Thursday 30 July 2015

1795 Open Robe - Norah Waugh

Pattern: "1795 Open Robe", Diagram XXXIV from The Cut of Women's Clothes, by Norah Waugh.
Alterations: Yes. Altered hem shape. Pattern also graded up 1/2" using the shift method. Stitching varies from the original.
Fabric: 100% Silk, laundered. Re-purposed from an antique Sari, heavily embroidered.
Original Museum Garment: Held at the Victoria & Albert museum. Pictures and information available HERE.
Final Garment Measurements: 33" Under-bust. 14" Back Width (socket to socket, well inside the sleeve). 11" Actual Back Width (armhole to armhole across center back). 50" Skirt Length from underbust to hem (intended to drag).


Dress and all matching parts available on ebay HERE

Tuesday 28 July 2015

Regency Era Fingerless Mitts

Pattern: Butterick 5370, view A.
Alterations?: Yes. Sizing and the shape of the top opening.
Fabric: Antique Silk sari, Indian. Heavily Embroidered. Very thin and fine.
Lining: Same sari silk without embroidery.
Eras: Suitable to the 18th century and through the very early 19th century.



Mitts are incredibly simple and so there really isn't much to this pattern. It is basically a rectangle with the thumb hole position marked, then the little thumb piece. The original pattern has a straight top, but I wanted the pointed fold-over look of the 18th century. It was nothing to just draw out the top with a point. Of course, this addition meant that I had to make other alterations not part of the original. Namely, lining.

Sunday 19 July 2015

Truly Victorian 367 - 1887 Cascade Overskirt

Pattern: TV367 "1887 Cascade Over-skirt"
*Skirt and bodice are heavily altered from other patterns
Fabric: %100 Cotton print.
Available on ebay HERE
Firstly, let me say that I have made this pattern twice thus far, and both times I screwed it up. This is no fault of the pattern, but my own oversights. In this case, when I folded the pleats under on the back "tail" pieces, I folded them to far over, essentially making the tail piece several inches narrower than it should have been =(. The result still turns out rather nice, but the way it SHOULD have been done would have been even nicer.


Sunday 12 July 2015

Nora Waugh Sack Dress

Pattern: Norah Waugh, The Cut of Women's Clothes, Diagram XV "1740 Sack Dress"
Fabric: Silk. Plaid, pink and ivory. Cotton batiste.
          *When choosing fabric, remember that the folds on the front edges of this garment are such that you really must have a fabric that is the same on the back and front (since the "back" of the fabric will be what shows on the folds). If not, you will have to devise a facing of some sort.
Size, Unaltered from diagram: 34" Chest, 26" Waist. Sleeves run wide for the general size, 16" at bicep. 
Shoulders are 17.5" from armhole to armhole at the top.
Dress available on ebay HERE





The pattern is for the dress only, not the petticoat. I drafted that myself from the standard methods.