Big Hair: The Planning Stages

I have been invited to a late 18th/early 19th century ball that is taking place this coming week.  I plan on having my second dress of the summer done in time to wear, but for this ball, I want to go all out and do something I have never done: 18th century hair.  I've decided I want a pouf, like Lauren's, and not a hedgehog, because my hair is too long for it (seriously, my head would look like a huge rat's nest if I tried to pull that off).  I tried Lauren's tutorial, but the back looked terrible because the extra hair that went over the pouf didn't have anyplace to go, and I couldn't figure out what to do with the back.  To remedy this, I've gone on a YouTube hunt.  Here are some videos I've found:

18th Century Pouf Tutorial by jennylafleur

Part 2

1700's French Revolution inspired hair - Marie Antoinette/Carlotta by MistiqueMakeup

 Hairdo How-To: Marie Antoinette/18th Century Do by taniathepirate

So I've made my plan:

Step 1: Put hair in foam rollers to give it some body and volume. Make sure hair at back of neck is in 2 curlers, 1 on each side.

Step 2: Undo curlers, all except for the 2 on the base of neck. Brush out a little.

Step 3: Section off hair front and back.  Braid back section of hair upside down (this is where sisters come in handy) and form into a braided bun on top of head ( this will be useful to pin into).  

Step 4: Move front hair forward.  Pin rat on top of head on front of bun. Slightly tease front hair and pin in place over rat.  Pull remaining front hair into a ponytail behind pouf.

Step 5: Make ponytail into a hair bow. (That seems like a very 18th century thing to do, doesn't it?)

  

Beautiful Wedding Hair Bow Tutorial by CinthiaTruong

Step 6: Take down rollers at the back of neck to make curls to hang over your shoulders.

Step 7: SPRAY!!!! 

So that's the plan.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

Rebecca

Working, working...

I apologize for not having posted in so long.  The reason is that I've been sewing like crazy!  In the past few days, I have finished my 18th century stays and started a new linen round gown.  I will be working on photographing the stays as soon as I can, and the gown once it is done.  I'm trying to finish it in time for an event next weekend, we'll see how that goes...

Rebecca
(PS:  For some reason, my fabric for the Sacque back dress has still not arrived!  I'm not sure what to do about it, I've already called Joann's.)

How to Scale Up a Pattern the Easier Way!

In this post, I'm going to show you the way I scale up gridded patterns.  This is the method I used to make the pattern for the waistcoat, as shown.

(Warning: There is some geometry involved here, as in all pattern scaling, I've just tried to make it as easy as possible to understand)

What you need: A gridded pattern, a ruler, a pen or pencil, lots of scrap paper, an iron, tape.

Step 1:  Trace your necassary pattern pieces on a piece of paper. It doesn't have to be notebook paper, but it hepls you keep a straight line.  Then look at the scale on the pattern (in this case, I think it was 1 square equals 3 inches, we will call the side of the square N, to make the instructions simpler) and draw a grid according to that scale.  If your grid is not correct, the final pattern will either be too big or too small.

Step 2:  Prepare your pattern paper.  This can be any type of thicker paper you want. It's is a very good chance for recycling!  It is preferable to iron it on low heat and get all the wrinkles out.  It works like magic!

Step 3:  On your pattern paper, begin to form a grid.  If your paper has a 90 degree corner, it is easy to start, mark a spot N in. from the bottom of the paper on both sides and in the middle.  If your paper does not have a corner but has a straight bottom edge, measure N away from the bottom at a 90 degree angle and mark it in at least 3 places.  If you have a randomly shaped piece of paper, make a fold near the bottom or draw a line and use it as your bottom edge.

However, instead of drawing lines for the grid (which is very time-consuming), fold the paper like a fan where you would draw the line.  Run a ruler or something heavy and flat over the crease to set it in (I do not recommend using an iron at this stage, because it will get rid of all of the creases).

Continue folding, like a fan.

Once you finish going one way, start the folds going the other way, to form the grid.  The folds should be the same depth (N) going both ways, because the grid needs to be a square. 

