Another theme for this Halloween countdown:
Modell: Matilda Tengdelius
Tag: 1850s
The Day of the Big Crinolines 2017
After months of “planing” (which included me asking around for interest, sending a few emails, and making a quick poster/flyer), the “Day of the big Crinolines” (2017) was finally upon us :-).
A quick poster made from a photo from last year.
Some of you (especially if you follow me on Instagram) might recall, I’d had a bit of a clothing dilemma the weeks leading up to this event.
But after lots of answer, and I really mean A LOT, (Thank you to all who took their time to give me their thoughts and opinions 🙂 ) I came to the decision, of which you’d probably already aware – To wear the white plaid dress with the white bonnet (pic 2 & 6), disregarding the fact I wore that exact dress last time.
This pic was posted to my Instagram together with the question of which outfit I should choose, and generated about 50 comments. Surprisingly many of you picked matching outfits (green dress with green bonnet and so on), even though I originally made the bonnets to go with the dress right above in the picture (1 & 4..).
*Ok, so this post contains a lot of picture (all taken by me or my sister, if nothing else mentioned), and I will not speak so much about everything. Just a warning 😉
The day started at 10am when me and my sister meet up with so me of the other early participants to get dressed, a endeavor that took quite a while.
Clara helping my sister securing the hat properly.
And by the way…
Yay!
And with no last try on before the event I was relived to se that the outfit worked.
The day officially started at 11am with a picknick in the green, but the previous days heavy rain made us les inclined to get down on the ground, and instead we opted for a spot by the outdoor dance floor with several benches. 
The “low class” people helped sett the tables 😉 
One interesting element in our picknick (which I’m sure amused us as much as the other party) was the stride of runners from “Linköpings Half-marathon” passing us by. 
I found it particularly funny, since I originally planned to enter the race, (yep, I’d doubled bocked myself) but a sore knee forced me to rest for the past month. My boyfriend however entered, and ran past us in one of the front crowds, to my, and a few more of us high applause and encouraging shouts.
Despite taking photos, looking for my hubby amongst the runners and making sure all newcomers was welcomed and everyone was comfortable, I did actually had a few moments to sitt down and have a bite to eat (and drink).
Kerstin and Sara visited the event as part of their project (or perhaps despite) their project to re-create their long past relative Agusta Lundin’s (a well known Swedish mid 19th century lady) travels through Sweden and Europe.
Read all about their trip and project at: Agustasresa.se
A severe case of “Hairnet stuck to PomPoms” 😀
Photo by: Kerstin of “Augustas resa” (more photos from her can be found here)
Some mingel
Pernilla and Denise in their beautiful new dresses.
This is how happy Pernilla is about her recently finished crinoline 😀
Sis 🙂
Fixing some hair before the dance-recital
After the picknick we all headed onto the dance flor to get a lesson in 19th century dance.
Not everyone likes to dance though, sometimes it’s just enough to sitt and enjoy it instead.
Then the dance-team showed us some more complicated moves 
I opted to stay sidelined since we were uneven to match the formation (besides No dancing = more photos)
Before it was time to “hit the town”, and for everyone to wander off as they liked we gathered for a group picture.
Pic by: Janne
Pic by: Janne
I also got some pictures of all of my 3 dresses attending the day. 
“The brown ladies”
After finally deciding on my dress, and finishing my sisters outfit, I got an email from one of the new girls in the dance team, asking for advice/help on what to wear. After some questions about her approximate size, and armed with lots of safety pins, I dug my brown Paisley gown out from my basement, gave it a press and lent it to her for the day.
Then we all spent a few hours drinking coffee, walking around and shopping
My sister had a “dress-twin” in this lady (That fabric is divine!)
Maria and Ruth resting their legs
Apparently this event was sett on “The Knitters Day”, and since it was a bit chilly I made good use of my beloved mitts, that was gifted to me a few years back.
Just like last time, we all gathered again before dinner to play some “Pinn-ball” (or is it Bowling?) on the old course. 
Clara in her beautiful lilac dress (and don’t you just love her bonnet – perfection!),
and Sarah who changed dress (and decade) before dinner, to a gorgeous natural form gown.
“Have you heard the latest news…”
Then it was time to head in for the dinner.
And that was that.
Testing out my new selfie-stick with some of the amazing ladies from the day.
I’m really happy about how the day turned out (even though the weather wasn’t exactly the nicest, but hey! No Rain :-)), and so grateful to all the wonderful people who took their time (and Awesome costumes) to come here and help make the day such a success. 
Hope to see you all next time… 😀
And as a bonus: Check out this video made by one of the photographers who joined us in the beginning of the day.
1850s Plaid Summer Dress – Photoshot
Back in may with a big event coming closer i had a bi of a wardrobe panic – which (thankfully) was pretty easy solved by posting my 3 choices on Instagram and let you decide.
