Pt. 1: My Quarantine WIPs and projects
Welcome in, weary travelers!
If by chance you aren't from this land, you still most likely know of the pandemic since it has swept the world... so we're all in lockdown. Quarantine has been tough for a lot of people, no denying that. I personally really enjoy being at home with my family and sewing machine close by, and my dragon's hoard of cloth which I may or may not take out just to look at and put away once daily unlike everyone out there being productive in their homes...
Well, um anyway, I realized what an amazing opportunity this was to really get my own stuff done too. I have a giant fabric stash and a brain full of ideas- why not make the best of this situation since I am fortunate enough to be able to? I've worked really hard on a lot of these projects, and as I'm writing this opening, a lot of them are still only ideas. I will be writing this post over the course of the work and will be making more parts as I complete projects and so on and so forth. By then I hope to have a lot of WIPs finished and I really hope I can learn and grow from this experience not only with my sewing skills but with patience and perseverance too... since the only thing motivating me to finish this is myself and I'm not a great cheerleader.
So without further ado, on to the real stuff!
Project 1: Grey Italian Gown
This dress has been in my "to-do" pile since I dropped its making in the fall. I was supposed to go to Colonial Williamsburg but I got very sick and sadly may not be able to go at all. That thought alone put me off sewing for a while because I didn't see a point in finishing something that was giving me so much trouble in its making, combined with school, the busy season of Christmas, and now the pandemic. But I am and was determined to finish it, so I'm going to include everything from where I left off. The gown was almost finished when I left it, minus sewing of the sleeves, light boning of the bodice, front closures, hemming, and attaching the train. I know that sounds like a lot, but to me, it's good as done because fitting this monster took me FOREVER.
Cutting and fitting are always nerve-wracking for me. I can't help but feel this dread when I start a new project, worrying I'll mess it up and waste precious fabric. But something to remind myself is that in the end, I'm always learning and I've never made something so completely messed up that it was unwearable. Sure I've had projects I was really disappointed in, but I am growing to find that I'm a relatively quick learner and I figure at this point, I can only go up.
This is where the gown is currently, as I am typing this section. (It's actual location is on a mannequin, but what gives? :') I am really happy with the fit, but I do plan to put some boning in the back because as it stands... well it doesn't really stand. It needs structure to keep the back from wrinkling, and I think that's easily fixed by light boning just to hold the shape. The red skirt is completely done and is featured in many other outfits since petticoats are versatile and possibly my best friend now.
PROGRESS UPDATE: between writing the above blurb and this current date of Thursday, May 28th (far more than a month's time passage) I have completed the grey gown! My lovely sister took photos of the finished product!
I am really proud of this one and even though my computer is butchering the quality of the photos, I assure you it felt marvelous to frolic a safe distance from humanity!
Project 2: Golden Stays
So as this next project stands, fitting is beyond change. I measured and measured, but these stays are just slightly too big which is sad, although better than being too small. However, they are still wearable despite the overlapping in the back. I am making this section shorter since I have not finished these yet and I might add an update segment when I do. They are by all means beyond lining and finishing the top binding, complete, and that means wearable to my impatient state of mind.
I am overall very pleased with them besides the problem of them being slightly too big (the back meets and overlaps, which usually shouldn't happen with a fitted garment like stays, which need room to take in and let out, plus the ability to be tight enough for support and stiffness for pinning the gown over) They also don't have a ton of structure in the front in spite of heavy boning, but again, these are all learning points for me and I'm really happy with how they turned out in general.
Project 3: The Goldenrod Gown
So in making this dress I had several goals: one was to conquer this whole front-closing-over-stomacher style we see in 18th-century dresses so often. I actually have a deep red 18th-century jacket started that is made in this style and I simply haven't been motivated to finish it. But this dress gives me a reason to kick myself back into action because fitting it was a dream. Somehow everything came together so well and that was extremely pleasing for someone who puts off projects purely because I hate fitting so much. In making this I am quickly learning that sometimes jumping out of your comfort zone and avoiding the second guess stage can be really helpful for making progress. As I am writing this section I still haven't set the sleeves and that worries me a little... but no! I have sworn off worrying about things I will do and probably not fail at if I only had a little heart in it!
My other goals for this dress were to see if I could squeeze out all the pieces and still have enough for a full skirt because I really wanted to make a round gown type thing instead of another Italian gown. This dress reads like an English gown of an earlier era than my usual 1770s-80s (1740s, 50s perhaps?)
And finally, I really wanted to see if I could fill out my 18th-century kit with this one, by making other garments alongside it as a motivator. I wanted to acquire a shift (oh dear total failure... I messed up SO badly I can't even talk about it) and I wanted to make a cap and matching embroidered fichu (kerchief). As of this moment in time, I am focusing entirely on the dress, but I have an inkling that the cap will be a fun and an easy bit to do, and I really enjoy embroidery so the fichu won't be too difficult either.
For the cap, I plan on using a chocolate brown ribbon to contrast the tiny brown flowers on the gown's fabric, and for the fichu, I have a nicely contrasting copper thread and perhaps I'll throw in some gold or okra too.
I am going to leave this one a mystery for now, and put up the photos for it in part 2 because I'm feeling like I need a bit of motivation to finish it!
(plus this post is already much longer than I had planned! Oh well)
In conclusion, I have been busy. Very busy. Highschool is drawing to a close and I am working hard to keep up my motivation and continue on with projects and ideas. I have a lot of stuff planned and I'm really really excited to see what the summer of 2020 means for dressmaking and stay-making and all sorts of new adventures as I, but a scrap of a seamstress, take my first wobbly strides into this big ol' world of linings and bonings and backstitches and panniers.
