Il Fiore Nero Costumery

Pattern review: Truly Victorian 143 – Small Hoop Crinoline

2026-01-20T13:04:00.002+01:00

Let's do a small throwback to 2024, when I started to do 1860s again...

My crinoline (hoopskirt), always made after a TV kit, was old and needed some adjustments. It was far too big and quite impractical in a camp-based contest like the one I was going to have. Wearing a bridal crinoline was out of discussion, so I did a small research and came across this pattern always by TV.

I had everything to make it already in my stash and the instructions looked so clear and easy to follow. I used a strong cotton canvas found at a local thrift shop, marked all the lines were the boning channels will be and started sewing.

The seams were overlocked to save time and then ironed to one side to be flat and allow boning installment. A slit with a placket is present at center front and the upper edge was simply turned under twice to form a drawstring channel. I used cotton twill tape to make boning channels but you can use bias tape as well. The tapes end at a certain point creating an opening where you have to insert the boning.

I didn't take further photos during the construction which was very straightforward and if I remember well, I was able to finish it in just a weekend.

The hoopskirt done! It's definitely much smaller than my old one but way more practical!

And that's the crinoline worn over a brand new black cotton skirt! Personally I prefer a more trapezoidal shape when its comes to crinolines (I think they fit my body type and modest height much better) but this model works good as well and is a good alternative for those ladies who don't sport exaggerated silhouettes. I'd definitely recommend this pattern!

A floral Regency short gown and skirt

2025-12-11T16:10:00.003+01:00

Hi everyone!

Long time has gone since the last post...and I feel like we've missed a lot. I moved to another region, changed my job (I'm no longer a full time historical costumer alas...but I'm always employed in the sewing industry...), got married and changed a little my focus on historical reenactment introducing new eras (like 17th century) and putting apart some (18th century).

But let's try to start again. I have updated my "19th century" archive right now and noticed that despite the lack of time, I managed to make something new. The floral short gown is one of the few things I made and it has a special meaning to me as I made right after the loss of Furio, my beloved tuxedo cat passed at the end of August 2023.

First of all, what's a short gown?

Short gown is a sort of jacket worn during late 18th century and early Empire/Regency era (I'm Italian so I should talk of Empire fashion though...) which is perfect for informal and/or working occasions. As the name suggests, the short gown is...short, though the lengths may vary according to fashion trends and purposes. Short gowns were often made in linen, wool and cotton and feature a drawstring closure at neckline and lower bust, some had a separate front lining and some not. I made mine in late 18th century style with a separate lining that crosses over the bust and my stays and a moderately high waistline. Plain, prints, and stripes were all very popular and sleeves came also in several shapes from short to long. My favourite is the 3/4 length.

Some extant examples...

I wanted this project to be fast and low budget. Very low budget. I'm trying to use my stash instead of buying new stuff so I used what I had on hand...I'm sure you recognized this.

Sounds familiar?

It is! The famous Ikea duvet made it again! I had several left overs from my robe à l'anglaise which were enough to make a jacket or a small bodice so here there we go...

The construction was pretty much straightforward, I basically used my round gown pattern for bodice and sleeves and used a simple rectangle to make the skirts; I used machine stitching inside and hand finish outside as usual. I planned to wear it with my frilled chemisette but the weather was too hot. I left sleeves unlined to stay cooler and I'm so glad I did.

I didn't take photos of the skirt but it has the classic trapezoidal shape with cotton straps.

Some close ups...

A hat was mandatory...

Caught on the job by FotoDidi

My not impressed face in 36°C heat...

A classic mirror selfie before heading to the camp...

And that's all for now.

I wish I had took more detailed photos of the inside of the jacket but I didn't have the chance to wear it again as my presence in Empire reenactment is quite low at the moment...

I hope you'd happy to read from me again and found inspired enough to make your own short gown!

1890s Cheerios jacket

2020-10-01T16:40:00.002+02:00

Let's talk about another project made this year during the lockdown. Take a drink, eat popcorn because this jacket has a long story. I called this project "Cheerios" because of the colour of the fabric.

After watching Crimson Peak movie a couple of years ago I fell in love with the costumes and immediately wanted to reproduce the yellow dress, though it's not properly my colour. I went to the fabric shop, found some lovely mustard cotton but then I realized it wasn't enough for a complete dress. Nevermind, I bought it with the intention to make a fitted bodice. I adapted the pattern to my measures, cut the mockup, did some fittings, cut sleeves lining...and put everything in a box for 3 or 4 years. Don't ask me why I didn't finish it before. There was something wrong with me and my mind and I was literally afraid to start working on that out of stock cotton (you know...no room for error!).

So I waited. And waited. And waited. Until last year, when I found the mock up in a box and remembered of this project. I put the mockup on the dress form and it looked ok but when I tried it on, I immediately realized there was no enough room for the overlap at center fronts. I did darts smaller, put a facing. Nothing. It was way too tight. This was probably the reason why I didn't finish it back then. Totally discouraged, I took the mock up and put in the box for some months again.

During the lockdown I was looking for some easy sewing projects to do using stash materials as long as I couldn't order something new and - oh! - this little thing came to my mind again. This time the sewing Gods were with me. I tried the mock up on and - omfg - I understood I could turn the bodice into a fitted jacket with reverse, MY FAVOURITE THING! Squeeee! I rip the mock up, cut the fashion fabric, assembled the whole thing and admired how beautifully this jacket looked with a plastron instead of a sleeveless blouse.

I ordered an antique silk organza and lace plastron on eBay but alas it was too delicate so I used it as reference to draft a pattern and make one of my own using some cotton and laces from stash. So much better as I could move and breath in the jacket without ruining the delicate silk organza. After finishing the bodice and adding the boning I worked with the sleeves, which were incredibly big; they are attached to a fitted sleeve lining so there's no way to use sleeve supports; I stitched some netting in the upper cap of the sleeve to give just some support.

Then I made buttonholes (later covered by hand) and used vintage honey buttons to close it.

And it was done!

Then summer came and couldn't wear it until last weekend, when the weather finally allowed me to put it on for the whole day. And my friends, it was a success! Enjoy! Sometimes it's amazing to see how wrong projects can turn into something beautiful and unexpected. I wore it with a matching hat with vintage veiling, antique silver buckle, gold pleated earrings and antique cammeo.

1840s lilac dress

2020-09-30T15:46:00.001+02:00

Let's update this blog a little! Summer has passed (finally!) and this year I have been able to finish a couple of projects due to human temperatures until August... The projects are not in chronological order, I'm going to write about as long as I remember them.

First, a new 1840s dress. I had this lovely lilac cotton in stash for approx 2 years and decided to use it after a looooong wait. I already have a 1840s dress made in 2019 with a fan front but I wanted something different. I used my trusted TV German Day Dress pattern as base for the bodice, while sleeves and skirt are self drafted. I started this project at the beginning of September because I remembered the first version didn't take so long but I was wrong: the bodice took a lot. Almost 2 weeks. 1840s dresses may sound easy but they are not! The sleeves are fitted and have to be well drafted, same as for the elongated waistline in the bodice. Fittings took a while. I had no problems with the longer waistline (the facing piping took away 2,5 cm in lower edge and neckline so it shortened a lot!) but the fit of the bodice was a pain.

