The Greek Key Wrapper

My latest project (aside from recovering parasols!) has been to delve into the fabric printing market.  Right now, there really aren't any good silk or wool printing options available at mainstream sites.  However, cotton is readily available, which matches my absolute favorite 1850s/1860's original wrapper.

Wrapper from the FIDM museum

I decided to play around and make a similar fabric on Spoonflower.  Because of copyright issues, I didn't make it exact, but I did use period shapes where I differed from the wrapper.

First up, the main fabric.  I used colors from other original cotton dresses to make sure the shades were correct.

It's a little lighter than the original wrapper, but still maintains the essence of the original.

The trim was a little more difficult.  I didn't want to directly recreate the Greek key border on the original so I looked in Godey's Lady's Book and in 1863 found a Greek key braiding pattern that I ended up using for the border.

I also did other colors (for the heck of it).

Green:

Blue:

Red:

Pink:

Purple:

Yellow:

As with the brown set, I used pictures of originals to be sure I was getting the shades right.  If anyone has any suggestions on other colors/shades, I'd like to know!  They're all for sale on my Spoonflower shop.

I chose to use the blue set because I love blue and I just couldn't help myself!  I already have a blue wrapper but who cares.  The more wrappers the merrier!

I was so excited when the fabric got in.  I got right to work!  The fabric was wonderful to work with and I do recommend Spoonflower's petal cotton.  I've also used their cotton poplin and that is really nice as well.  I think the petal cotton looks more like the original wrapper, though.  I bought 2 yards of the trim fabric and I believe 7 of the polka dot fabric.

There are no dimensions listed for the original, so I did some guess work.  There wasn't a whole lot of extra fabric at the bottom of the skirt so I ended up going with just 3 panels of skirt fabric.  I knew I most likely wouldn't wear this wrapper with a hoop very often, so three ended up working perfectly (and even fits nicely over a hoop, as I later learned).  The next step was to put the border around the hem and gauge it.  I ended up putting on the pockets after the dress was attached to the bodice as I wasn't quite sure exactly where to put them when the skirt was flat.

The bodice is just my normal bodice pattern and a 1 piece back, as per the original.  I lined the bodice with a printed polished cotton I had in my stash as I ran out of brown cotton.  I darted the lining to fit my corseted body then gathered the fashion fabric over that.  It ended up more like a normal cotton bodice just with an extra piece on the ends.

I also managed a fancy wrapper petticoat to wear underneath, as you can see.  I hate tucks with a burning passion but I managed for just the front panel of the skirt.  In between, there is a bit of cotton whitework.  Here are just petticoat pictures:

I based it on this original from the Time Traveler's Antiques auction shop:

I'm also making some wool Berlin work slippers to go with the wrapper but they are only just started. I used Every Lady Her Own Shoemaker as the base pattern but I have modified the sole pattern so much at this point that it's basically just my pattern.  For the slipper bit, I measured my slippers from American Duchess and made a pattern from that.  I made a silk and a black pair of slippers first to test the pattern before I started the embroidery.  I'm using 18 mesh needlework canvas from Needleworker's Delight and that worked well for what I did.  I ordered a couple of yards so that I can make a few other Berlin work slippers.  I believe it took about a half a yard to make a pair of slippers.  So about 1/4 yard of canvas per slipper. The embroidery is all crewel wool.  I made my own pattern for the wool work, taking the same braiding pattern I did with the fabric trim.

I have worn the wrapper twice to drive to docenting events so far but I haven't actually been able to show it off yet at a real event. The wrapper will get it's first wear at Landmark Inn on the second weekend of November and I am very excited to show it off then!

Enjoy!