Huzzah good friends, stay safe and I'll see you all soon! (probably in part 2)
If by chance you aren't from this land, you still most likely know of the pandemic since it has swept the world... so we're all in lockdown. Quarantine has been tough for a lot of people, no denying that. I personally really enjoy being at home with my family and sewing machine close by, and my dragon's hoard of cloth which I may or may not take out just to look at and put away once daily unlike everyone out there being productive in their homes...
Well, um anyway, I realized what an amazing opportunity this was to really get my own stuff done too. I have a giant fabric stash and a brain full of ideas- why not make the best of this situation since I am fortunate enough to be able to? I've worked really hard on a lot of these projects, and as I'm writing this opening, a lot of them are still only ideas. I will be writing this post over the course of the work and will be making more parts as I complete projects and so on and so forth. By then I hope to have a lot of WIPs finished and I really hope I can learn and grow from this experience not only with my sewing skills but with patience and perseverance too... since the only thing motivating me to finish this is myself and I'm not a great cheerleader.
So without further ado, on to the real stuff!
Project 1: Grey Italian Gown
This dress has been in my "to-do" pile since I dropped its making in the fall. I was supposed to go to Colonial Williamsburg but I got very sick and sadly may not be able to go at all. That thought alone put me off sewing for a while because I didn't see a point in finishing something that was giving me so much trouble in its making, combined with school, the busy season of Christmas, and now the pandemic. But I am and was determined to finish it, so I'm going to include everything from where I left off. The gown was almost finished when I left it, minus sewing of the sleeves, light boning of the bodice, front closures, hemming, and attaching the train. I know that sounds like a lot, but to me, it's good as done because fitting this monster took me FOREVER.
Cutting and fitting are always nerve-wracking for me. I can't help but feel this dread when I start a new project, worrying I'll mess it up and waste precious fabric. But something to remind myself is that in the end, I'm always learning and I've never made something so completely messed up that it was unwearable. Sure I've had projects I was really disappointed in, but I am growing to find that I'm a relatively quick learner and I figure at this point, I can only go up.
PROGRESS UPDATE: between writing the above blurb and this current date of Thursday, May 28th (far more than a month's time passage) I have completed the grey gown! My lovely sister took photos of the finished product!
 |
| I feel like I've really improved since making this beige disaster of a gown last summer! Although it's hard to see the flaws for a lot of other people, this picture makes it obvious that I've learned how to set sleeves since then. I also like the lower back fitting much better on my grey gown, even though I could and will still improve as I venture deeper into 18th-century techniques. |
I am really proud of this one and even though my computer is butchering the quality of the photos, I assure you it felt marvelous to frolic a safe distance from humanity!
Project 2: Golden Stays
So as this next project stands, fitting is beyond change. I measured and measured, but these stays are just slightly too big which is sad, although better than being too small. However, they are still wearable despite the overlapping in the back. I am making this section shorter since I have not finished these yet and I might add an update segment when I do. They are by all means beyond lining and finishing the top binding, complete, and that means wearable to my impatient state of mind.
 |
| early progress photo! |
 |
| First real try on :) |
I am overall very pleased with them besides the problem of them being slightly too big (the back meets and overlaps, which usually shouldn't happen with a fitted garment like stays, which need room to take in and let out, plus the ability to be tight enough for support and stiffness for pinning the gown over) They also don't have a ton of structure in the front in spite of heavy boning, but again, these are all learning points for me and I'm really happy with how they turned out in general.
Project 3: The Goldenrod Gown
So in making this dress I had several goals: one was to conquer this whole front-closing-over-stomacher style we see in 18th-century dresses so often. I actually have a deep red 18th-century jacket started that is made in this style and I simply haven't been motivated to finish it. But this dress gives me a reason to kick myself back into action because fitting it was a dream. Somehow everything came together so well and that was extremely pleasing for someone who puts off projects purely because I hate fitting so much. In making this I am quickly learning that sometimes jumping out of your comfort zone and avoiding the second guess stage can be really helpful for making progress. As I am writing this section I still haven't set the sleeves and that worries me a little... but no! I have sworn off worrying about things I will do and probably not fail at if I only had a little heart in it!
My other goals for this dress were to see if I could squeeze out all the pieces and still have enough for a full skirt because I really wanted to make a round gown type thing instead of another Italian gown. This dress reads like an English gown of an earlier era than my usual 1770s-80s (1740s, 50s perhaps?)
And finally, I really wanted to see if I could fill out my 18th-century kit with this one, by making other garments alongside it as a motivator. I wanted to acquire a shift (oh dear total failure... I messed up SO badly I can't even talk about it) and I wanted to make a cap and matching embroidered fichu (kerchief). As of this moment in time, I am focusing entirely on the dress, but I have an inkling that the cap will be a fun and an easy bit to do, and I really enjoy embroidery so the fichu won't be too difficult either.
For the cap, I plan on using a chocolate brown ribbon to contrast the tiny brown flowers on the gown's fabric, and for the fichu, I have a nicely contrasting copper thread and perhaps I'll throw in some gold or okra too.
I am going to leave this one a mystery for now, and put up the photos for it in part 2 because I'm feeling like I need a bit of motivation to finish it!
(plus this post is already much longer than I had planned! Oh well)
In conclusion, I have been busy. Very busy. Highschool is drawing to a close and I am working hard to keep up my motivation and continue on with projects and ideas. I have a lot of stuff planned and I'm really really excited to see what the summer of 2020 means for dressmaking and stay-making and all sorts of new adventures as I, but a scrap of a seamstress, take my first wobbly strides into this big ol' world of linings and bonings and backstitches and panniers.
Huzzah good friends, stay safe and I'll see you all soon! (probably in part 2)
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