HSF #9: Black and White

This Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge was to sew something black and white or black or white. Originally, I wanted to do a blackwork partlet for this challenge but then I decided that I hated blackwork. Then I had almost 5 yds of white cotton voile leftover from my secret vacation project so I decided to make a new Elizabethan shift/smock/chemise/whatever you want to call it. (This type of undergarment has so many names! I can never remember which goes with which period!)

The Challenge: Black and White
Fabric: cotton voile (just over 3 yds)
Pattern: Period Patterns #90 view vi
Year: 1580s (English)
Notions: 4 snaps
How historically accurate is it? Well, linen was the fabric for undergarments during this period but I had the cotton already and I figured it'd be a huge step up from my other chemise which is made from an old sheet. I did some machine and some hand sewing because if I'm going to do an entirely hand sewn garment, I'll be doing it in 100% period fabrics!
Hours to complete: 4ish
First worn: Not yet! Just another project for the up coming faire season!
Total cost: about $15

It features a gathered neckline which I figure I can always add a ruff to later if I feel like being brave and making a ruff.

The sleeves are also gathered to a cuff.

Not my most exciting project, I know, but the exciting part comes later when I get to wear all my gussied up Ren Faire costumes!

HSF 2014: Thoughts and Plans

I really want to be more organized and focused with Historical Sew Fortnightly this year. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like I'm going to make it to Costume College this summer so I've decided to focus most of my costuming efforts on Elizabethan things I can wear to the Ohio Renaissance Festival.

I really want to focus on a wardrobe of pieces that I can mix and match to form different looks for different days with different weather conditions. Here in the great state of Ohio, it can range from 90F to 50F for the high during the Renaissance Festival so I really do need a bit of everything!

As I've already posted about before, my court dress needs some work. I've actually finished the new bodice for Challenge #1 but I'm a bad blogger and haven't got pictures of it yet. (I blame the bad weather.) It's going to need new trim but I'm going to save that for another challenge.

The Ren Faire Prep Check List:

1. Retrim Court dress

2. Remove lacing rings from red peasant kirtle and do eyelets instead

3. New shift

I have two shifts, both cotton and neither of which fit well. I'd love one with a ruff and cuffs (and maybe blackwork.

3. Aprons

Ideally, I'd like two-a more basic one for my peasant ensemble and a blackwork one for my middle class impression.

4. More black work projects

I'm thinking an embroidered coif and partlet set would be fabulous.

5. Linen jacket

I'm quite in love with the linen waistcoat from the Tudor Tailor. Lauren of American Duchess made the jacket on the right which I am quite in love with.

6. A fitted English gown

Also in the Tudor Tailor. I'd really love to do one of these in velvet, but I'll probably end up doing a wool one first and do a velvet one once I've had more practice. Lots of people do black ones but I've seen some more fun colored ones in period sources so I think I might go that route.

7. More kirtles

Now that I've "cracked the code" so to speak on kirtles, I want to make more! I have a few yards of wool in my stash that I originally bought to make a suit with but I'm not sure it's really the best fabric for the original pattern. It may end up as a pretty kirtle instead.

8. Gold Bullion Embroidery Muff

I started this last year at Costume College and actually got pretty far on the embroidery before I ran out of one of the threads and it ended up back in the UFO pile. Really want to finish this one up

I'm sure I'll also throw in plenty of 40s projects too. Actually, the next two challenges are going to be early 40s. But these are easier and need less planning.

HSF 2014

With a new year of Historical Sew Fortnightly just around the corner, I've been thinking about what I want to focus on. With the inclusion of 1938-1945 for next year, I'm sure there will be some early 40s sewing but my Elizabethan court dress needs some major work.

When I first made this dress, I was 30 lbs heavier and not nearly as good of a seamstress. I decided that the easiest thing would be to completely scrap the current bodice and start from scratch. I've already made two corsets for this dress and I really want to wear it with my new wool kirtle since it gives me such a good shape.

First, I drafted a new pattern from my kirtle pattern. I shortened it since my kirtle is a bit long in the waist, added a point in the front to match the original design of the bodice.

Next I added a bit of boning in the same locations as the original bodice-three on the front and one on each of the back pieces.

Next, I'll be using more period construction techniques to make the bodice and then I'll make hand sewn eyelets.

HSF#12: Pretty Pretty Princess

It's Historical Sew Fortnightly time again! This challenge was pretty pretty princess! "Channel your inner princess and her royal wardrobe. Pick a princess, queen, empress, arch-duchess, or a de-facto queen as inspiration for a fabulously royal frock (or other garment). The occasional prince is also most welcome."

Tada!  I took a bit of a different approach to this challenge. I love historical masquerade and fancy dress costumes so this is my 19-teens does Elizabethan fancy dress.

I was inspired by dresses such as these:

 See this pinterest board for sources.

 I ultimately decided to focus my design on the bottom left dress from 1916.

Fabric: 5 yds red home dec ($45), 2.25 yds sheer embroidered leaves ($16), 2 1/3 yd white crepe ($10)
Pattern: VPLL Ladies Dinner Dress c. 1918, Simplicity 3782 (and some drafting)
Year: 1916-1918
Notions: 150 glass pearls (mostly stash $3), snaps ($3), hook and eye ($1)



How historically accurate is it? Ok, so it's made completely from polyester so no good on the fabric. I tried to pick colors and styles that I thought would be a bit of Edwardian and a bit of Elizabethan (and a dash of whatever I felt like). The construction is a bit of each period too. The skirt and sleeves are from a period pattern but the top is a modern Elizabethan costume pattern. Mostly I was just going for the look.



Hours to complete: 30 (hand sewing pearls......)
First worn: June 2013
Total cost: ~$80

I'm pretty happy with this dress. The fit of the sleeves is a bit off, but not so much that I can't wear it. The neckline was a bit wonky in this shoot but I've fixed it. I really like the way the bustles/poofs look on the skirt.

I also whipped up this hat and used the feathers from my Blonde Swan Elizabethan hat. Why? Because feathers are awesome.



Yay, yay gala dress!!!

Inspiration post

Skirt FO post

More photos on Flickr