HSF '14 challenge #2 Innovations

This challenge, like the last, coincides with my reenactment group's Hogmanay celebration, the theme of which is "mad for plaid" and my mother has an 1830's gown made of plaid taffeta that she plans to wear. Mom wears her hair in a very short bob and while she can wear a cap and bonnet for daytime events, styling her hair for evening events is a little problematic. With this in mind, I decided to sew her a turban to match her dress.

I was inspired by these examples after reading Lynn McMasters' article and used her wonderful tutorial.  Since the turban is sewn to a band, my mother will be able to slip it quickly and easily on to her head without having to wrap it.

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The Challenge:  Innovations

Fabric:  Plaid taffeta

Pattern:   Um, not really...

Year:   1830's

Notions:  Thread, buckram, millinery wire and an ostrich feather

How historically accurate is it?  Sewn by hand

Hours to complete:   Half a week

First worn:   will be worn on February 1st.

Total cost:   $0

HSF '14 challenge #1: Make do and mend, or, closet archaeology.

My biggest stumbling block with last year's sewing challenge was that most of the themes didn't correspond with the events that I had to sew for. But now that I have a comfortable cushion of costuming to fall back on if an event should arise, I have high hopes for this round of HSF.

My reenactment group hosts an annual Hogmanay celebration and the theme this year is "mad for plaid". A friend and fellow reenactresses needed a dress to wear and so I dug deep into my closet and brought out the Easter egg ballgown.

Oh this dress! Made in the days of my sewing infancy, (when I was just discovering other time periods than the 16th century, before I realized that a hoop skirt needed petticoats over it, before I'd learned to read instructions all the way through...) I'm surprised that this turned out as well as this did, but after wearing it to two events and going up two cup sizes, it got consigned to the back of my closet.

I removed the back placket and added a smaller lace ruffle to the neck

And a velvet bow to the back

I'm glad this one will be getting some use at last. I haven't the faintest hope that I will ever wear it again, but I just can't bear to pick it apart and make something new.

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The Challenge:  Make do and Mend

Fabric:  Silk dupioni

Pattern:   A much-altered Truly victorian 1860's pattern

Year:   1860's

Notions:  Thread, lace and velvet ribbon

How historically accurate is it?  Probably not very

Hours to complete:   About a day

First worn:   In it's current incarnation, February 1st

Total cost:   Free

HSF challenge #24: Re-Do

Earlier in the year I decided to make my mother a dress and two weeks before Victorian Ball I finally got to pick it up again!

For the literature challenge in May, I chose Hyacinth Kirkpatrick from Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell. The gown is made from a purple/silver silk sari found on Ebay with over-sleeves of black silk organza. I ran out of the purple sari fabric, so the under-sleeves are made of a gray silk dupioni.

"...and it was her taste, more than any depth of feeling, that had made her persevere in wearing all the delicate tints — the violets and grays — which, with a certain admixture of black, constitute half-mourning. This style of becoming dress she was supposed to wear in memory of Mr. Kirkpatrick; in reality because it was both lady-like and economical."

My mother loved it so much she wore it to Dickens Fair

With each post or photo be sure to tell us:

The Challenge:  Re-do

Fabric:  Silk sari, silk dupioni, silk organza

Pattern:  Truly Victorian romantic era gown

Year:  1830's

Notions:  Thread

How historically accurate is it?  Machine sewn

Hours to complete:  Two weeks

First worn:  November 30th

Total cost:  ??

HSF Challenge 22: Masquerade or The Empress of India bodice

I ended up filling three challenges almost by accident. It is a widely known fact among my general acquaintance that I have no free weekends in that nebulous time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Aside from the two major holidays, my mother, Mr. G and I attend the Victorian Grand Ball, a friend's longstanding Christmas party, and lastly the Great Dickens Christmas Fair. We have a lot of fun, but it tends to generate a lot of event-specific sewing. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that for once a few challenges actually meshed with the events I needed to sew for.

I had already made a bodice to wear with challenge #14 and challenge #15 at costume college, but I wasn't really satisfied with it. Fortunately I'm the kind of pack-rat that saves every scrap from previous projects and so I had enough of both fabrics to make a new one.

Here's the original bodice:

And here's the remake! 

I call it my Empress of India gown.

Coincidentally the theme of this Victorian Ball was masquerade as well, and so I felt completely justified in draping this bodice in as much lace and trim as I could while still remaining upright. 

I used a bunch of vintage gold trim that I'd found at Costume College and accented it with a few gold ribbon rosettes and a little lace.

The Challenge: Masquerade

Fabric:  Silk dupioni

Pattern:  Umm... I've had i for so long, I've completely forgotten

Year: 1880's

Notions: Thread, gold ribbon, lace and vintage gold trim

How historically accurate is it? Machine sewn

Hours to complete: Once again, I wasn't keeping count

First worn: November 30th 

Total cost:  $0

Three non-HSF costumes, Two HSF challenges and a partridge in a pear tree

Merry Christmas everyone!
Wow. So I kinda wrapped myself up in a cocoon of sewing and school... and when I finally emerged, it was December.
But now that I have a little breathing room before the new year, I think a few photos are in order. I'll be making more detailed posts about these dresses in a few days, but for now, enjoy:

HSF challenge #17: the lumberjack dressing gown

I got this challenge entry done by it's deadline, but between altering a friend's bridesmaid dress and making a dress for a neighbor, I haven't had much opportunity to post.

I'm not too fond of this dressing gown, to be honest. My original plan was to make a banyan for Mr. G, but he was unable to find any suitable fabric in time and so I had to improvise. This is bare bones, seat-of-pants, last minute stuff made from what I had closest to hand at the time and it shows. When I first looked through my stash, it seemed as though all the fabrics I had planned to use either had insufficient yardage or were in hiding, so I was left with seven yards of red gingham homespun that makes me look like a lumberjack. 

Here's the back. Along with the annoying-as-hell-to-hem collar.

I will not lie, this thing is probably going to be buried in the back of my closet and never see the light of day again.

The Challenge:  Robes and Robings

Fabric:  Red gingham homespun

Pattern:  Period Impressions 1837 robe front day dress

Year:  1837

Notions: Thread and lace

How historically accurate is it?  Machine sewn, so not very

Hours to complete:  20

First worn: Never, and likely to stay that way.

Total cost: My sanity and dignity.

HSF Challenge #15: White

It's been a week and change since Costume College now that I'm A) suffciently recovered  and B) no longer being ambushed by a victorian seaside picnic (another story for another post) I find that I finally have enough brain power to post about my white challenge entry:

This 1880's overskirt (and it's matching bodice) was made to wear with the previous challenge to the Time Travelers' Gala. It's made of a white chiffon sari with gold sequined embroidery. It went together with a minimum of fuss and I'd say it turned out pretty well.

And here is the full outfit in action. Unfortunately I didn't get many pictures of it.

The Challenge: White

Fabric:  Embroidered chiffon sari

Pattern:  Truly Victorian

Year:   Latter half of the 1880's

Notions:  Thread

How historically accurate is it?  Machine sewn

Hours to complete: Umm... I wasn't really keeping count

First worn:  August 3rd 2013

Total cost: $20