Tuesday 26 June 2012

Hat and corset (almost) done..

Picture taken with my iPhone in the bathroom. Not a very good light in there...

In the living room without the blitz. A bit better shot.......

Any way... it looks less like a wedding cake now than what it used to. Could benefit from a couple of feathers as well I think. But the budget is very thight so that has to wait a bit.

All I need to do with the corset is to make the holes for the laces. This is the front view.......

...... and this is on the wrong side. Not matter how many times I've practiced I still couldn't get that darn thing to stay still while I used the tools. Since I don't want to ruin the corset, I've been in the thinking box for a few days: Continue or go the old fashion way with embroided holes?

Monday 18 June 2012

One? Both?

I ordered a kit for my post edwardian 1911 corset. You might remember that I had a hard time deciding which one to make. But look what I did! By twisting and turning the pattern pices there were enough fabric for both corsets, including seam allowances! I only have the rest of the kit for the 1911 corset, but I don't have to order more fabric for the second one, only all the hardware :)

Saturday 16 June 2012

First Hat done....

The band of flowers is a decoration ment for the table during some sort of celebration. The tulle has been ruched with sewing thread.

The hat is a small straw (made of real straw) that I found in a thrift store and payed $3 for. The pull is covered with shiny velvet and sewn not glued in place.

This is how this smaller hat turned out when all done. It really looks good on me as well :) Unfortunately I don't have a good spot for taking portait pictures and no one to help me at this time.

I have a couple of hat boxes but they were just too small. I need to make a few more that are big enough for my two edwardian inspired hats.

Thursday 14 June 2012

Redesign for an old design

I have very little floor space, so after a few rounds of printing and cutting out pattern, this is how it might end up: a mess.
Since I still haven't made up my mind just yet about which corset to make, I started on project #2:

I picked a white blouse with a somewhat see-through fabric. It didn't suit me very well and it was way to short for my bodice. But still I liked it and kept it. For years.
That was lucky because it was very suitable for this project.
So I cut it apart. It took a while due to the thin fabric. The small sleeves will go into another project, perhaps for a chemise?

I would not have done this if I wan't sure of the number of pattern pieces. It was JUST enough room :)

I kept a piece of the old row of buttonwholes and buttons. I didn't notice that the blouse could have been given a wash first until I started to iron it.

So I added some old and new lace to the brassiere. This is the front view........

.......and the back view. It's hanging to dry now :)
Even though I didn't follow the pattern to the tiniest bits, I still think it looks right on spot agevise.
I like it and it fits.

Wednesday 13 June 2012

Decisions, decisions........

This is the corset I got my kit for the other day.I have the pattern.........

...but I also got this pattern. The kit might be used for this one as well......
So, which one do I go for? I can't understand WHY I just make my mind up! It would be so much easier!
I think it started when I was searching for a suitable chemise pattern. Then I found this brassiere:


Anyway, I will have to make up my mind soon ........


.... cause this is the blouse I'm making.

Tuesday 12 June 2012

Look what I got in the mail!

I am sooooo happy right now because I got my Ladies Corset Kit from Sew Curvy today!  You can find the free pattern over at Bridges on the Body
But since this Sew along is over a year old I don't think that it is still ongoing. What you will find is the pattern and some great sewing tips and pictures.
The owner of Sew Curvy, Julia Bremble, alway gift wrap her orders and I really like that. Makes it a bit more special.


This is what's inside: the busk, the eyelets for the lacceing at the back, the laces, the fabric, the steal bone and their cases.


Instead of the standard fabric I upgraded to a more luxorius one: white brocade coutil. I can understand why it is suitable for a corset because it is really stiff but very nice to the touch.



 And here it is, ready to go! The pattern only has 5 pieces so it shouldn't be too difficult to make this. I hope I do it right cause I've never made a corset before, let alone wore one :) Exciting!

You might like these videoes from Manor House

Sunday 10 June 2012

Why I am doing this........

The 1912 Project (based in the USA) is divided up into Groups. Group 3 is made up of international members like me who will work together to make up the original 1912 pattern designs sent to us, photograph the process and make up instructions for todays sewers to follow.

I am looking forward to the learning experience and challenge of blogging it over the next 7 months to share with others

My Edwardian Hatt

I bought a "straw hat" similar to this picture. Be aware that the "straw hat" you can buy today are made in China (nothing bad about that) and from 100% paper. Nothing wrong with that either but then it is NOT a straw hat but a paper hat! Oh well... I bought one anyway :)

Then I added some wire to the brim...........

.....and as you can see it is not milliners wire. Since there are very, very few people in Norway that are making hats, I would have to order things from other countries. Since I didn't want to wait forever for that, I used what I had. It is doing the job just fine :)

I want to line the hat with fabric as well, a bit shiny and silky .

And with some lace as well..

This is how it looks like from underneath.....

.........and from above. Bird's perspective.

Here's my "stash" of things I can use to decorate my hat and some more. What I lack is a couple of big feathers.

So, this is "me". I had to buy a dress form for this 1912 project and this is what I look like. Can't get my head around decorating the hat but that will come to me in the end. ----------in the meantime I am awaiting my corset kit and  about 20 yards of vintage lace. I have it from the sellers that the items are in the mail. It's hard to wait!

Tuesday 5 June 2012

My first post

This is my second blogg and it will be all about my vintage sewing experiences. Quite suitable this template isn't it?  Well, this is my first project, lace gloves.

A piece of white paper to show the rose pattern

I went shopping the other day and came accross a good offer: 3 items for $16. The two first items were easy to find but the third one..........? I gave up and was about to leave the store when I suddenly saw this pair of lace shorts. Then I had my three items.
All seams cut away

I started to cut way the seams and the waistband and had two good pieces with lace. Now came the scary part: will the pattern be the right size?
Kept the lower seams
I kept the hem seam at the end of each leg since they were to be at the wrist of the gloves. No need to take unecessary steps, are there?


My left hand glove
 Since the fabric is sttretchy lace I didn't take any chanse with the sewing machine. I did these gloves all by hand. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it might be. Next time I'll go for fabric so the will look like the gloves Rose wore. I only have two hands I can only show you one glove.
I'm quite pleased with the result.