Re: [h-cost] chiffon and Astrida's book
:D That's about as big a grin as I know how to make with emoticons. Glad you like it!! Astrida On Jul 4, 2013, at 12:26 PM, Lauren Walker lauren.wal...@comcast.net wrote: I had a wretched day trying to get the chiffon to pleat yesterday. I'm leaving the dress alone for a day so that when I look at it again I won't just automatically assume it must all be started over. But I think this may be the dress where I really do, possibly using a different fabric. What I can't accept is that the original was done in crepe de chîne -- because the crepes I've worked with in the past won't pleat, either. Crepe is much too thick for this doll dress, but the chiffon -- which is very sheer, very soft, and very light (no organza stiffness to lose, but the pleats vanish when it gets damp) and which I chose because it wouldn't build up an unacceptable bulk, as well as because it's iridescent, might just be the wrong cloth. I may try starching a couple of test pieces and seeing if that's an answer -- I think with this fabric I'd want to leave the starch in anyway. BUT Astrida's beautiful book arrived yesterday, too. So now I can, if I want to, follow her excellent and clear instructions for pleating, and use a vinegar pressing cloth to try to set them. I put a little vinegar in the spritzing water for my first attempts but nowhere near a 1:1 ratio and did not use a cloth nor let the pleats rest. So I have those to try before I throw in the towel on this one. Plus this gorgeous book! With these really nice, consistent, clearly diagrammed instructions. If this is what a Kickstarter-funded, artisan-controlled book can be like, the future could be much more fun than I've recently been imagining! Lauren Lauren M. Walker lauren.wal...@comcast.net On Jun 30, 2013, at 1:59 PM, Cin wrote: A note of caution: Rinsing out the starch may also rinse out the finish of your organza making it limp or less shiny. Test first. --cin Cynthia Barnes cinbar...@gmail.com On Sat, Jun 29, 2013 at 6:16 PM, Lauren Walker lauren.wal...@comcast.net wrote: Thanks -- I was wondering how to stabilize it. Starch is a good suggestion. Lauren M. Walker lauren.wal...@comcast.net On Jun 29, 2013, at 3:39 PM, Sharon Collier wrote: Do you starch your chiffon before working with it? That may help and after it's pleated and the pleats are tacked down, you can rinse out the starch. Sharon C. -Original Message- From: h-costume-boun...@indra.com [mailto:h-costume-boun...@indra.com] On Behalf Of Lauren Walker Sent: Saturday, June 29, 2013 9:08 AM To: Historical Costume Subject: [h-cost] chiffon and Astrida's book Oh, dear. I was just going to check in to complain that if I EVER finish the current project it's going to be YEARS before I work with chiffon in 1/12th scale again, and here I see Astrida has a whole book on how to really *do* these embellishments where I've been winging it. I'm torn between buying a copy now and waiting until I'm done with the doll project so I don't feel I have to tear everything apart and start over. I mean, I did just pause to go order the book, because books always win. But I'm just about to do the accordion pleats (Godey's calls them accordion pleats) for the skirt on the gown on the left here: http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015004176890;view=1up;seq=511 for the tiny Grodnerthal doll (I've got the bodice done although there are things with which I'm not satisfied so it might get done over--the pleating ended up not crossing above the belt, and I'm not sure I can stand it) and I'm not sure whether it would help or not to know what I am doing! Anyway I'm looking forward to my copy of the book! And to moving on to the fourth and last outfit in the doll project, which is the one on the right in this plate: http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015004176882;view=1up;seq=109 which I'm working in a striped cotton and a sheer wool challis. Which will have their own problems, but will at least not be this insanely delicate chiffon. By the way, Godey's calls the hat a flat leghorn -- looking at some other hats from the late 1880s, some did not have crowns, or the crown was filled in with the scarf material. Would any of you hazard a guess about this particular hat? Thanks! I'm going to be so happy to go back to human-sized 18th-century wools and linens. Fabrics you can't hurt even with a blowtorch and a hammer! Lauren Lauren M. Walker lauren.wal...@comcast.net On Jun 17, 2013, at 3:39 PM, Terry wrote: I'm so excited to say that I just received Astrida Schaeffer's book Embellishments: Constructing Victorian Detail. I mean I JUST got it (5 minutes ago), so I've only had time to thumb through it, but it looks beautiful. Can't wait to read it! Terry Walker ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume
Re: [h-cost] chiffon and Astrida's book
I had a wretched day trying to get the chiffon to pleat yesterday. I'm leaving the dress alone for a day so that when I look at it again I won't just automatically assume it must all be started over. But I think this may be the dress where I really do, possibly using a different fabric. What I can't accept is that the original was done in crepe de chîne -- because the crepes I've worked with in the past won't pleat, either. Crepe is much too thick for this doll dress, but the chiffon -- which is very sheer, very soft, and very light (no organza stiffness to lose, but the pleats vanish when it gets damp) and which I chose because it wouldn't build up an unacceptable bulk, as well as because it's iridescent, might just be the wrong cloth. I may try starching a couple of test pieces and seeing if that's an answer -- I think with this fabric I'd want to leave the starch in anyway. BUT Astrida's beautiful book arrived yesterday, too. So now I can, if I want to, follow her excellent and clear instructions for pleating, and use a vinegar pressing cloth to try to set them. I put a little vinegar in the spritzing water for my first attempts but nowhere near a 1:1 ratio and did not use a cloth nor let the pleats rest. So I have those to try before I throw in the towel on this one. Plus this gorgeous book! With these really nice, consistent, clearly diagrammed instructions. If this is what a Kickstarter-funded, artisan-controlled book can be like, the future could be much more fun than I've recently been imagining! Lauren Lauren M. Walker lauren.wal...