Progress: Bodice and Chemisette!

So, I finished my skirt, and I started on the bodice.
I'm using the TV 1881 Dinner Bodice as a pattern.

So, before I started the bodice, I made my chemisette out of an old white shirt (yea, recyling!) which was out of comission due to paint stains on the sleeve. So, now it's a chemisette!

Anyways, now I'm like, okay, let's take my measurements with all of my 20 thousand different underthings. So, I've been noticing my corset is taking some serious wear and tear.

And it's getting bad.

I don't usually have a fichu, but my falsies were showing... oops! >/////<

So, naturally, I want to make a new one. I have these two fabrics which I like, I think I'm leaning twoards the musical one. Also, my old one was made with twill which I discovered warps so now my corset is awkwardly slanted. I feel like (also) I've been reading a lot and I'm prepared to take the opportunity to make a new, nicer corset for myself with all the stuff I've learned about this one, and read about.

Oh, here are my two fabrics.

As I said, I prefer the musical one, but the colour-changing flowers are cool too.

Anyways, moving on. I took all my measurements and did the math and all that shizz for the bodice, and I was like "Yeah, I'm totes ready for this!"

So I cut everything out.

Yay, little slivers of paper!

All bodice pieces

I made my mockup and IT WAS SERIOUSLY TWENTY SIZES TOO BIG.

So, see the pictures.

The poopy mockup

Kiyotea is not amused.

I LOST 20 LBS!!!!11!!!!1! :DDDD

Okay, maybe I was a little amused. I later realised that not my math, but my reading was wrong. I did the math fine, but I like, totally looked at the wrong number and cut out a HUGE front size. So I re-did the math and cut out the proper size, and it fit like a glove. Well, give or take a few centimeters.

The pretty mockup

And look at that open space!

SO I was happy. I also fixed the sleeve head, which was too big after I cut the smaller size.

I did so by taking a long dart, which I learned from Miss Jennifer from historicalsewing.com.

Then I proceeded to cut out my striped fabric.

My fabric in strips.

I matched up all the stripes also using tutorials from historical sewing, so That they'd all look pretty and shtuff. Then you can see all my bodice pieces, save for the sleeves.

So, yeah. That's where I'm at now. I'm hopefully going to finish putting these together today, and I'll be able to start working on sleeves! That'll be a trip, but not for today!

Progress!

I got my solid fabric strips for the rainbow dress, at long last!

So I sewed them into two-inch strips and I put them on my skirt.
Then I sewed the apron to the back and did the waistband and a few other little finishing details.

Here's the skirt:

front, side and back

I have to say, I wish my pannier didn't come out so wonky; I should have looked at the pattern while I was draping it up. Also, a dressform might have helped with the draping. Ah well. :/

I'll probably go back later and re-do them, so they look better. Maybe if I finish everything else super early.

Oh, and my underskirt is pretty much done, except I have to wait for my American Duchess Boots before I can hem it/sew the ribbon trim. Otherwise it's all systems go to move on the the chemisette/cuffs and the bodice. :D

Bonnet, DONE!

But this is just a preview.
I'm saving the actual details for the duedate on HSF.

Also, I've finished the front and back panels for the overskirt, I just need my solid fabric strips for the panniers, then that'll be pretty much done too.
Here, for the sake of progress:

Yay! :)
See y'all later.

A New Year and a new Start!

I'm not dead, I promise!

I've finished my Belle dress, and I'll try to get pictures soon!
I've made a little half-length wool cape for funsies. It's not historical, though.
I'm starting a project, called the Victorian Gay Pride Dress.
It's a natural form day dress, with rainbow stripes, that I'm making for the pride parade.
And also, because it fits, I'll be participating in the Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge.
Here's my 'concept illustration'

Yesh! I'm making it from mostly Truly Victorian patterns, namely the 1880 dinner bodice, and the hermione overskirt.
Also, I have the 1880s bonnet pattern.
As for other things, I've started on my black underskirt, which is waiting to be finished after my new boots from American Duchess come in. Also after I get my boots, I'm making some spats. And, I hope to make a chemisette and cuffs to go under the dress.

In relation to the HSFC, I'll probably be participating in the stripes challenge, and the accesories challenge. I don't know that I can get anything prior to that done.

And then, outside of sewing, I'm applying to colleges, and scholarships, and jobs.
I need money for prom dress fabric, hence applying for jobs.
My life is hectic.

Just read the Post.

SO.
I was browsing the web, and I came across this page that was talking about cosplay, hoopskirts, and other things that have to do with the fusion of historical and modern costuming.
This suddenly spurred me to look up the words "Marie Antoinette Cosplay" in the image search, and to much dismay, I have returned with unsatisfactory results.
The majority of what I saw was full, frilly skirts and hourglass silhouettes, rather more suited to the 19th century than the 18th. So, I'll write a rough "outline" for any people who plan on doing this cosplay in the future. PLEASE don't be offended, I just wanted to make it aware that people are probably going into a cosplay not knowing the background behind such a character.
Okay, so... LET'S BEGIN.
1. If you decide to do a Marie Antoinette Cosplay, please know that you are doing a representation of a historical figure, and therefore to do the best cosplay that you can, you ideally need to make a dress that is accurate (in style, at least) to the time period. This goes for ANY historical figure cosplay, as thesame principle applies.
2. So, there IS an exception. There is a manga (and anime?) series called "The Rose of Versailles"
Now, while I've not heard of it until recently, I understand if people are doing that as a cosplay. So, then you can have your hourgalss figure and full frilly skirts.
3. okay, so now to get to the actual cosplay info. Marie Antoinette was queen of France in the 1770s and 80s. Therefore, you should do some research in the fashions of the time period, and probably look at some of her portraits.
4. Now, she was also regarded as a leader in fashion at the time so, in my opinion, that gives a person leave to use information that is a bit ahead of the time. But that's a bit besides the point.
5. And IN REGARD TO THE CLOTHES. You should use proper stays and panniers, to get the right silhouette. So don't try to go around in a victorian corset and a hoopskirt. 'CAUSE THAT'S NOT FOR MARIE ANTOINETTE. >:(
And that's pretty much it. oh, and in regards to historical accuracy, I meant style wise, not everything wise. You don't ahve to use real silk and whalebone for the costume. If you want to though, don't let me stop you...
So yeah. there's my semi-rant.
Oh, and if you were wondering what progress I've made, I got another skirt panel done, and I sewed it to the first. It looks so cool! :) But now I'm at my dad's house all week, so any machine sewing is on hold. As for panels, though, I can gather the long pieces and pin them to the bases. So it's a start! And my corset stays came in, so I put those in the corset and laced it up! It's really comfy, compared to my makeshift corset with crap-tastic plastic that digs into my flesh! I haven't sewed the binding down or anything, though, so there *is* the possibility of them sliding out of their channels... at leas a *little* bit. But I'm so excited! :)

More pictures. :)

Hello again. It's time for more pictures.

So here's my hoop. You can see it's REALLY a-line, like, a lot. WAY smaller than I would have liked.
So I definitely need to add a nice, big, fluffy flounced petticoat that's starched and all that, to get it a bit bigger and more dome shaped than the A-line I have now.
And just for the sake of it, here's the picture of me tripping while trying to move back in time for the camera timer.

plaid skirt over hoop.

One of my finished skirt panels! Don't you just love that color? So the yellow taffeta is gathered, then mounted on a muslin base. I gathered it in quarters, at a very scant edge. Then, I sewed it to the muslin base just inside the gathering stitches. In this picture, the bottom curve isn't sewed or trimmed, but I did that this morning. (All the rest was last night.)

So, there you have it! All my picturtes/progress so far! I hope you'll forgive me for taking so long to get them up, and I'll try to be better about it from now on. :)

See you later!

Guess what, you guys!

I finally got pictures!!
So, I've made more progress. And it's real, honest-to-goodness progress on my Belle dress.
Because really, the chemise isn't quite progress on the dress, as I could totally use the on that I have now.
But anyways, onto the pictures! And info.

My new, almost-done hand-stitched chemise! I REALLY like the way the neckline turned out, I think it's a really nice shape for a neckline. And I look pretty good in a square neckline, if I do say so myself... ;P
The only other thing about it is that I'm not sure if I should add tucks at the hem, just because I don't know.
So, let me know what you think! Oh, and did I mention it's hand sewn?

Up next, my luverly wool/poly blend petti! As you can see, it's a seriously bright red color, and goes just past the hem of my new chemise. So it's all cool and stuff.

My plaid petti/skirt. It's not hemmed yet, so I've yet to do that. But otherwise, it's all finished.
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Detail of plaid!

So, yeah! It seems that blogger isn't letting me add more pictures, so another post will be up today!
See you in a bit!