sinituulia, 7 months ago to FiberArts

Tentatively attempting to continue with #TheAngelicaGown after practical and mental roadblocks

Please send beneficial vibrations across the aether 😶​

#Sewing #HistoricalCostuming

sinituulia, 9 months ago to random

The Sleevening, it has begun.

Putting on the sleeves of #TheAngelicaGown as per 18th century methods, basting on the lower sleeve on the arm's eye, then pinning on the top of the sleeve onto the shoulder strap while worn.
Generally you'd want another person for this, but alas I only have cats to assist me.

A six second quite low quality clip of Sini trying on an 18th century gown with a teal base and red flower print. The lower part of the sleeves are attached to the bodice, while the shoulder seams are not. Sini is also wearing a fetching red petticoat that pleasantly matches the gown, and does a very little dance in addition to doing a spin to show all sides.
Another of the same, but this time the top of the sleeves have been pinned in place, and the sleeve head and shoulder straps follow the line of Sini's shoulders. Rather a large portion of what would in modern garments be the shoulder portion of the bodice is sleeve, here.

sinituulia, 9 months ago to FiberArts

Current source of serotonin:
This dart on the sleeve serendipitously and accidentally being in the absolute perfect spot

#Sewing #TheAngelicaGown

sinituulia, 9 months ago to FiberArts

I have been sewing this skirt on for two hecking days!
Progress on #TheAngelicaGown, where I've attached the skirts to the bodice with a hand appliqué stitch, through all the cumbersome layers.
I'm tired now, look at some photos before and after ironing the seam allowances as per historical methods.

#HistoricalCostuming #Sewing

A very close up photo of the edge of the bodice and where it joins the skirt. The stitches are visible but small, and there are basting threads still in. The stitch visually resembles what you would see, or feel, at the edge of a woollen blanket.
Photo of the reverse. The multitudes of pleats and the little, slightly scattered looking wrong side of the stitch, following the curve of the bodice edge. The pleats are all horky borky and the unfinished top edge of the skirt is unravelling slightly.
Reverse of the full inside, after ironing. The bodice and skirt seam allowances have been pressed down, away from the waist. They do a funny little accordion thing, where the excess skirt edge folds down. It was done like this, I don't really know, but it helps jut out the skirt shape and removes bulk from the waist.

sinituulia, 9 months ago to random

Now moving onto the skirt sections of #TheAngelicaGown which means trying to fit a whole bunch of fabric onto a desk that is constantly occupied by at least one cat. It's something like 96cm tall and 3m in dimensions and rather a lot of fabric to wrangle. I've joined all the seams but now there's a little bit of hemming to do before I have to get started with Pleat Math, which is always kind of a whole thing. (I prefer pleat maths to a million pins because of aforementioned cats)

sinituulia, 9 months ago to FiberArts

Today's #TheAngelicaGown progress: finishing the bodice edges! The centre front was folded and prick stitched to join it onto the lining that holds the lacing eyelets. The other front and neck edges I whipstitched from the wrong side, the needle grabbing some threads on the right side. (Kinda visible in last two photos?)
The back edges were a bit tricky: The frankly reckless amount of seam allowance trimming to turn it gracefully not visible in photos. 😂​

#HistoricalCostuming #Sewing

Top down photo of the back of the bodice, on a desk. The edges of what is the side front have a little bit of the right side peeking, and hem stitching attaching the lining edge to the front. The very back, which forms a very long and curving point, has had its seam allowances tacked down with basting thread. The seam allowance edges are raw, both fabrics together and the lining extending further than the fashion fabric, due to the thickness of the materials thus folded.
Right side view of the same, the point visible with all of its messy structure facing the desk and hidden from view. The thickness of the eight-fold fabric at the very point is not visible and for such a worked bit of garment, it looks rather neat. The basting stitches from the reverse cause some little warping in the fashion fabric, which has red flowers on a dark teal base.

sinituulia, 9 months ago to FiberArts

More #TheAngelicaGown progress: fitting the front outer fabric to the bodice lining!
On such a close fitting shape you can either just overlay the layers flat, or did what I did, which is to baste down the side seam of the front and then pin it in place on the body for the smoothest possible finish. Just pinned on here, it does look pretty nice!

#Sewing #HandSewing #HistoricalCostuming

A six second clip of Sini modelling the bodice of an 18th century gown in progress. The viewer's left side front pattern piece has been pinned onto the brown linen lining layer. It looks rather snug and smooth, while the right side of the front hangs loose, attached to the side seam and held in Sini's hand. The bodice is worn over stays and a red petticoat with a false rump under it.
The same, except both sides have been pinned down. The front shoulder strap seam allowances stick up, unsewn, and there is the glint of pins and some excess in the centre front, otherwise the bodice sand sleeves and skirt looks pretty finished. The bodice fits like a glove. Sini does a little spin and then a little jerky sideways dance, face completely expressionless.

sinituulia, 10 months ago to FiberArts

First fitting of the lining of the actual #TheAngelicaGown - it fits pretty great! The mock-up was already very good but it's always nice when it translates to a fitting final piece.
It's way too hot for it but I still need to mess with my wonkier shoulder, and I really don't want to because am out of energy. Must construct additional pylons, etc.

#Sewing #HistoricalCostuming

A six second clip of Sini doing a little spin while wearing the lining of a bodice cut and made in the 18th century style. It is mostly brown linen, but the straps and centre back piece of the bodice are a teal fabric with red flower patterns. It is worn on top of a very voluminous rump padding as well as a full red petticoat or skirt, and a short sleeved white linen shift. The bodice fits smoothly and almost perfectly. There is some very slight hinkiness with the right shoulder.

sinituulia, 10 months ago to handsewing

Slowly putting together the skirt panels for #TheAngelicaGown by using the mantua maker's seam.
It's a fun little historical method that involves basting the seam together, trimming one side of seam allowance, folding the other around it, and felling through all layers. The end result is a finished seam with only one sewn stitch.
Only possible when #HandSewing but quite neat!

A photo from the other side, still on the reverse, of a finished seam. There are tiny little whipstitches just visible and the seam allowance resembles the way a French seam is, with the little ridge of finished seam jutting out on the inside of the garment.
The same as previous, but from the right side. There are nigh imperceptible little bits of stitching thread visible in the ditch of the seam, but it's very very subtle. The seam looks otherwise like any other seam, except like it might benefit from some ironing open. The fabric itself is a dark teal with vibrant red flowers and leaves in olive gold and light green.