[h-cost] 1850s Workshops in Sacramento, November 2014
Quick note first: my research into the 1840-1860 era in the US goes right along with Fran's summary of the work involved in getting settled in the middle and working classes. Actual post topic: I'll be in Sacramento mid-November, at Old Sacramento, with workshops and presentations related to living history and historic clothing for the 1850s. If anyone is interested, you'd all be welcome; registration is open for a bit longer (I'm extending it about a week on request from some of the Cali folks). The registration page is here: http://www.thesewingacademy.com/workshops/sacramento/ Thanks so much! Liz Clark ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] New Book for 19th Century Sewing Folks
Very excited to announce the release of a new book on 19th century sewing accessories: Fanciful Utility: Victorian Sewing Cases and Needle Books Researcher and living history enthusiast Anna Worden Bauersmith has created a great resource for making your own needle books and sewing cases in a wide variety of styles, from simple folded cases, to those with structured covered pasteboard toolboxes that operate as an all-in-one portable sewing room. The book contains over 68 projects and variations, and as you learn the techniques and concepts, you'll be able to expand the repertoire to recreate just about any extant accessory piece you see in person or described in period sources! (One of my favorite techniques: how to create a sandwiched pincushion in *any* shaped cover!) We're running a special on the First Run of books until 10 September. The book itself, or projects from the book, make fantastic holiday gifts for any sewer you know... no more excuse for needles and pins stored in the arm of the couch. Or so my husband dearly hopes... View the book trailer, some close-ups, and ordering information here: http://www.thesewingacademy.com/2012/08/fanciful-utility/ Regards, Elizabeth Stewart Clark http://www.thesewingacademy.com ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Sampler
If it's clothing, and not stage, costuming (because a lot of these would be pointless for most stage costuming), what about: * Different styles of buttonhole in different weights of cloth (sheers, wools, silk) * Gauging on different weights of fabric, and with different stitch lengths/ratios * Single, double, treble, stacked, etc pleating through a folded edge and whipping to a waistband * Installing hem facings, hem tapes * Narrow-hemming by hand * Double corded piping and two-color piping/binding * Stroked gathering * Setting flounces with a corded header * Working with bias, bias folds, etc * Tucks (pin tuck sets, release tucks, narrow tucks, deep sewn folds that mimic flouncing on skirts) * Covering buttons of various sizes with different types of cloth and making thread/fabric shanks Regards, Elizabeth Clark The Sewing Academy Main Site The Sewing Academy Historic Clothing Tech Support Forum ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Piping a CW Bodice
Lynn, I had missed the part about the dress being for theatrical use... I can absolutely see why you'd want to add more contrast for that, as it needs to be visible from the audience. Theatrical costuming and living history costuming sometimes require radically different options, don't they? :) It sounds like the dress will be really pretty from the stage! (I'm a huge fan of turkey reds. :) ) Regards, Elizabeth Clark The Sewing Academy Main Site The Sewing Academy Historic Clothing Tech Support Forum ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Piping in CW era Bodices
If your costuming goal is to have a garment that reflects overall norms for the mid-century, then please do use self-fabric piping or corded piping on cotton print dresses. It is *by far* the most typical. Mrs Lincoln's gown is atypical, even for a high-fashion dress, and should not be used as documentation for contrast piping on a cotton print dress. That doesn't mean, however, that you lose the opportunity to add color contrast. Pick up the red with covered buttons (perhaps do little ones, set in close groups of three... that's one treatment I've seen on a print dress, and it's very effective), add flat bands of red to a cuff (perhaps with more buttons), and/or add a belt with a red rosette at the closure. Or, add a red ribbon bow at your neckline instead of a brooch. There are lots of ways to pull up that red that would be quite normal and typical for a cotton print (or wool or silk print) dress, so you'd be both individually stylish *and* consistent with decorative dress details for the period. (Of course, if you have a different costuming goal, don't worry about it! Do as you like! Not every use calls for an outfit that stays fully consistent with the period.) Regards, Elizabeth Clark The Sewing Academy Main Site The Sewing Academy Historic Clothing Tech Support Forum ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Boy in Dag
The boy is indeed a boy: that central topknot style is also found on men of the 40s and 50s, and I've seen lots and lots of small boys with the topknot and side curls well into middle childhood (5-7 years old). This little fellow is wearing a bodice I wouldn't consider atypical; it's a great summer style for little boys in the 40s/50s, though it's often worn with plain linen trousers (long or short), rather than patterned trousers, or over a skirt/petticoats for a non-toilet-trained little fellow. Nothing about the image strikes me as particularly stagey or costumey, so I'm betting the tambourine is a photographer's prop/amusement, rather than a specific commentary on the possible livelihood of the child. (Side comment on hair parts: while a center part for girls is very, very common, it's still not absolute. I've seen a hefty few handsful of images of girls with the double part (V), no part at all (smoothed straight back), and even the occasional side part (usually on an older girl). I've not seen *any* documented girl with the topknot style, though--that's a strictly man/boy style from birth.) Regards, Elizabeth Clark http://www.elizabethstewartclark.com Historic Clothing Tech Support at http://www.thesewingacademy.org ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] Mid-19th C Women's Dress Lining
