1860s – Page 2 – Fashion Through Herstory

1860s Huge Orange Cage Crinoline

Published on May 3, 2017May 2, 2017 by fashionthrougherstory6 Comments

The next piece (after the corset) I needed to make for my sisters 1860s evening attire was the crinoline.

And since I’ve been wanted to make one for quite some time, and already had the pattern, I just needed to decide on fabric and get started.Using “Truly Victorian” 1865 Elliptical Cage Crinoline pattern

Since I wanted to use as much of my stash as possible for this whole project (both corset and dress material are basically all from stash) I went diving in my fabric bins and came out with an unexpected (very) Orange cotton sheet that wold work.
All pieces cut and ready

The pattern was really easy to follow, and I was so happy that I didn’t need to do any calculations what so ever on this one (as opposed to my 1850s self drafted crinoline). I did however need to use all my brain-cells and keep the concentration high when trying to get all the noted measurements and markings right.

The fabric I had was almost enough, and once all the pieces and ribbons was cut, all I had left was shreds, and I still needed some fabric to enclose the free hanging bones. this was all that remained

I contemplated getting another 5 dollar sheet, but decided on the easier (but way more expensive) alternative and bought the 15 m or so bias tape needed to cover the bones/hoops.

For boning I used metal pipe cleaners sold on rolls of 7,5 m at the local hardware-store.

I spent a full evening measuring, cutting, encasing and taping the bones to make them into neat bias covered hoops.

bias tape stitched and ready for the hoops

taping the edges together

After stitching the bottom “bag”, attaching all the vertical ribbons, making the belt and stitching the back “crescent”, it was time to get the hoops attached. the 4 stages of making the fabric tubes

belt and cresent attached
and the bottom bag attached

The working was slow (but not difficult), and I loved watching the whole piece come together by pinning on one row of hoops after the other, matching all the pre-made markings.
late night work

slowly getting there

Once all the hoops was pinned to their mark, it was time to make the final adjustments to get everything to hang/sit smoothly and evenly.

much better
I’m not sure if it was my markings/measurements (probably) or some error in the pattern but It did needed quite a lot adjustments.

Lastly I spent two whole nights hand stitching the hoops to the ribbons.

To be sure I made everything correctly, and not made any foolish mistakes or own inventions, I used the sewing instructions quite a lot, referring back to them before, during and after each step. This made the work go slower, as it always does when working on something new and unfamiliar, but I do think it turned great.

The crinoline was awesomely big and that meant I couldn’t fit in my small sewing room, but needed to work in our loving room. Which also meant I couldn’t close the door but was forced to pack everything away as soon as the baby awoke (about 3 times a day).

It took me bout a week of 1-3 st 40-90 minutes intense work-sessions to get the crinoline done.

The finished Crinoline:

The Facts:

What: A 1860s Hoop Crinoline

Pattern: Truly Victorian (TV103) 1865s Elliptical Cage Crinoline

Fabric & Notions: 1 orange cotton sheet (about 2,5 m fabric), about 15 m of brown bias tape, tread, 1 belt buckle, 1 m of interfacing for the belt, about 21 m of hoop wire, duck-tape, 4 m of cotton sting. I also needed heavy pliers, strong fingers and lots of patients.

Time & Cost: The total time was maybe 10-15 hours and I guesstimate the material to about 400 Sek (40Usd).

Final Thoughs: I love it! It so ridiculously big and orange. And it looks gorgeous under my sisters evening skirts.
The pattern was easy to work with (even for one not used to the inch measurements), but I don’t think I’ll willingly do another one for a loooong time…

1860s green corset – Photoshoot

Published on May 2, 2017 by fashionthrougherstoryLeave a comment

Here’s some photos of my sister in her new 1860s corset.

Photos: Elin Evaldsdotter

Green 1860s corset

Published on April 30, 2017 by fashionthrougherstory4 Comments

Who knew it could be so much fun sewing guesses?

When I started working on the 1860s corset from “Past Patterns”, for my sister back in January I dreaded what was to come.

All the Guesses…
4 on each side = 8 on the outer fabric
+ 8 on the lining =16

Phu…

Then of course there was the question of the Mock-up = another 8
And me, my crazy as decided that a second mock-up was needed = another 8 guesses

I must say I lost count by now, but I’m not finished yet…

For once I started on my sisters corset, I of course wanted one of my own… (but that’s for a later post)

I think the final counting (including a few that needed re-setting) lands at about 60 or so.

But lets take this from the beginning.

This winter I got an invitation to my dance groups yearly historical ball, that was to be held in May.
I immediately asked my sister if she would like to join – which of course she would.
Then we started debating what to wear.
The timespan set for this ball was 1750s-1850s, so a pretty big gap and quite an ocean of possibilities.
I decided to postpone the difficult decision for myself a few months – after all I have a wardrobe full of dresses that would do (more on my thoughts on this dilemma in a later post).
But my sister only had one or two things from previous events, which non would work for this occasion. Quickly drawn sketches of possible ways to go.

