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.

Back From Texas, Back to Work.

I dub thee...The Two Face Dress!

Back from the land of large hats and even larger steaks. I'll post pictures of The Phillip and the various ceremonies soon, once I get permission from him to post his pictures all up in this biz. But, until then I have info on the dress I named The Two Face. Why have I named it so?

You can't see it from the full picture, but because it slipped my mind that corduroy is a two-way fabric, the different halves (quarters, depending on the view) are different shades of black.

Now, the rest of the dress is different from what was shown on the pattern packet.

 The neckline is a lot bigger than what the picture led me to believe. So my cute little Peter Pan collar just looked ridiculous and the dress wasn't as fitted as I thought it would be despite the crazy amount of darting I did. So I ended up looking really...box-y.

How I mark my darts....

Ball-headed pins where the pattern says to make dots.

Flip the fabric over with the pins still in it. 
WARNING: The pins WILL stab you no matter how careful you are!

Using a marking tool, mark the fabric at the base of the pins

Pull the pins out and 'darken' your dots.

Connect said dots! Make sure you do the above steps on a flat surface 
like a table or a floor...or your little sister's science binder....

Pin, then sew on the lines then voilà, she is a-done! I'll have to take it apart and add more darts to fit it better but moving on...

I will be the first to say that I am no good with blouses. I always think I'm doing wonderful as I'm working on in but then I see the finished project and it looks as if I was blindfolded the entire time I was sewing. This blouse is one of my better ones, but it still is with it's flaws.

I must have set the collar wrong because it didn't lay correctly and kept popping, but only on one side...The jumper did a bit to hide it though.

Yea...don't ask because I have no idea...

Gonna try and selvage this one and wear it again, maybe with some era appropriate accessories. Not the blouse though...that thing will just sit in the back of my closet and haunt me for the rest of my days....-shudder shudder-

And Now For Something Completely Different: 50s Inspired Outfit and Talk About Texas.

Due to a recent and unforeseen draining of the wallet, The ATPP is on hold for the most part until the next paycheck. But for the time being I will be showing off a project that I'm making for class.

Now, I have a habit of using assigned projects as excuses to make super extravagant outfits. This usually results in both a poor grade and a poor quality outfit. But I made a grown up decision and am not making the Marceline gown for class. Instead I'm making a kind of 50s jumper and blouse ensemble.

I'm using Simplicity 3673 and Butterick 5711 in a black corduroy and white, vine-printed calico respectively.

I hope to get this done by the 12th of December as I plan on wearing it to a special event in Texas. No, It's not a costuming event, The Phillip is graduating from Air Force Basic Training!

For those who don't know(which is none of you because, at this point, if you are reading this blog you know me personally) The Phillip is my boyfriend of four years. He went into AFBT in September and after an injury, is finally graduating on the 14th.


There may be small updates on The ATP dresses e.g. Fabric/Patterns arriving, new design idea, new princess, etc., etc.. But for now, 50S DRESS GO.