The majority of the 1840-1865 women's dresses I've handled, combined with suggestions from period dressmaking manuals, seem to indicate the use of cotton as the predominant lining fabric, regardless of the outer dress textile. It would be less common to have the fashion fabric used as a lining layer, too, rather than a different (often solid glazed cotton) lining. Regards, Elizabeth Clark www.elizabethstewartclark.com www.thesewingacademy.org ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] Civil War, Mid-19th Century
I'm pulling out various bits from previous digests, and will try to be minimally chaotic. :) Right Versus Left Closures on mid-19th century women's dresses: while a center-front opening is the norm after the 1840s, the fronts can lap either way, whichever is easiest for the woman dressing herself. Pockets: dress pockets are fairly common, actually. They're less likely to be patch pockets visible on the skirt, and more likely to be inserted in a seam on the dominant side of the body. Using a pocket stay (a strap or strip of fabric that supports the far side of the pocket bag by attaching it to the waist band inside) allows the pocket to be useful without hanging poorly. Fabric: Cotton prints are fairly common by the 60s, all across the nation. The limiting factors on cotton use are predominantly climatic and individual preference, as well as style. Sheer cottons have certain styles that are more common; printed mid-weight cottons are less likely to be worn in the middle of a cold New England winter (versus wool, for instance), etc. Hoops shapes/sizes: yes, indeed, there are different shapes and styles all through the hooped era! I've not had difficulty sitting in any of the shapes I've used. It takes a bit of practice to master managing a hoop or cage, and sitting in chairs with arms can be problematic. :) The trick of sitting, generally, is to use one hand to very gently lift the rungs right at hip level, sit straight down, and don't lounge backward once sitting. This lets the hoops telescope as needed, without belling up and out a'la Laverne Shirley. :) Whatever size and shape you choose, keep the length around mid-calf, no lower. Hoop use: for an upper middle-class woman, hoop use is going to be quite ubiquitous. Particularly if she's a New England upper-middle-class woman! It will take far longer for her resources to be exhausted during the war years (barring risky investments, etc), and if the target year is 1861, she's nowhere near that point. Choosing to use petticoats only for stage reasons is a different set of choices than those the actual woman would have been making. If it suits your needs for the stage presentation, then skip a hoop; just be aware that the character is more likely than not to be wearing them all through the war. Aprons: they do not generally match the dress at all. Lower to middle-working class women seem far more likely to be photographed in a working apron than their middle-class counterparts; upper working class and middle class women, when photographed wearing aprons, do seem to be wearing fancy aprons made of silk (for decorative use and wearing during needlework/sewing, not chores.) An upper-middle-class woman is going to be more likely than many others to have hired help for some household tasks (the dirtiest, most labor-intense ones, such as laundry). Pinners do show up, but half-aprons are also bog-common. Avoid any strapped pinafore styles for an adult women in this era. Which Patterns of Time pattern are you looking at? Re-using Dresses in New England v. Frontier: here's my sense of it so far, based on looking at the recycling trades in the US: The upper-middle-class lady in New England is more likely to sell her used things off to a rag bone man or used clothing merchant if the dress can no longer be made functional for her own use, and cannot easily be cut down for a child (or, if she's not of the mindset to use her cast-off dresses as yardage for a child's dress.) She is more likely to have aprons that start and finish life as aprons. A woman in a frontier settings is more likely to *buy* a used garment from a traveling used clothing merchant, and remake it to suit her own clothing needs (for herself or a family member, cut down to aprons, etc), and to re-use her own worn dresses in protective ways (aprons, underskirts). Both women are part of a huge cyclical process, but they are at different points in that wheel. Steampunk: LOVE it. Mid-century has a lot of scope for steampunkage, in my opinion. Trims, in particular, and accessories, are prime spots to bring in mechanical elements, metal filigree, etc. You can take it even further with exposed understructure, really punked-out bonnet elements, buttons, and fabric choices. Add in shoes, watches, spectacles, watch chains, belts, etc, and the possibilities are just as endless with the early/mid Victorian era as with the later stuff. I'd take inspiration from the technology mentioned by Jules Verne, primarily; he's publishing during the mid-century, and is, technology-wise, one of the Grandpas of Steampunk. :) Regards, Elizabeth Clark http://www.elizabethstewartclark.com Historic Clothing Tech Support at http://www.thesewingacademy.org ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] Mid-19th Century Clothing Workshops
Please pardon the cross-post to several applicable lists! We've opened registration for two workshop series related to women's mid-19th century clothing, 1855-1865. Details and on-line registration are found at our site, linked in my signature. March 26-28 I'll be in Tempe, Arizona; June 5-7 I'll be in Jacksonville, Florida.Regards, Elizabeth Clark http://www.elizabethstewartclark.com Historic Clothing Tech Support at http://www.thesewingacademy.org ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] Pattern Pricing
