Taking the Plunge: Beginning a Victorian Wardrobe

Ever since I began sewing historical costumes I have been, to be blunt, uninterested in making any styles in vogue after 1817. Nothing seemed more elegant than the Neo-classical silhouette, nor more dashing than the Regency dandy. However, in the last couple of weeks that has changed, and all because of Elizabeth Gaskell's North & South. Becoming Margaret Hale has become the most exciting prospect! I can hardly wait to begin! But I can't, since I'm in the middle of a long-term project of an eighteenth century ensemble, which I decided to finish before I leap into the middle of the next century and the Margaret dress. This is to motivate myself to finish with the eighteenth century faster, and it is working so far. :)

The style I chose is Margaret's dress worn during Mr. Thornton's first proposal. I've always considered it to be elegantly simple, with it's solid color, it's basic bodice and very full skirt (I adore those layers and layers of petticoats). It makes a particularly elegant silhouette as Margaret stands before the window, regally considering her dislike of Mr. Thornton and her confusion over his unexpected avowal of love. *Sigh*

Finding a suitable pattern was surprisingly simple. I knew I would have to adapt it to some degree. (Yes! Bring on the brain challenge...) It is a pattern featured on the wondrous Nehelenia Patterns and the lovely Renaissance Fabrics websites and made by Laughing Moon Mercantile. It is a ball dress pattern, which means it only includes short sleeves, but the reason I decided on this one is because it includes the all-important bretelle.

What is a bretelle, you may ask? (Which is a question I would have had before I got the pattern in the mail last week.) It is the v-shaped fabric on the bodice that goes out slightly at the shoulders, rather like an extremely deep collar. :) This detail in the design was absolutely essential to me, because to my eye it gives this dress its distinction.

Another distinguishing aspect of this dress is the sleeves. But where to find them? This was also unexpectedly simple! (I am getting quite spoiled in putting this dress together by this time...) As I mentioned in my first post I dashed over to Hancock Fabrics to catch the last day of their sale and I decided to grab one of their Victorian patterns "just in case." Then, lo and behold, after I get home I remember that I will need long bell sleeves and billowy white sleeves to go underneath them... and this pattern contains both of those! Needless to say, I was quite pleased with my unconscious foresight. :)

Then I had to find fabric... First of all, what in the world is the fabric supposed to be? I found pictures and scrutinized the dress during every scene as I watched the movie (2, 3, 20 times...), comparing it with various fabrics sold online, and my conclusion is that it most resembles a sort of damask or jacquard brocade, presumably out of some natural fiber such as cotton or silk.

I found this very helpful picture on Pinterest, which also clearly shows that the fabric is truly the color it appears to be on screen. (I thought it may have had its saturation drained as they were coloring the movie in post-production in order to add to the somber Milton atmosphere.)

Sadly, the few fabrics I could find that were of a similar color as well as being a natural fiber were out of my price range. I settled on a polyester and rayon 50/50 blend that is a slightly brighter plum color from Denver Fabrics for a pleasing $5.50/yard.

Having received it in the mail, I must admit it's not ideal, but I am still pleased with it. It has more of a drape than I expected (which maybe I should have realized, knowing it was rayon) and an ever-so-slight wrinkled look, but I think it will be satisfactory if I can line the bodice and sleeves with something stiffer.

The next part of the process will be to find the trim for the sleeves and bretelle. First I shall be checking Joann Fabrics because it's local and Nehelenia Patterns and Renaissance Fabrics because they sell trim in natural fibers.

Of course, before I can cut out a single piece I must make all the correct underpinnings. The list includes a chemise, corset, corded petticoat, and one, maybe two, full petticoats. I alternate between excitement and dread at this prospect...

The Wondrous Nehelenia Patterns

I have found it! What is basically the online historical costuming shop of my dreams: Nehelenia Patterns.

Maybe you have heard of this treasure trove, but I have lived for too long in total ignorance of it's existence.

It is such a thrill to find a website filled with delights, especially delights that you have never found anywhere else! And especially when they are the historical costuming kind. That is what Nehelenia Patterns is. They are located in Germany, so the shipping isn't the most economical for us overseas customers, but it is reasonable, especially now while the exchange rate of Euro to the dollar is quite good! Only $1.10-1.20 per 1 Euro. (Now if only the British Pound could be that good...)

This website has popped up several times during the last few months as I have searched for historical patterns, so I occasionally visited it's pattern pages. I found quite a comprehensive collection of historical patterns all gathered together in one place, which is rare in itself, but it wasn't until last week that I truly realized just how many wonderfully unique goods they actually have. I kept gleefully exclaiming as I found page after page containing things like corset laces, 10-meter lengths of boning, cutters for boning, period jewelry, chatelaines, handcrafted paper, cotton lace and ribbon, silk ribbon that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, thin white-striped cotton muslin, 17th and 18th century busks, hats, patterns from ancient times to the twentieth century, and so much more! And all in one place! That is one of the most exciting things about my discovery. I love for my resources to all be organized in one place. (This is why, at least in my case, Pinterest can be so addicting...)

