1840’s Pleated Dress Cont…

2 Comments August 29, 2014 aimeevictorianarmoire

So I have been slowly but surely working on the corally-pink pleated gown. After I basted the pleats onto the shoulder, I hand stitched them at certain points to make sure they stayed in place, as well as stitched the ends of the pleats so they would lay flat.

This part was very time consuming and I stuck myself four times with the result of my fingers becoming clumsy from all of the bandaids…the life of a sewer!

Than I made three oval pieces to put over the edges of the front pleats and to go over the shoulder seams. The front piece I edged in piping.

I did a simple running stitch along the outer edges of the three pieces.

The next step is to attach the sleeves. Stay-tuned!!

Pleats: An Easy Way to Make Something Special

Leave a comment August 22, 2014 aimeevictorianarmoire

I am all about subtle details that add beauty and elegance to a gown. In my sewing, and in my modern dressing, I love to let the fabric and soft alterations of the fabric be the focus of what I am making/wearing. This is why I love pleats. Pleats, in my opinion, can range from soft gathers that are pressed, to perfectly measured and spaced out folds. Pleats, whether sewn in or draped on top, are the simplest and quickest way to make what would be a simple gown into something elegant and feminine. All you need is fabric!

Let’s take a look at some examples:

Here the pleats are around the hem of this 1850’s gown and softly gathered into the yoke of the wide neckline on the bodice.

“Gore-ing” does not equal Boring!

1 Comment August 11, 2014 aimeevictorianarmoire

I spent yesterday afternoon working on creating the skirt panels for my 1865 Green Gown. When I was planning the gown, I wanted to create something different and really use the fabric effectively in the design, so I decided to do a gored skirt. Not hard, just not something I don’t do often. The main problem I have with gored skirts is getting the ratio of fullness and tightness just right. I want to make sure the skirt goes easily around the undergarments without looking tight or pulled, yet I don’t want so much fabric that is loses that smooth finish. I started off with six panels, but wasn’t happy so I went to eight and I am quite pleased with how it is turning out. I just pinned it on so I could get a sense of the lay of the skirt. Hopefully I can spend the next few days attaching it to the bodice, and working out the hem. I want a slight train on the skirt, so getting it to flow evenly on a gored skirt just takes a little time.

As to my upcoming list of projects, here is what I have compiled so far (in no particular order):

– 1850’s Day Gown

– Lace Mantle

– 1860’s Sheer Gown

– 1858 Trimmed Jacket with matching skirt

– 1860 Two-tone Gown with overskirt

Will keep you up to date with all these projects as I go!

By the Beautiful Sea!

1 Comment August 1, 2014 aimeevictorianarmoire

Starting tomorrow, my husband and I are heading off to the rocky shore of Maine for a lovely week long vacation. We have gone every year since our honeymoon and just fell in love with the old fashioned charm that coastal Maine has to offer. I can’t wait to smell the salty sea air! Along the way I have planned some stops at a few fabric stores to see if I can find anything exciting. Cross your fingers! When I come back, I will begin working on lots of new projects and adding to my store inventory, with plenty of new posts along the way.

Oh and has anyone been on a whale watch? My husband wants to go and well….I’m not quite sure what to expect!

A few past posts to keep you tied over:

A Variety of Hairstyles

The One Hour Lace Challenge

The Appeal of the Wrapper

Growing Love of 1850’s Gowns

See you in a week!

Painting: Albert Fitch Bellows: Seaside Reflections

Planning and Dreaming…

3 Comments July 28, 2014 aimeevictorianarmoire

In a few weeks time, I am planning on starting the challenging process of doubling my inventory by the end of the year. This summer has been wonderfully busy, yet has left my clothing stock thin and sparse. One of my favorite parts of the whole dressmaking process is planning and drafting up various looks and styles of gowns I want to make. The majority of gowns will still be from the 1860’s, yet I plan on adding some 1850’s gowns, and perhaps dipping back into some Regency. I am going to be on the hunt for fabrics, trims, and accessories for these gowns, and would love some help in making the “difficult” choice of narrowing down various styles.

So….what are your thoughts? Any particular era you would like to see? Any colors that would be wonderful to use? What about looks of sleeves or trim?

I would love to hear from you all as I begin planning and dreaming! :-0

Make Mine Piped!

Leave a comment July 23, 2014 aimeevictorianarmoire

Piping is a fantastic way to add a little extra flair to your historical gowns, as well as added durability. It is very easy to make your own. All you will need is bias tape, cording, pins, and a zipper foot for your machine.

Step 1: Assemble all the needed materials.

Step 2: Pin the cording into the bias tape by folding the tape in half and pinning right next to the cording.

What’s On My Bookshelf?

Leave a comment July 7, 2014 aimeevictorianarmoire

Last summer I created a post of my favorite historical fashion books…but I accidentally erased the pictures and well, I decided to create another post to replace it. I do not have a lot of books or magazines…if I came across one that I really liked, I would buy it. I have found that I mostly use the books as a launch pad for an idea, and they have been valuable to my overall knowledge of historical sewing. Although nothing has been as helpful as trial and error.

So without any further ado, here are my 7 favorite and most helpful historical sewing/fashion books! Drumroll, please! Oh and just for fun, I have decided to list them in my order of importance, starting with number 7…

#7:

The Way They Were: Dressed in 1860-1865 by Donna J. Abraham.

A great picture collection of clothing both from men and women. A little bit of text, but mostly visual. Donna Abraham is the owner of Abraham’s Lady and very helpful. I have visited her shop and found many great items and fabric.

1860’s Color Combinations

Leave a comment July 3, 2014 aimeevictorianarmoire

Daydreaming and obsessing over fashion plates can lead to the discovery of some pretty unique color combinations. I mean, when all you see are black and white photographs, one just assumes that the color tones chosen were just as blah. But let me tell you….many color suggestions shown in fashion plates and in actual garments suggest quite the opposite. While I would not be likely to wear these duos in my modern clothing, I would absolutely use them in my creations of 19th century clothing. Here are a few of my favorites.

Black with Sapphire