Fly fringe shawl

Many of you are probably familiar with the fly fringe, explained by Vivien, but have you seen a whole garment made out of it? While browsing Nordiska museet’s collections I found this shawl that seems to be just that!

Stomacher – basicly done! (Photoooos!)

Well well well, I actually pull through sometimes! ;P These past days have been very productive indeed!
First – I promised you fail-pics of the first button I covered and I’m just gonna go ahead and get it over with. Don’t ask me how I did this or why, let’s just leave it at this, k?

I managed to find some old flat buttons from here and there that were roughly the same size:

And use this method I mentioned in a previous post, to make these li’l cuties (*proud button mommy*):

And then, I sew them on, and the trim aswell… ;D

In this photo, it’s not quite finished, but you get the idea. ;D The only thing I’ve got left to do with the ctual pet-en-l’air is finishing the back piece of the stomacher and finishing the trim at the bottom of it (still boooooooooooooooooooringgggg)! I’m actually staring to see an end to this! ^^;
I am sooo glad I chose to go with the buttons, Doesn’t it look awesome!? (I know some of the buttons look off center, but they’re not…)
So yeah, soon – pics of the finished outfit! ;D

Killing my darlings <´(

How did I ever imagine I could cover my own vintage buttons?
I had these brass buttons with the classic anchor motif that I got from my usual provider – my better half’s mother Kristina. There are 12 of them and the perfect size for the pet-en-l’air stomacher, so I decided to cover them with my own embroidery. I am sooo pleased with the embroidery, but it seems I didn’t do enough research on how to dress this kind of buttons – it probably can’t be done with acceptable results… Fail-pics to come… <(
So the brass buttons will go to good-will, and unless I can make it work with usual flat buttons, I’m gonna have to get myself some buttons made to dress with tools and stuff.
I hate it when my thrifty ideas don’t work!!!

Will and wigs

I’ve been drawn to the pet-en-l’air more and more lately, nothing’s happened yet – but at least I have the will to keep sewing! XD
I had an awful dream last night – I came to some sort of costume meeting in my half finished outfit, I just had one hoop and had to hold everything up and together – extremely embarrassing!!!
I feel that if I only could get past this trimming part it’ll all flow better. I’ve been thinking about restorting to the machine for the petticoat, but as I write this I’m reconsidering it. ;D

On another note, I just found an amazing wig maker on Etsy! Guess the name! – AntoinettesAtelier ofc! If I only had the money!

More after the cut!

Are you still there?

Hope you’re still reading! XD Yes, this job stole a lot of sewing-time – but the truth is I already was extreeeeeemely bored with sewing on the trim! I have however noticed that I can steer my motivation for different projects. My motivation for this project was low for quite a while, but by starting to loook through my neglected blog feeds and watching The Duchess (again) – my motivation is growing! ;D
So, today I’m spending the day at home, being sick. I have christmas presents to make – but when they’re done I think I’ll take up the trimming again! ;D
And here’s a lol for ya:

On fake openings

There are so many details to consider when you’re working on a project like this and I’ve been more and more attentive to these details. I love to learn! And you learn by asking questions – so I’m asking more and more questions as I go. By looking at paintings and surviving originals of 18th century clothing, I try to anwser these questions.
   Today I was browsing MAG (again) and found the anwser to one of the questions I’ve been pondering: “were there ‘fake button openings’ stomachers in the 18th century?” (Or: “could I do a fake button opening on my stomacher and get away with it?”). The anwser is TOTALLY:

Stomacher & bows from Manchester Art Gallery

The trim is also set like I’m planning to set it on my own stomacher for the pet-en-l’air! =)

One arm trimmed

Indeed I finished the hemming that last time, and I even managed to trim one arm!
Whaddaya think? =D

And here’s some inspiration: My cousins “in-law” are renovating a house and found this wonderful wallpaper under a few layers of newer wallpaper. It’s probably a 50’s-60’s wallpaper, but it clearly has 18th century inspiration. They also found these huge hand made nails. I arranged it a little and took a still life photo:

Bum-bi-bum…

I confess – I am a period seamstress, in the meaning “woman who sews in periods”. XD The other day I entered a new sewing period, I might actually finish the actual jacket of the pet-en-l’air this week! I’m hemming and hemming and hemming right now, then there’s just the trimming! The stomacher might take some time…
   Anywhooo, the jacket looks a lot shorter than I anticipated, so now It looks quite a lot like my favourite pet-en-l’air:

