Challenge #9: Black and white

A mourning outfit 1780's

This is what I am aming for, but it will take a little more time....

This is a Levite Pelisse so actualle it is a coat worn mostly on for example on chemisse a la Reine. My interpretation of this picture differs a little bit or perhaps quite a lot, but that way I can wear the outfit more...

To worn under I will make a petticoat and a pierrot jacket, something like in this picture but the petticoat will be like in the picture above. So it will be cotton with black dots and I think I found a perfect fabric for it (though it coud be a litte thicker). The petticoat in the mourning outfit is silk sateen with somekind of dots, so there's the first difference. The fur in the petticoat is removable...

Second difference will be the fur. I counted from the picture that there were 70 or even 100 ermine tails - which means I should be enormously rich and violent - so I use fake fur. I think using vintage fur is just as bad as making a new one, so I will never use that stuff. I know I know - I eat meat and wear leather shoes, but that's me... still having troubles about using silk.... anyway, since there were no ermine-looking fake fur anywhere I looked for I used white and made the tail with a black permanent marker. Note to myself - always sniff the marker first and if it's ok, the use it. The one I used had the strongest smell (not a good one!) and my sewing room had that smell for three days (don't know if it's gone or I'm used to it....)

 

                                        real ermine collar                        my version

Third change will be about the fabric of the pelisse. In the picture it was made from silk sateen (if I understood it right) but I will make it from the thinnest loveliest wool. Since hey, this is Finland after all.

Forth change - the text in the fashion plate says nothing about a muff, but it sure looks like one, and muff there will be!


For the challenge I made a petticoat and a muff

The Challenge #9: Balck and white

Fabric: white cotton with black dots, white fake fur

Pattern: basic stuff

Year: 1780

Notions: cotton thread, black cotton ribbon, white cotton ribbon, black permanent marker

How historically accurate is it? Not very much, I used sewing machine a lot

Hors to complete: muff - about 1,5 h, petticoat a lot more (hemming...)

First worn: not yet

Total cost: so far about 40 € (but that includes the pierrot jacket fabrics and notions)

Challenge #8: UFOs & PHDs

...use this opportunity to finish off something that's never quite gotten done, or stalled halfway through... http://thedreamstress.com/the-historical-sew-fortnightly-2014/

A 18 th century handkerchief/ fichu

I started sewing this handkerchief  - I'd like to say a few years ago, but the truth is more likely - ten years ago. I can't be totally sure of the fabric, but I think it's cotton-poly blend, at least it feels like poly but not totally. But if it was totally cotton, would it still be hostorically accurate? I had seen these kind of hadkerchiefs or fichus somewhere, most likely in some movie, and when I started to know a little bit more (internet wasn't very helpful at that time...) I started to think that pattern wasn't so historically accurate at all.

When cleaning - again - my sewing "storage" (walk-in wardrobe) I found it (plus about 40 pins attached to it). So I decided to finish it, mainly because I wanted those pins ;-) BUT I also wondered if there was any chance to wear that handkerchief/ fichu....

So the problem was this: all women used somekind of handkerchief or fichu in the 18th century (well, exept with court habit etc). I have seen so many different kinds both in paintings and in museum collections....

~1750-1775 Cotton, curved tringle BUT part of the neck cut off and with white work (met) - no ruffle

~ mid 18th c Cotton, tringle BUT white work - no ruffle (met)

1770's Cotton, ruffle BUT the ruffle is lace not cotton and the size of this is huge (met)

and so on and so on....

then I found this Dorner's painting which would be perfect since it's painted in Russia (or Estonia) so it would be even quite close......

BUT it's not 18th but 19th century painting (1838) so no luck there either...

Then there are these Mosniers's paintings... the year is perfect (1789), kerchiefs are just like (or close enough) mine... 

BUT they are little BOYS and I am an old WOMAN..... 

and yet, those could be also collars not kerchiefs...

So can find many different kind of cotton handkerchiefs/ kerchiefs/ fichus with ruffles, BUT those ruffles are always lace or embroidered with white work, or they belong to a young boys...  

 the search continues....

What the item is? A handkerchief/ kerchief/ fichu/ halsduk/ halskläde/ kaulahuivi/ kaulaliina

The Challenge: #8 UFOs & PHDs

Fabric: Cotton-poly blend (could be all cotton, but I can't be sure)

Pattern: No that's the problem...

