2010 Costume whish list

My plans for this year:

'Black gowns' project

1. Robe a la francaise black silk taffeta
2. Robe a l'anglaise black roses taffeta with black lace sleeves
3. Natural form gown black silk taffeta with black lace
4. Bustle gown (possibly black pvc)
5. Elizabethan gown with standing ruff

And all of a sudden I'm having a thing for blue. So I'm planning some blue gowns for this year. Although I don't have any definite designs in my mind, this is my blue gowns list:

'Blue gowns' project

1. Interview with the vampire - Claudia's blue gown (see creedsgalbirdy 's pictures of Dragon*con)
2. Robe a la francaise ice blue taffeta or other fabric (I haven't got any in my stash)
3. Something (have no ideas yet) of royal blue chinese brocade with butterflies (I have 6 meters in my stash. Unfortunately it's only 90 cm wide)
4. Also I have 15 yards of blue/green silk taffeta (sometimes called peacock taffeta). I would love to use it for a robe a la francaise with peacock feathers.
5. And I have seen a beautiful royal blue velvet. Again, no ideas yet, but I would love to use this for something beautiful.
6. And maybe a LOTR elvish gown in blue with silver embroidery

And I want to make something for my husband this year. I have promised for years to make him something and this year, for the first time, I'm going to try and make men's clothing.

Men's clothing

1. 18th century shirt
2. 18th century waistcoat
3. 18th century frockcoat
4. 19th century waistcoat
5. 19th century coat

And not to forget all those unfinished projects that are lying in my closet. Oh, and don't forget the big stash either. I have so much fabric I should use, but I always end up buying new (sounds familiar? :D). Besides all the historic gowns, I would love to make some day wear (more fishtails and shrugs probably :D) and a wool coat. Another new thing I would love to try is hat making. So probably I will give it a go. Hmmm, seeing all these lists I'm already feeling I will not get everything done this year. There just isn't enough time in a year :).

2009 a year of sewing

January
Black silk corset with red flossing
Victorian polonaise burgundy red taffeta with black lace overlay
18th century stays in black taffeta
Robe a la francaise black pvc

February
Bumpad
TV201 underskirt in bronze taffeta with black roses
Shrug black cotton with purple flowers
Robe a l'anglaise burgundy baroque taffeta

March
Pinstripe corset
Pinstripe fishtail
Black pvc shrug
Robe a l'anglaise violet/red taffeta
White lace shrug
White satin underskirt
Petticaot purple cotton
White taffeta corset18th century stays in burgundy/cream toile de jouy
Robe a l'anglaise white cotton with purple flowers

April
Bronze/black steampunk fantail skirt
Steampunk corset black faux leather
Steampunk short pinstripe jacket

May
Petticoat black roses taffeta
Robe a la francaise lilac taffeta
Steampunk wash overskirt in clockwork fabric
Steampunk TV201 in dark brown taffeta

June
Nothing! Isilde was born on the 16th!!!

July
Robe a la francaise burgundy flocked taffeta
Petticoat black flocked satin

August
Panniers
Fishtail black taffeta with red roses
Shrug black taffeta with red roses
Fishtail black polkadot
Shrug black polkadot

September
Steampunk corset in clockwork fabric
Steampunk shrug

October
Tailbodice in autumn taffeta
Madame de Pompadour gown
Sleepy Hollow black & white striped gown

November
Robe a l'anglaise bronze flocked fabric

December
Robe a l'anglaise white taffeta

I've sewed more than I initially expected. In the beginning of this year I made a whish-list, but I didn't do all the projects on that list. Also I didn't finish all my WIP's. Maybe next year :)

Pictures Sleepy Hollow gown

Sleepy Hollow gown

As promised here is a dress diary of the black & white Sleepy Hollow gown. This gown has been on my whish-list for years. I just didn't know where to start until I've started sewing 18th century gowns. Also the costume analysis of the 'the costumer's guide to moviegowns' has been very helpfull.


For this gown I used the J.P. Ryan Robe a l'anglaise pattern. I've made the open gown with en fourreau pleating on the back (view A), but used the longer sleeves of view B. I've altered the front/side part of the bodice quite a bit. Following the costume analysus of costumer's guide I have made a stomacher with the vertical stripes. I've changed the pattern of the bodice for the diagonale stripes like this:
Instead of cutting it as one piece I've made to seperate parts, because I wanted the stripes on the front to run diagonal and on the back vertical. In the end I did not quite succeed to get the stripes right on the back, unfortunately I only noticed this after I had sewn everything together. And I wasn't in the mood to rip it all out and start again. I was quite pleased with the stripes on the front though. Here is the bit that is the front part with the diagonal stripes (I have one shoulder strap pinned to it):

This is a picture of the front part with the diagonal stripes and the side/back part with the more vertical stripes:
For the lining I used the 'normal' pattern, but cut it straight on waist hight. I didn't want the 'pointy-bit' on the lining. There was no need for that because I am going to make a stomacher. Then it was on to the en fourreau pleating on the back. Here the pleats are still pinned. I've handsewn them after I had the whole bodice finished and the lining attached.

Now on to the petticoat. I've used the instructions included in the J.P. Ryan pattern. It's the same skirt I wear over panniers. Quite simply it's just 2 large rectangulars with a scoop in the middle and the partly pleated to a waistband with a drawstring through it. The petticoat has quite a few ruffles and again I followed the analysis of the costumer's guide. The front of the petticoat has two rows of ruffles where the back has only one large one. This is one of the gfront ruffles. I've made boxpleats using the width of the stripes as a guide. Every boxpleat is two stripes wide.

I've tried to match the stripes of the ruffles with the stripes of the skirt as best as I could.

Front and back of the finished skirt:

Close-up of front ruffles:

Back ruffles:

Then I made all the trimmings. I've cut strips of the fabric two stripes wide (one black and one white) and treated all edges with fray check. I've also cut strips of white organza. These I didn't treat with fray check, but just let them fray. First I've sewn the organza trim on all the edges, pleating it as I went (these didn't have to be even). Then I've handgathered the black & white strips and sewn these on.

I wasn't sure about the sleeve cuffs. I wasn't really keen on the original design, but just making a sleeve flounce like any other 18th century gown didn't feel right either. In the end I did the sleeve somewhat like the moviegown.

I didn't take any pictures of the stomacher, so here is the finished gown:

Photos robe a la francaise lilac taffeta

I made this robe earlier this year and finally got to wear it. More pictures can be found on my livejournal.

First picture

Trying to learn how blogger works, so here's a first picture. It's a robe a l'anglaise of burgundy barock taffeta which I made earlier this year.

Welcome!

So this is my first post in another journal in which I will try to keep you updated with my dressdiaries. I love sewing period gowns. This year I'm having an 18th century obsession and have made several robes a la francaise and robes a l'anglaise. But I also love the victorian era. Pictures of my finished projects can be found on my website Enchanted Dreams and previous dressdiaries on my livejournal.