Peacock Dress

I love my new peacock dress so much that I decided it needed its own post.  So, here it goes!

The fabric is a tissue taffeta from Puresilks.us.  I believe they call it 'mary ann' silk.  It's super thin but not sheer at all.  The peacock fabric came out a little more slubby than I would otherwise like, but my other length, a sky blue, was perfect.  I believe this is the fabric: http://www.puresilks.us/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=7386&search=mary+ann&page=2.  It says green shot blue, but it is really purple not blue.

I cut my skirt as usual and knife pleated it.  I faced it with cotton sateen from Joann's.  With how thin it was, I really should have lined it, but I did not.  Perhaps a fix for later.  Finding polished cotton in Texas is impossible, so I opted for a light brown sateen in the same shade as period linings instead.  The entire dress is completely hand sewn, something I'm trying to do more of.  Yes, machine sewing is period correct; but I have found that it is actually quite relaxing to hand stitch a gown.  The skirt wasn't the hard part, though.

I cut the bodice as a low body on my normal bodice pattern.  I piped the armholes, neckline, and waistline as normal.  Hand sewing piping isn't my favorite thing to do, but I did it.  It's done.

For the fichu, I used my bodice pattern then just cut it across the front and made it long like a fichu shape... I know that doesn't make any sense but I can't think of any other way to explain it.  I wish I had fixed the neckline before hand, as it is a little low in the back, but that's okay.  I put velvet trim on the seam that connected the van dykes to the fichu to hide the seam, since I did not make it in one piece, but my original idea was not to trim this dress at all... I wanted the fabric and design to shine through, not any trims.

Original dress from Ebay with a fichu like mine

?

The sleeves are Van Dyke, such as these CDVs.

CDV, Etsy

CDV, unknown

CDV, Ebay

I don't know what originally drew me to this, except that it looked fairly easy, and I thought it would be cool to see the white undersleeves under the sleeves.  The first few attempts at the sleeves were awful.  Finally, I went back to the originals and realized I was making my v's too deep and they were super long and funky looking.  So I cut more that were a little shorter, and I like them much better.  I put a pagoda underneath them for day wear since I am a little bit older.  I can also take the pagodas off and have a very nice evening/ball gown with short sleeves.  I thought this gown would look really nice with my white bertha with all the original Maltese lace.  I could also put the matching undersleeves on it and make it look really nice.

I wore the dress with my chemisette and a brooch/earring set I made myself.  All the supplies were from Fire Mountain Gems and I like how these turned out.  The red really looks good with the peacock dress and is a nice contrast.

I have gotten to wear this dress twice-once at Welbourne and also for Civil War Weekend at Liendo.  I look forward to many more wears!

Welbourne 1861

So... surprise! I was off by a year-we did 1861 at Welbourne this year and not 1860.  While that meant some of my Welbourne plans had to be scrapped, it also called for some frantic, last minute sewing.  Biggest change-I did not wear the striped dress.  I'm saving it for December Liendo.  Instead, I made up the purple/green shot dress (the 'peacock dress' will probably get its own post at some point)

All photos in this post are by Jessica M. Craig unless otherwise noted.

For Friday, I wore the peacock dress.  Photos really do not do this fabric justice.  It just looks blue in pictures, but it isn't.  It's a royal purple shot with an emerald green-looks more teal in person with purple/green highlights.  I'll write a more detailed post on it later, but essentially it is a low necked gown with fichu for day wear.  I also wore a chemisette with it for more coverage.  Looking at CDV's, I'm young enough I could probably have gone without it, but since I was portraying an engaged woman (Nettie was actually married earlier but we 'fudged' history a bit so we had an excuse to be in Virginia-trousseau shopping!!), I opted for a style that would have been worn by adults more than teenagers/young adults.  The sleeves are Van Dyke sleeves; I have seen the style in loads of CDV's of teenagers and young girls.  I also attached a pagoda to the bottom, making it an early war gown.

Playing the piano.

Most everyone was being super productive-except me.  I just sat there and chatted with people.

Hair is a mess!  The end of my braid worked its way out of my bun.

Mrs. and Miss Groce

For evening, I made an organdy fichu, but no pictures of it.  I'm lending it to someone on Civil War Weekend at Liendo so perhaps I'll get some pictures of it then.

On Saturday, I wore the rosette dress.

Dinners were usually in 1st person, which was fun.

On an afternoon stroll.

I love this picture!

Still on our stroll.  We did lots of walking throughout the weekend.