I have a weird body with a very small neck but wider shoulders and a "medium" waist, which forces me to make a mix and match of my pattern pieces. My dressform has a huge neck so I can't drape my own patterns over it and this is a problem with back fastening gowns like these. I did all my best to achieve a good fit but the neck is still gaping and the hooks get unhooked. So boring. On the other hand, the bodice was so well fitted along the waistline there's not so much overlap for the hooks. I'm pretty sure these ladies had someone helping them when making their dresses because it's impossible to get a good fit without another pair of eyes... Front closure next time. No way. Or buttons. Buttons are lovely!

Despite these issues, the bodice came together quite well. I just take in some extra cm in the neck and bust area. The bodice is flat lined in cotton, serged, boned in all seams and then trimmed with this lovely lilac braid I purchased online. I wanted to use only stash materials so I used what I had on hand, including this bold cotton cord for piping.

The skirt was a breeze if compared with the bodice. Two rectangles pleated to the waistband with a faced hem and the same braid to cover the stitches. So easy and relaxing!

I completed the look with a straw spoon bonnet from Nehelenia Patterns, trimmed with vintage decorations and cotton sateen ties again from stash. The dress is worn over chemise, corset, corded and tucked petticoat. I only realized my corset provokes a bad wrinkle at top of the bodice for unknown reasons (this was not present when making fittings...) so I will have to fix that together with the back fastening. The day of the event the weather was rainy, cold and cloudy so I had to wear a shawl to protect me a little; the silk parasol was just for scenographic reasons... ;)

WW1 skirt and blouse (Wearing History patterns review)

2020-06-29T14:46:00.001+02:00

So, a long time has passed since my latest post. The Covid lockdown changed many things and I was not in the mood for blogging and talking about costumes. But here we are again! I did a couple of projects during the lockdown, including a WW1 outfit that was on my to-do list from some months. Being a huge fan of 1910s fashion as you may know, I definitely had to try late Edwardian styles. It's not a popular period, especially here in Europe, so when I came across Wearing History patterns I decided I had to try it. Clothes of the period changed dramatically if compared to pre-ww1 years and skirts became shorter and larger to allow more movement since women became more active and started to work outside the house. The blouses lost more of the their frills ending in very practical garments we can still wear today.

I started with the blouse which came together very quickly and easily. The cuffs have a lovely point which is optional if you aim a modern look. It has a drawstring at the waist for ease of wear and fitting but you can also switch to a fixed waistband. The original pattern followed the symbols and the instructions of the original one, released in 1910s; I never used antique patterns before but once you have sewing basics, you can easily do it (also Lauren has some lovely how-to videos on her YT channel where she explains how to put the blouse together).

I used white cotton from stash and mother-of-pearl buttons as fastening with machine sewn buttonholes. Collar and lapels have topstitching. The fit of the blouse was incredibly perfect and only the cuffs required some alterations but it's because I have small wrists and every commercial pattern fits large.

The skirt is included in a huge pattern that allows you to make a full walking suit with a jacket for colder weather. I didn't' made the jacket yet but I plan to make it this fall. I used some purple cotton from stash to make the skirt and the same buttons of the blouse. Buttons are just decorative: the skirt opens and closes at front with a series of snaps since I was out of thread (lockdown, remember?) and could not purchase it. This was the easiest part of the project. It's made just of two pieces with optional external belt and you can choose two different lengths: the longer works for early Edwardian era, the shorter for WW1. Being just 160cm tall the shorter length fits a tad longer than I expected but it's ok since it hits my ankles. As you can see the skirt is pretty much high waisted and this requires a carefully fitting if you don't want your skirt to move or fall down when wearing it. There's a inner belt to stabilize it.

The skirt also needs a little bit of support so consider in making a short petticoat with a ruffle as I did.

I completed the look with a new antique silk parasol dating to 1917 (it has a looong handle and it's huuuuge when fully open) and a proper small hat made using some black cotton and feathers from stash. I'm very happy with this new outfit and I can't wait to wear it properly with a pair of Suffragettes earrings I just ordered.

I forgot to add the whole outfit is worn over chemise and proper underwear but it would look absolutely lovely with modern undies!

Ancient Roman stola and veil in cotton gauze

2020-01-29T12:56:00.000+01:00

I made this outfit several years ago so consider it a restyle. I was sure to have talked about this project on the blog after wearing the dress for the first time but I was wrong... The post is missing so this means I didn't write a thing.

If you followed me for a while you probably understood Ancient Roman fashion is one of my favourites styles; it's simple to make, cheap and very comfy to wear since it's made just of rectangles or geometric shapes fitted to the body with belts. Sounds easy, uh?

After making and selling a couple of dresses I decided to keep the green cotton tunic I wore at Natale di Roma in 2016 for me. I always disliked how the apple green/yellow palla looked on me so I discarded and reused it for other projects (mainly linings and know what? It works perfectly as support for Victorian bodices!), buying some crinkle cotton to make a stola.

What is a stola? Today we use this therm to indicate a shawl but in Roman times, a stola was an outer garment worn by married women. It's basically a tunic sewn at sides pinned at shoulders with brooches, forming a tube that falls in lovely folds around the bust. It doesn't have sleeves because they form automatically when pinning the edges of the neckline above on the shoulders.

The stola can be made in a great range of fabrics, from silks to linen, and colours.

Mine is brown, the only colour I could pair easily with green. It's shaped to the body just with a cotton tape that works as a belt; the stola is a couple of cm longer than my height to allow draping at waist.

The brooches are a reproduction I got from Celtic Web Merchant and work really good. The stola, as the tunic, is machine sewn inside but hand finished outside. I completed the look with a crinkle cotton veil instead of a full palla, which would have made the outfit too heavy to wear in the summer heat.

This complete outfit, or just the stola, can be ordered on Etsy according to your measures and personal tastes!

Full outfit:

Full outfit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/249736243/custom-made-ancient-roman-female-outfit

Stola only:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/554119583/ancient-roman-stola-in-cotton-gauze

1940s cotton dress with long sleeves (Butterick 6485)

2019-12-04T21:17:00.002+01:00

Another dress made using the same Butterick pattern I previously used this summer to make my first retrò creation ever. Going towards the late autumn/early winter I was looking for a long sleeved dress so I gave this pattern another chance since I really wanted to try out the long sleeves option. I grabbed some green cotton from stash and with some wise pattern placement I was able to cut my brand new dress using a veeeeery limited amount of fabric, which this time was long enough to use the full length of the skirt pieces. Alas the sleeves turned out a little bit shorter than I expected but it's not a big issue since I would have used gloves to fill the gap.

As with the other dress, the instructions were absolutely easy to follow and being my second time with this pattern I didn't read them. The hem is approx 5 cm wide to add weight and structure.

To complete my seasonal look I decided to use true vintage accessories from my closet, including a new (modern) pair of seamed stockings. I have a problem with nylon stockings/tights and so on because I find them incredibly uncomfortable (how can you wear them everyday? Lucky you!) so I suffered a little to take these shots but the result was really worthy.

