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.

Napuen taistelusta 300 vuotta

15.2.2014 saapui Isoonkyröön muistelemaan Napuen taistelua historian harrastajia sekä Etelä-Suomesta että Jyväskylästä. Itse koen Napuen taistelun ehkä muita taisteluita lähimmäksi siksi, että tämän tai ainakin taistelun kauhut on kokenut omat esiäitini - hän menetti oman puolisonsa taistelukentälle.

Napuen taistelun 300-vuotismuistoviikonloppu Isossakyrössä alkoi kokoustamisella. Kokouksessa käytiin läpi tulevan taistelun ennallistamistaistelunäytöksen kulkua sekä leirin pystytystä. Ja hurjalta ja mutta hyvältähän nuo suunnitelmat kuullostavat. Kokoustamisen jälkeen oli vuorossa teatteriesitys - Lumi ja Hurme.

Lumi ja Hurme on lapualaisen Jyrki Tuularin käsikirjoittama, Teatteri Kyröön esittämä näytelmä siitä, mitä tapahtui Napuen taistelun aikana.  Vaikka näytelmä onkin tietenkin fiktioita, kuvaa näytelmä hyvinkin realistisesti sitä, minkälaiset tunnelmat taistelun alkaessa, sen aikana ja päättyessä olivat kotiväen silmin. Miehen siis lähtevät taisteluun ja kotiväki pelkää pahinta, syystäkin.

http://yle.fi/uutiset/napuen_taistelusta_naytelma__lapsen_aani_kuuluu_sodan_melskeessa/7041851

Näytelmän jälkeen oli vuorossa illallista Pitkässä Perttilässä ja mukavaa yhteistä illanviettoa. Kovin pitkäksi iltaa ei suinkaan venytetty, sillä aamulla tuli olla aikaisin kirkonmenoissa. Jumalanpalveluksessa muisteltiin taistelun kauhua sekä sitä, miten se vieläkin elää nyky-Isokyröläisten muistoissa. 

(kuva yle.fi)

(kuva yle.fi)

Jumalanpalveluksen jälkeen siirryttiin suurena väkenä Napuen taistelun muistopatsaalle seppelten laskuun. Karoliinisotilaat olivat seppeltenlaskun ajan kunniavartiossa kunnioittaen näin osaltaan taistelun muistoa. 

 (Kuva Pohjankyrö-lehti, Arto Erkkilä)

(Kuva Johanna Talso)

(Kuva Markku Arvonen)

Seppelten laskun jälkeen matka jatkui Isonkyrön koulukeskukseen, jossa oli ruokailu ja kahvi. Lihakeitto oli tehty "oikeaoppisesti" ilman perunaa. Aterioinnin jälkeen alkoi muistojuhla, jossa oli runsas ja liikuttavat musiikillinen panostus, mutta myös historialuentoja luonnollisestikin aiheena Napuen taistelu. 

Luennoinija olivat Kari Hokkanen, Ville Sarkamo ja Kustaa H.J. Vilkuna. Heidän luentonsa on katseltavissa ja kuunneltavissa oheisista linkeistä:

Professori Kari Hokkanen " Suuri Pohjan sota" 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjKwSbJQdtg

Tutkijatohtori Ville Sarkamo "Napuen taistelu" 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi5r48cMtJU

Professori Kustaa H.J. Vilkuna "Isoviha Pohjanmaalla" 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62sWSMlQyi0

Challenge #4 Under it all

18th century Stays

...all about foundations to a garment: the thing that go under it to provide the right shape and support.... http://thedreamstress.com/2013/11/historical-sew-fortnightly-14-challenge-4-under-it-all/

The Challenge - #4 Under it all

Fabric - silk

Pattern - I drafted it myself after my old ones

Year - 18th century

Notions - linen thread with wax, cotton thread, cotton bias, linen tape for lacing

How historically is it? Not so much, but it's silk (though not period correct and I'm having huge problems using silk because I guess I'm having some kind of pro animals-awakining) and I used reed/ cane for boning not cable ties like I normally do, and that bias tape is hand sewn (but not the correct way) and eyelets are hand sewn. And all the rest starting from the pattern is absolute not historiacally accurate at all

Hours to complete - didn't count, but not too many

First worn - not yet, I haven't even tried if it fits me ;-D

Total cost - all stash (silk was given to me)

Reed/ cane I used - I really still don't know what the material actually is...

