Changes to a Sewing Challenge! Yay

So I wanted to do the Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenges (I only completed two, posted about one) but it was too much to handle with a little one, no dedicated sewing space, nor no real reason to create an new historical item every two weeks. 

Good news.... The Dreamstress has changed it to the Historical Sew Monthly Challenge!

This is much more doable for my current schedule as it typically takes me a month or more depending on the item to complete a project.

So without further ado the 2015 Historical Sew Monthly Challenges!

• January – Foundations: make something that is the foundation of a period outfit.
• February – Colour Challenge Blue: Make an item that features blue, in any shade from azure to zaffre.
• March – Stashbusting: Make something using only fabric, patterns, trims & notions that you already have in stash.
• April – War & Peace: the extremes of conflict and long periods of peacetime both influence what people wear.  Make something that shows the effects of war, or of extended peace.
• May – Practicality:  Fancy party frocks are all very well, but everyone, even princesses, sometimes needs a practical garment that you can DO things in.  Create the jeans-and-T-Shirt-get-the-house-clean-and-garden-sorted outfit of your chosen period.
• June – Out of Your Comfort Zone: Create a garment from a time period you haven’t done before, or that uses a new skill or technique that you’ve never tried before. 
• July – Accessorize: The final touch of the right accessory creates the perfect period look.  Bring an outfit together by creating an accessory to go with your historical wardrobe.
• August – Heirlooms & Heritage: Re-create a garment one of your ancestors wore or would have worn, or use an heirloom sewing supply to create a new heirloom to pass down to the next generations.
• September – Colour Challenge Brown: it’s not the most exciting colour by modern standards, but brown has been one of the most common, and popular, colours throughout history. Make something brown.
• October – Sewing Secrets: Hide something in your sewing, whether it is an almost invisible mend, a secret pocket, a false fastening or front, or a concealed message (such as a political or moral allegiance).
• November – Silver Screen: Be inspired by period fashions as shown onscreen (film or TV), and recreate your favourite historical costume as a historically accurate period piece.
• December – Re-Do:  It’s the last challenge of the year, so let’s keep things simple by re-doing any of the previous 11 challenges.

I can't wait to get started! 

Some of them I can combine with my costume college 2015 sewing needs! 

So here's to costuming in 2015!!

An Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge Completed!!! Yellow ...

My apologies for the delay and lapse in posts.

Business has picked up for custom girls dresses...

I finally completed (over a month ago) a challenge from the Dremstress's Historically Sew Fortnightly!

I'm very bad with deadlines at this time in my life, especially if its not 'mandatory'. 

Yet, I saw the challenge posted and kept saying to myself.... 

I have yellow fabric and trims ... 'just do it'!

So I did ! 

Alas, not for myself but for 'lil bit'.

I actually created two dresses. 

Unfortunately, I only have pictures of the sewing process for one :(

The Challenge: Yellow

Fabric: 100% cotton

Pattern: Self drafted

Year: 1850's

Notions: Thread, 4 yellow buttons

How historically accurate is it? The 1850's dress is about 75% historically correct. I have alot of difficulty with the sleeve attachment and placement

Hours to complete: 2 hours

First worn: Just to try on

Total cost: $0 all from my stash

Hand pleated front bodice.

Larger hand pleated back bodice.

Hand gathered skirt waist.

Waist band for skirt, basically made like bias tape.

Pinned bias tape/waist band to skirt and top to bodice (matched seams of skirt to bodice).

Adjusted gathers to fit in each section of skirt and bias tape.

I use a darker color thread to gather so when the pieces are sewed together I can clip the end and pull it through and use the thread again.

Bodice, bias tape/waist band and skirt all attached. 

 Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of the sleeves and how I attached them. It was a trial and error. None of the extant pictures used gave clear pictures of the sleeves and how they were attached. I cut two rectangular pieces and created a sleeve and left enough excess fabric at the top to attach my bias tape along the complete bodice top (sleeve and bodice area).  I then cut away the part of the dress in the arm pit so 'lil bits' arm could fit comfortably. The top hem as mentioned is finished with self made bias tape around the complete bodice top.

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To go with her dresses I also made 'lil bit' a petticoat from a bed skirt I purchased for $2 dollars at Goodwill. I initially cut about 24 inches of the skirt for her petticoat. I hand gathered it and sewed it up with grosgrain ribbon for the waist band. 

But when I put the skirt on it seemed very thin and not full enough.

so dismal ehh!

So I cut another 24 inches of skirt material, sewed up the side seams, created a placket in the back, regathered the edge and attached to some double wide bias tape. I added a button and a buttonhole for closure. 

The 2nd Dress........

The Challenge: Yellow

Fabric: linen blend

Pattern: self drafted

Year: 1650's Kirtle

Notions: grommets , thread, yellow ribbon, bias tape to hem edges

How historically accurate is it? 50% (lol)

Hours to complete: 2 hours

First worn: Just to try on

Total cost: $0 all from stash

 

 

 

 

Best picture of 'lil bit' and the only one not blurry... She moves fast!