@comcast.net On Jun 30, 2013, at 1:59 PM, Cin wrote: A note of caution: Rinsing out the starch may also rinse out the finish of your organza making it limp or less shiny. Test first. --cin Cynthia Barnes cinbar...@gmail.com On Sat, Jun 29, 2013 at 6:16 PM, Lauren Walker lauren.wal...@comcast.net wrote: Thanks -- I was wondering how to stabilize it. Starch is a good suggestion. Lauren M. Walker lauren.wal...@comcast.net On Jun 29, 2013, at 3:39 PM, Sharon Collier wrote: Do you starch your chiffon before working with it? That may help and after it's pleated and the pleats are tacked down, you can rinse out the starch. Sharon C. -Original Message- From: h-costume-boun...@indra.com [mailto:h-costume-boun...@indra.com] On Behalf Of Lauren Walker Sent: Saturday, June 29, 2013 9:08 AM To: Historical Costume Subject: [h-cost] chiffon and Astrida's book Oh, dear. I was just going to check in to complain that if I EVER finish the current project it's going to be YEARS before I work with chiffon in 1/12th scale again, and here I see Astrida has a whole book on how to really *do* these embellishments where I've been winging it. I'm torn between buying a copy now and waiting until I'm done with the doll project so I don't feel I have to tear everything apart and start over. I mean, I did just pause to go order the book, because books always win. But I'm just about to do the accordion pleats (Godey's calls them accordion pleats) for the skirt on the gown on the left here: http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015004176890;view=1up;seq=511 for the tiny Grodnerthal doll (I've got the bodice done although there are things with which I'm not satisfied so it might get done over--the pleating ended up not crossing above the belt, and I'm not sure I can stand it) and I'm not sure whether it would help or not to know what I am doing! Anyway I'm looking forward to my copy of the book! And to moving on to the fourth and last outfit in the doll project, which is the one on the right in this plate: http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015004176882;view=1up;seq=109 which I'm working in a striped cotton and a sheer wool challis. Which will have their own problems, but will at least not be this insanely delicate chiffon. By the way, Godey's calls the hat a flat leghorn -- looking at some other hats from the late 1880s, some did not have crowns, or the crown was filled in with the scarf material. Would any of you hazard a guess about this particular hat? Thanks! I'm going to be so happy to go back to human-sized 18th-century wools and linens. Fabrics you can't hurt even with a blowtorch and a hammer! Lauren Lauren M. Walker lauren.wal...@comcast.net On Jun 17, 2013, at 3:39 PM, Terry wrote: I'm so excited to say that I just received Astrida Schaeffer's book Embellishments: Constructing Victorian Detail. I mean I JUST got it (5 minutes ago), so I've only had time to thumb through it, but it looks beautiful. Can't wait to read it! Terry Walker ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] chiffon and Astrida's book
A note of caution: Rinsing out the starch may also rinse out the finish of your organza making it limp or less shiny. Test first. --cin Cynthia Barnes cinbar...@gmail.com On Sat, Jun 29, 2013 at 6:16 PM, Lauren Walker lauren.wal...@comcast.net wrote: Thanks -- I was wondering how to stabilize it. Starch is a good suggestion. Lauren M. Walker lauren.wal...@comcast.net On Jun 29, 2013, at 3:39 PM, Sharon Collier wrote: Do you starch your chiffon before working with it? That may help and after it's pleated and the pleats are tacked down, you can rinse out the starch. Sharon C. -Original Message- From: h-costume-boun...@indra.com [mailto:h-costume-boun...@indra.com] On Behalf Of Lauren Walker Sent: Saturday, June 29, 2013 9:08 AM To: Historical Costume Subject: [h-cost] chiffon and Astrida's book Oh, dear. I was just going to check in to complain that if I EVER finish the current project it's going to be YEARS before I work with chiffon in 1/12th scale again, and here I see Astrida has a whole book on how to really *do* these embellishments where I've been winging it. I'm torn between buying a copy now and waiting until I'm done with the doll project so I don't feel I have to tear everything apart and start over. I mean, I did just pause to go order the book, because books always win. But I'm just about to do the accordion pleats (Godey's calls them accordion pleats) for the skirt on the gown on the left here: http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015004176890;view=1up;seq=511 for the tiny Grodnerthal doll (I've got the bodice done although there are things with which I'm not satisfied so it might get done over--the pleating ended up not crossing above the belt, and I'm not sure I can stand it) and I'm not sure whether it would help or not to know what I am doing! Anyway I'm looking forward to my copy of the book! And to moving on to the fourth and last outfit in the doll project, which is the one on the right in this plate: http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015004176882;view=1up;seq=109 which I'm working in a striped cotton and a sheer wool challis. Which will have their own problems, but will at least not be this insanely delicate chiffon. By the way, Godey's calls the hat a flat leghorn -- looking at some other hats from the late 1880s, some did not have crowns, or the crown was filled in with the scarf material. Would any of you hazard a guess about this particular hat? Thanks! I'm going to be so happy to go back to human-sized 18th-century wools and linens. Fabrics you can't hurt even with a blowtorch and a hammer! Lauren Lauren M. Walker lauren.wal...