Step 4:  Begin scaling up your pattern.  You use the creases you made to guide you, and the good thing about this method is that it takes much less time than actually drawing out a grid.  You also don't have a bunch of pencil lines going across your pattern piece.

After scaling it up, cut it out!

The finished pattern:

Front

Back

Hopefully this helps you have some more sewing creations flying off the needle this summer.  Best wishes!

Rebecca

Finally, some 18th century!

Last week, I got something in the mail...
My American Duchess Kensingtons!
I would highly recommend them to any 18th century reenactor! They are very well made and comfortable. I would definitely buy from her again. She did mention some 1930's one coming up... ;-)

In other news, I am hopefully going to get some 18th century handsewing done this week. I have to work on some portable projects this week because I have several car rides in store. I'm hoping to make an apron from start to finish, and hopefully make some hair bows (I'll try to take pictures, because that would make a good tutorial). But anyway, I'll leave you with some pictures of my new Kensingtons.

Rebecca

A Summer of Sewing!

So, as I have just finished school for the year, I thought I would tell you about my summer sewing plans (In time order):

         1. A 40's/50's dance dress.

My ballroom dance class is doing "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", and my boyfriend and I are the youngest couple, and we are also good at tricks, so the dress I wear has certain qualifications that it has to meet in order for me to dance in it (it can't fly up too much, but the skirt has to be loose enough for movement, etc.).  Right now I only have 1 40's dress (the one I made for my sister), but it has a tighter skirt so I can't do all of the tricks in it. Therefore, I will be making a new one, which has to be my first project because the recital is in June.  

My fabric:

I am going to make a late 40's/50's style shirtdress out of this, because I've always wanted one, it will be perfect for dancing, and it is a lovely 50's teal!


2: Finish the waistcoat.
(I am making this as a gift for my boyfriend, and I'm not going to post pictures until it's done)
I have this mostly done, all I need to do is put in the pockets and sew in the lining.


3: Finish my stays.
These have to be done before I can make any more 18th century gowns, jackets, etc., because they are the foundation for the rest of my clothes.


4: Make panniers.
I am going to make the kind that have two parts, like Leomomi's.  I'll need to make panniers because me next project is...


5: A Francaise/Sacque back gown (!)
I am so excited about this one!  I can't wait to start it, which I guess is good, because hopefully it'll help me get done with the other ones faster.


My fabric:



It's a cotton "chintz" fabric with about 5 colors, which would be more expensive than just 1 color because they would have to make 5 different blocks, 1 for each color.  It was a status symbol in the same way as silk was.  There are several  extant red print gowns, many of which are cotton print.  Therefore I feel comfortable with using this fabric. 
(UPDATE: this fabric is taking FOREVER to ship, so unfortunately it may have to be moved down the list a bit if it doesn't get here before I need it.)


My inspiration for the gown:



The Mint Museum
I like this, although it is probably silk, and I don't have enough fabric to make a matching petticoat.



MFA
This gown is closer to what I want.  It is a cotton print, with sleeve ruffles, and it has a non-matching petticoat (Mine will probably be red).  I also want to include the narrow tucker around the neckline.


6: A Quarter-back gown.


My fabric:



This is a really pretty 1-color block-print cotton, in the same fabric as the one above.  I'm going to make the gown out of this, but there is so much fabric I might be able to make more things.  (It would make a nice pet-en l'air).



The Historical New England collection


I want my dress to look exactly like this one, but in red print and as an open gown/polonaise.


7. A new "nice" apron and cap
I have some linen check material that I am going to make a more stylish cap and apron, for wearing with nicer gowns, like these.


8. A petticoat that will match both gowns.
(Probably red)


(The "If I have time and/or money" category)


9. A blue linen roundgown
This will be something I can wear to my site because it's more of a working-class type gown, but it will have trimming. It will be in this linen:

       

Sphinx, by fabrics-store.com

10. A new linen shift

11. A Costume Close-up jacket

In this material:

A grey linen-cotton material with a white stripe.

Well, I think that's about the most I'll be able to do in one summer, and hopefully I'll be able to get it all done. I'll try to do better and post some dress diaries as I go along.  These are some exciting projects!