And as some of you already know, the (not so enominous) votes tallied up to my plaid light cotton summer dress and my white 1850s bonnet, and I couldn’t have made a better choice 🙂 – So a big Thank you to all that voted!
I felt perfectly temperate, pretty,fashionable and practical, all at the same time.
While at the event, I took the time to get some better pictures of it (since last times photos tuned out somewhat odd).
Photos: Maria Petersson
Heirlome dress – Photoshoot
Only minutes after finishing my new peasant dress, I packed it and left for my sisters house (and her birthday celebration), where we took a few moments to take some photos around the yard – which was the perfect setting for this dress.
I’m wearing: My new Heirloom dress paired with apron and head-cloth/shawl from my National costume, beige woolen shawl, knitted mittens, chemise, petticoat, bloomers and lace up boots.
Photo: Elin Evaldsdottra
1850s Swedish Heirlome Farm-dress
Last months HSM15 Challenge was “Heirlome”, and as never inherited anything suitable and knew nothing about my ancestors I had some trouble deciding what to make for this one.
Basically, I could make whatever I liked as long as it heirs from Sweden.
Initially I thought about making another piece for my national costume – like the jacket, embroidered shawl or headpiece, but since time was short (starting 1 week after deadline) I decided to go with a more classic (and fast) alternative.
The 19th century farm girl.
I love this pic of a girl in her finest clothes in front of her home. So refreshing an “real” from all the fancy dresses you see in fashion plates and preserved garments.
Since almost everybody in Sweden heirs from farmers, it seemed logical to assume that so did me and my ancestors.
I found this fabric, 3 m blue plaid cotton flannel, at an online auction site for a real steal of a price.
I used my 1840s fan-front dress pattern and cut the fabric down to scraps, carefully matching the plaids.
Then I sewed the dress together.
I made it all in three nights, altering between the sewing machine and hand stitching before the TV, and unfortunately “forgot” to take pictures. The sewing was pretty straight forward, so really noting to write in dept about (read about my last dress like this here)
I did however change a few things, from the original green dress, like:
Using darts to shape the front bodice, instead of fixed gathers. 
Adding the bodice to the skirt as to make a “whole” dress, and switching the buttons for hooks and eyes.
The finished dress:
Just the facts:
Challenge: nr 8/2015 – Heirlome
What: A 1850s working woman’s dress – As my ancestors might have worn.
Pattern: Self drafted about 2 years ago.
Fabric: 2,6 m of plaid cotton flanell, 0,5 m of white cotton lining.
Notions: Thread, hook & eyes, 2 m bias tape.
How historical accurate: So so, the look and fabric is plausible, but I sewed most of it on machine and put in some modern techniques. Maybe 6/10
Time: About 10-15 hours
Cost: About 150 Sek (22 Usd)
First worn: For photos September 12.
Final thoughts: Unfortunately I do not love this dress. I like the idea of it much better then the dress itself.
I’t came out a bit to big for me, and being made to work without a corset I feel a bit frumpy wearing it.
Accessorized with apron and head-cloth from my national costume
The Day of the Big Crinolines (part 2)
Here comes the rest of the pictures from “The Day of the Big Crinolines” (part 1).
As the day progressed we walked round the old town of Gamla Linköping, visiting small shops and gardens, taking lots of photos and buying some new stuff.
Maud, in the sun with her new umbrella/parasol.
Maria, with her Southern American flair.
Fan fighting!
Ladies walking of to the distance…
Sara of “A costuming Engineer” in her stunning new 1860s gown.
Clara reading “the bible” in the shadows.
I love the color and shape of Claras bonnet, and she matched it perfectly with the lilac in her dress.
One giant skirt on the bench…
…four giant skirts on the bench.
Oh naughty!
Love this flimsy, of focus photo – that’s what the whole day felt like.
Pernilla and Denise in their lovely new cotton dresses.
Pernilla (in red) was my co-arranger to his event, and an angel at making everything work out perfectly.
Such a great color on Denise.
I love the sheer fabric on Pernillas bonnet.
On the town square we ran into the patrolling policeman, and convinced him to join in some photos.
“Hm, you are very strange madam…”
When the shops closed (and the tourist headed home), we all went to the old times skittle-alley for some resting and playing in the shadows.
Barbaras jacket are made out of a tablecloth, can you believe it.
The whole outfit looks so smashing.
Helena’s playing ball…
Strike! Eh, No…
Just general fooling around.
Some of the guest devoted them self to reading “the bible” – Not really
(they’r watching the live streaming from the royal wedding).
Group-pic – with some added and some lost through out the day.
Newlyweds – Congratulations again!
We ended the day with a nice dinner at an beautiful old restaurant next to were we sat.