The only difference with the other dress as you can see is the sleeve option, the skirt length and the zipper placement, which here is on the left side and not on the back (big mistake...you really need that opening to wear the dress so don't skip the back zipper or your head won't pass - I had to make my neckline much lower to allow it). The rest was made exactly as the summer version.

I'm very happy with autumnal look and I can't wait to make another version of this dress, this time using another great feature of the pattern: the changeable front/shoulder pieces! They can be made in different colours to allow a multiple combinations of styles and, why not, to use small remnants of fabric we have at home. Stay tuned!

A 1860s purple skirt and bolero

2019-11-01T15:53:00.000+01:00

When it can not be made in black, it has to be purple!

Alas my antique 1850s parasol didn't come on time and had to use this one ...

This costume has a long story. It was originally planned for last year but you know, I can hardly respect my own schedule regarding personal project. So I waited. And waited. I started a fitted bodice last spring (see photos below) but never had the chance to finish it due to lack of time and precocious heat waves; the cotton used for this project is kinda thick and it can't be in the middle of the summer without literally melting in it, including all the undergarments and the false sleeves.

But when we decided to reenact 1860s in Marlia last September I immediately realized I had to work on this piece again. I needed something lightweight but also easy and quick to make. The challenge was not impossible at all but the deadline was approaching fast. I mean, the skirt was already cut and serged, the facing was already prepared, the trim was already in stock and I had an almost brand new Garibaldi blouse in my wardrobe used just for a couple of shots. So why not making a new, matching bolero?

I already made a 1860s bolero with pagoda sleeves earlier this winter but in bright red, definitely not the best combo for a purple skirt. I had some leftovers in stash of purple cotton, enough to make a sleeveless bolero (remember what I said before about heat waves? Well, we had another one in mid September, just some days before leaving for Tuscany...). I decided to use only materials from stash to save money and time (there was no time at all to order materials online and wait for them to be delivered...) and went for a vintage trim to decorate the jacket, the same I used for the red one. Not the best choice but at least it worked. I went for a geometric design, the best I could achieve with that kind of trim. Something tells me it will be remade very soon after the event...

The bolero came together really fast, just in a day or 2. It is lined in cotton and with piping around neckline and lower edges of sleeves. It's worn over a Garibaldi blouse and a black cotton swiss waist. The skirt was also made quickly. Most of the time was spent pleating and attaching the waistband. I made this skirt to have a typical 1860s look with fewer pleats at front and much volume at the back; I do not have an elliptical crinoline so it has the same width and length all around. It has pleats facing at upper edge, hem facing at bottom and a side closure.

The hat is a simple wool brimless hat with a silk muslin veil on top. Gloves and brooch are antique pieces while the earrings are by dear The Lady Detalle on Etsy.

The weather during the day became too hot to wear the bolero so ta-dah! It was time to take it off and show the world my swiss waist!

The Swiss Waist was fashionable accessory worn by women to enhance the small waist and add interest to very simple garments like blouse and skirt. Mine was made after a pattern in "The Victorian Dressmaker book" by Prior Attire. I used some black cottons from stash, some crochet trim and eyelets at the back. It truly makes the difference and I felt really stylish.

But look at the amazing pics I got with it!

And that's all for now! Of course I will try to finish the fitted bodice before next heat waves... maybe for Christmas? :)

A corded petticoat (1830s/1850s)

2019-11-01T14:17:00.002+01:00

What is exactly a corded petticoat?
I'm sure you already came across this therm in your costuming journey. Before the invention of the cage crinoline, the fashionable bell shape was achieved wearing multiple layers of petticoats. With multiple, I mean a lot. Of course all these layers needed a foundation garment to support the weight: the corded petticoat.

Some extant examples...

An original petticoat from MET museum

Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Corded petticoat from 1850s

Made of several rows of cording, the petticoat helped to support the weight of all those skirts needed to achieve the desired silhouette. The position, dimension, layout of the cording could vary, as well the length of the petticoat itself. There are examples of shorter petticoats, and some were corded only at the bottom. There are two ways to make a corded petticoat.

Method 1: two layers of fabric (cotton or linen) and the cording sandwiched in between (you can use a zipper foot on your machine or a regular one, as I did)

Method 2: corded tucks, the way I chose, keeping in mine that every tuck will make your petticoat shorter so a little bit of math will be involved. Tucks will also add weight to the petticoat.

After this, you can pleat of gather the upper part of the petti before adding the waistband.

My CP in the making... of course over a non Victorian dress.

Corded petticoats may sound intimidating but they're not. They require time, yes, but I find them lovely to make. They're not something you can do a day before your event. Plan ahead. Plus they also need to be starched but I will talk about this step later.

After the corded petticoat, the standard petticoat comes next. Lot of variations here: plain, tucked, with ruffles or frills, in linen, cotton or silk. I chose to make one in cotton lawn from stash, using several tucks to add weight and reduce waste. My fabric was very long (140 cm) and since I already knew I would have never used the leftovers, I decided to use the full length using tucks. I ended with a petticoat of 93 cm approx without losing a cm and zero waste. So historical accurate after all!
After finishing the petticoat, I gathered the upper edge and added a waistband.

Of course Tiffany had to join.

Now the fun part: starching! Starching is an essential step when making Romantic and Early Victorian era undergarments. Starch gives strength and helps to keep the garment itself clean, asking for less frequent washing. Also here there are several ways to make or use starch:

Premade starch: chemical, but will save you some time
Homemade starch: natural, made of rice, corn, potatoes.

The starched standard petticoat.

In every case you need to boil your water and soak your undergarments in a bowl, letting them to dry outside. Once damp or fully dried, iron it and see the magic happen: the starch will give a "paper effect" to your petticoats, which will make an incredibly lovely sound when moving! Check the videos below:

1940s purple cotton dress

2019-08-30T12:19:00.000+02:00

Back on the blog with some exciting things to talk about! My last entry has been in May and many projects developed since then. I'm not going to talk about them in chronological order.

Let's start!

I'm very, very excited about this one. It has been a work of research, growing passion and vintage shopping. It took me weeks (or months) to collect all the accessories for this project - you know, pattern and fabrics often come last. I always loved WW2 fashion but never thought I would have been interested in making, or wearing, a dress from that decade. Too modern for my tastes as I didn't consider post-WW1 fashion with a critique eye for ages.

Then, growing up, some things started to change. I decided to try vintage styles for the first time and it has been amazing! During 40s women were more active, worked, left the house more often and their dresses had to be practical but also feminine (the androgynous figure of the 20s was no longer in fashion...) and this afflicted the way clothing was designed. The 40s woman has a hourglass figure with square shoulders given by shoulder pads, A- line knee-length skirts, medium-long hair and make up. Something I could relate to.

To make my dress I decided to use materials from stash. Being my first attempt at a vintage design I didn't want to invest money in fabrics. I didn't know how I could look with a dress from that era, plus my stash really needs to be cleaned. I had some remnants of purple cotton which were enough for the dress, alas in a shorter length. I don't have what you can call beautiful legs and I don't like to show my knees but I couldn't do otherwise. Also, the dress called for a back zipper... exposed. Omg.

The construction was really straightforward and the dress came together in just two days (you can read my detailed review here), including hemming and attaching the zipper by hand. Yes. By hand, using a prick stitch as in 18th century gowns. The sweetheart neckline pulls a little due to the weight of the interfacing but it's not a problem.