Year: later 18th century

Notions: cotton thread

How historically accurate is it? All hand sewn, cotton (but most likely cotton-poly), BUT the main problem is the pattern - I can't find any example of that kind of fichu, so if you know, please help 

When you started it and when you finished it: I started sewing it about 10 years ago (!) and finished it May 1st 2014 - easy and fast actually, but since I am sure it's not hist. acc. in any way I haven't finished it before

First worn: not yet and nore it will be unless someone gives a proof that there is a even a little chance for hist.accuracy (execpt for that poly part...)

Total cost: not a clue but not much

Meet Baron von Grenzhügel

For modesty sake only his head is seen for now ;-) 

Cotton, cotton thread and poly wadding, hair is 100 % wool yarn, not so much hand sewn...

Challenge #7: Tops & Toes

Beribboned Caps

...focuses on accessories: specifically those that go on top of your head...(http://thedreamstress.com/2014/01/the-hsf-14-challenge-7-tops-and-toes/)

I have bought these patterns a long time ago, but it never seemed to be the right time to do at least one of those caps. But I had scrap thin linen laying around (I was too lazy to clean it up) so I thought this would be the time to test those patterns. I have no idea, if these kind on caps were worn here in Finland, but they are very basic caps, so they can't be totally wrong... 

And for the record for my self - do not add seam allowance! The patterns already have them, I added so that's why they don't look the way they should, but on the other hand, they fit on my big head!

"Martha"

Pattern was made after the painting of Mme Trottier, 1793. In that painting the cap was linen or cotton and the ruffle was something shearer fabric.

I made "Martha" first since it had the most perfect look for a grandmother-aged woman (which I should be and I should behave like one too, maybe the cap will help). The pattern was easy, but the ruffle part was too short to pleat to look like in the pattern picture, I couldn't make as many pleats as in the picture. And there are some other issues too, but my cap looks just as grandmother-ly as in the pattern cover picture. But I think I will remove the ruffle and do it again - some day.... The cap in made of fine linen, sewn with waxed linen thread, all hand sewn.

"Caroline"

This pattern was made after the painting Turkey plucker by H. Walton. The painting was exhipited 1776 - so there is a little problem about these patterns being from 1780-1810... In the painting the pleats are much more loose and to my eye there is quite big gap in the back between ruffle ends. And it looks like there is a shearer ruffle under the pleeted one.

I made the cap almost as the instructions said, but I made lace ruffle, not linen. So totally not suitable for a cooking made, but I promise not to pluck turkeys when wearing this cap. The cap looks nice, but not suitable for my goal to look like a grandmother - but this is a cap I will totally wear one day. The crown and the band is thin linen, but the lace is polyester or something very not at all historically accurate. It's hand sewn with waxed linen thread.

"Georgiana"

This pattern was made after the satirical etching Two Penny Whist (1796). I'm not sure if the picture and the pattern match, but I like it anyway. The satirical picture has a very huge ribbon and rosette, I like it a little smaller....  

This cap was made in one hour using sewing machine (the ruffle hem is hand sewn) and the fabric is cotton-poly blend. It is ok to wear when the main thing is to cover your head to be chaste enough, but it wont give me the granny look... and it's not historically accurate to wear if your other clothes are accurate....

The Challenge: #7 Tops and Toes

What the item is? Three Beribboned Caps

Fabric: linen (first two), cotton-poly blend (third)

Pattern: Coutry wives Beribboned Caps

Year: 1780-1810

Notions: linen thread and bee wax, cotton thread (third cap), polyester (or something) lace

How historically accurate is it? Patterns should be ok, but it seems I wasn't looking the instructions close enough (seam allowances). If seam allowances were correct, the first is made as said in the instructions, the second as well (except the lace-ruffle) but the third is machine sewn and the fabric is poly-cotton. All the ribbons are just for the photo shoot....

Hours to complete: about three hours/ cap - yep, I'm getting faster with my sewing skills!! The last one took about one hour - only the hem is hand sewn.... The caps were made on time, I just was too busy to add the here and hsf-fb-page.

First worn: just testing - at least the first one gives me the real "martha" look - being over 40 means I would have been grandmother and should have looked like one too :-DDD

Total cost: all stash

Vandela maid getting dressed

Red velvet bodice and matching pocket

All hand sewn with waxed linen thread. The bodice is cotton velvet and lining is cotton (sheet), so not excatly historically accurate for a maid but perhaps the bodice was given her by a lady of means. The pocket is the same material, and yes - the pocket was worn outside! (the lady would keep her pockets inside but not the maids....). She also has a little key for her bridal coffer - there is a rumour of a handsome soldier...

