Failures and new plans

Based on recent sewing attempts I think it's now been established that I cannot make a pair of long Regency stays.
You know, those corded, lightly boned, white and embroidered contraptions.

I had my doubts before taking up this project, since I had tried out the 1820s pattern in Norah Waugh's Corsets and Crinolines a couple of years ago, falling on my face rather spectacularly with it. So many things were wrong with that project, from fabric choice to fit. So you'd think I had learned something. Apparently not.
I'm not going to show the second version to anyone, let alone post any pictures here, so just take my word for it, it's not pretty. Or well, parts of it are pretty (like the embroidery), but the fit is still wrong and weird, the cording pattern turned out annoyingly asymmetrical and it's very clear, and the stupid fabric which at first seemed like a good choice, stretched in odd places during the sewing and the cording. To top it off, I foolishly thought I could pull off trying my own pattern, but how wrong I was.
I think I might try to fix this some day when I'm not so annoyed and frustrated with it, but for now I've hidden it in the sewing cupboard and decided not to look at it for a very long time.

The primary reason for trying to make those wretched stays was that I wanted to finally make an 1830s dress. In retrospect the stays were all wrong, however much the museums and costume researchers try to convince me that these stays were worn with the 1830s dresses. I  mean really. Stays with straps, when your dress has a low, almost off the shoulders neckline and sloping shoulders. I know, I know, the strapless corsets didn't (apparently) come along until the 1840s but still. It seems a bit odd to me.

So bring on plan B. Or plan F, or M, I've lost count. I'm going to try and make a pair of stays/corset along these lines, maybe trying to use this pattern, slightly modified. I've also started a corded petticoat, which is slowly coming together, since I'm handsewing it. The dress itself is going to be some sort of combination of these styles:

I like the bows and the low neckline with chemisette. Source: Kyoto Costume Museum

This has always been my favourite 1830s dress. Source: Kyoto Costume Museum

Other sewing plans include an 18th century robe à la Francaise which hopefully won't fail like my first francaise attempt. I dyed the fabric for it last weekend and I love the periwinkle blue colour!

I'm also participating in the Vernet's Incroyables and Merveilleuses project, so I'll have a secret Regency project to post about over the whole of this year. I haven't yet got any supplies for that, but I guess I should start tracking them down soon.

Another planning post, 1830s this time...

Ok, so I've just spent couple of hours browsing blogs and Pinterest for 1830s inspiration. Is it just me, or is this era getting more popular all of a sudden? It seems to me that there are 1830s projects popping up here, there and everywhere at the moment.
I've had a favourite 1830s must-make for ages, it's in the Kyoto Costume Institute collections, it's red and very pretty:

Source

I like everything in this dress, the shape, the sleeves (not insanely poofed, but still enough to have that 1830s look), the pleated detail on the bodice and the sleeves, the white accents... I would love to see other angles of the dress but the KCI digital collection and the KCI books only provide this view of the dress. I've already thought about what I would need for a 1830s ensemble and collected a pinboard for inspiration, latest additions being for the crazy hairdos of the era... :)

I would have to begin with making a 1830s corset and currently this is my favourite extant piece. I'd also need a corded petticoat. Since I'm not planning to go heavy into 1830s costuming and it's (probably) a one-off project with just the one dress, I don't want to make multiple undergarments, so I think I can get away with using my Regency chemise and a couple of short 18th century petticoats to complete the set of undergarments. I haven't yet made any drawers for my 1880s get-up, but once I do, those will work for this too.

The dress itself is said to be "red silk and wool mixed gaze with silk satin piping" (I suppose they mean glaze...) but I think cotton voile would probably do also. I know I'm not going to find any fabric in this colour so I'd probably have to dye the fabric myself.

Looking at the picture I'm wondering if the bodice is actually a separate piece and whether it closes at the back or in front. Anyone travelling to Kyoto anytime soon? Would you go to the museum and take lots of photos of this dress?? The sleeves must have some sort of plumpers in them, they wouldn't stay so poofy otherwise. Luckily, I already have a red 1830s bonnet and shawls and fingerless mittens to accessorise a troop of fine ladies, so the only additional thing I need is a collar piece.

All the sewing projects are pretty much on hold at the moment; the great house move endeavour took place yesterday and things are more or less chaotic at the moment. Planning is the only thing I can do for now. However, I'm hoping to travel to Tampere and Helsinki next week, so I'll have a chance to look for lace and ribbon for the Courtois dress (and FINALLY finish it), and who knows what else I'll find.  ;)