I wore it over a slip and modern underwear as I'm not going to reenact with it.

Now the best part, the accessories!

The veil is authentic italian vintage and I absolutely love how it falls. The spots are very wide and may hurt the sight after a long time but if worn by the hour it's truly acceptable. The straw hat also comes from an italian vintage market, same the brooch. The gloves are vintage (unsure about their real age) and were purchased from abroad at a very ridiculous price. Also the hair net comes from the UK and it saved my look since my hair are too long to be styled in 1940s style.

Now the best pieces. The bag is original from the 40s and was found in a market while looking for vintage/used lace veils! The suitcase was found in a corner of a thrift shop for just 2€. The external surface has scratches but inside it's immaculate. The shoes were found at the same market. They fit perfectly but I didn't realize the bottom part of the heels was damaged and needed to be replaced (this costed me more than the shoes themselves...)

And that's all! I'm very pleased with this project. The pattern is very versatile I already made another version from it with longer sleeves.

Edwardian jumper dress and tucked blouse (1900-1905)

2019-05-13T17:52:00.002+02:00

Finally I can talk about this dress! Before we start, I have to add I didn't draft it by my own but I used a gorgeous pattern by Black Snail Patterns for both dress and blouse; I was out of time to draft a new dress and blouse by myself so I cheated, using the pattern as guide for the main pieces and making my own alterations.

The dress shown in the pattern is very similar to the afternoon dress I planned to make for Venice and shown in PoF 2 by Janet Arnold. Alas, I spent too much time on my 1840s tartan dress and had a very little time to make another frock before leaving. I already had fabric and trim in stash so I could start the work on the dress very quickly; the description says it's a jumper dress, an informal garment worn in summer time with a simple shape, worn over a blouse and a belt. Due to its loose shape it doesn't require a corset so it was perfect for the long and hard day in Venice. Wearing a corset for the whole day was out of question. I wanted to live the day as much as I could without feeling restricted in my Edwardian corset. A simple boned belt would have worked perfectly, and it did.

The dress is worn over my usual Edwardian layers (petticoat, ruffled corset cover ecc ecc) minus the corset.

In the following pics I'm wearing a vintage fur, an antique brooch and parasol, vintage gloves and a self made new hat, covered in black cotton and with a vintage birdcage veil.

The construction was really simple. No lining required so measure carefully before cutting your fashion fabric: there's no room for error! The bodice went together really easily: the sleeves and collar have a self facing, the bottom is gathered to get the "pigeon breast" of the era and attached to a waistband. I changed the way the skirt is pleated. The pattern calls for box pleating and top stitching, which I disliked. I moved all the pleats to the back to have smooth hips and volume in my derriere. I also used snaps instead of buttons and buttonholes to close the bodice because I didn't want to get crazy with buttonholes (I don't find sleeves hard as many costumers out there but I find buttonholes really frustrating!!). The skirt and the waistband close with hooks over a placket. Hem, sleeves and collar were trimmed in black to hide the top stitching. That's all.

The pigeon breast is obtained once the dress is on, using the belt as a firm base to hold the gathers in place.

Before making the dress of course I made the blouse. Very easy construction here as well, if you already know how to make an Edwardian blouse and tucks you're half done. The pattern calls for chest tucks, collar tucks and sleeve ruffle tucks and the chest ones need to be self drafted using the guidelines included in pattern instructions. It took a while but nothing endless. I omitted the lace insertions since there was no time at all. The sleeves have an inner tape to be fitted at the elbow. I find them a little bit long for my arms so next time I will make them shorter. The rest was absolutely perfect, as it was drafted for me! Forgot to mention I used a size 12 for both blouse and dress.

The blouse looks absolutely gorgeous also without the dress, paired with a simple skirt as I did for this photoshoot.

Making the Kyoto Costume Institute striped jacket pt.2 (1790s)

2019-05-04T15:44:00.000+02:00

After two years I did it. The KCI striped jacket is finished! If you are an old follower of this blog you probably read part 1 of this process, concerning the first steps of patterning. Alas, I never managed to finish this jacket and the toile I made remained in my stash for a long time. I had everything - the fabric, the buttons, the pattern - but I didn't feel ready to work on it, probably because the fabric was no longer available for purchase and there was no room for error.

But I'm so glad I waited. My body changed too much in two years and my skills improved.

The first thing I made was to work again on the mock up, draping it on the dress form according to my new measures. The back was still perfect (just a little bit of room at sides) but the front was way too big. I ended up in taking approx 6 cm on both front pieces! I also had to alter sleeves lining, which were too roomy in biceps area. After this, I could start to work on the fashion fabric.

The construction was really straightforward. I lined collar pieces with fashion fabric instead of using scalloped scissors (my cotton frayed too much), pressed them and basted; then I sewed lining and fabric together leaving a small gap at the back to turn everything right side out. Not a HA sewing technique but its gives a clean and fast finish, if you press it properly after. I made the same with the sleeves, basting cuffs to the fashion fabric and joining the fabric and lining at wrists. Armholes were then serged. Again, not HA but all my costumes have modern finish inside to last in time.

Just some notes about the cuffs. They are not functional. There's no need to button them because they match perfectly my wrists but buttons can be added as decoration; I decided to leave them off for now since the original garment doesn't have button in sleeves.

Waiting for front collar pieces...

Then buttonholes. Again, like in the cuffs, just a row of buttons is functional. Sewing all the buttons took a while, they had to be sewn at a specific distance to look specular and the functional row deserved more attention since my figure is not perfectly symmetrical.

The last step has been the decorative sash, made out of light blue cotton sateen I had in my stash from ages. Last but not least the wig. My hair are naturally curly but way too long to be styled, so after a long wait I decided to use a wig

And it was done! After the first complete fitting, I could look at my new creation with a more critical eye and noticed my hip pad is too big for a late 18th century figure. The jacket looks better if worn without skirt supports, allowing the multiple skirt layers to do their job. This means I have two make at least two new skirts to balance the absence of the hip pad (I cannot use the red one shown in photos since it would be too long at back...) which could be a good excuse to use some beautiful silk crepe I have purchased recently. Or muslin. Or cotton voile. Still have to decide.

1790s robe en chemise and open robe

2019-04-18T16:42:00.002+02:00

These two pieces have a long story. I made the robe en chemise in spring 2017 and the open robe at the very end of 2018 and could talk about them only now, April 2019. Two years after but it's worthy. Before we start, I'd like to make a short costume history lesson for those who don't know what a robe en chemise (and open robe) is.

At the end of 18th century, fashion evolved. French Revolution and the discovery of the classical world influenced fashion of that time introducing a new idea of simplicity; gowns became less rich and trimmed, white muslin dresses began to spread following the famous chemise à la reine introduced by Marie Antoniette in the 1780s. There was no room for the elaborate trimmings of the previous decades, although sack dresses remained in use as court and very informal wear. The trend started with the Queen of France and simpler models like robes à l'anglaise lead fashion to what we call robes en chemise and open robes.

