists of time when the Jo-ann's near my house was going out of business. By the time I got there, they were practically giving it away, so I brought mountains of it and I'm thinking of maybe making something for my mother out of the rest.

This took longer than I expected it to, mostly because the sleeves decided to be difficult. The first pair refused to lie straight, and the second decided to stick out at odd angles. I finally decided on a simple double puff at the elbow and left it at that.

The bodice is trimmed with a red double lip cord, again from my stash.

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The Challenge: Alternate Universe

Fabric: Red silk dupioni

Pattern: Drafted

Year: 1840

Notions: Thread and double lip cord

How historically accurate is it? Machine Sewn

Hours to complete: A week

First worn: Not yet

Total cost: Free

HSF Challenge #19: Inspiration

Another fortnight, another challenge! After seeing this lovely pair of under-sleeves by The dreamstress, I was inspired to make a pair for the Bright Copper Penny Dress.

The material for these sleeves started out it's life as part of a set of curtains found at the goodwill. They were originally going to be a dress, but one of the panels decided to shred in the middle while it was in the wash. The fabric's a wee bit sheer on it's own, so I lined it with some cotton voile I had lying around.

             I like this fabric so much that I just might make a chemisette out of the leftovers.

                                          And here's what they look like with the sleeves:

The Challenge: Inspiration

The challenge you were inspired by: The dreamstress' engageantes

Fabric: Embroidered cotton and voile

Pattern:  Nope

Year: 1850's-60's

Notions: Thread, hooks and eyes

How historically accurate is it? Machine and hand sewn

Hours to complete: 3

First worn: Not yet, probably to Dickens Fair

Total cost: $2

Borrowed and Blue: HSF'14 challenge #18

As I was scouring historical poetry for suitable material for this challenge, this age-old ditty popped into my head:
                                                      Something old, something new,
                                                      Something borrowed, something blue,
                                                      And a silver sixpence in her shoe

It's not likely that I'll ever be a bride, but I was wearing my white dress from challenge #10 to an event and it was in need of a sash.

The ribbon is graciously loaned from my mother's bustle dress and hat, on the understanding that I will eventually give it back. It compliments the fabric of my dress perfectly.

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The Challenge: Poetry in motion

Fabric: Um, no.

Pattern: Nope

Year: 1830's

Notions: Blue satin ribbon

How historically accurate is it? Completely hand sewn

Hours to complete: 2

First worn: September 27th

Total cost: Free

HSF '14 challenge #17

My sewing circle does a hand-made gift exchange for Christmas and I tend to give vouchers for articles of clothing or embroidery in lieu of making something beforehand. This year, I'm making an 1880's evening dress for my friend C.

                                                 

 The silk (from my stash once again) is a warm gold, although it doesn't photograph as such, and I plan to pair it with a chocolate brown bodice and overskirt.

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The Challenge: Yellow

Fabric: Silk Dupioni

Pattern: Truly Victorian 1885 Four-Gore underskirt

Year: 1885

Notions: Thread, bias tape

How historically accurate is it? Machine sewn

Hours to complete: About a week

First worn: Not yet

Total cost: Free

HSF challenge #15: The great outdoors...indoors

 Every December, my family visits the Great Dickens Christmas Fair. Victorian London is recreated (streets and all) inside San Francisco's Cow Palace, and the sheer volume of people generates a considerable amount of heat. My plan this year is to wear the Bright Copper Penny Dress with it's newly made over-sleeves, and I needed something that will cover the dress's low neckline when I'm out in the "streets" without roasting me alive. 

So I de-stashed some claret colored velvet, bought some spicy green cotton to line it with, and voila!

Claret and spicy green is my favorite winter color combo and luckily, they both go well with the dress. Another plus is that I don't have to make a bonnet to wear with the dress (although I may make one at a later date.)

 It is, I am aware, In desperate need of trim. But I thought I'd wait until a little later in the year to sew it on.

The Challenge: The Great Outdoors

Fabric: Silk velvet, green cotton and cotton batting

Pattern: KayFig 1860 winter hood pattern

Year: 1860

Notions: Thread

How historically accurate is it? Machine and hand sewn

Hours to complete: About a week

First worn: Not yet, probably to Dickens fair in December

Total cost: $15

Toile! (and a cat)

A bright copper penny, or: HSF challenge #14: Paisley or Plaid

Since I'm not attending Costume College this year (except for a quick turn about the marketplace,) I find myself at leisure to write about my newest challenge entry. I've been working on some non-HSF related projects and given my utter ambivalence towards paisley, there was really only one thing I could do. But first a little back story:

The "Bright Copper Penny Dress" (so nicknamed because my friend saw the fabric and said I'd look like a bright copper penny in it) was originally made to wear to my reenactment group's Hogmanay celebration earlier this year. I trimmed it with lace and piping and added a pair of sheer silk under-sleeves, which work well for evenings, but I wanted to wear the dress to day events as well.

