Eva's journal

Yeah, you all know me: I have a tendency to get very enthusiastic about new things, so what I did yesterday is not so strange: I started on a pair of late 18th century transitional stays.

Anna has chosen the very late 18th century as her period for our upcoming regency picnic which of course fueled my enthusiasm. Since I had already bought white thin cotton to make a round gown to be worn either separately or with an open gown, the idea was there already. It was mainly the timing that was affected, since I had thought about making this later in the autumn.

Well, that was not to be: having run out of hand sewing projects that I could work on in the evenings - the embroidered smock I am making for  Valeria requires good lighting and eyes that are not tired - I needed another project. I started with the skirt for the round gown, which will have two rows of very pretty coral pink silk tabby ribbon around the hem. I could not, however start on the bodice before I had decided whether to wear it with my slightly later regency stays, or make a new, late 18th century pair.

And yesterday I decided to go for it. I dug out some strong linen for the stays, my just a little bit too large effigy stays to have some idea of size, and an extremly sturdy polycotton twill that I use for mock-ups for stays.

I also looked around on the internet and found several useful blog posts to help me figure out what I wanted to do.

These were the ones I looked at the most, two of my old friends here in the costuming world, and a new for me blog.

Festive Attyre

Katherine's dress site

Rococo Atelier

Most of these mentioned the book Corsets by Jill Salen, and I have ordered it on ILL, but of course I couldn't wait for that to arrive. So by studying the pictures on Rococo Atelier, which showed both her version with cups, and the original pattern with a gusset I came up with a pattern that I tried with enough success to go on to cutting the linen.

I got as far as making all the lacing holes on one front piece yesterday, and the rest this morning, and I have now also sewn all the boning channels on machine. Yesterday I was sorely tempted to make it all by hand, but sense prevailed, I have lots of real life work and many other projects to work on.

Since I don't have any white bias tape at home, and I'm not that interested in making some I am going to take a walk downtown and get it, as well as catch some pokemon.

 Yesterday I came up with and idea for Anna's birthday present - she doesn't expect one, but she's one of my best friends so of course she should get one. Since she earns about double as much as I do buying stuff seemed pointless, so I decided to make her a bonnet for the Regency picnic. Then she won't have to worry about that.
Her dress is c. 1800 and will be made from yellow silk with blue ribbons to trim it, so I dug through my plastic tub with silk, and found some scraps from a lovely blue habotai that is now, with the help of some linen and fusible interlining (for the brim) a soon finished very pretty bonnet. All it needs is ties, and I will make those tomorrow.

Apparently hats was the theme of the day. First I made a sort of bonnet with a fabric crown.




( Another photo )Then I lined my straw bonnet.

Takign selfies while trying to show off the bonnet is NOT easy.

So today started with a long walk to a manifestation for afghan refugee kids who will in all likelihood be deported back to Afghanistan by Sweden. It is absolutely horrible and a disgrace for my country, but I won't dwell on that here, because this blog is supposed to be about historical clothes and sewing. But I must say that the only way I can continue to live my life as it is when this is happening is to not let myself feel, to push those feelings away, because it is heartbreaking to know that these young boys will be sent away, very likely to die.

So I pushed it away, and enjoyed our walk, and the sun, and when I came home I sat down to sew, and  and listening to The Cleric Quintet on audio book. This is was the last day of my holiday, so I thought that I'd do something that I really enjoy.

First I started re-making my regency stays again. I showed the first re-make in my previous post, when I had taken them in c. 8 cm. However, while they worked as they were I knew that my bust would look more correct if I shortened the bust gores. So that's what I did.

Yesterday I was at my friend Anna's place contributing with advice and moral support (and artificial whale bone) when she started patterning her first stays, late 18th century transitional stays with cups. While talking (i'm good at multi-tasking ; ) I took in my regency petticoat.

Current version of stays and petticoat:




When they were first made:



Then I started on the bodice. I made the sleeves yesterday, though I think I may have to re-do them, they are maybe too wide. We'll see how it looks when they are sewn in to the bodice.

First I had to make a new pattern, but with the help of my previous, too large pattern, or at least the front piece, since I couldn't find the back piece, it wasn't that difficult.

Apart from the usual sources such as Patterns of Fashion and Kvinnligt mode under två sekel by Pernilla Rasmussen and Britta Hammar, I also looked at a couple of patterns from the internet, generously shared by the 19th US Regiment of InfantryCapt. Angus Langham's Company1812-1815.
Here you find their images and patterns of extant gows and outerwear.

And I sort of make it up as I go along. It is all hand sewn, as the rest of my regency clothing except for the stays, which were a test version whee only the lacing holes in the back are hand sewn. And making things by hand you can do it piece by piece and figure out, for example, exactly where to attach the skirt later. So I am basically making it up as I go along. There is one narrow channel more to make, the bodice will be gathered in front, before I have to figure out the skirt. And I can do that tomorrow, when I'm less tired.

 The embroidery on the skirt of my new frock is finally finished (the photo is too light).



Now to decide exaclty what typ of bodice that I want, and make a pattern for that. First I'm taking in my petticoat however. I'm bringing the petticoat, and the fabric for the bodice over to Anna's place tonight. The main purpose of the visit is to help her make her first stays, ca 1790-1800, but I may get the time to do some sewing myself too.

Later this night I may go down town to a manifestation held by child refugees from Afghanistan who are going to be sent back by Sweden (one of a very few countries who dperot peopel to Afghanistan right now). In Stockholm such a manifestation was attacked by nazis a few days ago, so there is a need for grown-ups, and native Swedes, to protect these boys, espcially during the dark hours.

Valeria and I spent 2,5 hours there last night, between 10.45 pm and 01.15 am, playing cards and chatting. Se's going down there now and I will probably get down later.