mala_14 | Entries tagged with 1890 corset cover

Is it perfect? No. Is it done? YES!!! I just finished off the corset cover today. It is my entry for HSM #3: Protection. Yeah, I skipped over #2, which will end up being my 1895 skirt, which I'm hoping to get done this month. Once again, no pictures. But it's the same as the other pictures with both armholes finished and a hem. Here's the rundown:

The Challenge: Protection, corset covers protected one from the cold, protected one's modesty/protected one from showing too much skin, and protected the clothes from the corset.

Material: Cotton muslin

Pattern: modified bodice pattern that I drafted from Frances Grimble's Fashions of the Gilded Age Vol. 1, changed things so that the CF was on the straight and everything else adjusted accordingly

Year: 1890s

Notions: cotton thread, silk thread, plastic buttons

How historically accurate is it? Pretty good, probably about 95%. It's -5% for the plastic buttons and the extreme plainess of it. Most underwear from the 1890s is getting pretty froufrou leading up to the Edwardian era. Pattern is totally plausible, other materials are fine.

Hours to complete: No clue, little bits spread out over two months

First worn: Not yet, probably not until April

Total cost: Not much. The buttons were about $1.50, the fabric was leftover from muslin I used for lots of things last year like linings

Short version: it was mostly blah.

Long version: All flights were delayed in and out of Toronto because of weather, so I spent about half of my birthday stressed out in airports and on planes. I'm now 30! Things got better once I got home because I was home. Had dim sum with the family for birthday celebrating. Then, that evening, went out to a pub for my birthday with friends and had many drinks and danced up a storm. There was a Beatles cover band playing, which was fun. Also had a birthday dinner with my boyfriend's family because they like to celebrate birthdays.

My boyfriend got me a book on Little House destinations and is promising a road trip to some of them this summer when we drive down to the Twin Cities and Duluth to attend the Tall Ships (which he also got me tickets for).

ashamanja_babu!!!

For the rest of the week I had an annoying cold and was struggling with all of my homework and teaching assistant work and trying to see people. It was exhausting and stressful, which made me kind of sad. But it was still good to see family and the friends that I managed to see.

Costume-y stuff: I got my American Duchess Dunmores in a new smaller size and they fit almost perfectly! (I got a too big size for Christmas.) The only problem is that they are slightly too big around the opening. I'm hoping that it will be a bit tighter once I put in the buckle. And I can wear socks in them, so that's a plus.

I also got

chocolatepot's book, Regency Women's Dress. Haven't had a chance to really go through it yet, but it will be coming in handy when I finally get around to Regency stuff for my living history group.

Speaking of living history, I managed to make it to the Annual General Meeting because it took place while I was back, with an accompanying sewing afternoon. I got some work done on my 1890s corset cover. Sewed on the buttons and cut down and whipstitched one side's darts. I finished the other side's darts the other day. So now all that's left on that is to finish one armhole and to hem the bottom.

So I'm totally late on the second HSM challenge, but I'm planning on getting my 1895 skirt done this month which will count for challenge #2 (tucks, pleats) because it has pleats at the CB waist. And the corset cover will be for challenge #3 (protection), because corset covers protect something, right? Like your clothes, or your corset, or something. Anyways, they are good for extra warmth, thus protecting you from cold. ;p

Pictures: Corset cover (so plain, not very exciting, but almost done!)
P1020527

( A couple more detail pics )

I actually like doing handsewn buttonholes! (But for some reason I don't like doing eyelets.) I got all 5 buttonholes done on my corset cover this past week. The corset cover is now on hold, to be finished when I'm back home. There's going to be a sewing day with my living history group when I'm there, so I'm going to take that along to sew on the buttons and whipstitch the darts to finish them. The darts turned out huge so there is a lot of excess fabric on the inside. I'm going to cut off a bunch of it and whip the cut edge. I'm hoping to cut out my skirt and skirt lining and maybe get the seams and darts sewn this weekend. Using this pattern for the skirt from Dressmaking Research from an original Harper's Bazar from 1897.

It occurs to me that I haven't posted in a while. I don't have much going on. Mostly just trying to keep on top of ridiculous amounts of readings for class and doing house things like the dishes and cooking. I have a pork roast marinating in the fridge right now and planning on making a pulled pork out of it to eat with an apple chutney that I'll make tomorrow. Other nice meals made lately include a broccoli soup and chicken liver pate. (Also chocolate chip cookies, but those were mostly for taking to school.)

Some really intermittent and minute sewing and knitting. My corset cover now has facings at the fronts and bias facings around the neck and one arm. I realized that one of the bias strips I cut just isn't long enough, but I don't have the fabric here, so I have to wait until I'm back home to actually finish it off. But I'm going to get the rest of it done. I managed to motivate myself enough to put on my corset and fit the corset cover, so the darts are marked. I noticed, however, that my bodice pattern for this era is slightly too short waisted, like maybe 5/8", so the corset cover won't fit perfectly, but it'll work. I'll lengthen my pattern a bit before I make any more bodices from it.

My 1864 shawl continues. The rows are getting really long and tough to keep on the needles, but I don't feel like trying to obtain the appropriate circular needles, so it just gets squished onto the needles. I'm looking forward to starting the stripes soon. It's also cool that I'll be using up all the yarn of this maroon DK (maybe like 10 one-oz balls of yarn). It was part of a huge stash of vintage yarns I got from an old lady who was moving out of her apartment whose son knew someone who knew my mom, which is how we got hooked up with the yarn.

No pictures because I decided to leave my camera at home. I got tired to taking it back and forth between the apartment and home. I don't have the software on the laptop and knew I wouldn't feel motivated enough to install it, so I wouldn't be doing any pictures out here. Just seemed easier to leave it at home. I'll take pictures of things when I'm back home for Reading Week.