I had bought the last four yards on the roll and I didn't have enough for a separate day bodice, but fortunately I came across some extant 1850's convertible dresses in my ramblings on pinterest. I adore the idea that with a pair of detachable sleeves and a pelerine you can go from day to evening with the greatest of ease, To my astonishment and very good luck, there was just enough left of this beautiful silk to make a pair of over-sleeves:

                            They'll eventually be basted in under the cap sleeve of the bodice, although I've also seen versions that tie.

                                                                          The lining

                      The sleeve is piped around the edge with brown cotton bias piping.

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The Challenge: Paisley or Plaid

Fabric: Plaid silk dupioni, cranberry cotton

Pattern: Drafted by me

Year: Late 1850's

Notions: Thread, bias piping, green buttons, cranberry bias tape

How historically accurate is it? Machine and hand sewn

Hours to complete: about a day

First worn: Not yet, probably in December

Total cost: ??

The best things in life are free, or HSF challenge #13

It's amazing how a new gadget can inspire a new accessory. I now own a Samsung Galaxy S II, which means I don't have to lug my tablet around with me to every event anymore! Since the S II was so small, I found myself in need of a smaller bag.

A friend gifted me with a piece of grey silk with just a hint of lavender. There wasn't much (under a yard) and so it sat in my fabric pile until today. I used this Three Sided Reticule pattern from the American Girl's Book, with a little modification.

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The Challenge: Under $10

Fabric: Grey silk dupioni

Pattern: Three sided reticule pattern by American Girl's Book

Year: 1830's

Notions: Thread

How historically accurate is it? Machine sewn

Hours to complete: About 1 day

First worn: Not yet, maybe in December

Total cost: Free

HSF '14 challenge #12: Shape and Support

This entry, along with the last one, got scaled down so I could work on my mother's bustle dress, and just like the suffragette cockade, I'm not planning to wear it any time soon. I may eventually make something that requires it, but for now my regular bustle suits my needs quite well.

The bustle pad is made of striped cotton and poly batting and it didn't cost me a dime (hurrah for decreasing the fabric stash!). 

I apologize for the low quality of the photo (and that there's only one) but it turns out that it's pretty hard to take a photo of something on the floor with a front facing camera. 

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The Challenge: Shape and Support

Fabric: Cotton

Pattern: Um, No.

Year: 1878-ish

Notions: Thread and poly batting

How historically accurate is it? Poly batting, so probably not very

Hours to complete: 1

First worn: Not yet

Total cost: Free

Challenge # 11: The politics of fashion

I freely admit that I slacked off on this one. I've been spending most of this last fortnight working on a bustle dress for my mother to wear to an upcoming event, and that took priority. 

I decided to make a half-cockade in suffragette colors. There won't be a hat to go with it any time soon, as I'm not terribly interested in the fashions between 1890 and 1919.  But it went together quickly and painlessly. 

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The Challenge: The politics of fashion

Fabric: Nope

Pattern: Nada

Year: 1910's

Notions: Purple, white, and green grosgrain ribbon, thread

How historically accurate is it? Completely hand sewn and pleated

Hours to complete: 1

First worn: Probably not

Total cost: $6

The little black dress of the romantic era, or HSF challenge #10: Art

For this fortnight's challenge (Art) I wanted something that a) was simple, b) would work for several different occasions, and c) was made from material from my fabric stash. And happily, I managed to do all three. 

I decided to sew something I've seen in a fair amount of romantic era portraiture: The diaphanous white dress. 

Usually gathered, usually sheer, this particular style of gown can be dressed up or down with accessories and works for almost all of the romantic era.

My version is made of the same sheer silk as my mother's day cap ( I bought a lot of it and I've been working my way through it.) and it's lined with ribbed cotton organdy.

Inside the bodice

                                    The outside of the bodice just before the sleeves went on

                                                             The skirt before gathering

                                         What the stripes look like in front of  a solid color

                                                           A sleeve before assembly

                                                            And Esca, helpful as ever...

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The Challenge: Art

Fabric: Striped silk and ribbed cotton organdy

Pattern: Self drafted

Year: 1830's

Notions: Thread

How historically accurate is it? Machine and hand sewn

Hours to complete: Wasn't really keeping track

First worn: Not yet

Total cost:  Free