Sarah wrote: I have been asked to do some cutting sewing for a National Historic Site, which I have done before, but this time they are asking for a copy of my patterns for the archives. This one is a new one on me. I'd want more information, but I doubt I'd give away my pattern set. The costuming I've done for historic sites has been for specific figures, which means an archive copy is useless to them--it would fit *only* the figure it was drafted for or draped on, so it wouldn't be useful for handing off to another (cheaper) sewist to make up for others, nor for sending off to have patterns bootlegged/published, nor for making up generic costume shop items. Before pricing the work, I'd want to know more about the archives. Is it a file drawer of documentation on each piece? If so, I'd be willing to do a documentation packet for each garment, noting specific sources consulted, techniques used, any compromises with historic accuracy and the justification/thought process behind them, etc. That would add a few hours labor to the cost of the work. I might also be willing to put together a list of currently published patterns out there that would give *similar* ending garments, if such exists. Again, at my normal hourly rate. If they're wanting to use the patterns for future sewing work (done by me or by others), then it's a different ballgame. I'm not being hired as a sewist--I'm being asked to design patterns, and give them a license to reproduce them as they wish. That sort of license would come at a Very High Price from me, as I'd have very little control over the finished items after the patterns left my hands, and the potential for abuse of my work is huge. Pattern making is a different specialty than sewing. As someone buying a pattern set from a drafter (the site is the buyer), I'd be wanting multi-size, fully graded things that would work for multiple people. Pretty different project from making a few one-off pieces for unique figures! If I *was* okay with turning over my proprietary work (regardless of price), I'd want to know what's expected... the base shapes alone are not going to do someone much good without instructions, illustrations, construction sequencing, pattern markings, seam allowances, notes on the pieces that aren't on oaktag (such as skirts, bias bindings, most facings, etc)... There are So Many Variables here. Would it be possible to ask for more specifics on what they're wanting archived? That might make all the difference in the decision process. Regards, Elizabeth Clark http://www.elizabethstewartclark.com _ Share life as it happens with the new Windows Live. http://www.windowslive.com/share.html?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_sharelife_122007___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] RE Historical Fitting
Susan wrote: FITTING, by far, is the biggest obstacle to my own sewing. I can read about the styles and silhouettes of a Period but can I make my own attempts at construction, FIT ? No. I always need another, knowledgeable person, to help with fitting. Even the dress form, with adjustment wheels and added padding is not adequate for me to get adequate fit. I need a tailor! ** Susan, what you might try is a customized duct-tape dress form. You can google Duct Tape Dress Form and find perfectly adequate on-line instructions, as the concept is simple--I've used them with very good success for historical clothing, so long as the form is taped over your historic support garment (corset, stays, etc.) You'll get a SCARY but very accurate double of your actual figure, and then you can stand outside yourself and do the fitting with confidence. Regards, Elizabeth Clark http://www.elizabethstewartclark.com _ Exercise your brain! Try Flexicon. http://games.msn.com/en/flexicon/default.htm?icid=flexicon_hmemailtaglineapril07 ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] RE: Chemise 1850s
Yes, a long chemise, as opposed to a short camisole. I've not seen the short camisoles used until later in the century. For the 1850s, the most common undergarment seems to be a white cotton or white linen chemise, cut moderately full through the body, with a short sleeve, and hemmed between the mid-knee and mid-calf (personal choice on that--if you tuck a chemise into your drawers, it's easier to use the slightly shorter length; if you do not use drawers, an upper to mid-calf length is better.) Regards Elizabeth Clark http://www.elizabethstewartclark.com _ Live Search Maps find all the local information you need, right when you need it. http://maps.live.com/?icid=hmtag2FORM=MGAC01 ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] RE: 1850s Costume
Sylvia, you'll find a free split drawers pattern in the Compendium section of the site in my signature. Drawers for the 1850s are fairly optional; once the hoop comes it, they become a bit more common. Corset covers aren't as common at this point, unless you're wearing an unlined sheer dress. They become much, much more common in the later Victorian era. A chemise under the corset is vital, though. Regards, Elizabeth http://www.elizabethstewartclark.com _ Get a FREE Web site, company branded e-mail and more from Microsoft Office Live! http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/mcrssaub0050001411mrt/direct/01/ ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] 1844 Corset
I'd suggest, for a working program, to use a corded corset, instead of one stabilized with busk/boning. You'll get a working class silhouette, but you'll also get the greater mobility you need for work (bending and stooping and lifting). Regards, Elizabeth http://www.elizabethstewartclark.com ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] Previewing Books
Another option to preview books (any large-market books of fairly recent publication, say--the last 60 years or so--and often times obscure tiny press books) is to request them via Inter-Library Loan at your local branch. If your library is hooked in to the LILI Unlimited system, you can even request the search be limited to libraries who will not charge you a fee to lend the book. The book arrives at your local branch for pickup, and most of the time, you'll have a full three weeks to study it, and decide if it's a one-time-read-for-reference, or one that needs to be added to your own collection. Make cookies for your reference librarian. :) Regards, Elizabeth http://www.elizabethstewartclark.com ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
