Saturday 9 April 2011

Banyans and masked balls and straw hats, oh my


I have been a bit quiet here, but not for lack of sewing. I just haven’t much to show yet. I have finally cut out the banyan for my darling. I’m sure it will be very nice- steely blue-grey taffeta with pale grey charmeuse for lining, but charmeuse is truly hell to cut in. First time I work with it a slippery is just the beginning. There will be a matching cap and hopefully I can get a waistcoat out of the remnant fabric too.



After finishing my stays I fell back into my 18th century slump again. It would be nice to make something for spring though and I really should finish my embroidered polonaise. I have stalled, because the next step is the lacing holes in the lining and as you may have gathered I loathe making lacing holes. I have also started to lay out the design for the embroidered petticoat.


There will be a masked ball at Kalmar castle in October and I’m very tempted to go. The theme is The Seasons and I think I shall tweak my deer costume and make it Lady Autumn instead. I plan to buy more velvet so I can make a matching petticoat and wear it over my grand panier instead of pocket hoops. Decorate the antlers and the petticoat with silk leaves and make a stomacher in an autumny colour. I am very tempted to make a new pair of stays, though. The early 18th century doesn’t really suit me, but the velvet gown is early and I have never made early stays. The fully boned kind, reinforced with steel. There is an extant pair in Sweden that even has paper glued to make them stiffer. I’d like to try that and make them in gold brocade. The darling’s costume would be easy to- add a white hat and cape to his icy blue court suit, and he’ll be the perfect winter.


I have bought two straw hats from a friend who travels to Romania a lot. The best quality ever and not very expensive. One giant one with a very low crown, bigger than the one on the picture, and the one in the background which is actually bonnet-shaped. Now I just have to decide on decorations…

I’m currently making a 1940’s housedress for my Fashionable Forties-project and is looking for tweed for a coat. Anyone knows where to buy tweed? I would very much like a fabric that is grey/brown.

I have two fifties dresses from Vintage Vogue I want to make for summer as well. This one in Bardot-checkered seersucker in blue and white.

This one in cotton voile with grayish flowers on.

As you can see, I don’t lack projects. Now to find the time for them…

6 comments:

Cynthia Griffith said...

Sounds like a lot of fun projects! My husband can't wait until I make him a banyan -- he wants to wear it often, regardless of costuming or not. Heheheh :D

Anonymous said...

Ja, gör klart polonaisen! *Knuffar på dig.* Neeej... nu ska jag inte låta så där krävande. Så oförskämt! Du får förlåta mig.

Men ärligt talat. Jag vill gärna se din version av den broderade linneklänningen från KMUTS (haha vilken fin förkortning det blev!) Men vi tar allt i din takt, naturligtvis.

Väldigt spännande med nya hattar också! Undrar vad du ska göra för fint med dem...

MrsC (Maryanne) said...

Oh what fun! In Museum of London there is a mid 18thC dress with a stomacher covered in small pinked gathered circles overlapped like fish scales, and it looks amazing. As soon as you said Lady Autumn I pictued a stomacher covered in layers of autumnal leaves like that! But whatever you do it will be great to see it!

Madame Berg said...

Love the Autumn theme, perfect!

Rowenna said...

I love the Lady Autumn idea! And keep us posted on the 50s dresses progress--I need some pattern recs for my summer dress projects!

Isis said...

Cynthia: Yes, my darling is waiting impatiently too. :)

Lady Augusta: LOL. Jo, det blir nog polonaisen. Och så dekorera den vidbrämade hatten så den passar.

MrsC: That sounds lovely. I have to see if there is a picture online.

Madame Berg: Yes, I rather think so. ;)

Rowenna: I will. I itch to start, but at the moment there seem to be way too little time to sew.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...