Vendela maid getting dressed

Cotton under petticoat, hand sewn with waxed linen thread (this is not the right fabric or pattern, so I'll do more historically accurate one later...)

HSF'14 Challenge # 3 Pink

"Make something pink!.... So, in choosing inspiration for your pink item, and your pink materials, you’ll have to use your own discretion to decide if your colour is a shade of pink, and if that pink would have been appropriate to your timeperiod and the status of the wearer, as such things matter to you..."

Did I already say it - I hate pink. It really makes me physically sick, it can make me womit.... But I did try anyway....

I started with an old duvet cover I found at my mother's attic (she would have never ever use it). It was double size so I thought it would be great to  have as an under petticoat for my grand Court Ensemble. And I really tried. I got to the point where the waist band was sewn and it was all hemmed (by hand) but then I couldn't take it anymore. It was just too much pink! This is what I got.... and then I stopped.

I had already been planning making some kind of summer stays (18th c.). Not so historically accurate but more like not so hot and warm. So I thought why not to use this pink cotton sateen for that. And I already had the reed/cane (I really don't know what the material is...) so I started sewing it. By sewing machine of course since I was running out of time (I got still one week for the due day). This time it was not so the pink fabric but the more awful fuchsia-pink thread I was using that got me sick. So I took all the boning off and throwed it in the wastebasket. 

At this time the due day was far gone but I wasn't going to give up. So yesterday I decided to make a little reticule using that same duvet cover. And to add some goth in me I used black as well. I have never seen any black used in reticule (unless they were used with a mourning dress) but I did it anyway. It is all hand sewn. I made the pink Challenge!!

What the item is: A regency reticule

The Challenge: # Pink

Fabric: Pink cotton sateen duvet cover

Pattern: drafted by me (used many many examples from different museums)

Year: 1810's

Notions: pinkish thread (poly thread I quite sure), black silk thread, poly sateen ribbon, cotton embroidery thread

How historically is it: Cotton was used in reticules, hand sewed, silk tassels, the pattern is not so far off

Hours to complete: Closing Ceremony of the Olympics

First worn: I am afraid I will never use it

Total cost: All stash

Vendela maid getting dressed

A linen neckerchief, hand sewed with linen waxed thread

HSF'14 Challenge # 2

 Innovation - regency underdrawers

..."to celebrate the way inventions, introductions and discoveries have inpacted fashion, make an item that reflects the newest innovations in you era....http://thedreamstress.com/2013/10/hsf-14-challenge-2-innovation/


Underdrawers, Unterhosen, Calecons, Lårfoder, Kalsonger, Kalsongit, Alushousut

- so I totally got lost in translation!!


This challenge is based on these blogs

http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2010/11/06/ladies-underdrawers-in-regency-times/
http://www.fashion-era.com/drawers-pants-combinations-knickers-fashion.htm
http://www.songsmyth.com/underthings.html

And the big source is of course the finnish study of the 18th century clothing by R. Pylkkänen

In short - decent women have used underdrawers earlier, but mainly with riding habit or if it got really gold (winters). But in the regency era underdrawers started to become a normal thing to wear...

I wanted to do these, but since this was one day job in case my real ch.#2 wouldn't make it, I had to choose a simple version, since there wasn't time for that hardanger embroidery.

http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/109192?rpp=20&pg=3&ft=drawers&when=A.D.+1800-1900&what=Costume&pos=57

So instead I picked up  something shocking to do. I decided to try this kind of underdrawers though I have no evidence that this kind of trousers were ever used here in Finland. But they looked so horrible that I had to try.... The pictury is Mantua Maker's pattern, but I drafted my own - perhaps not so hist.acc. but horrible anyway.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/77421036/regency-underwear-sewing-pattern?ref=shop_home_active_10

I used cotton fabric, linen thread (and wax) and cotton ribbon. I cut two pieces and hand sewd all. The lacethingy in the botton of the drawers is not hist. acc. for this time period, but I had that lacey ribbon around and thought they should have at least something nice...

