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Timeline of Shoes
I've been working on this for a couple of months now (including the post disappearing before I sketched all of the shoes and having to find them again). I wanted to have a timeline that showed the...
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Those are so 1776.
Unfortunately there are so few surviving examples of shoes compared to what there truly was and most portraits don't show the feet clearly. But, every once in a while, there's enough of a trend visible...
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Book
Just a quick post to let you know that I've released a book about turn shoe construction. It's not meant to be instructional, but it covers the topic pretty well. I hope to eventually write a very...
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Wear and Tear
Spending the better portion of 8 months in 18th century attire meant that I put a fair amount of wear on my shoes. Even the newer ones. I figured this would be a good time to show you how much abuse...
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Studying Extants
Most museums follow a pretty standard set of protocol when working with their collections. You wear gloves, handle as little as possible, use a pencil instead of a pen, etc. In reference to gloves I...
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Lemon Sack
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of projects with due-dates, not all for me. That's settled down finally and I'm getting some work done on a huge project I'll be posting about sometime in the...
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Fitting Regency Gowns
So, rather than bombard you by constantly talking about how amazing Your Wardrobe Unlock'd and Foundations Revealed are and how it would be a travesty to lose their database, I'm going to show you....
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Shoe Advertisements in the North East Colonies
The topic has come up on a number of forums lately, so I figured it would do well to post some of the research I've been working on lately. I hope to eventually make it through not only all of the...
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Fitting Regency Gowns Part II
Part two of Fitting Regency Gowns. Thankfully YWU and FR have been saved, so I give this second part gladly!Gathered neckline pullingHow much gathering occurs in a neckline and where it is placed can...
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Closet Sale
These are all quick descriptions of what I'm selling, linking back to their Etsy page. Except for the shoes at the bottom, which I can't sell on Etsy. If you're interested in any of those three pairs...
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1820s Trades Fair
Last Saturday I was part of a group of tradespeople showing our skills and wares in Brentsville, VA at their historic court house. It was a lovely day and we got to tour the court house, newly...
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1670s Gown
I realized I never quite got around to posting about the 1670s gown I made earlier this year. It's mostly based on the satin bodice in Seventeenth Century Women's Dress Patterns. The instructions and...
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Everlasting Ringlets
Earlier this month I attended the Battle of New Orleans bicentennial event. I spent two days in costume wandering about the battlefield as well as the French Quarter, including a lovely ball I attended...
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1815 Pelisse
Realizing today how much my list of un-blogged costumes is piling up, I figured I should at least try to get through New Orleans before I forget too much about it!First up is my very warm Pelisse. I'm...
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Dance Hall Girls
Before I get started, hello again! I know it's been a while, but this year alone I interned in the Margaret Hunter Millinery Shop, worked on George Washington's Marquee Part 2: The Dining Tent, and...
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Dance Hall Girls II
So, as the months went by the embroidery began to take shape. Using the wire lace for the swirls saved me a great deal of time and headaches.I also began the work of patterning and building up the...
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Steampunk Harley Quinn
Teslacon also had a secondary event on Saturday night with a Night Circus theme. We actually had a real old-fashioned circus come and perform (acrobats, a strong man, jugglers, etc) as well as an...
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Vintage Brassieres
At Costume College last year Lauren of Wearing History had a great presentation on how to start your own vintage (30s, 40s, or 50s) wardrobe. Now, I already have a lot of pieces, though some are a bit...
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Tailoring Interfacings
Interfacings are an essential part of any type of tailoring. Before I begin with a series of instructional posts, we need to understand what these different types are. I hope this will help you with...
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Tailoring Stitches
The next step in our series is to understand some of the stitches regularly used in tailoring that you may not know from regular sewing work.Thread MarkingThis is done before the pattern is removed...
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Cutting
The next step in our tailoring process will be the actual cutting of the fabric. While you may be using a pattern complete with seam allowances, facings, and details, many pre-1950s patterns will be...
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Collars & Lapels
This will be a walk-through of a very basic construction for the collar and lapels. There are so many different ways to adjust this, particularly around the shoulder area. As I continue making...
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Finished Suits I
Taking a break this week from instruction so I can catch up and get pictures of a few detail options like pockets and buttonholes. Instead, I figured I'd show you some of the finished pieces I've been...
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Finished Suits 2
I launched myself back into tailoring women's garments last Spring with this 1914 suit. I based the design on a few photographs of women at Longchamps or in Paris. (I'd love to have sources for either...
View ArticleTailoring Books
A growing list of free books on the internet dealing with tailoring, drafting, and dressmaking.The Taylor's Instructor, 1809. Figures for men's garments and a ladies habit.Rules and Directions for...
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