Got my apartment stuff sorted out (keys on the way to me and bill paid) and thinking about other things, like what is on the sewing docket for the coming year. I've mentioned my projects before but I'm kind of sad that all of my upcoming projects are already decided. I like it being a bit open-ended. But since the reason for these projects being determined is the fact that I have specific things to wear these to, it's not really a bad thing. So here are the projects and their different elements, just to keep it organized:

1. 1895 ensemble: ~~petticoat~~, corset cover, skirt, blouse, bow tie, straw boater, (jacket?)
2. 2 baby quilts
3. 1867 outfit: corset, crinoline, petticoat, (chemise?), print dress, hat, shawl
4. 1883 plaid kilted outfit: kilted underskirt, overskirt, velveteen bodice (I hope 1m is enough for this, if now, I have a cotton-silk suiting I could dye green that would work), (collar?), (cuffs?)
5. 1883 outerwear: coat, faux fur short cape, faux fur muff, faux fur hat, nubia
6. Modern: grey shorts

It's a lot of items for me to make in a year, but last year I made 3 ensembles/dresses for Costume College, so I think I can get it done. And when these are finished, I have some others that I want to get done after (maybe for the Francaise Dinner or Costume College in 2017).

1. Painted 1780s gown: bum pad, petticoat, petticoat, gown, wig, cap/hat
2. Lilac silk and cream net 1871 evening gown: petticoat, skirt, overskirt, bodice
3. 1816 ensemble: print dress or shortgown/skirt combo, cap/hat, apron, ruff/chemisette
4. 1790 riding habit: shirt, cravat, petticoat, waistcoat, jacket, hat
OR 4. 1908 ensemble: net guimpe, green jumper dress, (hat?)
OR 4. 1920s one-hour dress: lavender polka dot day dress, hat
OR 4. Yellow linen-rayon 1930s/40s something
OR 4. 1916 outfit: petticoat, corset cover, striped skirt, blouse, hat
OR 4. 1869 burnt orange dress: dress, overdress,
5. Modern: pants, (blouse?), (wool-cashmere blazer?) (birds voile dress?)

( Other potential sewing )

Overall, a very productive year for historical sewing because of Costume College, at least for the first half of the year. Sadly, no modern makes and not much done lately.
1880s Undergarments: Chemise, Corset, Bust Pad, Ruffled Bustle Pad, and Petticoat

Felt very accomplished in making all of these. Not pictured is the little ruffled panel that I made to button on my Edwardian petticoat that I wore underneath. This corset is pretty and kinda fancy (gives a very curvy shape) and fits almost just right, but I still need to finish the flossing on it and want to make a new corset this year that is more comfortable and fits exactly right.

( See the rest here! )

Altogether about 12 individual items. Not too shabby and definitely a productive year for me. My 2015 goals were to:

Make clothes to wear over historical undergarments

Focus on fit

Make accessories

Use the stash

Figure out hair

I definitely made clothes, 3 outfits/dresses! I am pretty happy with the fit on all of the things I made, although there are a couple of small tweaks that I can and will make in the future. Did better on accessories for some things, although still weak in the hat department. All 3 outifts used stash fabrics (print cotton, green silk, purple synthetic, black chiffon). Hair was OK, but nothing to brag about. Mostly curling and some braids. Having bangs was definitely key with all the bustle stuff I was doing.

My goals for 2016 are looking pretty similar. I want more clothes, especially since I have so many undergarments now, although some more are on the list. Fit will always be a priority with me and something that can always be worked on. I want more comfort (range of movement in arms, waist placement) and I know how to do that, so I can put it into work this year. More accessories, for sure, especially hats but also a couple of other things that are on the docket. I got a bunch of straw hats for Christmas that I can cut up and take apart to make new hats! I bought a lot of fabric this year, so next year needs to be about using them! (A problem you can all sympathise with, I know.) Hair, well mine's getting longer, so some styles should be easier. Also, I have Kendra's 18th Hairstyling book, so that may come into play some time.

Whew! So that was sewing in 2015!

The Dreamstress has the HSM 2016 challenges posted. I may be participating in this one. I have so many things that need sewing this year. Surely, I can make them fit the challenges.

January - Procastination: the petticoat, corset cover, and skirt for my 1895 ensemble
February - Tucks & Pleating: 1895 shirtwaist will have tucks to fit the front shoulder
March - Protection: maybe a hat? or I'll have my 1864 knitted shawl finished, or the jacket for the 1895 ensemble
April - Gender-Bender: if I have time to make the jacket for my 1895 ensemble, or the hat which will likely be a straw boater, or the bow tie I'm planning on having for this outfit
May - Holes: a lacy cloud/nubia? (unlikely that I'd get all 3 yards knitted by this time though), 1860s corset?
June - Travel: 1790s straw hat?
July - Monochrome: 1860s corset or crinoline or petticoat, all will be white
August - Pattern: 1867 cotton print dress
September - Historicism: 1867 bonnet (lots of these bonnets have names like Marie Antoinette and Pompadour)
October - Heroes: 1883 Laura Ingalls-style bustle dress with plaid kilted skirt and velveteen bodice (plaid bustle always makes me think of the later Little House books)
November - Red: Does maroon count as red? Cuz then it'll be my bustle coat. If not, then no idea
December - Special Occasion: faux fur cape, hat, and muff

Obviously, I'll have to figure out some of these when the time comes. I seem to have 3 major ensembles on the schedule for this year: 1895, 1867, and 1883. Other things that need sewing: 2 baby quilts. Maybe some modern clothes. Other things I'd like to work on, but probably won't get to: 18th century and late-Regency stuff.