The guts are the best part.

So these are the beginnings of a new pair of stays. Blue worsted wool, lined with linen and completely hand sewn with linen thread (60/2). The bones are 1/4 inch cane.

I used JP Ryan's half boned stays pattern. I always like the JP Ryan patterns. I had to alter this pattern a little to make it smaller and even with the changes it still went together beautifully and quickly.

For comparison, below is a picture of the inside of an extant pair of stays from the 18th century.

[18th Century Stays]

Next will come cutting the tabs open, binding the edges and seams in leather and then lining the inside with a final layer of linen. The eyelet holes will be done up too.

I'm very excited for the result. This will be my first pair of stays that are made in an authentic way with all period correct materials. I have so fallen in love with hand sewing.

Burnley and Trowbridge Workshop in November

Photo by Tom Green

I'm so excited! I just signed up for "Mantua Making; Cutting to the Person." It is part of Burnley and Trowbridge's fall workshop series and goes from November 2nd through the 4th.

The workshop will cover constructing a fitted back gown by draping it to the body.

I never thought I would be going to a sewing workshop like this, since I live so far (Nevada), but I finally said what the hell and signed up. I am very much looking forward to it. Is anyone else going?

A Pretty New Sewing Kit

This project totally gets the prize for fastest completed. Ever. I somehow managed to get it from start to finish in just a few days! Granted, I did take the embroidery to a pedicure with me -- and it got a couple sidelong glances -- but I was dedicated and the work paid off. Now I have a lovely little sewing kit to carry along.

So why a sewing kit?

Since I have been getting more into hand sewing, I have put away the machine and ventured out of the sewing room. I'm much more mobile with only a needle and thread, which is great, but now I have to have something to carry by sewing bits in. 

For some months I have used a hussif, or housewife, from William Booth Draper. It was excellent, only it was really too small for some of the things I use, especially for embroidery, like a larger scissors or a pencil, etc.

Housewife from William Booth Draper

So I decided to sew my own. 

Only I couldn't just take old scrappies and piece them together. I decided to order some lovely silk taffeta and make a sewing kit with inspiration from the beautiful wallets of the 1700's.

I was especially inspired by this wallet from France:

France, 1775-1800
Silk Taffeta embroidered with silk
MFA Boston

On the back side of the original wallet there is a little love poem.

I took inspiration from this for the embroidery and colors. The inside, I designed to fit what I needed space for: a pocket for miscellaneous bits (pencils, scissors, chalk, wax, ruler, spools of thread, etc), a pincushion and a little wool for my needles.

The wallet is blue silk taffeta with linen lining over pieces of cardboard for stability. It is sewn with linen and silk threads and is accented with silk ribbon in two sizes.

I didn't copy anything from the 18th century, per se, but I also didn't use anything or any techniques that wouldn't have been available to a lady who needed a sewing kit 200 years ago. As I designed and sewed, I kept in my mind, "If I was alive then, and I needed this, what would I have done?" It was an interesting exercise in historical inspiration.

The pincushion detaches to I can move it around my workspace.

It's a little wrinkly, but after looking at the original I don't feel so bad.
It's a little wrinkly too!

The kit closes with silk ribbon ties.

I hope everyone's having a lovely week! Xx, C.

The $700 Fashion Book of Wow

I was running errands on the strip today with a friend. We were walking around Crystals and decided to pop into the Assouline store. They have the most beautiful coffee table books!

Right in the front of the store The had a massive pink book called "The Impossible Collection of Fashion."

[examiner.com]

I mean, massive. It's over a foot wide and HEAVY!

I started flipping through it and it had 100 of the most "iconic dresses of the twentieth century," or so it said. The book was beautiful. Hand made, only a certain amount produced, with each dress image mounted on the pages so you can take the images out and frame them. 

The dresses were very beautiful, begining with a Worth gown and ending with I don't know what, because I kind of got bored when it hit the 90's...

I would have loved to come home with this beautiful book. The only thing stopping me was the $695 price tag! Oh jeepers. But it was fantastic to look at and if you're ever in Vegas stop by Crystals and take a peek at it. I'd say it was worth it.

Or check it out online at Assouline's site, where I found these pictures.

The green dress on the right has geometric panels sticking out of it.
Up close the panels look very, very much like the boning on an 18th
century pair of stays!

Ok folks, I need help. Does anyone know where this is from?

I came across this outfit somewhere in cyberspace and I know absolutely nothing about it. I've done a little vague searching but I couldn't find anything. Has anyone seen it before? I thought it was such an interesting and pretty piece, it would be fun to share.

To me, it looks continental European, not really like what I have seen from England or America. I could be completely wrong, but that's just my impression. I think it looks early too. Any ideas?

Who loves Gone with the Wind? Me!

So I'm sitting on the couch with an ice pack on my stiff neck (don't know what the heck I did to it...) and I'm watching Gone with the Wind. I love this movie. I love love love it. When I was a little kid I would put on every skirt I had (so it would puff out) and walk around the house pretending I had a dress like Scarlett.

Apparently not much has changed. 

But anyways, I found out something very cool today. You can buy reproduction green sprigged fabric for the famous BBQ dress. A company called Pegee of Williamsburg sells it and you can buy a bolt of 18 yards for about six hundred dollars. If you go to their website, click "order/contact" and scroll down.

OMG! This has 1176 button holes!?

The Costumer's Guide to Movie Costumes has great information on replicating the dress as it is in the movie. Apparently the bodice has 25 yards of ruffles and 1176 button holes that the velvet ribbons lace through! It also hooks closed at the front, which I never would have guessed. It's very hidden.

And some more of the fabulous costumes from the movie:
(Images via fanpop)

And a peek inside Scarlett's closet...

Happy Sunday all!