And since The time I had to spend on her dress was limited by both my family and my work, we needed to find something relatively simple to make.
So after some debating back and forth, we (despite better judgment) decided to make her a complete set of 1850-1860s evening attire.
Of course…:-0

Starting with the corset.

And here we are.

I drafted the pattern from “Past Patterns” mid 19th century stay pattern, with some alterations for my sisters and made a mock-up.

Silly me, thinking that the few bones in this corset would hold upp the cheap cotton I use for most of my toiles. No It wont do. So I made a second mock-up in a much sturdier upholstery fabric (a friend bought at IKEA and gifted to me).
Sorry no photos of the second fitting, but it looked much better.

So I cut the fabric, a beautiful light green satin I got a few years back for exactly this purpose (well, it was intended for my corset, but what do you do – sometimes sisters need pretty fabrics to ;-)).

I interlined it with a sturdy cotton in a similar color from stash, and started on the gussets.

I stitched the boning channels, set the grommets and added the busk.

Then I did another fitting, which I usually never bother to do, but since we where to meat for a cup of coffee I figured, why not.

That was a good call, since some adjustments still needed to be made.
I took it in a few cm at the top, let out a few at the bottom, shortened the whole thing a bit and added two extra bones on each side.
Only the bone in the middle is from the pattern.

Then I wrapped it up by adding the bias binding (made from the same fabric as the corset), lace and working some flossing on the bones.

Now it fit much better! 🙂

The finished corset:

The facts:

What: a 1850-1880s corset

Pattern: “Past Pattern” nr. 708 – Mid 19th century stays

Fabric & Notions: 0,5 m green cotton sateen, o,5 m cotton interlining, 0.5 m green cotton for lining. Thread, 1 busk, boning (plastic and metal), grommets, buttonhole thread for flossing, 1 m ivory lace, 4 m of cotton cord for lacing.

Time: With the many fittings, and short work sessions late at night it took about 10 hours.

Cost: Everything came from stash (fancy that!), but bought new about 300 Sek (25 Usd).

Final thoughts: I think it came out really well, and my sister loves it. Lets just see how well it holds up on the ball room floor…

swiss Waist

Published on June 15, 2015 by fashionthrougherstory4 Comments

As a final touch on my sisters 1860s outfit (Skirt, Blouse, Hat) I decided to make a Swiss waist. I love the look of so many of these pictures.

As it appers, Lots of other bloggers started to show interest in the small, but faboulus looking accessorie.
“Katie Lowely” made one as her HSM15 – Practiality entry.
And “Vintage Visions” examens one of her ancient ones using lots o new photos.

I’ve also had this pattern showing up in my Pinetest feed not long ago.And following the link I discovered that Catheine of ” The fashionable Past” had drafted it from an extant piece in her colection (and also made a great tutorial for stitching it up, which I of course found only after I finished making my own…Doh)

Perfect!

As I wanted this project to be yet another fast one I dow into my scrap bin staright away and came up agin with two pieces of black fabric one cotton lawn and one piece of polyester taffeta.

So I copied the patten and altered it to my sisters measurments, then I cut 1 of each piec in taffeta and two in cotton.
I bsted the one of the cotton pieces to the taffeta as interlining nad pinned the pieces togeter or assemebly.

I stitched the cotton lining and the taffteta together at the front and back.

I made boning chanells from the selvedge at the side seam.

On pieces this uniform and simular, it is extra important to mark your front/back/up/down/right/wrong side.

The it was time to stitch the outer fabric to the lining. I tried the “sticth and turn” method, with bad result.So I ended up ripping the seam out, turning the edges in from the outside and securing them with a wisible seam. (Totaly on purpose…)

Then I inserted the bones at the side seams.

I measured and marked the placeent for the lacing holes.

And spent one evening in front o the Tv sewing them.

Once the lacin holes was fininshed I inserted the last bones and stitched the edge closed by hand.

Then I finished of by adding hooks and eyes to the front edge.

The fininshed Swiss Waist (and whole outfit):

The whole outfit including:
hat, Blouse, Skirt, Swiss wist and accessories like, fan, shawl, necktie and lace glowes.

The facts:

What: A 1860s Swiss Waist – Belt accessorie

Pattern: “Koshka the cats” pattern for “Swiss waist ca 1860s”

Fabric and notions: Scraps of black cotton and ployester taffeta, thread, scarps of boning, buttonhole thread and hooks and eyes.

Time & cost: About 4 hours and 50 sek (8Usd)

Final thought: It serves it’s purpose, but I think It nwould ahve benefitted from another fabric choise and some more boning.

1860s(ish) 2 hours blue skirt

Published on June 11, 2015 by fashionthrougherstory3 Comments

To have something to go with the hat, and shirt/blouse, my sister also needed some other pieces to make her outfit (why do I do this to myself).

And to save my sanity, I decided on yet another quick and simple project.
A straight skirt sewn on machine.

I had some trouble finding a fabric I liked (and thought my sister would like)Lovely cotton prints, but none that would serve my purposes.

Then I stumbled over this great (and quite loud) print, which I immediately loved.

I started by cutting three widths of fabric the length the skirt needed.

Then I matched the prints at the seams and stitched the widths together.If you look closely you can see the edge.

Then I pleated the upper edge to the right waist measure and added a small strip of fabric for waistband.

I finished by folding and stitching the hem, and adding hooks and eyes for clouser.

The only thing that took some time was the hemming – if I’d sewn it by machine I could have called it my
“1 hour skirt”.

The finished skirt:

The facts:

What: A 1860s skirt

Pattern: None – just used rectangular pieces

Fabric & Notions: 3,5 m blue patterned light cotton, thread and hooks and eyes.

Time: 2 hours

Cost: about 300 Sek

Final thoughts: The skirt turned out just like I envisioned, and my sister likes it too, The only thing in need of change are to shorten the front a bit to keep my sister from stepping on it.

Practical (and quick) 1860s blouse

Published on June 7, 2015 by fashionthrougherstoryLeave a comment

My original plan for the HSF15 challenge 5 – Practicality, a regency day-dress, needed to be postponed so to get time to finish this springs biggest undertaking – a hole new 1850-1860s wardrobe.

So after finishing my not a Garibaldi blouse a few weeks ago, I decided I needed yet another blouse in almost the same style, for my sister to wear at the upcoming “Crinoline day”.

My main inspiration was this sever looking young lady.

Since time was sparse, I decided to use the simplest way possible in all things for this blouse.

Staring with the pattern, I used the basic pattern blocks for a regular shirt (just like the picture below), and omitted the collar and cuff.

For fabric I used leftovers from my “Chemise a la Lambelle” & ” Ariel/Camille” dresses, A really nice and strong structured cotton voile(?) 2013-05-29 17.38.05

Unfortunately I forgot to take any photos of the construction process, but it was so simple and went so smooth that I just kept sewing and finished over one afternoon.

Basically I just stitched the bodice together using french seams, added the small collar, sewed the buttonhole-stand and added buttons and (machined) buttonholes.Sewed and set the sleeves, covering the seams with bias-tape to get a clean finish. Then I hemmed the shirt, added the bias-tape for the drawstring waist.

And finished of by folding, stitching and adding the ribbons for the wrist ties.

The finished Shirt:As its biggest size

And a quick “practicality” photoshoot:Cocking food in my extremely old fashioned kitchen…

Just the facts:

Challenge: nr 5/2015 “Practicality”

What: a 1850-1860s shirtwaist

How it fit into the challenge: The shirt is perfect for the everyday wear of a lower(or higher) class women doing households chores or taking a stroll in the park. That fabric is durable and easily washable and the style of the shirt with its drawstrings at waist and wrists makes it fit several different sizes of women.

Pattern: None, I just used the basic shapes of any shirt pattern.

Fabric: 1 m of structured cotton voile.

Notions: Thread, buttons, scraps of cotton ribbon at wrists, cotton string and bias tape for waist shaping.

How historical accurate: So so, the garment (and fabric) did exist, but I didn’t used any accurate pattern, and I did sew it all on my sewing machine – even the buttonholes. I would say about 5/10

Time: about 4 hours

Cost: at most 100Sek (16Usd) – Everything was from stash and leftovers from other projects.

First worn: at June 6th for photos, but will get a proper outing June 13 when my sister wears it for our “Crinoline day”

Final thoughts: I loved how fast and easy it went together, and I think it looks great both paired with”Peasant” garb and “finer lady’s” garb (as is the way my sister will wear it).

1860s blue/white hat

Published on June 1, 2015 by fashionthrougherstoryLeave a comment

Wise from my previous try at millinery, I ordered a pattern without even trying to draft my own for my sister 1860s hat. Lynn McMasters “1860s summer hat”

I drafted and cut the pattern for a medium sized hat and got to work on the buckram.

Stitching the millinery wire to the buckram.

Then I taped and sewed the top and side piece together by hand.

I covered the edges with bias tape.

Then it was time to cut the fabric.
Knowing my sisters fondness for blue, and having just recently finished my 18th century Redingote in a lovely blue wool, I decided to use the scraps for her hat.
Cutting the wool.

I also cut the pieces in cotton thin bathing for interlining, and white linen for lining.left to right: Buckram, bathing, blue wool, pattern piece and linen lining.

I carefully covered the buckram base with first bathing and then wool.

Then it was time for the lining. The piece underneath the brim was pleated, pinned and stitched on.

And the crown part was covered in two steps – first the top, and then the sides.

Then I stitched the brim and the crown part together.

And flipped it over to sew the lining together.

The finished (un-trimmed) hat:

But no hat is complete without some decoration…

I cut stripes of white chiffon to put on the hat. Looking pretty good.

I also wanted to ad a lace veil… ..But decided not to since it looked so stupid, and I doubt my sister would want to wear it like that.

I pinned and sewed the chiffon to the hat in a shape of a bow with long tails.
To get some more interest to the look, I also added a bit of lace to the bow.

And that was that.

The finished hat

The facts:

What: a 1860s hat

Pattern: Lynn McMasters 1860s summer hat

Fabric & Notions: scraps of blue wool, white linnen and cotton bathing, 30cm buckram, 2m millenery wire, thread, 30cm polyester chiffong and 10cm polyester lace for decoration.

Time: About 20 hours.

Cost: ca 200 Sek (32 Usd) – all fabric from stash.

Final thoughts: I think it look really good and I hope my sister likes it – because I do.

1860s (ish) women hats – Inspiration

Published on May 30, 2015 by fashionthrougherstoryLeave a comment

For my sisters 1860s headwear, I wanted to try something new, and found the chick little hat used outdoors in summer.

Perfect.
Just to decide on which style to make…

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1860s silk bonnet (part 2) – decoration

Published on May 28, 2015 by fashionthrougherstory6 Comments

Continuing on the 1860s green silk bonnet:

To get my bonnet to look like my inspiration it needed a bit more work (part 1 – making the bonnet)

To make it go from this to this…

For the trimmings I cut stripes of “whatever left of the silk” and gathered them by hand to get a nice and “poufy” trim.

I also made a few flowers using scraps of the fabric. These are so easy to make and takes really no time at all.
I only wish I had more fabric to make more.

I then pinned the trimmings to the bonnet and stitched them on by hand, one by one until I was satisfied
(or ratter until I run out of scraps to turn into trim…).The first trims pinned on.

The Finished Bonnet:

The Facts:

What: A 1860s bonnet

Pattern: Lynn McMasters “1860s civil war bonnet”

Fabric: 60 cm of green silk taffeta, 30 cm of green cotton for lining.

Cost: 350 Sek

Time: A lot – about 30 hours.

Final Thoughts: I think it came out really pretty, with enough decoration to look right for the period yet being pleasing in my modern styizied eyes.
I can’t wait o wear it.

1860s – silk bonnet (part 1) – making the bonnet

Published on May 25, 2015 by fashionthrougherstory6 Comments

After the mandatory inspiration searching, were I decided on a style of bonnet to make, I got to work,

Inspiration

I decided to drape my own pattern using thin cardboard, pictures and millinery books.

After some fiddling and pinning I got a pattern for a bonnet…Which looked like a total disaster…

No, this would not do, time for plan B.

I ordered Lynn McMasters “1860s bonnet pattern” and started all over again.

After copying the pattern I cut it out in buckram.

To get a better view of how the bonnets shape, I pinned the pieces together for a better look.

After trying it on, I decided to cut a few cm of of the brim.

Marking the pieces

Sewing the millinery wire to the buckram pieces.

Then the pieces was ready to be stitched together.

To get them to line up perfectly I taped the together before I sewed.

Back piece stitched to side piece.

A pretty nice buckram frame

Then I stitched bias-tape round every edge to keep the corners smooth underneath the fabric.

Finished frames:

Then It was time to buy some fabric – deciding on green since that was one of the few colors in the store that would work with my dress (plaid white/blue) without being to obviously matching.

The cut pattern pieces.

As directed in the pattern I also cut cotton bating and some scraps of light green cotton for lining.

Before the fabric was to go on I needed to glue/stitch the batting on te frame to get an even smoother under layer for the silk.

Sadly I forgot to take pictures of this step, but basically I just glued around the edges of the frame pieces and carefully attached the batting to it.

Then it was time for the outer fabric.

(bad at photographing here too – I was working late at night, and didn’t had the camera on hand)

But I started with the crown, working downwards, basting all the edges and the carefully stitching the fabric pieces together.

Silk all stitched on.

Then it was time for the lining.Using a curved needle to baste the crown to the inner corners.

Stitching the fabrics together using small invisible stitches.

Before finishing the last piece (the gathered front) of the lining, It was time for the “curtain”/neckpiece.I basically just gathered a straight piece of silk and pinned it to the curved neck of the bonnet.Then I stitched it on.

Then I gathered, pinned and stitched the last piece of lining to the inner brim of the bonnet, and added some silk ties.

The base for the bonnet was now finished, and all that’s needed was the decoration.

I think it looks stunning and was a bit hesitant of even adding trimmings and decorations.

To be continued…