The food and the company was great, but we were all a bit exhausted by the long and hot day.
Then it was time to say goodbye.
Hopefully we’ll be able to do this again next year.
Just awesome!
***
I probably should have stopped at the crazy group picture, but since this is my blog/account of the day, I will also show you the les glorious pics from after we said our goodbyes.
At the buss ride home, hot, tired and sweaty, I encounter my other sister – all fresh and styled for a night on the town.
I just had to do a un-glamours bus-selfie. 
After a long day of costuming in the sun…
Once home I finally got to take the boots of, and take a look at my sad feet and socks – the blisters will stay for quite some time I’d wold think, but mu bellowed stockings are lost to all hope of saving.
Goodbye my friends, We had some good times together.
You could make any historical costume look better and would always stay in place (above the knee) even without garters.
I will miss you, and have a really hard time replacing you.
The Day of the Big Crinolines (Part 1)
So, it finally came – “The Day of the Big Crinolines”, that I’ve been preparing for all spring.
The Event poster made by Helena, using one of the pictures of my paisley gown.
The day was a collaboration with “Gamla Linköping” and “Svenska 1800-tals sällskapet”.
As a one of the hosts for this event I’ve put quite some work into getting it perfect.
Together with Pernilla from “Fashion of the days gone by” I talked to “Gamla Linköping” (the outdoors museum where the event was to be held) about help with publicity, booking the outdoors dance-floor and using their dressing-room among other things.
We had discussions with the historic dance team (to make hem do a dance show and a short dance course), with the “Historic costume group” for a fashion show and with several well read historic re-enactors for a small lecture on the fashion of the day.
At the end we only managed to get the dance team – who did a great job and was really appreciated by the participants of the day.
(Maybe next year we will be able to book some more entertainment and lectures…)
Besides planing the event itself, I’d worked on getting both me and my sister properly dresses.
Something I finished with just in time.
My sister is wearing her new 1860s ensemble including her blue Skirt, white Shirt, blue Hat and black Swiss-Waist, paired with a bridal petticoat, bloomers, stockings, lace up shoes, and black lace mitts.
I’m wearing my new 1850s ensemble of plaid Dress, green silk bonnet, cage Crinoline, Corset, petticoats, bloomers, lace up boots and a clock in a chain at the waist.
The event was a big hit and lots of lovely people from different parts of Sweden joined in.
We even got our own full page in the local newspaper.
Yes, it’s me in the big picture – the reporters caught me of guard, and convinced me to both answer some questions and to pose for them. They even caught some of it on tape – read the whole article and watch the interview (in Swedish) here.
Enough talking, on to the pictures…
We started the day by gathering all the attendant at the town square.
awaiting some more people…
Perfect lilac picture dream
Staying cool in the sun
A bustle at the Crinoline day was of course also welcome
Coming back from the interview (with the two reporters trailing behind).
Then we went to the outside dance-floor to talk a bit and to get to know each-other, since there was a lot new faces for all of us. 
You can see the reporters lurking in the background
Clara, Maria and Engla in three quite different styles of 1850-1860s dresses.
Then we went for a short walk to some greenery, to have our picnic lunch. 
Eva, with her super modern fruit – the pineapple
Then we headed back to the dance-floor to watch “Folkungagillets historic dance team” perform.
And for some of us – join in the performance…
Here’s a short film of one of the dances:
Then everyone was invited to join for a a few group-dances and some polka.
Afterwards, one of the dancers helped me take some pictures of my dress in the nice light of the dance-floor.
One of the people who came to watch the public dance show was my friend Annica (who is an expert dancer) and I got to dance some polka with her. Yay!
Bustle glory.
After the dancing some of us headed of to get some cofee, or “Fika” as we say in Sweden.
And asked one of the photographing tourists to take our picture.
My (quite dramatic) shadow
Visiting some shops
To be continued…
1850s Plaid Summer Dress – Photoshoot
Since I didn’t finish the dress until the night before the event, me and my sister took a few minutes away from the others to document my dress at the day itself.
I’m wearing: My new Plaid 1850s Summer dress (part 1, 2 & 3), green silk Bonnet (part 1 & 2), my cage Crinoline, 1880s corset together with chemise, petticoats, bloomers, stockings, lace up boots and a clock on a chain at the belt.
Photo: Maria Petersson
1850s Summer dress (part 3 – Bodice/finished)
Before I could continue on my 1850s dress bodice, I needed to decide on weather or not to do the gathers (part 1 & 2).
To help decide I posted the question n my facebook wall, and in my historic sewing class, and the answer was unanimous – Do the gathers.
With no time to argue, I got to work, testing the draping on my dressform.
Using three gathering threads to test the draping on the dressform.
The shoulders being tamed and arranged by two treads of gathering stitches that later is to be hidden in the shoulder seam.