Being the midst of an ambition sewing streak, I got caught up in the excitement and bought a few necessities for my 1850s corset. My busk, boning and laces arrived this week, in a box covered with German stamps and customs stickers. :)

I hope you all will browse their lovely site and enjoy it as much as I have! It is simple to navigate, and there are pictures of nearly everything, with helpful descriptions of each item. They also take PayPal, making the buying process nice and simple.

You can find them here: Nehelenia Patterns

The Typical Adventure of Unwinding

People have different ways to unwind after being under stress of any sort, and my way to unwind usually involves being alone and a historical and/or fictional world (often with tea). Today involved a trip to the fabric store by myself to stock up on some historical patterns - especially since Hancock Fabrics was selling five Simplicity patterns for five dollars! Ending today! (So obviously I had to go.)

I felt much more relaxed when I came home, of course. And listening to the 'North and South' soundtrack certainly did nothing to hinder the relaxing process. :) (I found it years ago uploaded online and burnt it onto my own CD - it's not the official one, sadly, because as far as I know, there is no official soundtrack, to my continual chagrin.)

I went in to buy the 18th century pattern, since it includes some version of a pannier hoop. I'm not sure how historically exact it is, but for $1 I'm willing to give it a try. The Victorian pattern caught my eye now that I've decided to begin a Victorian wardrobe, so I thought I might as well grab it. Then of course who could pass up a pattern based on Downton Abbey? ;)

I am in the midst of my second bout of unwinding today, drinking my cup of black tea, eating my attempt at seed cake (as in what Bilbo Baggins eats) and reading my current favorite book, 'North and South' by the talented Mrs. Gaskell. After I've watched the end of the miniseries of that same name... (Yes, you all know what I mean: the Train Station. ;) )

My new artistic hobby is the quick and (in theory) easy mug customizing that I discovered via Pinterest. Someone had a brilliant design idea that I stole for myself, and you can see the result here.

The result is rather different and less perfect than what's on Pinterest, but it's good enough for me! I'm rather proud of the sad little illustration on the other side, since it was all my own invention (and since I'm keeping it to myself and not giving it to anyone...). It only costs a dollar if you have a Sharpie, and takes a mere 1/2 an hour in a 425 F oven (plus allowing it to cool).

If you'd like to make your own, simply follow these steps:

1. Find a cup and clean off the surface with rubbing alcohol.
2. Write and/or draw on the cup (be aware that most Sharpie brand colors change, usually lightening considerably; I've heard that Bic brand markers basically retain their color).
3. Place the mug in an unheated oven, turn it on to 425, and set the timer for 30 minutes (including the time it takes for the oven to heat up).
4. When the timer goes off, turn off the oven and leave the mug inside until it's cool enough to handle (it takes about 1 1/2 hours in my oven to cool).

It's just a fun way to customize a mug for yourself. I know my mind is swirling with ideas and quotes to put on my next one, but I can't decide which one to use!

Starting in the Middle: The Search for the Georgian Gown Fabric Begins and Ends

There are already several adventures currently going on, but I suppose the most exciting one - the one that is crowding out the others in my brain from my sheer excitement over it - is the amazing find I made yesterday at the fabric store. (Triad Plus Home Fabrics, for those of you in the Sacramento area.) Have you ever gone looking for fabric for a project without having any particular fabric in mind, and then suddenly there before you is exactly what you were hoping you would find? Well, this all-too-rare experience happened to yours truly yesterday! I was in raptures. I am still in raptures! Which I had better cut short now so I tell you what I actually found...

It is for my first Georgian gown. I have wanted one of these for nearly as long as I have been making Regency gowns, which is getting to be quite a while ago, now. After all, Georgian was the style of Jane Austen's parents and the literary genre of her predecessors, as well as what was being worn when she wrote 'Northanger Abbey', 'Sense and Sensibility' and 'Pride and Prejudice'. I digress, however.

This fabric is a heavenly blue with 1/8th-inch wide satin stripes. When I saw it, I knew. Once I discovered it was a mere $3 per yard, then I also knew I must get it.

(It is polyester, but I am willing to compromise if I can find such a wondrous design for a mere total of $23.)

I wavered between gold and some other solid color for the underskirt, but my eyes alighted upon a beautiful taffeta-looking ivory, and, being the sort of person who tries to buy every item of clothing to match every other item of clothing I own, I decided to go with white (just in case I make a few more Georgian gowns...).

Of course the first thing I had to do upon arriving home (besides reading a few chapters of Mrs. Gaskell's North and South ...because I was at the riot scene...) was to grab my Georgian stays and stitch furiously! Because I stubbornly insist on finishing the underpinnings before I can begin on the outer stuff. Which leads me to another subject for another post...