Historical Sew Fortnightly #10

So, I didn't make anything.

Like, at all.

I was sick for a while, and didn't even meet my May goals, but since I did do some research, I figure I can at least present art-based costumes I hope to make in the future, starting with Amazzone Perugina:

Amazzone Perugina, by Cesare Auguste Detti

Although this is a late Victorian painting in the style of the 18th century, I intend to make this a proper 18th century habit. Unfortunately, that will not be for some time. To date, this is what I've accomplished on this costume:

This is half of the front of the stays to be worn underneath. I also made a shift, but that's as far as I got before I went back to my main project. Since I'm hand-stitching it, do not count on seeing this costume any time soon.

Pinterest recently inspired a search of painting by Alfred Stevens, who focused on painting women in the late Victorian era. His work shows off clothing to a stunning degree, and caused me to fall in love with this beauty from the end of the Natural Form era:

La Parisienne by Alfred Stevens 1880. Also, look at that sass. 'If that bastard doesn't show up in the next five minutes, I am done with him.'

 

I love the different shades of green, the lace trim, the sharp pops of black that bring the whole thing together, that matching parasol. So much love. Not to mention that at first glance the olive green appears to be velvet, but if you click through for the larger image, it actually has textured stripes. So either it is velvet with some striped texturing going on, or it's corduroy. I can do corduroy. Olive corduroy with chartreuse silk and a lifetime of happy feelings. And since my current project is approximately 1884, my basic undergarments (combination, corset) will work for this project. No idea when it will happen, but I will keep the dream alive.

And lately, having nothing to do with art or the HSF, I got a Victorian button hook for $6 at an antiques fair today.

It's small, only about 3.5 inches long, but it was too good of a deal to pass up. Happy!

I've been a bad, bad girl

So you know how I said I wouldn't work on the Amazzone Perugina costume until after I finished my Victorian Femme goals? Well, that only really works as long as I have Victorian Femme things to sew. But once I finished Gabriel's mock-up, I didn't have anything else to work on. Without Samifer's measurements I couldn't start her bustle, and without a busk I couldn't finish Castiel's corset. So, in lieu of not sewing anything at all, I started on an 18th century shift. (I should be working on Crowley's socks for the upcoming Sew Historical challenge, but I didn't wanna.)

If it doesn't look like I got much done, that's because I decided to hand sew it. Yes, the part of the costume least likely to be seen by another human soul (except my husband, who couldn't tell hand stitching from machine and wouldn't care anyways.) I don't know why, I just wanted to. I have the lower gussets stitched on, selvage to selvage with the smallest seam I could manage, and I have one sleeve and underarm gusset attached. Once all the seams are stitched I'll flat fell them, but right now I'm just getting it together. I haven't cut the neckline yet, as I intend to cut it small and then trim it proper once I have stays. I'm also going to make the sleeves a little short for the period, so it can transition into Regency. I also found some fabric in the stash to use for pockets:

It's one of those overly bright patterns that you're never sure how you came to own, but there's more than you know what to do with. The pattern makes me thinks of the designs on embroidered pockets, and it's as good a use as any for a fabric I'd have a hard time wearing.

This will be the last Amazzone update for a while, though, since I now have the needed measurements for Samifer's bustle and will be doing a corset fitting on Gabriel tomorrow.

Nothing like more sewing projects to encourage you to work on all your other sewing projects.

Because life should be it's own obstacle course

Apparently I've decided that life is too easy, and so I have to make challenges to increase the difficulty. I have decided to make the Amazzone Perugina costume, and hopefully in time for the Art challenge due on June 1 for Sew Historical Fortnightly. BUT I can only start work on it after I've finished my goals for the month. Castiel's corset is as complete as possible without a busk (I basted the front pieces together to do a final fitting before flat felling all of the seams into boning channels). I still have to add two boning channels to each front piece, but I need the busk to figure out placement. Then I can bone it, bind it, and floss it. I've started the mock-up for Gabriel's corset, and hopefully I'll be able to measure Samifer for her bustle and petticoat tomorrow.

