1840´s Printed Cotton Day Dresses

Third chapter of our summer photo-shoot, and it´s the 1840´s! We had these dresses (and all the underpinnings) on the day before right after we shot 1880´s dresses and a terrible rain started so we couldn´t proceed. However, next day was sunny so here we come! I´m wearing white printed cotton 1840´s Day Dress that´s making process can be found here. I have taken out the zip and replaced it with tiny snap fasteners. Hooks and eyelets would have been more period accurate but since the dress fastens on it´s back, I still wanted to be able to dress myself in it... somehow anyway. ;) I also shortened the bodice. Lily is wearing dark red printed cotton 1840´s Day Dress which actually is first Victorian dress I have made. Large pointy collar is embellished with linen bobbin lace. 

Lily is wearing white hairpin lace shawl made of wool. I´m wearing knitted Victorian large rectangular shawl with diamond pattern. It is an actual early Victorian shawl pattern from the book Victorian Lace Today by Jane Sowerby.

Embroidered reticule.

Matching reticule with crochet lace.

Detail of engageantes (=undersleeves).

Stay tuned, more photos are coming soon! ;)

Spring Sewing

Past two months I´ve been sewing miscellaneous items: historical, vintage and modern. So, here´s what I´ve been up to :)

Historical:

1850s Victorian skirt sewn in cotton broderie anglaise with scallop edge. The skirt has cartridge pleats hand-sewn to waistband. My own pattern.

Detail of the scalloped edge.

Victorian chemise with crochet yoke. I used 1,5 mm hook and thin cotton crochet yarn for crochet yoke. Chemise is sewn in cotton voile. Hem is embellished with lace trim.

Detail of crochet yoke. Pattern for the yoke is from the book Hurmaavat Pitsit.

I finally made the Edwardian Parasol! The pattern is from the book Making Edwardian Costumes for Woman. It has been a fun project thou a bit laborious. One advice, add a few centimeters to the height of your triangle because the parasol will stretch it to extreme. Also buy extra lace trim, 14 meters wasn´t enough! 

Detail of machine embroidered satin ribbon. 

Top view of opened parasol.

Bottom view of opened parasol. I sanded the parasol frame and lacquered it with mahogany lacquer. I wanted it to be darker. :)

Vintage:

1940s men´s shirt. Shirt has Marvel´s Hydra patch on the left arm and colors (green and yellow) were inspired by the uniform of the original Hydra soldiers in the comic books. 

1950s skirt with large front pockets made of cotton shirting fabric. The pattern is from Burda 6/2015 magazine.

Modern:

Lace jackets for summer for my dear friend. I drafted the pattern from the garment she brought with her and wasn´t satisfied with. I made all the necessary adjustments of coarse. ;)

And I liked the outcome so much that I made a couple of jackets for myself as well... 

Bat-wing top with split sleeves. The pattern is from Burda 5/2016 magazine. Top is sewn in lightweight jersey fabric.