Sunday, December 29, 2013

HSF challenge #24: Re-Do

Earlier in the year I decided to make my mother a dress and two weeks before Victorian Ball I finally got to pick it up again!

For the literature challenge in May, I chose Hyacinth Kirkpatrick from Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell. The gown is made from a purple/silver silk sari found on Ebay with over-sleeves of black silk organza. I ran out of the purple sari fabric, so the under-sleeves are made of a gray silk dupioni.


"...and it was her taste, more than any depth of feeling, that had made her persevere in wearing all the delicate tints — the violets and grays — which, with a certain admixture of black, constitute half-mourning. This style of becoming dress she was supposed to wear in memory of Mr. Kirkpatrick; in reality because it was both lady-like and economical."


My mother loved it so much she wore it to Dickens Fair


The Historical Sew Fortnightly at thedreamstress.com
With each post or photo be sure to tell us:
The Challenge:  Re-do
Fabric:  Silk sari, silk dupioni, silk organza
Pattern:  Truly Victorian romantic era gown
Year:  1830's
Notions:  Thread
How historically accurate is it?  Machine sewn
Hours to complete:  Two weeks
First worn:  November 30th
Total cost:  ??

HSF Challenge 22: Masquerade or The Empress of India bodice

I ended up filling three challenges almost by accident. It is a widely known fact among my general acquaintance that I have no free weekends in that nebulous time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Aside from the two major holidays, my mother, Mr. G and I attend the Victorian Grand Ball, a friend's longstanding Christmas party, and lastly the Great Dickens Christmas Fair. We have a lot of fun, but it tends to generate a lot of event-specific sewing. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that for once a few challenges actually meshed with the events I needed to sew for.

I had already made a bodice to wear with challenge #14 and challenge #15 at costume college, but I wasn't really satisfied with it. Fortunately I'm the kind of pack-rat that saves every scrap from previous projects and so I had enough of both fabrics to make a new one.

Here's the original bodice:


And here's the remake! 
I call it my Empress of India gown.

Coincidentally the theme of this Victorian Ball was masquerade as well, and so I felt completely justified in draping this bodice in as much lace and trim as I could while still remaining upright. 

I used a bunch of vintage gold trim that I'd found at Costume College and accented it with a few gold ribbon rosettes and a little lace.

The Historical Sew Fortnightly at thedreamstress.com
The Challenge: Masquerade
Fabric:  Silk dupioni
Pattern:  Umm... I've had i for so long, I've completely forgotten
Year: 1880's
Notions: Thread, gold ribbon, lace and vintage gold trim
How historically accurate is it? Machine sewn
Hours to complete: Once again, I wasn't keeping count
First worn: November 30th 
Total cost:  $0

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Three non-HSF costumes, Two HSF challenges and a partridge in a pear tree

Merry Christmas everyone!
Wow. So I kinda wrapped myself up in a cocoon of sewing and school... and when I finally emerged, it was December.
But now that I have a little breathing room before the new year, I think a few photos are in order. I'll be making more detailed posts about these dresses in a few days, but for now, enjoy: