White regency ballgown

Another quick one to use up fabric that has been in my store for at least five years. I was just waiting for the perfect pattern, because I wanted a very low décolletage - which requires a clever solution for the understructure to go without any bra or modern tricks.

The satin fabric is for the "pushup-chemise", the actual cream-white fabric is a cotton-something-mix with all advantages of a mixture and so far no notable disadvantages. It's iron-free, drapes nicely and wears well. The small woven pattern demanded a cut without much gathering of the bodice to show the pattern. That was the biggest challenge about that dress, and the reason for my waiting so long. You need the perfect day to design an almost immediately fitting pattern! The dress is garnished just with slender needlepoint lace and satin ribbon. It closes with three square mother-of-pearl buttons (and a few hidden hooks and eyes) at the back. The skirt measures almost five metres round the hem and was pretty tricky to gather to give it a perfect, slender silhouette without wrinkling or bulging. The train is two foot long and can be taken up for dancing. Maybe I'll add some little pearls for decoration round the neckline and sleeves, let's see...

Striped 1870s summer dress

I've had this dress in mind for a couple of months already, and now I finally found the right fabric: blue and white striped cotton, light enough for making ruches but not too flimsy. Trimming will be red satin ribbon and white lace.

The pattern will be merged from several period patterns, as I couldn't find any that perfectly fitted what I have in mind.

The skirt is made of four parts, an alteration of a six-part skirt pattern. I didn't want too many seams with those stripes. The front part is rather flat, the side parts half-pleated towards the back, and the back part, which is the largest because it has to cover the bustle, is heavily pleated to keep the pleats in place (i.e. keep them from slipping off the bustle sideways and having bulky sides and a flat bum). So far the skirt is almost finished, the pleated ruches took me a full day or two, but I think it was worth it ;)

And here a close-up of the trim: the satin ribbon goes through the holes of the lace, which fits much better than the previous idea of using a different lace and making it into a frill. Less work, better effect...

What's still missing: the bodice, and a hat. And if there's still fabric left (I'm not even halfway through the six metres I bought, so there will...) I might try my luck and make a matching parasol.

Yay me, the skirt is finished! A quick glimpse, the light isn't very good, but anyway... ;)

I seem to need the pressure of upcoming events to finish things... But it also helped that I took the pains of making a perfectly fitting pattern for a Victorian bodice - which I can now adjust to whatever style I need! A great help indeed. And this done, I eventually finished the matching bodice. Lots of frills and fiddling, but the outcome was worth the effort. All that's now missing are the white mother-of-pearl buttons, I haven't been able to find the right ones yet...