Thank you for taking the time to read about my nerdy obsession with historic dance and costume. As with a lot of costumers, the sewing machine gets flying a few weeks before the event. The days of weekend sewing crunches are long gone, replaced by short spurts in between household and mommy duties.
There's always a struggle between what I am able to afford and what I actually would like to do. My draping skills have come a long way due to necessity. Most of the time I cannot afford historic patterns and have to make do with transferring the general shape from historic costuming books. Every once in awhile I can borrow a period correct pattern from a friend.
Last year, I finally started the trim on my 1880s dinner bodice. The pleating took hours of adjustment for consistency and flow around the neckline. I also added lace and bows to the neckline and sleeves. It's incredibly beautiful and satisfying to see the finished product. The pattern I used for this bodice was TV422. I created the skirt and over skirt by getting the general pattern shape out of a costuming book and draping it over period correct undergarments. The only thing left, is the pleating on the skirt above the ruffle and I will be done!
Most of these pictures were from a photo and promotional video shoot at the Wren's Nest. It is always a fun to play dress up Victorian model! Stay tuned for the final video.