Commission - Purple Bustle Dress

So. Yes. It has been a very long time since my last post. Six months almost, but who's counting aside from all of you? 

I could sit here and start rattling off excuses for why I've been unable to post, so I will: I was commissioned by a friend to make a Victorian ensemble. A purple and pink ensemble based off the famous purple and pink reception dress by Worth. 

Charles Frederick Worth, Reception dress c. 1874.

Now, I say 'based off of' because the patterns and style was decided first, then I showed her a photo of this dress and she fell in love with the color scheme. The patterns for the dress were the trusty ol' Truly Victorian TV405, TV305, TV201.

I wasn't around when these photos were taken otherwise
I would have fixed that apron.

Some detail shots. Holly is still too big n' busty to fit
period clothing. I promise the dress fit the client. 

This is my second time working with the Vest Basque and I didn't cut any corners this time. I actually finished the arm holes and put boning in the seams. I also added some buttons on the back and the cuffs because I kept loosing the buttons and running out to buy more. The nice people at my local Joann's must hate me.  The skirt has two long ruffles at the bottom and the seam of the top ruffle is covered by purple bias tape. The underskirt pattern is ridiculously easy and quick aside from the butt-pleating which took a good evening.

The apron over-skirt, however, takes a few re-reads of the instructions to get how to add the closure(the hemming and bustling was a bit fiddly but that may be do the fact that I was using the smallest size.) Its some kind type of contraption reminiscent of a modesty panel in a modern day corset. The idea is to not have a gap between the front and back pieces of the apron, so this piece of fabric extends from the bottom of one to the bottom of the other and is attached by buttons, hooks and eyes, skirt hooks, or even snaps or Velcro for quick costume changes.

Unfortunately, the panel didn't cover the closure of the waistband itself. So using the same concept, I rigged up a small band with a skirt hook and it ended up working wonderfully.

She also had me make her a full set of Victorian undergarments to wear under the dress. A nice red taffeta corset made from the Silverado Bust Gore pattern and the Truly Victorian Grand Bustle, Simplicity 9769 chemise and drawers all made from muslin.

Ignore the horror movie lighting

Tried making some nice pin tucks. I think they turned out alright 

HOLLY STRIKES AGAIN! 

I haven't made this chemise or bustle before and they were both pretty easy. The instructions on the bustle confused my tiny brain for a while because of the fact that is isn't bustled by tied ribbons like the TV101, it has a piece of fabric acting in place of ties so I'm not really sure if it can be stored flat like the other one. And adding the ruffles while trying to keep from blocking the boning channels was pretty tricky, but I'll definitely be making one of these for myself in the future. Same with the chemise. It's more a Civil War era but I feel it can work for more styles in the Victorian era.


And so yea, that's what I've been busy with....for the past 5 months...so quit hasslin' me.


I'm just kidding. Keep hasslin' me. In fact, go hassle me at The Dowager Dame Facebook page. That'll teach me to keep everyone waiting.