A New Project

I haven't had a new historic project since I finished my plain and simple dress without a lot of frippery in January. This project wasn't on my To Do list, but I've had the fabric for ages and it's been rattling around in my head for awhile.

First some inspiration. I am not trying to copy any specific dress. My fabric is my starting point.

This one from the Kyoto book is probably my main inspiration. I love the stripes and the trim, which looks like box pleats plus something extra. And I love the fact that it's all self-fabric. The only thing I don't like is that it's cut with no waist seam (polonaise) which is pretty but I have no idea how to make it fit. So I will actually be making an anglaise.

A great skirt shape here.

This one has the en fourreau back I plan to do.

I knew I wanted the skirt silhouette to be HUGE. I tried on all my false rumps and pads but nothing was big enough. So I made a new one! Here it is in progress. I promise I sewed the waistband down properly later.

Here's what I've actually sewn so far. It's slow going because I am doing it 100% by hand. The skirt is together but not hemmed. The fabric is striped silk taffeta.

It's huge on the sides!

It's huge in the back!

It's huge all around!

The trim will be pinked self-fabric. I have obtained a new rotary blade for this that cuts scallops, which is a slightly more interesting look than plain zigzag pinking. Plus, scallops are period!

Of course I had to do a comparison. From top to bottom, new scallop blade, old pinking blade, normal pinking shear.

When I started this dress a few weeks ago, I thought I would whip it out real quick and wear it to our 18th century picnic event this weekend. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I now plan to finish it for Costume College this summer.