A robe en chemise is basically a fitted version of the previous chemise à la reine, which is more voluminous especially in sleeves; chemises of the 90s featured quite fitted sleeves, shaped at the elbow and often open at wrist to be closed with buttons. 3/4 sleeves were still in fashion but long sleeves become more common if compared to only 20 years before. Robes en chemise were fitted to the body often with a fitted lining in the bodice and then drawstrings at neckline and waistline as their earlier counterparts. They were made in muslin, cottons, silks, often worn with contrasting petticoats underneath.

A open robe was worn over a chemise dress and crossed under the bust. Waistline began to rise in the 90s, introducing the later Empire line we all know. Corsets were still worn but began to be discarded after 1795. Open robes can have sleeves or not, could be trained or untrained, and could be made in lighter fabrics like cotton or silk as well in multiple colours (I have seen them in red, black, purple, blue, with or without embroidery... the web is full of resources!).

Now that we all know what we're talking about, I can introduce my dress. As I told before, the robe en chemise was made in 2017 altering a pattern I already have and was kinda plain, without trimmings; I originally planned to make a red open robe to go with it but never had the time to start it (the red fabric for that became later my 1770s jacket and skirt...). You can read about this two projects here for the open robe and here for the robe en chemise, which is actually divided into 3 parts.

So at the end of 2018 I needed a comfy dress for my journey in Villa Saraceno (Italy). I needed something simple to move around the house without feeling restricted into a corset or big undergarments. So I took my old robe en chemise and restyled it. I made the back more fitted, moved neckline drawstring at front and trimming it with lot of beautiful net lace.

Once it was done, it was time to drape the open robe lining. I used the pattern by Janet Arnold with some alterations. I only used the lining pieces to make it. It run big in the back so had to remove some cm here and there. The fronts were a little bit longer but nothing that couldn't be fixed. The skirt was very easy to make, just a huge rectangle with a train. The front edges are all hand sewn.

The dress and robe were ready for Villa Saraceno but I never had the chance to shoot them properly until some days ago. I'm so glad I waited because now I can show you my improved outfit: yes, I have a wig! I have very long hair, naturally curly, but not that curly to make 1790s hairstyles. They are long, heavy, parted in the middle, perfect for Victorian stuff but nothing else. So, in pure Georgian style, I put a wig on my head to complete the look. You can spot some of my natural hair here and there, I still have to understand how to hide them all under the wig.

And the robe en chemise without the open robe:

That's all for now! I'm going to make another one in a totally different colour and style using a special fabric. I won't tell you more until it has not started :) Both dress and open robe can be ordered on my Etsy shop, the open robe comes to you custom made!

White Garibaldi blouse and skirt

2019-03-24T16:25:00.000+01:00

This dress is part of a partial restyling. You know I love to restyle my old costumes when and if possible because, due to wrong cuts, trims or lack of replacement regarding fabrics, this cannot always happen. Restyling is not only economical (we all have to deal with budget) but it also allows me to see how much I improved in the years. And trust me, this is the most rewarding aspect of all the work.

I made this white, big skirt back in 2015. You can find the related post clicking here. The skirt was made in an accurate way with hem facing, pleats facing, side closure and so on but it was badly made. The pleats were not pressed and so the side seams, the skirt was too long and touched the floor making walking really difficult and the rectangles of fabric that form the skirt were not well aligned. A nightmare. I also lose lot of weight since I made this skirt so also the waistband needed to be changed. And so I did. I basically remade this skirt entirely, cutting again the rectangles, serging again the seams, pressing them, serging pleats facing (before it was left raw) and shortening the hem. It didn't turn out as new but at least it works now. I also added a lovely geometric trim that was waiting in my stash from ages above the hem to hide facing stitching.

Alas I couldn't fix the bodice. I used Simplicity 1818 for this and in my opinion there are huge mistakes in the design. I made this bodice twice thinking the issues were due to my lack in Victorian sewing but I was wrong; the front of the bodice is pretty accurate with darts, boning, dropped shoulders and pagoda sleeves BUT the back runs really long causing wrinkles and a very ugly loose fitting.

I had to wear this restyled costume for a filming on January 11th 2019 and I realized just a couple of days before the shooting I didn't have time to make a properly fitting bodice. Panic. I didn't want and couldn't wear that wrinkled bodice for the movie so I run to my to my sewing books trying to find a solution. Then I remembered I had also made a loose fitting blouse after a Butterick pattern always in 2015 which really looked like a Garibaldi blouse. A Garibaldi blouse! A quick and easy project I could make in a day or two!

I used a pattern in the Kristina Harris book (really recommended, you can find it on Amazon) and I was ready to go in a while. I used white cotton with fabric covered buttons from stash, that's why they are a little bit too large. I omitted the piping and trims due to lack of time.

What is a Garibaldi blouse? A Garibaldi blouse was a loose fitting, comfortable, breathable garment worn by women in early 1860s as tribute to Italian patriot Giuseppe Garibaldi. Originally made in red wool, they came up in a bunch of colours including black and white. They could be tucked into the skirt (like mine) or attached to a inner waistband to be more fitted. That's all.

Gosh, I'm really broad in shoulders.

And so it was! I added to a black belt to emphasize the waist and add a little bit of contrast. The outfit looked perfectly on screen and on camera as you can see :) I originally planned to sell this white skirt since I want to make at least other two 1860s dresses but for now I will probably keep it. It looks so much better now and it's really delicate and feminine.

The whole outfit can be ordered on my Etsy shop in a customized version.

A 1840s tartan dress and bonnet

2019-03-20T12:45:00.000+01:00

First post of the year! Lot of time has passed since the last time but you know I only post when I finish a new outfit... This time I have to talk about two new dresses, both worn in Venice at the beginning of the month. Of course I will make two separate posts so you won't get confused. The first one is a project I dreamed about for so long. SO long. I have a huge passion for crinoline era dresses, especially late 1850s ones before elliptical skirts came into fashion, and fan front bodices. This also includes 1840s fashion with its less voluminous skirts, narrow sleeves and elongated waistlines. Ah, the gothic lady in me... ❥

I didn't know so much about fashion of that time so of course I did my research. Skirts of 1840s were supported by several petticoats (tucked, corded, plain, quilted...) instead of a hoop (not invented yet) so I immediately understood I couldn't cheat with the undergarments I already have, except for my chemise and corset. Before we continue I have to say I don't have to reenact with this dress so I used my classic Victorian corset instead of a corded one. Even the chemise is later but no one will see it...

Choosing the pattern for my dress has been hard; I have some lovely patterns in my Janet Arnold and Norah Waugh books but Waugh's one was closer to my aesthetic. I wanted something plain and simple being my first jump into the 40s but I dared with fabric. Tartan, here I come! I was out of time as usual so I didn't care about pattern matching.

The original pattern in Norah Waugh's book

Now, working on the pattern. I omitted the pointed cuffs and altered the bodice to be fan front, raised the neckline but the rest was left unaltered; skirts were just two rectangles of fabric pleated and open at the back with a placket. That's all. The bodice closes at the back. I added contrasting black piping in armhole, neckline and bodice bottom (did I say I preferred to make two separate pieces so that I can always make an evening bodice?). Neckline turned a little bit too large but I can fix it with a brooch.

The bottom edge of the fan front bodice is gathered with several raws of stitching secured to the lining.

