Wednesday 18 December 2013

Look what I got!

This was in my mail box today. Not a surprise really since I knew I had ordered it.

 A corset kit........ (exciting)
Look at the beautiful wrapping. I like that it is all in a box. Makes it a lot easier to keep on top of everything.

It's the Truly Victorian corset that I'm making this time. I already have two Edwardian ones so.... :) No, I'm not going to abandon my 1912 dresses and suit. They are way to beautiful for me to do that. But I really want a Natural Form outfit from the 1870's as well. They are really beautiful too. Help......I need a larger wardrobe! ;) 

Monday 16 December 2013

Still here in 1912

It's about time I turn my attention back to these fabulous patterns. This dress E 4016 is next despite everything I might have planned earlier. 
This is the top layer, the collar with embroidery. I discovered that there was no easy overlap between the left and right side of the pattern. So as I marked the fabric I added a few circles to match up the pattern. I added a little to the size this way but I was aware of it as I had enlarged the pattern already. 
I'm using a thin chocolate brown linen and an unbleached muslin for the contrasting fabric and collar. These two are a tiny bit see through, but with all the underwear that was used at the time I see no problem with that. I think this dress is going to look great.........on me if I'm lucky :)

Sunday 8 September 2013

1930's suit again.......

........but this time with a new belt:


I used every piece I had left over from the blouse to make this new belt. This is how it was ment to be in the first place. This belt won't cut me in half and it will give me a more slender silhouette than the first option. Still need to find that buckle and make some wholes ;) Suitable for a Christening or a Christmas party, don't you think?

Saturday 7 September 2013

1930's Ladies two piece dress........

.....is finished.


Lets go back to the beginning.

I had these fabric in my closet for years, and I mean YEARS. At least 8 of them. About 2 yards of each fabric or 1 1/2 metre of each fabric. So when Vintage Pattern Lending Library asked for pattern testers once more, I knew I had to say yes to the challenge.
 
The pattern arrieved :)

I was quite happy to see that I had just enough fabric for the skirt and belt. No room for error here.

The tiny amount at the bottom left corner of the picture, were tossed. Too small for anything and not suitable in a quilt.

Here's the closure closed.........

.....and open. I went for the bigger snaps to make sure they will stay closed or open as I please and not as they please.

The side. It was really easy to make this skirt and I didn't have to make any alterations. Just sew it all together with a smaller seam allowance than the pattern asked for.

Front. English is not my native language and I would guess that this pattern will be bought by others not being native english speaking people. So.. a diagram showing just the front pleats might be a thing to consider.

Anyway, the skirt is finished and it fits me real well :D

And then it's time to make the blouse:
I didn't make any major alterations to the blouse. To make sure it would fir me I added a few inches from a B36 to a B40. In retrospect I wouldn't need to add as much to the arms as I did.

I read and learned a new way of making button wholes.

Maybe not as beautiful as they could have been since it was my first go at this, but I'm pleased after all :) So far so good.

Then there was the necline.I sure needed to read and read the instructions again and again until I got my head around this. A diagram for the neck part alone would have helped me a lot. There's no measurement given for the front neckline either. This might cause a problem with it being too long or too short.

I looked at the diagrams and read the txt over and over agai for the cuffs as well. They do have a pattern piece but no information about any button wholes. So I made mine without wholes and just used snaps with a suitable button on the right side of the cuffs. Works perfectly.

And here's the neckline done and topstitched as well. At this point I haven't hem stitched the lining.

Almost there.

Just about to add the buttons......

Ta da...





I'm really going to use this suit every chance I get. It suits me fine and I love the colours and the shape it gives me.
Bring on the next pattern......



Sunday 18 August 2013

Final result




I have to make an adjustment to the skirt. Adding a bit to the width of the bottom of the skirt to make it possible to walk at a normal pace. I had to lift the skirt several times today since I'm not used to walk that slowly.....
Got some great positive comments as I walk around in the city today as well :)

The DRESS is finished.....


.........but I still have to make the belt :)



Not my prettiest zipper work, but it'll do for now :)

Saturday 17 August 2013

My lunch dress

 
This are the pieces from the Butterick pattern below. I thought I made a good choice.

But no matter how hard I tried, it just wasn't the right shape for me.

So I turned to this Danielle pattern ( free at Burda Style ). I have allready used it once and was very pleased with it.
 
Here I'm adding loose lace to the skirt pieces.

Trying to figure out how to add the lace over the shoulders. The arms are made of lace from another project (1912 project), and had to be sewn by hand. Otherwise the sewing machine would have ruined the lace.

Time to stitch the lace to the bodice by hand and adding the skirt. More pictures to come :)

Wednesday 7 August 2013

Another project.....


.......is in the making. I have seen a lot of lace jackets and dresses from the edwardian era. I discovered Brattenburg lace and Romanian Point Lace. Both very beautiful and not that difficult to make. RPL is a little bit easier because I don't have to buy anything, I can use what I allready have.

The first ball of crochet yarn is turned into useful braid for RPL. 100 gram gave me 19 metres. I have two more 100 gram balls to use. That should give me about 57 metres in total. Since I haven't done anything like this before, I don't know how far that will bring me. Testing, testing :)

 
My E1000 blouse is comming along just nicely as well. That hand embroidery do take its time :)

Monday 22 July 2013

Next project?

I have these two green shiny fabrics, one with embroidery and scalloped edges and the other is plain. I do have some yards of net lace as well. I was wondering what to make out of these treasures and I was presented with this dress:

At first I thought it was a crazy idea.... but it quickly started to grow on me.

I'm soon 55 but still rather slim and fit. Of course the corset would help a bit as well. Sooo.... why not? :D