Photo shoot after the group photos.  Thanks to Paula for these!

Just the dress.  Rosettes are hidden.  I may have to redo the pleats so they stand out more.

1861 selfie!

Mrs. Courtney Groce and Miss Henrietta Groce

Also on Saturday, Jessica came back out to the horses with us and took some amazing shots of the riding habit for me.  Thank you, Jessica!!!

Out for another walk, after the horses.  I didn't feel like changing out of the habit!

Making a new friend

Back of the habit

Horse didn't want me to pet him

This one was loving!

Yay for completed habit!

Walking up the back steps to Welbourne.

Going on another walk.  Gloves got tucked into the habit early on.  Belt never made it on.

I'll have to make a riding habit post soon, too.  Especially now that I actually got to wear it!  I still need to fix the saddle.  Oh, and find a horse.  I guess that's an important part of the whole ensemble.  Anyway, the habit was super fun to wear but a little cumbersome to walk in because it was fairly heavy.  LOTS of fabric in that thing.  Riding shouldn't be too bad once I actually get into the saddle.

Anyway, Saturday night, I wore the lilac and chantilly gown.  Not too many pictures, but here are a few:

Sitting by the fire.  It was chilly up in Virginia!

Both of us were able to wear new evening gowns!

Front/side of the gown.

Back of the dress.

Sunday, I wore the black wool.  I made a new bodice for it to be more 1860's which turned out nice.  Neckline came out way too big and will have to be fixed, but it was workable and fun to wear.

And of course, our yearly group shot.

I am so glad I got to attend again this year.  I am already looking forward to next year!

Welbourne Plans

Before I start, I want to apologize for a long and rambling post.  It's not a fun post with lots of pictures and projects, just mostly me trying to organize my thoughts on what I need/want to get done before Welbourne next month.

This October, I have the opportunity to go back to Welbourne Plantation in Virginia.  This will be my second year in Welbourne and I am so excited to go back!  It was so much fun last year and I learned a lot.  And now that I have an idea of what Welbourne is like, I want to be more prepared for this year.

Last year, I remade everything from the inside out.  Absolutely everything was either redone or made new.  I made extra underpinnings (since this was a 3 day event and usually I do 5 hour events, extra underpinnings were a must) and fixed up generally everything I brought.  This year, I'm not as concerned about that, but I feel the need to go through everything and do 'touch ups' as needed.  I generally like to go through all my stuff once a year anyway, and decide what I still like and want to (and can) wear, touch up things that need to be touched up, clean items that are dirty or spotted, make lists of what needs to be replaced or mended, starch all my petticoats, etc.  I've decided that right before Welbourne seems to be a good time to do all of this.

My list this year is just as extensive as last year; it's just mostly fixing things and and making more accessories than actually dressing out.

Starting with footwear, I have slippers and boots that will need to be cleaned and polished.  My boots are Fugawee's Victoria and are about 5 years old.  Through all the red dirt of Liendo and generally muddiness of other places I visit, they are quite dirty and dull.  The slippers are American Duchess's Bronte slippers in cotton sateen (not leather).  I want to eventually get the leather ones as 'dancing slippers' and keep the cotton sateen ones as house slippers.

My stockings are all in great condition-I have plenty of pairs of both silk and cotton stockings that I can bring.  Since it will probably be cooler in Virginia, I plan on bringing mostly silk stockings with maybe a cotton pair or two as backup.

I still have plenty of chemises and drawers from last year.  I did manage to rip a small hole in my favorite pair of drawers that will need to be mended.  Also, my favorite chemise has a small rip as well.  Other than that, basic underpinnings are a go.  My blue corset is in perfect condition so no work there.  If I decide to bring along my white corset as a backup, the back will need to be extended and new eyelets put in.  I have plenty of petticoats but I remember last year being quite cold so I have considered making a quilted petticoat.  I have plenty of left over fabric from my 1870's dress that I could use if I get to this project.  Welbourne hasn't quite decided on a target year, but we've talked about having it be 1860 again as it makes traveling from out of state (such as us Groces, travelling from Texas) to Welbourne much more reasonable as an impression.  If so, I'll bring my 1850's hoop.  Underskirts are covered.  They don't get as much wear as the rest of my underpinnings.  I have used the same three for all six years I have been doing living history and they are still going strong.