Rebecca

Hmmm...

So, I have several projects that I have finished/am currently working on that I could post pictures of, but they are gifts, and I don't want the recipients to see them, so I have a lack of current project pictures to post.

However, I am currently working on a project for my art class about how art styles of particular periods influenced fashion.  I'll give a bit more detail once I am finished, but right now I'll leave you with some pictures I am going to use.

Baroque

The Hall of Mirrors from the Palace of Versailles, France.

Rococo 

I want to make a gown like the one on the right!

One of the hallmarks of Rococo furniture and architecture are S and C-scrolls, and this gown shows how that translated to fashion.

Neoclassical

This chair from the V & A is a very good example of the simplicity of Greek and Roman designs that were revived in this time period.

For a time, dresses lost their elaborate trimmings to echo the simplicity of the style.

Art Nouveau 

Art Nouveau style is characterized by natural, scrolling forms like vines.  Some of the architecture looks as if it was carved with water from a piece of stone (like a riverbed or stalactite). 

An Art Nouveau ring.

Art Deco 

A French airfare poster.

An elevator door.  Art Deco used a lot of solid geometric forms in beautiful designs and patterns.

An Art Deco ring.  I love this one!

Reenacting?

As of late, I have been experiencing a sort of disillusionment with 18th century reenacting. The primary site I go to is no longer offering the same reenacting opportunities, and I'm not sure where exactly to go from here. You see, reenacting is easier when you have a family that all goes to events together, but mine doesn't do that. I am, effectively, a reenacting orphan; the only member of my family who reenacts. I have a few "adoptive families" I stay with at events, but it's not the same.

However, the main thing I've realized I don't like about the reenacting I've been doing, which is site-centered, is that it limits my growth in my knowledge of historic fashion. For instance, my site encourages the use of shortgowns and petticoats to the exclusion of all else, like roundgowns, etc. which are also accurate and under-represented. If I stay with place-centered reenacting, I will never make a sacque, or a quilted silk petticoat, or anything similar to these that would further advance my skill and variety as a historical seamstress, because they were not things people in my area would have had.

So after some thought, I have decided to stop limiting my 18th C sewing projects to the styles and materials that would have been available in my area and my time period. I am branching out into a different sort of reenacting, which I think of as time-centered reenacting. No longer will I only portray a woman on the frontier, but my opportunities are opened up to being a gentry woman, etc. The key of what I am saying here is that I am no longer bound by place. I can make a silk sacque, or anything else a wealthy woman from Williamsburg might have had if I wish.

This does not mean that I am going to stop going to my site or reenacting there altogether, or that I will wear a silk sacque to a place where my persona is poor. It does mean, however, that I am now open to do some projects I would previously not have done. I am excited about my new opportunities, and this change of attitude is rather refreshing.

Rebecca

(Note: This is not to discourage anyone who is solely a site-centered reenactor, I am just expressing my views as someone who enjoys sewing fashions from different social levels and now has the freedom to do just that with 18th century!)

Updates and Sneak Peeks

It has taken longer to finish my sister's dress than I thought.  That is partially because I have been working on some other projects, none of which are finished either.  I have been pretty productive though, so I'll give you some sneak peeks of what I have been up to.

I drafted a pattern and am almost done with a 1940's dress for my sister. 

I found and altered a pattern for a new pair of 18th century stays. 

I made a cardboard mock-up of the pattern.

(And got fabric and boning for said stays.)

I designed a knitting pattern for an 18th century pinball

(a term to be explained further in another post).

 I've started to knit the front.

(And I am teaching my other sister to knit!)

 I learned how to make death's head buttons.

(This is a larger size I practiced on, the second one I ever made!)

I got this fantastic book! I'll talk about it in another post.

This new year is off to a pretty good start!

-Rebecca

How to dress in the 18th century:

I am officially done with school for the semester, so Friday night I was able to open this!

"She" is almost exactly my measurements, except I can't get the hips quite large enough, but that's okay, because I don't really intend to be making pants on her (and I have two legs!).

So without further ado, my first tutorial:

DRESSING IN THE 18TH CENTURY