The construction was really straighforward. Having made 1860s dresses before really helped. To make this dress you need to know basic rules of Victorian dressmaking such as flat lining and piping.

To complete the outfit I obviously needed a bonnet. I looooove making hats, despite being not a super skilled milliner. I used some velvet and cotton for lining I had in stash and some vintage millinery flowers as decoration.

And now the photos!

These were taken in Venice. Being Carnevale I used modern make up, a wrong purse and wrong gloves. I simply didn't care.

Some details of the bonnet

I'm so happy with this costume I'm already planning another one for summer, in a different fabric (plain this time).

1780s blue round gown from MoMu museum

2018-11-22T17:59:00.000+01:00

New season, new costume replica. Not that new, considering I was thinking to reproduce this dress from 2016 or so... It took me two years of planning, waiting, looking for sources, collecting fabrics, waiting again, patterning and so on but I did it!

I'm talking about this famous 1780s round gown (also labelled as Levite) from MoMu museum in Antwerp! I guess many of you already saw these photos on Pinterest...

There are very few resources available about this dress and very few photos as well. It's shown with or without lace cuffs and the big fichu hides the back completely, making the visual understanding of the garment almost impossible. Bodice front also looks like pinned or closed with well hidden hooks.

The skirt pleating also looks weird for 18th century standards and if you came to this conclusion you're absolutely right. The lady of Atelier Nostalgia (check all her social media, she makes gorgeous costumes!) was so kind to explain me the skirt was re-pleated in 1860s, I suppose to accommodate the new fashion trends. She's Dutch so she definitely has more info about this dress (thanks dear!).

This really helped me in figuring out how my dress was going to be.

The pattern

I altered my robe à l'anglaise pattern and used it as base for bodice and skirt. Being a round gown, the front skirt is attached to the back skirt at sides, as a normal 18th century skirt you'd wear as a separate garment. It sounds confusing but it's really easy to understand how it works when you're going to wear the dress. The beauty of round gowns is you don't have to make a full, separate skirt, you have all you need in a single dress but - on the other hand - you cannot play with different skirts to create a variety of looks.

For the back I went for en fourreau cut. Worst idea ever. I never worked with en fourreau cuts before and I've to say they're not easy as they seem. The pleats have to be made before sewing the back to the rest of the bodice, need to be ironed and basted carefully to look symmetrical and then hand stitched to the lining to be secured. Sounds easy? Not at all. My back turned out lovely but not so perfect so I wouldn't recommend this technique to a beginner.

The long sleeves of the dress were self drafted using the 1790s sleeve diagram provided by American Duchess in her book.

The skirts were made as usual, cutting the back longer according to my measurements across the faux cul and folding the excess at front inside the waistband. Of course I left slits open at sides to reach my hanging pockets underneath.

I decided to close my bodice with pins as usual. Pinning is not only historical accurate, it also permits you to wear your beautiful dress if subjected to weight alterations.

The fabric

Italian cotton in petrol blue, really similar to the original one (which was in silk taffeta), cotton sateen for the fichu and bodice lining, silk organza for the cap and net lace for the sleeves.

Working time

I would say the working process took about a week but because I had to pattern the sleeves from zero and I struggled a lot with the back pleats; otherwise, I would have been able to complete it in 5 days or so. Of course this dress features lot of hand stitching.

And now...the photos! When we took the pics (it was during an event so excuse the people and the modern elements on the background) it was rainy, cloudy and muddy so I wore my wool short cape to stay warm.

Another mission completed! Now let's back to work on another reproduction, this time from Kyoto Costume Institute in Japan :)

1910s walking dress (revisited)

2018-10-08T22:58:00.000+02:00

Available on Etsy: HERE

A project from a couple of months ago, at the beginning of the spring. I had to attend a Belle Epoque picnic in Turin in the city center, so I needed a dress elegant and practical at the same time. I didn't want to spend money on a new dress so I decided to restyle an old Edwardian/Titanic era dress I had in my wardrobe. Made in 2014 and restyled the first time in 2015, the dress was actually wearable despite its technical issues but it needed a massive, new restyling. You can read about the two previous makeovers here.

I basically left it unaltered as it was made in 2015 but I remade the hem (the skirt was too long), the back pleats and the inner seams, including all the serging. I also removed the macrame lace and went for some velvet ribbons, all hand sewn.

And some photos of the event...

And the dress in motion!

It was cloudy and rainy so I wore my 1910s velvet coat.

The flower under the bust is a tribute to Paul Poiret, plus it's part of my brand's name! The dress form does not give justice to the gown, which looks better on the real body. Unfortunately I still dislike how the skirt falls on the back, plus the neckline is really too low behind the neck BUT despite this, is still a lovely costume I'm planning to wear for another couple of times. I still have to make proper photos with it on so let's keep in touch!

Regency dress "Boston", museum replica

2018-10-06T23:13:00.001+02:00

Let me introduce this project. First of all, I've never been into Regency era. Oh well, yes, I've been, but never so much passionate; I prefer more fitted clothes, more structure and more volume. Yes, Empire gowns are extremely comfortable, easy to make and budget friendly (if you're going to make a day dress), look good on smaller body types like mine and are good friends in the summer heat but...they miss something. I don't know how to describe this feeling, I always feel like I missed something at home when I wear an Empire dress, probably because it looks like a modern dress rather than an historical one.

Then I made Boston... and everything changed.

Boston is not the he first Empire dress I made after an extant dress (read about the MoMu dress here) but it has something special.

The weeks before the event in Marlia (Tuscany) I felt really down. There were high expectations from this event and my mind started to suffer; I felt like all my dresses were absolutely wrong, badly made, poor and miserable, all my patterns useless. I had too much pressure. The more my work goes on and the more I expect from me and my dresses. They have to fit in a certain way and have to be finished in THAT way; I would never, never go to an event with a machine sewn hem or a wrong fabric, I try to take care of every detail. So I feel really disappointed, sad and gloomy. I wanted to stay at home that weekend to work on other stuff. I also forgot to mention the dress I planned to wear (which now fits again!) was too heavy for the heat wave we had in September and my short sleeved green dress wouldn't have been a great replacement. So frustrating.

Than my boyfriend decided to take me to the fabric store three days before the event. He wanted me to go because I needed that break away from home (and he was right). At first I refused; I was out of time to make a dress (I had to leave on Saturday morning and we were on Wednesday...) and had no ideas about. Then I walked into the fabric store and found this. The perfect fabric. Striped cotton sateen in burgundy. I made a quick research on Google and Pinterest and found an extant dress at MFA Boston. It is more 1815 but our event was set in 1810s so it would have been perfect!

And so Boston was going to be made...

I had everything: a pattern, plain cotton for lining, buttons for the back closure, thread in matching colour and a lovely black velvet belt. I immediately pre-washed the fabric and luckily it dried quickly. The bodice was cut and assembled the same day, skirt and sleeves the day after so that I had the dress finished on Friday. I still ask myself how I did...but I did! And it was a success. Trust me, I never got so many compliments like on this gown!

I altered a little the design of the dress to fit my pattern and I used buttons instead drawstring as fastening. There was no time at all to draft another model. The original dress has also detachable sleeves but unfortunately I don't have enough fabric to make them.