Starting with morning outfits, I will wear my normal wool wrapper all three mornings.  This year, I am determined to finish both the broderie anglaise petticoat as well as the house slippers that match the wrapper.  It's been 2 years.  They need to be done.  The house slippers are nearly done.  I just have a little bit of needlepoint to do on the last slipper then it will just be putting them together.  I have a sole all ready to go and I'll probably line them in some scrap silk.  The petticoat is far from finished but hopefully the work will go quickly.  I also want to have a morning cap completed.  I have one, but I don't like how it sits on my head so I want to do another one.

I will have Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoon at Welbourne.  If the target year really is 1860, I can still get away with some very 1850's things  like pagoda sleeves, basques, and larger collars.  I think Friday I will wear the blue shot gold silk dress with rosettes.  I set the skirt on wrong and the rosettes aren't quite even so I will need to fix that before Welbourne.

For Saturday, I was thinking about making up the ice blue and ivory stripe dress.  I need more strictly early and slightly pre-war dresses in my wardrobe (most of mine are 1862-1864 or 1855-1858) so I thought it would be a nice idea to have something that was a good go between, around 1859-1861.  Here's the fabric as a reminder:

 And what I'm thinking as far as design:

Minnesota Historical Society dress ca. 1856-
1859.  I want to use the sleeves.

Museo del Traje ca. 1855-1860.  This will be the
bertha when I get around to doing an evening
gown.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, ca. 1858-1859.
I love the double skirt option!

Susan Green Historic Clothing Collection, ca.
1860-1865.  I'm using this as bodice inspiration.

So the essential plan is for a low bodied gown that is slightly V-ed such as the Susan Green gown.  There will be a pelerine much like the one from the Minnesota Historical Society gown to cover up for day.  I want a double skirt, which is found in fashion plates up through 1861, which means that I will have to railroad the stripes (have them horizontal instead of vertical).  That will require some playing with the fabric since the stripes go the opposite way on the fabric itself.  I'll have to cut things differently than I am used to but it should work.  I want the gown to be front opening, even with the low necked gown (the brown MET dress is a front opening evening gown) and use vertical self fabric fringe to trim the sleeves, double skirt, and pelerine.  I'm thinking glass buttons down the front (perhaps in a nice black).  I'm excited to see it come together!

On Sunday, I figured it would be a good time to break out my velvet basque and perhaps the black and gold plaid skirt.  I'll have to try on the skirt to see if it still fits but otherwise that outfit is a go.

For evening, I will have Friday evening and Saturday evening.  I am definitely bringing the purple chantilly gown.  I really need some pictures in that gown.  I'll probably wear that one on Saturday's dinner since it is the fanciest of the two.  I'll need to refit the bodice so that it fits better.  For Friday's dinner, I want to make a fichu to cover the blue and ivory silk.  I have two options:

Godey's Lady's Book, January 1861

French fichu from 1859

I already have all the lace for the French one but not the silk ribbon and I have all the velvet ribbon and Swiss edging for the Godey's fichu but not the fabric.  I might make up the lace one first and see how I like it.  I think it will look better with the silk than a cotton would.

I also want to bring along my riding habit and all its accessories.  The family that lived at Welbourne were equestrians and the plantation is now a retirement home for ex-race horses.  We usually go down and feed them apples and veggies every day and perhaps I could get some pictures of me in the habit.

I have a period nightgown, but it is canton flannel and I really want a pretty lighter one, perhaps tucked this time.  It won't be seen by anyone so it is really low on the priority list.

In addition to the other dresses, I was going to bring my black wool so I have an extra dress to wear just in case.  That means that I will have to reinforce that belt so it doesn't fold under itself like it did at Liendo.

In other textiles to bring, I'll probably bring all 5 shawls (the two Russian wool shawls, the two original wool shawls, and the one original Chantilly shawl). In addition, I want to make some new bonnets.  I love the soft crown bonnets I see all over Godey's and I have one that I absolutely LOVE!  I have lots of silk scraps that are just big enough for a bonnet.  I couldn't quite decide on which to use so I think I may make five new bonnets.  I only want two of them for Welbourne.  The others I will make up with the scraps and if I don't end up wanting them, I'll put them up for sale.  I love making bonnets because they are so stinking easy to make-they just take a lot of time.  It's all hand sewing, which I love to do.  And I love decorating them.  I just ordered ribbon ties and some flowers from Timely Tresses last night so when those come in, I should be all set.