I have never ever worn anything this arrogant, immodest, indecent thing. I guess it's obvious why they are only seen  on my dress form.....

Vendela maid getting dressed

A cap - a linen cap, hand sewn with linen thread

HSF'14 Challenge # 1

Make Do & Mend

...use this as an opportunity to get your historical wardrobe in order by fixing any little bits that have worn out or gone wrong....( http://thedreamstress.com/2013/10/hsf-14-how-its-going-to-work-challenge-1/ )

Well I had two big huge problems I have meant to correct for a long time, so now was at last the right time.

Fixing the velvet coat

The first was Mr T's gray velvet coat. It was the first coat I had ever made then ( year 2007) and oh little did I know then.... He likes it anyway for some reason (I guess it's nice to have on because there's no buckram or anything that kind to make it stiff - so it's soft an cosy....

But the biggest problem were the buttonholes - or the lack of them. Since the coat wasn't going to be held closed but open and I was in a hurry (like I always am) I thought that for that first time he could do it without the buttonholes. And I'll do them asap :-). And because I thought then that there should be somekind of "ornaments" aroud the buttonholes I taped !!!! (I have no excuxe for that but hurry.... :-< ) some sateen poly ribbons to mark the buttonholes with a double sided tape....

Before

And that's how the coat stayed for many years (ok, he did wear it only a few times). But then we needed a very very posh barock outfit for our fashion show, so I turned this coat into a one. I shortened the sleeves (with just few stiches) like they were at that time and ripped of those black poly sateen ribbons and added come glitter.. it looked awful but it was what we needed.

Then

I also changed the buttons for more glittery ones. The originals were self-covered with the same velvet as the coat so they were then ok. And because there still wasn't any real buttonholes I had to sew those glitter-buttons like if the coat was closed and then we had to pin the coat on him for the fashion show.

But those old tape marks were there to stay.....

So, what did I do now after 6,5 years I made the coat.....

I tried to wash those tape marks  with everything I know (and managed to make the velvet look pretty bad in some places) with no result. They are still there. And the glue of the tape is still there too. So when I tried to sew the buttonholes with my sewing machine the needle got stucked and I nearly broke the whole machine. So I had to do it by hand. And that was really hard since the glue was so hard that nearly everytime I put the needle through the fabric I had to use tongs to get it out. And I used about 12 needles because they all got so sticky. But I made it. But the tape marks were still there so I had to hide them somehow and I ended up using a velvet (poly) ribbon. I know that to be historical accurate there wouldn't be any ribbons, but that was the least problem. And then I changed the original buttons back. At least the coat ended up good enough that he can wear it sometimes. 

Now

Fixing the military uniform

I made this uniform summer 2012 and ever since it has been in need of some fixings... First of all buttons and how to sew the buttons. I had - of course - a hurry back then so I had to use a polyribbon (and wrong colour as well) to get the buttons on. I meant to fix it asap - for me asap seems to mean at least like two years.... but I changed the ribbon to a leather string and now it's ok. 

Before

Now

And then I had to change all the buttons to the waistcoat and to the breeches. When I made the uniform those buttons were unavailable (I just got them last summer :-> ) but now the right one are in their places. Until someone does more studying and finds out that these kind of buttons are totally wrong and we have to change them all over again. Buttons and men! And of course I did some sewing and repairing with some torn seams.

Before

Now

Now

And then I finally sewed the sleeves for the waistcoat. I had cut them when I did the waistcoat but  because I knew those sleeves weren't going to be used, I layed them aside to the ufo pile. Well now they are finished. And if he's going to use them I'l sew them on with few stiches. The outfit with the sleeves is so hot that nobody actually wears them.

Sleeves

Vendela maid getting dressed

A shirt - made just like a real shirt, but I had to adjust the pattern quite a bit due to her huge head ;-)

All linen and sewn with linen thread with 18th century stiches

And Vendela with her new shirt