I was not totally happy with the first try at waist gathers (using three threads) so I decided to re-do it using threads every 1-1,5 cm or so.
Testing the gathers.
Once I was happy with the technique I pinned and basted the lose front piece to the bodice, carefully matching the tightness of the gathers to hide the darts.
Then I pulled all the treads through and secured them on the back side, before I stitched the whole piece down using hidden slip stitches. 
You can see the right side being finished while the left still have all the threads hanging lose.
And then I left it for a few a few weeks, fully occupied by working on my sisters 1860s outfit, training for my big running competition and preparing for vacation on work.
Once I finished all the other things and finally gotten my (well deserved) vacation I once more took on the task of finishing the bodice.
With only one day left to work on the dress before it was to be used, I need to hurry.
This is how I found the bodice once more the day before the event – When I decided to give it a try, and finish it.
With no time to lose, I pinned and sewed the sleeves together and added them to the bodice using gathering threads at the sleeve head, before turning under 1 cm and hemming them at the wrist
Pattern matching the sleeves
Then I hand stitched the boning channels to the sides, back and darts, and inserted cable tie bones cut to the right length.
I added a placket to the front edge for the clouser, and pined bias-tape to the neck and bottom edge. 
Turning the bias tape at the neck down and securing it at shoulder and back.
I stitched and turned over the bias-tape at the waist, and slip-stitched it to the inside lining to make a smooth and clean finish.
late at night I marked the placement for the hooks and eyes, but I never had the time to finish them before I needed to hurry to catch the buss to the event.
(Instead I pinned it shut)
I also added bias binding to the sleeve edges
Outside and inside of the “finished” bodice:
I didn’t had time to ad the clouser to the front (Edit: Now it’s done).
The finished dress:
The Facts – Bodice & skirt:
What: A 1850s summer daydress
Pattern: I drafted my own using Janet Arnolds ” Pattern of Fashion” and Nora Waughs “Cut of Womens Clothes”.
Fabric & Notions: Thread, 5 m of light weight plaid cotton, 0,5 of regular white cotton, 1 m cotton tape for waistband, bias tape for boning channels & neck/sleeves/bottom edge binding, Boning, hooks and eyes.
Time: About 10-15 hours – I made most of the dress by machine.
Cost: 300 Sek – the fabric was on Sale and everything else came from stash.
Final Thought: I really love this dress!
I feel so pretty yet comfortable in it. I can move, dance and breath on it and even though it’s long sleeved it’s not hot at all, just perfect for summer.
And I did get lots of compliments at its first outing :-).
All that’s need to be fixed for next time is, adding hooks and eyes for clouser and attachment bodice to skirt.
I also really need to re-set the sleeves. Well nothing is ever perfect 😉
(I’ve now re- set the sleeves, added the hooks and eyes needed at the front and made the bodice and skirt sit firmly together)
1850s Plaid Summer Dress (Part 2 – bodice)
After finishing the skirt (and the Lady Mary dress) I continued on to the bodice on my 1850s summer dress.
Using some green cotton from my stash I draped a pattern on my dress-form trying to get as close to the original shape as possible.
Then I cut it out, stitched it together and tried it on.
bodice with pinned darts on one side.
I pinned the darts while wearing the mock-up. Then I took it of, marked and stitched them shut.
And put it on again for one more try to see if i got it right.
Looks pretty good I think.
Then I altered the pattern, taking out a few millimeters at every seam to make it a tad smaller, and shortened the back bodice about a cm to make it end at the waist.
And on to cutting out the pattern.
The pattern matching took a while, but whit lots of patients and pinning, I did get it right in the end.
Then I basted the bodice pieces to the interlining (who also served as lining).
center back being basted.
I stitched the center back seam,but was not happy with the bad matching of the pattern.
So I ripped out the seam and used three times as many pins as usual to really get the fabric to lay still while sewing (I could just have basted, but was to lazy at that point).
The result was much better, still not perfect, but I figured it wouldn’t show that much once worn.
Then I marked, pinned and stitched the darts on the bodice front piece copying the markings from the mock-up.
Then it was once more time to lace o the corset to check the fit.
Looks good. the only thing I needed to change was to shorten the back length some more. The vertical crease at the shoulder blades is a consequence of my corset, and will disappear as soon as I get the back boning in.
I really love the look of the bodice at this stage.
Trying it out with the right underwear…
Now it’s time for the front draping.
I used the pattern piece from my pattern draping, now cut in the plaid cotton, and pinned it to the dressform.
My only problem now was to decide if I really wanted the draping or not.
I loved the clean look of the un-draped bodice (and it would be so much easier and faster to finish), but my I think it was the draping who made me love the inspiration dress so much.
What to do?
To be continued….
Fashion Through Herstory 