The Post I Thought I Made Last Night...
Jul. 20th, 2009 11:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
viennabelleI didn't get any free time this weekend, but I did manage to squeeze in a few hours of work this evening (note--I was writing this late Sunday) after my other chores were done, so I went to work on my 1660s gown. My first effort was a bit of web research. I'm getting very inspired by Dutch paintings of this era--which isn't such a bad idea, considering that the English court in exile spent significant time in Holland. Anyhow, one search found this one gem (detail, click to embiggen):
While the date of this painting is just slightly earlier than my objective--it gives some great details. First, the woman in the foreground--you can see so much there--the shoes, the hem facing on the outer petticoat, the guard on the pink skirt, the back of the hair. I also was a little surprised to see a Y necklace on the woman in gold (a trendsetter?). Well, this is definitely giving me ideas!
As for my project, I made one big decision. Given my time restrictions, I have decided to simplify the bodice. I cut off the tabs. Why did I do this? Well, eliminating the tabs will make binding the bottom significantly easier. Most images of gowns do not have tabs--except those before about 1640. But ultimately--it is a matter of convenience. This is a costume, done with consideration--but not strict adherence to historic construction. I don't have time to squander--so I'm cutting corners.
The cool thing is that with reed boning, all I had to do was slice through it with a rotary cutter!
The other thing I've decided to do might strike some as heresy...I've decided to use lacing eye tape instead of hand sewing eyelets. As you can see above, I test fitted this using some black eye tape--but for the final version, I'm going to need eyes in white--so I need to buy some.
I'm also playing with the sleeve. I am thinking I want bigger, pouffier sleeves. I know that extant bodices have small sleeves, but the big pouffy ones in paintings are...well, just so badass! So, I started monkeying with muslin and altering it.
While the date of this painting is just slightly earlier than my objective--it gives some great details. First, the woman in the foreground--you can see so much there--the shoes, the hem facing on the outer petticoat, the guard on the pink skirt, the back of the hair. I also was a little surprised to see a Y necklace on the woman in gold (a trendsetter?). Well, this is definitely giving me ideas!
As for my project, I made one big decision. Given my time restrictions, I have decided to simplify the bodice. I cut off the tabs. Why did I do this? Well, eliminating the tabs will make binding the bottom significantly easier. Most images of gowns do not have tabs--except those before about 1640. But ultimately--it is a matter of convenience. This is a costume, done with consideration--but not strict adherence to historic construction. I don't have time to squander--so I'm cutting corners.
The cool thing is that with reed boning, all I had to do was slice through it with a rotary cutter!
The other thing I've decided to do might strike some as heresy...I've decided to use lacing eye tape instead of hand sewing eyelets. As you can see above, I test fitted this using some black eye tape--but for the final version, I'm going to need eyes in white--so I need to buy some.
I'm also playing with the sleeve. I am thinking I want bigger, pouffier sleeves. I know that extant bodices have small sleeves, but the big pouffy ones in paintings are...well, just so badass! So, I started monkeying with muslin and altering it.
Lastly about trim. To my abject horror, I put in a note promising to post an entry about how I did this. Really, there wasn't too much involved. Here is a photo showing samples:
The lace on the top is the base, the middle is base lace with a pailette/pearl layer sewn on. Finally, the bottom trim is sewn on the sides. That gives the full effect.
The one trick I did learn was that it's tricky to sew together. I never really figured out the kind of needle to use--though my local sewing store suggested ball point needles. My biggest issue was when the needle hit pearls--and broke. I ended up going through a full packet of 70/10 universal needles.
The other thing is to drop the feed dogs and use the free motion foot. That helps avoid the obstacles (pearls!) and it all goes together.
For this, since it was silver gilt trim, I sewed it together using "metallic" (really lurex) thread. It became virtually invisible when I sewed it all together.
Ok. I gotta crash, but wanted to push this out. ttl!
The one trick I did learn was that it's tricky to sew together. I never really figured out the kind of needle to use--though my local sewing store suggested ball point needles. My biggest issue was when the needle hit pearls--and broke. I ended up going through a full packet of 70/10 universal needles.
The other thing is to drop the feed dogs and use the free motion foot. That helps avoid the obstacles (pearls!) and it all goes together.
For this, since it was silver gilt trim, I sewed it together using "metallic" (really lurex) thread. It became virtually invisible when I sewed it all together.
Ok. I gotta crash, but wanted to push this out. ttl!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-07-21 01:19 pm (UTC)Good luck getting it done!
no subject
Date: 2009-07-21 01:57 pm (UTC)Oh--are you using flat cane, or round reed? Or half-oval? You may have said a while back, but I've forgotten...
no subject
Date: 2009-07-21 03:58 pm (UTC)About tabs: the skirt's normally separate to the bodice, worn over the tabs and under the front point, so they don't much show in paintings. If you're not sewing the skirt to the bodice you'll want to add hooks and eyes to make sure they stay together!
That's a great painting! What's the title/artist? You're right, though this is 10-20 years earlier it's still helpful. And as you said, English fashion was between the comfort and modesty of the Dutch and the style and ostentation of the French, with a bit of English eccentricity thrown in. So pretty much like now, really!