@comcast.net On Jun 17, 2013, at 3:39 PM, Terry wrote: I'm so excited to say that I just received Astrida Schaeffer's book Embellishments: Constructing Victorian Detail. I mean I JUST got it (5 minutes ago), so I've only had time to thumb through it, but it looks beautiful. Can't wait to read it! Terry Walker ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] chiffon and Astrida's book
Oh, dear. I was just going to check in to complain that if I EVER finish the current project it's going to be YEARS before I work with chiffon in 1/12th scale again, and here I see Astrida has a whole book on how to really *do* these embellishments where I've been winging it. I'm torn between buying a copy now and waiting until I'm done with the doll project so I don't feel I have to tear everything apart and start over. I mean, I did just pause to go order the book, because books always win. But I'm just about to do the accordion pleats (Godey's calls them accordion pleats) for the skirt on the gown on the left here: http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015004176890;view=1up;seq=511 for the tiny Grodnerthal doll (I've got the bodice done although there are things with which I'm not satisfied so it might get done over--the pleating ended up not crossing above the belt, and I'm not sure I can stand it) and I'm not sure whether it would help or not to know what I am doing! Anyway I'm looking forward to my copy of the book! And to moving on to the fourth and last outfit in the doll project, which is the one on the right in this plate: http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015004176882;view=1up;seq=109 which I'm working in a striped cotton and a sheer wool challis. Which will have their own problems, but will at least not be this insanely delicate chiffon. By the way, Godey's calls the hat a flat leghorn -- looking at some other hats from the late 1880s, some did not have crowns, or the crown was filled in with the scarf material. Would any of you hazard a guess about this particular hat? Thanks! I'm going to be so happy to go back to human-sized 18th-century wools and linens. Fabrics you can't hurt even with a blowtorch and a hammer! Lauren Lauren M. Walker lauren.wal...@comcast.net On Jun 17, 2013, at 3:39 PM, Terry wrote: I'm so excited to say that I just received Astrida Schaeffer's book Embellishments: Constructing Victorian Detail. I mean I JUST got it (5 minutes ago), so I've only had time to thumb through it, but it looks beautiful. Can't wait to read it! Terry Walker ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] chiffon and Astrida's book
Do you starch your chiffon before working with it? That may help and after it's pleated and the pleats are tacked down, you can rinse out the starch. Sharon C. -Original Message- From: h-costume-boun...@indra.com [mailto:h-costume-boun...@indra.com] On Behalf Of Lauren Walker Sent: Saturday, June 29, 2013 9:08 AM To: Historical Costume Subject: [h-cost] chiffon and Astrida's book Oh, dear. I was just going to check in to complain that if I EVER finish the current project it's going to be YEARS before I work with chiffon in 1/12th scale again, and here I see Astrida has a whole book on how to really *do* these embellishments where I've been winging it. I'm torn between buying a copy now and waiting until I'm done with the doll project so I don't feel I have to tear everything apart and start over. I mean, I did just pause to go order the book, because books always win. But I'm just about to do the accordion pleats (Godey's calls them accordion pleats) for the skirt on the gown on the left here: http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015004176890;view=1up;seq=511 for the tiny Grodnerthal doll (I've got the bodice done although there are things with which I'm not satisfied so it might get done over--the pleating ended up not crossing above the belt, and I'm not sure I can stand it) and I'm not sure whether it would help or not to know what I am doing! Anyway I'm looking forward to my copy of the book! And to moving on to the fourth and last outfit in the doll project, which is the one on the right in this plate: http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015004176882;view=1up;seq=109 which I'm working in a striped cotton and a sheer wool challis. Which will have their own problems, but will at least not be this insanely delicate chiffon. By the way, Godey's calls the hat a flat leghorn -- looking at some other hats from the late 1880s, some did not have crowns, or the crown was filled in with the scarf material. Would any of you hazard a guess about this particular hat? Thanks! I'm going to be so happy to go back to human-sized 18th-century wools and linens. Fabrics you can't hurt even with a blowtorch and a hammer! Lauren Lauren M. Walker lauren.wal...@comcast.net On Jun 17, 2013, at 3:39 PM, Terry wrote: I'm so excited to say that I just received Astrida Schaeffer's book Embellishments: Constructing Victorian Detail. I mean I JUST got it (5 minutes ago), so I've only had time to thumb through it, but it looks beautiful. Can't wait to read it! Terry Walker ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