Pet-en-l'air @ Manchester Art Gallery

When I started this project I wanted to use pocket hoops, so I started making a pair. My previous apprehension is now reality though; with the length it’s at now – it will not look very good with those big pocket hoops. So now I’m considering models for a bum/hip roll. I came across this some time ago, maybe a way to put that problem off a little… ;D

Oh, and we got a C on the thesis. ^^

Taking control

First of all I want to shout out my deepest thanks to everybody for your heartwarming support! Without exaggerating – it has truly helped me in these challenging times! I am lost for words, but I hope you all will accept these few lines and take them to your heart. You are all such good people and I wish this kind of kindness and thoughtfulness could exist between all!
   I am slowly taking control of my life again, I don’t know if it’s been a good or a bad thing that I’m currently unemployed and not studying. I have done some random painting and crochet. I have tried to clean the appartment, do the dishes and such, but I seem to forget all those need-to-do’s (more than usual that is), so I made a to-do-list. I am forming into a list-person, like my mother. I have allways figured it’s her way of keeping some control in her life, and now I see that it must be so and how useful it is. ^^ No 18th century costume sewing though, I should make a detailed to-do-list on that too.

In an attempt to build up the inspiration for more 18th century sewing, I am now posting a bunch of old and new photos, starting with the last progress I made on this project:

This is the lace trimming of the shifts. I know it’s not as fine as what was usually used at the time, but I think it looks great with the pet-en-l’air fabric, a whiter and finer lace might look out of place and synthetic against it. An alternative could be a ruffled trim of offwhite plain fine fabric, and I might consider that later on, but this is what it looks like now and I like it. =)
   These next two photos are of something very special to me. It’s two pictures, printed on a silk-like fabric. The motifs are 18th century, you might recognize them. ; ) (Click on them for bigger view.)

I got these on separate occasions, in different flea markets – like 6 or 7 years ago. I was so excited about the first one, it was cheap, small and romanticly kitschy and I had to take it home! It was double the excitement for the second one – now I had a pair! Now I know these are in fact not from the 18th century (duh!), but they have been a great inspiration to me through the years and I flet I must share them. As you might notice they are lying on the floor, we’ve lived in this appartment for about 4 years and they have yet to find a good place to hang. XD
   Some recent inspiration actually appeared after my fathers funeral ceremony. I don’t know what you call those “after parties” in English, but it was held at Solnadals Värdshus (Solnadals Inn). I’s an old inn from the 17th century and it’s very charming! But the most charming and inspirational thing about this house, I actually found at the loo:

I didn’t have much time for photographing the whole thing, so this is actually the two most interesting parts of two pictures, each with a row of about 4 illustrations. Please click the images for a bigger and more detailed view. It didn’t say much, no date, no artist, so I’m not sure if these are actually 18th century illustrations – but they’re evidently made to illustrate persons from that time. If they are in fact from the 18th century they are indeed very interesting in terms of Swedish 18th century fashion. Does anyone out there have more information in the matter?
   If you can read Swedish and want to know a little more about the history of Solnadals Värdshus, go here.

Crochet craze!

I haven’t done chrochet since 4th grade, I made a pouch in black, purple, yellow and pink and since then I haven’t done any crochet at all! This christmas my sister Jennie gave me this book “Virka Amigurumi” (Crochet Amigurumi).

At first I had my doubts, would I be able to learn this fine complicated art again? But since I’m a total japanophile I had to give it a try… Turns out it actually isn’t very complicated at all and now I’m hooked! I’m not just making cute little japanese plushies – I’m making cupcakes and wrist warmers with all kinds of decorations. Now I see myself making simple lace, caps, shawls and fichus in the future!
   Today I went through Jane of all trades… to see what I had missed during my dark ages of ignorance. Remember that reference book Encyclopedia of Needlework, by Thérèse Dillmont? The online version…? (Which now contains tutorial videos on YouTube, btw…) Well Clare of  Jane of All Trades… found an online version of a book of the same character, namely Beeton’s Book of Needlework, by Isabella Beeton. And as far as I can see it’s even better than the Encyclopedia of Needlework!

I have tried to see what crochet work was made during the 18th century, I had a hard time finding anything and then I found this:

Both crochet and tatting are 19th century techniques. There are a few books around that talk about crochet and tatting dating back to the 15th century or earlier, but so far, those who have looked for or looked at the textiles in question either find that they’re nonexistent or are mislabled needle lace or knotting (which are not the same as tatting), or nalbinding (which can look a little like crochet but is really not the same thing). (http://www.marariley.net/knitting/knitting.htm)

Darn it… Oh well – I might cheat on that matter… ;P