And now the photos...

The original dress on the left

A success. The colour of my fabric is really vibrant and bright as shown in the photos, the stripes are of the same width of the original dress and so the sleeves. As told before I had to change some small details like omitting the piping and the ribbon at the back, but it's not a big issue.

I got so many beautiful pics at the event, not like last year (when I was wearing an anonymous brown caraco some of you may remember - now sold). I'm so happy with this outfit I decided to offer copies of it on my Etsy shop!

Other photos of the real Boston....

The detachable sash...

...and the detachable sleeves!

1770s red cotton jacket and skirt for Fulda, Germany

2018-10-06T22:17:00.002+02:00

An outfit made some months ago for an important event in Eichenzell, Fulda, Germany! Me and my group Le vie del tempo attended the famous "Zeitreise ins 18. Jahrundert" last August and I needed a new outfit for the occasion. I didn't want an elegant dress since we had to move around the camp (a partial mistake, many ladies had elegant and luscious silk dresses!) so I decided to make a skirt and a simple jacket.

I had some yards of red cotton in my stash which were enough to make skirt and jacket (approx 3 mt in total). The yardage for the jacket was less but I managed to cut out the pieces easily. The jacket is lined in cotton, skirts included, is not boned and closes at front with cotton lacing. The stomacher is pinned to the stays as usual.As you can see in the following photos, the jacket as no waist seam.

Since we had to live at the camp for three days, I also made an apron to protect my skirt from dust, ashes and grass. So glad I did it! The apron was partially stained the second morning by my foundation...nothing a little bit of bleach cannot remove but imagine if this stain was on the skirt! Eeek! The fabric is lightweight white cotton also from stash and with a cotton tape in the upper edge.

Detail of stitching

The skirt is made in the accurate 18th century way, using two rectangles of fabric shaped at the waist measuring over hips pads at the back and folding the excess inwards at front. Of course it has slits at sides to reach my hanging pockets. It is pleated at front and back.

The whole thing took just a couple of days to make! Unfortunately I didn't manage to make a linen jacket for the cooler weather in the evening (time is always against me) but I'm pretty much happy with this one. It was really hepful with the very hot weather we had over there in Germany (more than 30°!)

I wanted to add some cotton sleeve tuckers to make it richer but I decided to leave it as it is - sometimes less is better. Now I just have to add a pair of mittens and a better hat to complete my new colonial outfit.

Edwardian skirt and blouse, circa 1900-1905

2018-09-11T16:41:00.003+02:00

I've always been fascinated by the style of early Edwardian era, with those lightweight blouses, fabrics, delicate laces and floating skirts. While I made a lot of 1910s costumes for me and clients, I never had the opportunity to make something earlier for me except an old white dress made after a Butterick pattern.

Last Sunday I had to act in a very early Edwardian event so I definitely needed to sew something. I wanted something practical but elegant at the same time so what's better than a blouse and a skirt? Unfortunately I didn't take construction pics, the process was extremely fast.

Fabrics used:

- Cotton sateen in brown for the skirt, flat lined in cotton

- Cotton voile in white for the blouse (Ikea curtain, from a thrift store), flat lined in cotton

- White lace fabric for chest insertion and cuffs

- White lace trim to cover up chest insertion

Blouse was made first. I cut bodice, peplum and sleeves before working on the lace. Cuffs are lined in cotton while the rest of lace is not lined. Sleeves and blouse botton were then gathered to fit armhole, cuffs and peplum. When I was done with the cotton and the lace I attached a cotton tape to refine the raw edges instead of making a facing and hand sewn snaps over there as fastening. In this way the edges were reinforced and cleaned at the same time and I didn't have to sew buttonholes. I used the same tape to make collar hem.

Then I worked on the skirt. I flat lined it in cotton to add support and I'm so happy with this technique. It truly makes THE difference in how the skirts falls, especially in the hem. The skirt has two deeps pleats at center back and placket opening on the left side with snaps. The hem is turned with wide bias tape.

I wanted to add a velvet ribbon as decoration to hide the stitching but I was in a rush...

I managed to take some photos before the event. The hat was also made by me last year and it's all made of black cotton sateen with ostrich feathers.

Necklace and parasol are antique pieces from my collection! I have an addiction for mourning jewelry and accessories...

More professional shots...

More to come!

I'm really happy with this outfit, the blouse fits like a glove and is really comfy to wear in the summer heat. Being white it can be combined with a great variety of skirts so stay tuned!

Ikea LJUSÖGA robe à l'anglaise (1770-1780s)

2018-06-29T16:26:00.000+02:00

I joined the club, at last! I made my own Ikea Ljusoga robe à l'anglaise! Squeeeee! I waited this moment for almost two years. I purchased the fabric when I joined my group Le Vie del Tempo in 2016 and it laid in its envelope since then. I never had the time to work on this dress before, even if I started to make a mock up last year. Then things happened and I have been forced (read: forced) to make an elegant 18th century dress for an event at Venaria court. I also lost weight in the last 6 months and I literally had no costumes to wear for our day. Any. My working class jacket now runs too large and same for my floral caraco I wore earlier this spring (le sigh...) so I only could sew something for myself. Three days before the event. Yes, three days.

I made several italian gowns in the past for my customers but never had the chance to make one for me. I have been extremely lucky to met a buyer that is almost my doppelganger so I recycled the pattern I made for her with just fewer alterations.

Since my waist is now sensibly smaller I also had to finish my new pair of stays, all made in linen. I now wear a size XS, that's almost incredible for me! So after finishing to bind the corset in a rush I started to work on the lining; the only alteration I made was to shorten the shoulder straps. The bodice length, the sleeves, the back were already perfect. So glad I never throw my patterns away ...

The dress is made of cotton for lining and fashion fabric both, worn over 2 cotton petticoats. The petticoat were made last year and worn only once since then. Of course I made all inner seams by machine and outer finishing by hand, including skirt facing, hem and skirt seam. I didn't bother about the lack of trimmings for now, I can always add them in a second moment. The neckline was filled with a cotton voile fichu.

Bodice fronts are closed with pins instead of hooks.

I didn't take photos during the construction because the process was really straightforward.

The skirt pattern is based onto the 1770-1775 dress featured in Janet Arnold book "Patterns of Fashion 1" without alterations; it seems this lady was tall like me! It is pleated towards the back on both sides and since I'm a perfectionist, I measured every pleat with my seam gauge to be 2 cm wide. Yes, I do these things when I'm late...stupid me. The skirts and the bodice are then joined together using a pick stitch and not sewing them in the "normal way" (so putting the two pieces right sides together); I laid the skirt under the bodice, pinned it in place 1,5 cm approx from bodice edge and then hand sewn all in place. This took a while but the result was worthy and without bulk at the waist.

The skirt is trained and it's polonaised up using cotton cords inside the dress that form a loop. This loop goes over two fabric buttons sewn at the side seams outside the bodice. Please note: a robe à l'anglaise is not a polonaise dress. Polonaise dress were totally different and did not have a waist seam as an italian gown.

Now the fun part, the photos!!

The Ikea fabric is not bleached. You can see how the two different shades of white look in sunlight. I finished the look with this straw hat I purchased from Atelier Pietro Longhi.

