Progress on the pelisse front

I've been sewing a lot lately and the pelisse is coming together nicely. All the main parts are assembled and I should start with the trimmings and the beading but I'm putting it off, because it's just so much work... I'll get on with it, soon, I swear! Maybe today or tomorrow... I took some photos yesterday when I was trying it on to see how it looks over a gown.

I'm going to make a bonnet covered with fabric; it's going to be the same shape as the paper yarn version I have on here.

The hem is very nice and full, pattern after Jean Hunnisett

I really like the collar and the petal sleeve caps!

As said, I wanted to make a bonnet to go with the pelisse and I drafted a pattern for one after the paper yarn bonnet I made last year. It took a little tweaking, but frankly wasn't too difficult and I'm very pleased with the result. I still need to find fabric with which to cover the hat; I have no idea what colour woud be good. Maybe red like the long ribbon I have on the paper yarn bonnet? I'd like to have the bonnet match as many of my existing garments as possible. Black seems a bit severe and I don't think white would work. I don't want to use the pelisse fabric on the bonnet too, that would be too matchy-matchy.

Silly hats day: the crown of the bonnet on a test run

Gettin sillier, though I like the shape of this hat and the brim

I need to shorten the corners of the brim a little, they keep catching on my shoulders

The Pelisse Project

I've gone and done it. I've begun the Pelisse Project, after the gorgeous Museum of London pelisse. Some weeks ago I actually emailed the museum for some more information about the garment and they answered very quickly and even sent me some photos of it before it was put on display. Those photos were really helpful and really gave me a better idea on how to proceed with the sewing.

I even managed to find nice fabric for the project, never an easy feat in a town with only one fabric shop selling clothing fabric. My choice is cotton viscose, sort of purplish red, almost papal in some lights... :) I know, the viscose isn't very period accurate, nor is the colour, but beggars can't be choosers. I'm very happy with the fabric, though, it works fine, it's just the right thickness and has a nice fall and shimmer to it.

So far I've cut the pieces, assembled and fitted the bodice and the hem and sewn them together, figured out the petal oversleeves, cut and hemmed them and only just finished the collar. Next step would be the immense amount of rouleaux piping to be made and sewn into those leafy shapes to imitate the original. I also have the beading to do. I mean to do the piping and beading decoration on the sleeves before I sew the seams, because that sort of work is so much easier to do on a flat piece rather than on a 3D one.

For pattern's I've used my trusted regency bodice pattern which I took from Jean Hunnisett's book and the pelisse hem  is an 1820s three-piece pattern also from Hunnisett's book. The sleeves are from Janet Arnold's book and I drafted the petal oversleeves and the collar myself. Here are some construction photos of the project so far.

Preparing to cut the pieces. The hem pieces are chalked on the fabric.

First try-on. The hem is only pinned on here.

The petal sleeves in the making.

The collar. I'm very pleased with its shape!

Double, double, toil(e) and trouble...

I've started with the chinoiserie stays. I made a toile, which was ok, so the pieces are now cut and I'm about to start sewing them together and making boning channels. The pattern is from Norah Waugh's Corsets and Crinolines, ca.1780s, and at this point I'm just hoping that they work out. I'm not a big fan of staymaking, but maybe this time it'll go well.
I also made a toile for 1820s stays because I thought that once I'm forcing myself to make stays, I might make two pairs while I'm at it. These stays are also from Corsets and Crinolines, the pattern taken from original corded stays in V&A collections. I still need to buy fabric and cord for these but I'm actually really looking forward to making them.Check back in couple of weeks to hear me take this statement back and curse all stays...
This enthusiasm stems from a pelisse project, the Museum of London pelisse, to be exact. I emailed the museum for more info on the lovely pelisse I mentioned in my previous post and they answered very promptly, with additional pictures of the pelisse before it was put on display! The pictures were very helpful and I'm itching to begin making the pelisse; I only need to find a suitable fabric. The orginal is silk, but I thought I might try thin taffeta, cotton or cotton blend. Still no clue of which colour it should be. Not white or black; maybe strong red or some light pastel.