Holding my new project hostage until I complete my goals has given me new motivation. BUT I've also decided I'm not going to buy any fabric for Amazzone. I can buy things from Goodwill, to cannibalize for parts, but otherwise I'm making it from stash. Shift, stays, petticoats, pockets, all of it. Because apparently 'crazy' is my lifestyle choice. I have some remnants I like for the interior and exterior of the stays, and some clearance brown jean for the core of it. Muslin for the shift, an old cotton print for the pockets, a Goodwill silk blouse for the habit shirt. But I only have from when I finish my Victorian Femme goals until the end of April to work on it. After that, I get new goals for my main project and Amazzone goes on the back burner again.

And I still want to get it done in little over a month. No biggie. *silently screaming*

Things are conspiring against me

So I have these two remnants in my stash, and they work pretty well together so I wanted to use them in an outfit.

To the left is a third of a yard of burgundy cotton velvet, and on the right is about half a yard of cotton upholstery print. The colors are similar without being matchy-matchy, but I didn't know what to do with them.

Flashback: I made a new friend and we were discussing favorite eras. I said 1880s (Second Bustle Era), she said 1870s (forgot to ask if she liked First Bustle or Natural Form). She also mentioned 1780s, so every once in a while I'll do searches for images in the 1780s, so see if there's anything I can get behind. I don't like panniers, and the flamboyance of Rococo is too much. There's a reason I prefer the tailored jackets and pleated skirts of the Late Bustle Era over the layer cake decadence of the mid-century Victorian. Good for other people, but not my cup of tea.

On one of my recent searches I discovered riding habits and redingotes. I like the habits more, the simple functionality over the frouffed up version, but it was something to get behind. And then I found this:

*Squee*

I loved it. The shape, the lace, the colors. The HAT! And I happened to have some velvet that would be perfect for the collar and while the print for the cuffs might not be accurate, it would be easier and certainly look beautiful. I had found it. Tell me, oh Pinterest, the details of this beauty I had discovered!

Amazzone Perugina, by Cesare Auguste Detti. (Born in Spolete, Italy December 28, 1847 and died in Paris May 19, 1914)

. . .

Born 1847

. . .

SON OF A BITCH!

Okay, so this wasn't a 18th century outfit; it is a late Victorian interpretation of a 18th century outfit. That's alright, I can work with that. Besides, technically everything Merja does at Before the Automobile is a modern interpretation of historical garments, and she looks like the time-travelling queen of period perfect. Maybe the artist wasn't too far from the mark?

Marie Antoinette - Joseph Kreutzinger 1771

Woman's Riding Habit. Italy. Circa 1780s

Mr. and Mrs Thomas Coltman - Joseph Wright 1770-1772

Riding Habit. United Kingdom, 1770 - 1775

Based of some period examples, the painting isn't too far off. The main things it got wrong were the collar and the cuffs. Le sigh.

Well that's that. I have enough on my plate now anyways, I don't need to be picking up ANOTHER project. Even if it is perfect. Even if Sew Historical Fortnightly has an art inspired challenge coming up. Even though I'm beginning to hit my stride and think I really can make all the costumes I planned.

So today I was at my friends' house doing laundry, and I figured I'd walk to Goodwill since it's less than a mile away. I may find something nifty. You know what I found?

This white cotton jacket with metallic floral embroidery that would be perfect for the waistcoat. It also has awesome buttons.

Not to mention this red wool jacket that also is super nice.

With military buttons.

So I started drafting images of my new 1770s riding habit, made from remnants and thrift store finds. (I like the 1770s more than the 1780s. 1780s lapels were weird.) I will be aiming for period, with the painting as inspiration. The cuffs will end closer to the wrist, the lace cuffs of the habit shirt will be closer to the jacket instead of extending way past. The collar will still be velvet, but will have a notch where it meets the lapels instead of being a shawl collar. The skirt of the jacket will be gored, using the extra fabric I take off the waist and back to make the bottom wider. I will be making stays, so I should be able to take off a good bit of fabric. I will also be on the look out for more fabric that is similar. More on this plan, as it develops.