I am a fool... :-(
I just can't resist a challenge.
So, on Thursday I saw someone had posted a photo of the back of a 18th century dress, and someone else commented with "How many people working and hours worked might have been spent on a dress like this?", and the poster responded with:"If you’re just talking about the sewing, there are costumers who have handsewn ones like this in just two days."
Handsewn in just two days!? Sounds like a challenge to me :-D
So... I am about to sew a 18th century dress in just two days.
I am glad about the fact that that is only the sewing. Not pattern drafting, getting the materials, making the foundation layers or any other of this stuff, because it was a lot longer than two days ago :-D (It's Tuesday today).
Also, I have never sewn a 18th century dress before. Or worn one. So this is total virgin ground here :-D
I'm really good at sewing for hand, though, and not averse to drafting and other such things.
Also, I have already dabbled with corsets. (You might remember my 1911 corset sew-along I was supposed to do... I haven't done anything about it since that time... there were some things happening in my life and home that has made it very difficult to sew anything, and all my projects has been packed away, and now I don't even know where they are... And I am very unhappy about it. :-()
So - I have been doing some research... Here's my Pinterest board about this project. (Yes, I know, I hate Pinterest and need to leave it. But not quite yet... I'm working on it.)
I'm going to make myself a robe a l'anglaise retroussée, with a tight fitting bodice and an overskirt that is going to be worn "a la polonaise" (and as I was taught, just because one puffs up the skirt, it doesn't make the dress "polonaise", because robe a la polonaise has a different bodice, and I don't like that bodice. I want it flowery, and if I can't find fabric that pleases me, I'll either paint it or embroider it. Both options please me :-D (Yes, I know, I'm mad. Especially if I plan on embroidering a 18th century dress... it will take a bit longer than two days. Even though I'm fast :-D)
I will be making myself
- a shift
- stockings (yes, knitted, because they knitted stocking already in the 18th century)
- garters
- shoes (I have been thinking about actually making them, carving the heel from wood and making them of leather and brocade, but I think I'll just buy a new pair and rehash them to play the part. It's not going to be historically accurate anyway...)
- petticoats - I am thinking about one with a flounce and one quilted... if I'm going to wear it in the summer, the quilted might be too much, but I have worn a Viking carb made with wool during the summer as well, so i think I'll manage a quilted petticoat. After all, there isn't much on top, and there will be wide brimmed hat, fan and parasol. I think I'll manage. It looks pretty. Also, it works as insulation :-D
- stays
- pockets
- bum roll (yeah... they didn't use panniers much in the 1770, but they had a "fake bum" :-D
- fichu
- engageantes (sleeve ruffles)
- bows
- cap
- hat
- I will use my fan and parasol I have already
- hair - I need to get some things for my hair. A bit of fake hair, to begin with, because my hair isn't long enough. And I need the "rat" :-D
Anyway, today I printed out a corset pattern. Or stays, actually. I don't know what's the difference, and I really don't care either. The pattern is size 8. I'm size 24.
Also, there are no instructions...
I thought the pattern would be a good starting point, but now I'm starting to wonder...
I added 8 cm to each pattern and redraw the edge line... I'll need to "rebone" them, too, (re-draw the boning channel lines) but that's a minor problem. I think that can be done without drawing them, and just sewing lines with a certain distance.
I will also need to add the flaps around the edge. After all, this is a 17th century corset and I'm making an 18th century corset.
I need to get the pattern right, though, first, and for that purpose the flaps and bones aren't necessary. I need to get it wide enough for me, and tight enough (considering I added too much width to the 1911 corset), enough gap between edges for lacing (and there's lacing front and back... I don't know if I'll have that or not... it would make fitting easier), the breast high enough and wide enough for my breasts, the armscyes big enough but not too big, the hip hole high enough...
And then I just do what she did:
I just can't resist a challenge.
So, on Thursday I saw someone had posted a photo of the back of a 18th century dress, and someone else commented with "How many people working and hours worked might have been spent on a dress like this?", and the poster responded with:"If you’re just talking about the sewing, there are costumers who have handsewn ones like this in just two days."
Handsewn in just two days!? Sounds like a challenge to me :-D
So... I am about to sew a 18th century dress in just two days.
I am glad about the fact that that is only the sewing. Not pattern drafting, getting the materials, making the foundation layers or any other of this stuff, because it was a lot longer than two days ago :-D (It's Tuesday today).
Also, I have never sewn a 18th century dress before. Or worn one. So this is total virgin ground here :-D
I'm really good at sewing for hand, though, and not averse to drafting and other such things.
Also, I have already dabbled with corsets. (You might remember my 1911 corset sew-along I was supposed to do... I haven't done anything about it since that time... there were some things happening in my life and home that has made it very difficult to sew anything, and all my projects has been packed away, and now I don't even know where they are... And I am very unhappy about it. :-()
So - I have been doing some research... Here's my Pinterest board about this project. (Yes, I know, I hate Pinterest and need to leave it. But not quite yet... I'm working on it.)
I'm going to make myself a robe a l'anglaise retroussée, with a tight fitting bodice and an overskirt that is going to be worn "a la polonaise" (and as I was taught, just because one puffs up the skirt, it doesn't make the dress "polonaise", because robe a la polonaise has a different bodice, and I don't like that bodice. I want it flowery, and if I can't find fabric that pleases me, I'll either paint it or embroider it. Both options please me :-D (Yes, I know, I'm mad. Especially if I plan on embroidering a 18th century dress... it will take a bit longer than two days. Even though I'm fast :-D)
I will be making myself
- a shift
- stockings (yes, knitted, because they knitted stocking already in the 18th century)
- garters
- shoes (I have been thinking about actually making them, carving the heel from wood and making them of leather and brocade, but I think I'll just buy a new pair and rehash them to play the part. It's not going to be historically accurate anyway...)
- petticoats - I am thinking about one with a flounce and one quilted... if I'm going to wear it in the summer, the quilted might be too much, but I have worn a Viking carb made with wool during the summer as well, so i think I'll manage a quilted petticoat. After all, there isn't much on top, and there will be wide brimmed hat, fan and parasol. I think I'll manage. It looks pretty. Also, it works as insulation :-D
- stays
- pockets
- bum roll (yeah... they didn't use panniers much in the 1770, but they had a "fake bum" :-D
- fichu
- engageantes (sleeve ruffles)
- bows
- cap
- hat
- I will use my fan and parasol I have already
- hair - I need to get some things for my hair. A bit of fake hair, to begin with, because my hair isn't long enough. And I need the "rat" :-D
Anyway, today I printed out a corset pattern. Or stays, actually. I don't know what's the difference, and I really don't care either. The pattern is size 8. I'm size 24.
Also, there are no instructions...
I thought the pattern would be a good starting point, but now I'm starting to wonder...
I added 8 cm to each pattern and redraw the edge line... I'll need to "rebone" them, too, (re-draw the boning channel lines) but that's a minor problem. I think that can be done without drawing them, and just sewing lines with a certain distance.
I will also need to add the flaps around the edge. After all, this is a 17th century corset and I'm making an 18th century corset.
I need to get the pattern right, though, first, and for that purpose the flaps and bones aren't necessary. I need to get it wide enough for me, and tight enough (considering I added too much width to the 1911 corset), enough gap between edges for lacing (and there's lacing front and back... I don't know if I'll have that or not... it would make fitting easier), the breast high enough and wide enough for my breasts, the armscyes big enough but not too big, the hip hole high enough...
And then I just do what she did:
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