And you? Did you make an italian gown as well? What pattern did you use?

A 1750s Ikea floral caraco

2018-04-28T13:30:00.000+02:00

New season, new project! Well, to be honest this one was started this winter but you know, I don't have lot of free time to sew for myself. If you read my previous post about 18th century fichus you may have noticed a new, lovely, floral caraco.

I started it between January and February for an event at the end of March, using some cotton from stash as lining (you know, economy!) aaand approx two yards of this famous Ikea fabric. This kind of cotton is thicker than Ljusoga duvet so keep it in mind when buying: it wouldn't work good for a summer dress or jacket. The price is about 5€ at yard so it's definitely budget friendly!

"Luckily" our event ended to be really cold and windy and the caraco worked perfectly as mid-season garment.

I used the famous caraco pattern shown in "Patterns of Fashion 1" by Janet Arnold with some alterations. A very, very similar version if you're not good at scaling up patterns can be found on JP Ryan online shop; I loved her cuffs so I used her draws as reference to make mine. I also added a side seam to the bodice to make it a little bit different to my robe à l'anglaise. My.ma in reference was this beautiful extant piece:

First, I printed the pattern and adjusted to fit my body. I have very large back shoulders and I always have to enlarge period patterns a lot to fit this area. Then, I raised the neckline quite a lot, added cuffs, attached fine cotton engageantes and a lovely small strip to the bodice to keep my fichu in place. I also omitted hooks and eyes closure for a more practical one with pins since I'm currently losing weigth. When I made the mock up the sleeves were perfectly fitted but now, in just two months, they run large but I can live with that. The rest is still perfect and the back so incredibly well fitted, yay!

The front edges are boned with synthetic whalebone.

The skirts have two lovely box pleats in the side seams which give to the caraco a very elegant, flattering look. They need to be worn over pocket hoops to show their volume at best. I wore the whole thing with a brown linen skirt and a cotton petticoat. I'm planning a lighter one in red.

The caraco came together really easily. It doesn't have a waist seam and the wrinkle you have at sides is absolutely correct. I made the lining first and joined it to the fashion fabric as a separate piece; the lining and the fabric have been joined by hand. As usual, my garments have machine made seams but hand finished details. I skipped trims and decorations for now: they can always be added later.

I could work on it for a very limited period of time but on a normal schedule I would have finished it in a week/ a couple of days.

I didn't take many pics of the construction, it was really straightforward. I was thinking to add this lovely piece to my Etsy shop as made to order item in different sizes, who knows...

A brief summary of 18th century fichus

2018-04-20T19:53:00.000+02:00

If you're into 18th century costuming or reenactment, you may have heard of fichus also known as modesty scarf. These little, versatile piece of a woman's wardrobe was an essential accessory to fill/cover a bare neckline especially during the day. It could also be used to project the skin from the sun during summertime. Women of upper and lower classes both wore their modesty scarves.

Fichus comes in a variety of widths and materials and were usually white, made of lace or linen, and could be worn tucked into the neckline or falling above the shoulders, or laced behind the back if very long. Hey could also being embroidered or embellishwed with lace. Usually they had a triangular shape with a small slit at center back to allow a gently fit.

My fichu is made of beautiful cotton sateen produced locally and ends in a lovely point at the back. I tuck it into a strip of fabric pinned to my floral caraco, which is not only a practical solution but also a fashionable choice.

If you look at period resources, you can see how common fichus were and how different they could be from each other.

Did you already heard about fichus? Are you planning to make one to complete your 18th century outfit? Let me know!

A 1750s brown linen caraco

2018-03-05T23:27:00.000+01:00

Quite old project here, a creation I made last summer and I never wrote about! Shame on me! This little piece was a last minute project I made for an event last September but despite its simplicity, it turned out very well and it's lovely to wear.

Our event was set in the first half of 18th century and my closet wasn't equipped for that era. Being in the middle of the Halloween costuming season I really didn't have time to make a whole dress for me, including pattern drafting, mock ups, alterations and so on. So I looked in my stash and I found some scraps of the same brown linen of my previously made Outlander skirt. I cheated and used the same jacket pattern from Janet Arnold with some very basic alterations to draft the pattern of a mid-18th century caraco! The whole process took just about two days, yay!

The whole thing came together so pretty that I decided to wear it again the week after in Tuscany. If you follow me on Instagram I'm pretty sure you already saw these photos.

More are following...so keep on reading!

So, as told before I used the same pattern of my blue Outlander jacket with just a few alterations. I just added winged cuffs (now removed) and elongated the skirt, using the body pieces instead of adding a separate peplum. This was definitely easier but it had to be done carefully because a wrong side length could cause wrinkles in the waist area (and you want a smooth bodice, right?). My side length (measuring over hoops) is 19.5 cm plus 1.5 of sleeve seam allowance so it is 21 cm in total. I added 22 cm more to this measurement to have a lovely and flowing skirts (2 cm were for the hem). When drafting skirts, please be generous and measure twice before cutting! Skirts HAVE to flare over your skirt support without pulling or be too tight; use all fabric width if possible and if not, add gores.

I sewed the cotton lining using the modern method right side VS right side and turning, then I hand sew some small running stitching to give the illusion of a hand-sewn garment. The stomacher is a separate piece and it's joined to the jacket with pins.

Some construction photos...

And other photos of the caraco worn - again in working/middle class style. I definitely need a better cap.

Photos by Letizia Taschetta:

Look at the back fit: yummy!

Aaaaaand...some fancy photos! Let's rock 18th century with some modelling attitude! Photos by Roberto Buonafina.

Little update: I DID talk about this jacket last year, but completely forgot about that post. You can read the original discussion here!

Making a black 1890s outfit, part 2

2018-01-03T00:59:00.001+01:00

Let's go with the second part of this project. To be honest the outfit has been finished and already worn but, as usual, I'm always late with the blog :(

So, after finishing the skirt and hand sewing the trim all around the hem I started to work on the blouse. It was essentially draped on the dress form to fit since my pattern was incredibly short waisted, probably designed to be sewn to the skirt. I suppose this was called for a theatrical use.

This process took a while but it was worthy.

The upper part of the neckline is gathered to fit.

The pattern didn't have any tips for fastening so after looking to some extant pieces I went for back fastening with fabric covered buttons.

The hem of the blouse is bounded with black cotton bias tape and the seams are gently boned to keep it in place when worn.

Now the sleeves. I didn't want exaggerate sleeves in my blouse and luckily, the ones in my pattern weren't so big! I just did some basic alterations to fit my arms and they were ready! They're flat lined in cotton as the rest of the blouse; for a more puffy look I should have added some padding (maybe organza ruffles?) between the lining and the fashion fabric but I'm happy with the result.

And that's all! The making of the skirt and the blouse took about a week: I'm losing weight and I needed to shorten the waistband of the skirt, which took me a while (rip it off, measure again, shorten it, make the back pleats again, baste the whole stuff together, try it on, remove hooks and eyes on the left side and sew again). The collar turned out too big but this can be easily fixed in a second moment.

It was a very simple and fast project, not bad to be my first jump into the 90s! I also purchased a pattern for an accurate hat.