I want to make a new parasol and a new fan.  I really need a parasol for the 1850's that could also carry over to the earliest part of the 1860's.  Something with long fringe.  I'm still looking for a good inspiration.  I have a plan on how to recreate one without an original frame so we'll see if it works.  I also am in need of a new fan.  I want a fancy one for evening, with spangles and tassels such as these originals:

I've made fans before but not this fancy so I'm excited to work on it.

Little projects that I would like to get done before Welbourne include: putting a new battery in my pocket watch so it is ready to go, making a few new hairnets, and making a few evening headdresses since I really don't have any.


Project Plans summarized:
-Clean and polish boots
-Wash slippers
-Mend embroidered drawers and plain chemise
-Extend white corset and put in new eyelets
-Quilted petticoat, if time allows
-Broderie anglaise petticoat
-Berlin work wrapper slippers
-Morning cap
-New morning cap to go with wrapper
-Reset the skirt of the rosette dress
-Make ice blue stripe dress
-Fix black and gold plaid skirt
-Refit lilac and chantilly bodice and make a tucker
-Fichu for dinner
-Re-sew darts on riding habit
-Nightgown, if time allows
-Reinforce blue belt
-2 Soft crown bonnets
-Parasol
-Fan
-Fix pocket watch
-Hairnets and headdresses

The Star Dress: A Fairly Faithful Reproduction

I rarely copy original garments exactly.  I usually pull bits and pieces from different photographs, originals, etc.  I'll pull sleeves from one gown, accessories from another, trim from a CDV, hairstyle from a fashion plate, etc.  However, when I saw the 'star dress' from the Museum of London, I knew I wanted to recreate it as closely as I was able.

http://collections.museumoflondon.org.uk/online/object/82161.html
http://collections.museumoflondon.org.uk/online/object/82162.html

Beautiful dress, no?  I have spent 3 years (searching 3 countries and 4 states) trying to find fabric for it.  As I mentioned in a previous post, it doesn't exist.  You can find blue with white stars, white with uneven blue stars (not appropriate), red and white with blue stars, etc.  I did end up finding a white with navy stars fabric but it was in no way fine enough for this project.

I could have had it custom printed onto white fabric but I had trouble finding a place with a voile sheer enough for the project.  Not to mention that custom printing is expensive.

I still wanted the dress.  Therefore, I bought 10 yards of Indian voile on Etsy.  It came in super nice and fine-perfect for what I needed.  I wish I had bought more for other projects the stuff is so nice!  Also on Etsy, I bought a star stamp.  Mine is 2 inches across.  It looks like the original may be 1 1/2, but there are no measurements.  I did my best.

Finding ink was a problem.  The fabric ink pads didn't work.  I went through about 5 ink pads before finding one that worked.  The color was a little bit more navy than I would have liked, but it worked and it didn't bleed so I used it.

The process was fairly simple.  I measured out the stars so that they would be 5 1/2 inches apart tip to tip.  I put them in the same design as the original (rows).  Some I had to stamp 2 or three times to get enough ink on it.

It took a fair while.  It got easier towards the end and I was just cranking them out but it was still a lot of work.  It turned out nice, though.

My next step was making the dress.  This really takes no time at all.  I've done so many of them now it's just second nature.  I have my own pattern that I have drafted and I know how to make it up so it was super simple.  I lined it with a nice 200 thread count cotton since I didn't have any cotton sateen on hand.  I did half high lining like the original.  I considered adding some lace to the top of it but then remembered that I'm trying to do a faithful reproduction so I ended up leaving it be.  I only did hooks and eyes up to where the lining ended.  The top will be closed with a brooch.

The skirt is unlined, just faced with more of the 200 thread count cotton.  I did not add a pocket because I felt it would be too see through.  I know original sheers had them, I just didn't see it working out.  I might go back and add one later.

The sleeves are bishop, much like the original.  They are fitted to the arm hole but fuller on the bottom.

The collar and cuffs I had embroidered using an 1850's pattern from Peterson's Magazine.  I didn't do the full collar, just the top part with the flowers and the beading.  I tried putting a plain collar on the dress but because the dress is so plain to begin with, it didn't look right so I felt I needed to add some more detail.

To top it all off, I made a sash to go with the gown.  Mine is made of silk habotai (8mm) because I couldn't find any silk taffeta in navy that would get to my house in time for me to make the sash before Liendo.  I thought about using a ribbon, but couldn't find a thick enough ribbon that didn't look totally synthetic. I used 1861 Godey's to help me with reproducing the sash.

It's not a stitch for stitch reproduction, but it is the closest I have come to copying an original and I feel pleased with the result.