The to do list, so far...(and loads of photos)

Still no sewing here, except for this folk dress, a feresi it's called, and some ribbon weaving. So, a good time to list the pieces I mean to make when I get my act together again.

First, the pelisse. Or more like, THE PELISSE. It's gorgeous. It needs to be made. It's so ultra-stylish and perfect that I'm a little scared to try my hand in making a replica of it. I saw it in September at the Museum of London and instantly thought "I need to make this for Jane Austen Festival next year". Obviously, the museum has better pictures on its web pages (here) but here are some of mine as well.

I can't decide which colour my pelisse should be. The original is fairly light bluey-grey and it looks very nice but I don't think it's really me.

The trimming is lovely. I can't make out what fastenings this thing uses.

Then there's this spencer, from a museum in Stockholm. It's actually the jacket of a riding habit which I spotted in a book about Regency women, fashion etc. (Persson, Helen: Empirens Döttrar - Kultur och mode under tidigt 1800-tal). I just want the spencer because the braidwork and embroidery are to die for.

I should also make new stays, both 18th century and Regency. I don't really like staymaking, so I'm putting it off, only I can't really make new gowns before I have the stays, so it's a vicious circle. I did finish that black swallow tail jacket, though, and I'm very pleased with it. Here are some pics of it:

The stomacher is pinned on the stays.

I filled out the bum roll :)

The black ribbons are apron strings.

I'm standing on a stool to get a full lenght photo. Black clothes don't photograph well without good lighting. This ensemble has somehow very Dutch or French feel to it (at least to me).

 Lastly, some close-ups of the red frilly spencer.

The front is pinned togehter, and the top is adjusted with the ribbons.

New year, new spencer

Happy New Year! First day of the year 2013 today, and I'm diligently documenting my first costuming event for the year. I cheated a bit; I started making the new spencer yesterday and only finished today, but that counts, no?

The spencer in question has been on my to-do list for a long time, ever since I first laid my eyes on it. I'm talking of this delightful little number:

The Christie's auction house page states that it's from the 1790s, so a perfect companion to the white round gown I have!

I was really prudent and didn't buy any new material for this jacket; I took apart a pair of linen capris I had made some years ago (which I never wore anyway because wide-legged capris? I don't think so :P ). I really wanted to use the nice fabric for something, so luckily there was just enough for this little project. I used my standard Regency bodice pattern for the back and remodeled the front by using my drop-front gown pattern. Because I didn't have any extra material, I chose to make the sleeves elbow lenght, but that goes nicely with the period look anyway. I used the same sleeve pattern as for the black print jacket. The jacket is entirely hand-sewn and lined with white batiste.

The original spencer has nice trim around the hem and the neckline, so I might add some to mine as well.

All the pieces cut (except the sleeves)

1790s open robe

Yesterday I finished the 1790s open robe to go with the round gown I made. The robe was originally that of à la francaise variety, but having had it float around half finished for months on end, and no prospects of ever finishing it let alone wearing it, I decided to give it a new life. Lucky thing with the francaises is that they take up massive amounts of fabric, so I definitely had more than enough to go around.

I used the Janet Arnold pattern, only with slight tweaks in the back piece and slightly shorter train; I just don't hold with trains, they may look cool when you're standing indoors, but try walking around the streets and lawns and it's a mess. I have a little trainage though, just enough for the robe to look the part :) I still need to put some hooks and bars to close the robe in front and I might embroider the front edges, but for now, it's wearable.

So, the round gown, the open robe on top, teamed with long mitts and a shawl I knitted (the mitts inspired by similar ones from 1820-30 in V&A, and the shawl after an Estonian pattern), plus a "Marianne Dashwood" hat. And a book, since it was Jane Austen's birthday when I was taking the photos. Northanger Abbey accessorised the outfit perfectly :)

Trying on the whole "Marianne Dashwood at Delaford picnic" look

I really need to figure out the hair; 1790s look would call for a massive curly do,  so there's still some way to go to achieve that...

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