Challenge #6: Fairytale

A sort-of-viking costume for a young man

...in this challenge, imagine your favourite fairytale in a specific timeperiod, and make a historical garment from the fairytale... http://the dreamstress.com/2013/12/the-hsf-14-challenge-6-fairytale/

I liked this painting and the giant in it so much that I wanted to do an outfit inspired by it. But due to advices of many wonderful people who know a lot more (I know nothing) about medieval and pre-medieval clothing, I tried to make it a little more historically accurate than in that picture.

Fabric: some sort of cottonblend for the tunic, trousers and shirt are heavy linen

Pattern: after googling a lot I made my own pattern for the tunic, but thank you all you swedesh viking age experts for sharing your knowledge. Shirt is patterned after some exempels the others have made, but I'm not sure if they had it correct either.... Trousers are so called Thorsberg trousers and I used the pattern found in here http://www.historiclife.com/essays/thorsbergtrousers.htm

Year: pre 1200's

Notions: poly thread for the tunic, cotton thread for the linen

How historically accurate is it?
Era? I have no idea of the real era (if there really even is one for this outfit, I'm sure it's a huge mix of different eras and pure fantasy)
Tunic? The tunic pattern should be at least a little bit ok, materials and sewing not, but I hand sewed those black fabrics in the collar and wrists and in the hem.
Shirt? Let's just leave it.... it's no good and that's it
Trousers? Thorsberg trousers are historically accurate, but I used sewing machine, cotton thread and I didn't do those foot-parts/ socks-parts (what ever they are called)

Hours to complete: just few days

First worn: not yet, in this picture it's on me so it looks a little different than on my stepson... the outfit was done in time but I waited for him to come home for the weekend so I could take pictures, but that young man had other plans ;-D

Total cost: all stash (tunic material was almost free when I bought it, but linen is in at least here in Finland quite expensive

Vendela maid getting dressed

Two aprons

Linen apron, pleated to waist, cotton waist band, little embroidery too (I don't know it's english name), all hand sewn with bee waxes linen thread

Cotton printed apron, cotton waist band, hand sewn with cotton thread, dyeing the fabric didn't work the way wanted - have to tea stain it darker

Challenge #5: Bodice

A loose jacket, or a short gown or a bedgown - in finnish nuttu and in swedish kofta (lifkåfta)

...make a bodice - a garment that covers the upper body...  http://thedreamstress.com/2013/12/hsf-14-challenge-5-bodice/

Fabric: blue printed cotton on pale beige - lining poly-cotton

Pattern: basic "nuttu/ kofta" pattern used in Finland (I suppose in Sweden too)

Year: later half of the 18th century

Notions: linen thread and some wax

How historically accurate is it? The printing is not block printing but I found a jacket that has a little similarity (http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/94442?img=0), of course the poly-part of the lining is not ha. The jacket is all hand sewed

Hours to complete: about 9 hours including making the pattern (again - why oh why do I not save them!!!)

First worn: not yet

Total cost: all from stash


The pattern: a basic kimono sleeved pattern used at least here in Finland from (at least) 1670's . So you'll have to only sew back and side seams. Sleeves can be quite long or short, I made mine now long.

I sewed back and side seams with running stiches (and a back stich now and then to secure) and then I top stitched the seam with back stitches.

My hand stitching skills are getting much much better!! Not perfect yet, But I'll try to get there...

Both fabrics are very very thin so you can see the blue pattern even through the lining. But since it's so thin, this jacket is perfect for a hot summer days

The jacket is loose at the front but the quite tight at the back - and of course my dress form doesn't have the right shape...

 The jacket is closed with pins, but it could be closed with silk ribbons, and it may be that I'll add the ribbons if I find the right coloured ribbons

And I managed to make-do this skirt too. I made it last summer while in a 18th c military camp and I stupidly pinned the parts around the fire, so I couldn't see which was the right side and which not. So I ended uo sewing front panel not only inside out but also upside down. And since the fabric is cotton sateen, it really did matter. But now it's fixed!

Vendela maid getting dressed

Cotton skirt, pleated all around to the same direction. The skirt is closed front with linen yarn. This skirt should absolutely be wool, but the Ikea fabric was now what I had at hand. All hand sewed with bee waxed linen thread.