I'm not going to tot up everything I made this year because it's kind of pathetic, but I will tell you what I got for Christmas!
- What Clothes Reveal, Linda Baumgarten: no explanation needed.
- Seventeenth-Century Women's Dress Patterns, Book I, Susan North and Jenny Tiramani: truly amazing resource that shows off how far technology's progressed. X-ray pictures of garments that show all the layers of fabric, interlining, and boning; pages of full-color detail photos; delicately-drawn patterns of clothing and bobbin lace and construction steps. I got an Amazon gift certificate as well - I may use it to buy book two. I'm not sure when I'm going to get to use them (Dutch settler party at Fort Orange, maybe?), but they are FANTASTIC resources.
- Period Costume for Stage & Screen, Jean Hunnisett: I've always been a bit leery of this one because my impression based on the title was that it was about stage/movie costumes, patterned for looks rather than accuracy. However, it's actually very basic patterns of extant clothing and underclothing, with some hints for doing things in a costumey way (eg, filling out an 1830s sleeve with tulle). It looks especially good for bustles and such, which aren't usually patterned in books like this, and also foundations/linings for people who are good enough to be able to drape over them.
- From the Neck Up: An Illustrated Guide to Hatmaking, Denise Dreher: OH MAN. The idea of hat-making terrifies me and yet I would really like to be able to do it as it's kind of expensive to buy them. And bonnets! I want to make a bonnet. The instructions look very clear and adaptable.
I'm not planning on doing the Fortnightly challenge, as I'm terrible at sticking to a schedule or really getting anything done, but I do have definite, specific plans for what I'm going to make this coming year, and I will tell them to you in chronological order.
- late 1830s day dress (with corset and petticoats), for Victorian events in general. I have the chemise made, as you've seen, and I have the fabric for the corset and dress. The trouble is I don't quite know what to do for the corset: koshka-the-cat's pattern, Waugh's pattern, or my pattern. I think I might do a mockup of my pattern, and if I don't like it, Waugh's.
- 1900 sailor suit from Frances Grimble's The Voice of Fashion. I need to do all of the underclothing as well; Waugh and Hunnisett give the same pattern, but Hunnisett's is on graph paper so I suspect she wins. (I actually bought some cotton shirting for the combinations, but Fabric.com ran out and canceled that part of my order. I did still get twill for corsets, though.) For a summer picnic, so I felt athletic dress would be proper and fun.
- early 1920s waist and skirt (plus underclothes - I have a combinations pattern, and I'm right now going through lots of brassiere patents online); the skirt pattern is here, and I might adapt this 1910s pattern for the waist or use one that Jenni (of Historically Dressed) has, depending on time things. Same deal with the combinations/chemise fabric as before; I do, however, have a blue and red striped shirting for the waist and a mustard gold "linen look" for the skirt.
- mid-1920s evening dress (with train for court wear), which will be worn with the previous underclothes. I got a beautiful synthetic crushed pale pink satin for this. The dress I patterned was velvet, so I might have to flatline the satin with something else to get the right weight and drape, but since I'm already starting with synthetic here I don't feel too bad about that. This one's going to be more of a costume than a reproduction.
Honestly, if I get all of this done this year I'll be very impressed with myself.
More about → Finishing Up The Year!
- What Clothes Reveal, Linda Baumgarten: no explanation needed.
- Seventeenth-Century Women's Dress Patterns, Book I, Susan North and Jenny Tiramani: truly amazing resource that shows off how far technology's progressed. X-ray pictures of garments that show all the layers of fabric, interlining, and boning; pages of full-color detail photos; delicately-drawn patterns of clothing and bobbin lace and construction steps. I got an Amazon gift certificate as well - I may use it to buy book two. I'm not sure when I'm going to get to use them (Dutch settler party at Fort Orange, maybe?), but they are FANTASTIC resources.
- Period Costume for Stage & Screen, Jean Hunnisett: I've always been a bit leery of this one because my impression based on the title was that it was about stage/movie costumes, patterned for looks rather than accuracy. However, it's actually very basic patterns of extant clothing and underclothing, with some hints for doing things in a costumey way (eg, filling out an 1830s sleeve with tulle). It looks especially good for bustles and such, which aren't usually patterned in books like this, and also foundations/linings for people who are good enough to be able to drape over them.
- From the Neck Up: An Illustrated Guide to Hatmaking, Denise Dreher: OH MAN. The idea of hat-making terrifies me and yet I would really like to be able to do it as it's kind of expensive to buy them. And bonnets! I want to make a bonnet. The instructions look very clear and adaptable.
I'm not planning on doing the Fortnightly challenge, as I'm terrible at sticking to a schedule or really getting anything done, but I do have definite, specific plans for what I'm going to make this coming year, and I will tell them to you in chronological order.
 |
| February 1840, The Ladies' Cabinet; something along these lines ish, basically it'll have those sleeves minus the ruffles |
- 1900 sailor suit from Frances Grimble's The Voice of Fashion. I need to do all of the underclothing as well; Waugh and Hunnisett give the same pattern, but Hunnisett's is on graph paper so I suspect she wins. (I actually bought some cotton shirting for the combinations, but Fabric.com ran out and canceled that part of my order. I did still get twill for corsets, though.) For a summer picnic, so I felt athletic dress would be proper and fun.
- early 1920s waist and skirt (plus underclothes - I have a combinations pattern, and I'm right now going through lots of brassiere patents online); the skirt pattern is here, and I might adapt this 1910s pattern for the waist or use one that Jenni (of Historically Dressed) has, depending on time things. Same deal with the combinations/chemise fabric as before; I do, however, have a blue and red striped shirting for the waist and a mustard gold "linen look" for the skirt.
- mid-1920s evening dress (with train for court wear), which will be worn with the previous underclothes. I got a beautiful synthetic crushed pale pink satin for this. The dress I patterned was velvet, so I might have to flatline the satin with something else to get the right weight and drape, but since I'm already starting with synthetic here I don't feel too bad about that. This one's going to be more of a costume than a reproduction.
Honestly, if I get all of this done this year I'll be very impressed with myself.
