HSM 16 #5: A Plethora of Petticoats

I couldn't resist the alliteration.

I really don't know how to pose with such wide hips yet...

I've managed all but one of the HSM challenges so far this year, but I didn't have good pictures or enough to say to warrant a blog post. But hooray, I do for May! I've been buzzing away on undergarments for my trip to Versailles this month, including two under-petticoats (one an outer-petticoat for a future ensemble). Today I'm adding my visible outer-petticoat to the "complete" list! Hooray!

The outer petticoat is silk on the front and cotton on the back to save my expensive fabric for where it will be visible (as seen on several originals). It is constructed similarly to my two under-petticoats, following Katherine's awesome tutorial. The only difference is that this petticoat is wider (in retrospect, possibly too wide) and is trapezoidal so it narrows towards the top to remove some bulk at the waist.

petticoat under my gown in progress

This week we had a sewing and hair party, and worked on our projects for the trip. It was the first time I tried getting my hair to hilariously tall heights and powdered it. It's not quite there yet, but this was very good practice! The powder (from LBCC Historical) was much easier to use than I'd expected, so that was good. I was able to try everything on with the hair to see the scale, which was also great...it's nice to hit the point of in progress where things can go on my body.

the towel on the floor was my powdering station--it gets everywhere!

I'm entering my petticoats as my Historical Sew Monthly item for May for the theme "holes" because they have holes for pockets formed by the two pocket slits in the side seams. This was my first time making pocket slits/thinking about room for pockets, so they felt like very noticeable holes to me! (Also, as a disclaimer, the outer petticoat isn't finished in these pictures, but it has been finished since then!)

contemplating everything...

Just the facts:

The Challenge: Holes

Material: Silk (for visible front of petti #3) and cotton (for everything else)

Pattern: None, but used Katherine's tutorial (link above)

Year: 1760s

Notions: thread, twill tape for waist ties

How historically accurate is it? Partly sewn on machine (everything not visible), but all the other materials and methods are good. I'll say 80%?

Hours to complete: Many...4 episodes of RuPaul's Drag Race and two or three of Agents of Shield.

First worn: for fittings! Will be worn for an event on the 31st at Versailles

Total cost: we'll say 2 yards or so of silk at $8/yd, plus the cotton for the back and under-pettis...around $40.

HSM 2016 #1: Procrastination

I am the queen of procrastination. If you've been reading for a while, you may have noted mentions of sewing all-nighters, last-minute car-finishing, and general shenanigans in the "being done on time" department...so this challenge seemed perfect!

I decided to approach it as a double-whammy: when I made this 1890s ballgown the first time last January, I ended up rushing to have it wearable for the ball. In fact, I described it as the "murphy's law" of sewing plans! So even though I wore it to a ball, it wasn't actually completed--no hem, massive fit issues in the bodice, and no closures (a feature I am rather notorious for, unfortunately). So instead of storing it with my costumes, back into the UFO (unfinished object) pile it went...where it sat for a full year until this January, when with another ball approaching I needed to finish the job.

And I did!

this is the haughty expression of TRIUMPH

The Facts:

The Challenge: Procrastination

Material: many yards of royal blue poly velvet (dress), linen (lining)

Pattern: self-drafted but based on TV416 which I had recently fit (bodice), LM101 (skirt) altered to fit smoothly over the hips without darts

Year: 1890-1895

Notions: thread, rabbit fur trim, hook and eye tape

How historically accurate is it? Using Leimomi's litmus test of whether it would be recognizable in its own time, I'll say 70%. Obviously poly velvet isn't period (although silk velvet for ballgowns is), but fur trim is accurate, as are the general silhouette (hooray two petticoats!) and construction techniques. Plus, I wore it to a ball and danced in it--a very period accurate activity--and it moved comfortably through dances from the period, which I think is a pretty good litmus test as well.

Hours to complete: Oi vey. probably 4-6 hours to add closures, alter the bodice, and hem. Can't remember how long the original project took.

First worn: Fully completed, first worn to the Ball at the Winter Palace on January 9th.

Total cost: I believe approximately $50, although $10-20 of that was on rabbit fur trim, and most of that hasn't hit the dress yet. So in its current state, about $35.

with my white (faux)fur cape, an old but very useful item from 2011

on the balcony overlooking the ballroom

telling secrets and causing trouble!

a jolly party

Hooray for finishing UFOs!