Always Talked About but Never Before Seen

I talk about a lot of stuff, but apparently never show pictures!  I have been talking about my red dress for ages and none of you have seen it!  So, here are some pictures of my stash (and new additions) so y'all can put images to names.

Here is the raspberry wool I talk about so often. This is the wool I used for my dress (now in the final stages of construction) and shall use for my sacque.  Both the dress and the sacque will be trimmed with this velvet ribbon, the sacque with the thicker and the dress with the thinner.

Here is the wrapper and the mitochondria fabric, as I like to call it.  The little round things totally look like mitochondria!  The wrapper is still in want of sleeves, a drawstring and a hem.  After that, it will be complete!

My lovely friend Kelly sold me wrist warmers and garters that she personally knitted and I am in love with them!  The wrist warmers will be worn to the filming of The Light of Freedom (along with the garters, but those will not be visible).

I picked up 1 yard of white cotton twill at JoAnn's yesterday with my Regency stays in mind:

Here is the beautiful, beautiful robin's egg blue silk.  I just got another 4 yards on top of my 7.5 so I can make a second (and third?) bodice.

 I will be making this ballgown from it:

Along with this dress:

I want to make an exact reproduction of the second one, but then I have to find out a way to have detachable bows for the skirt.  Would it be worth it to baste them on every time I want to wear the second bodice?  I'll figure something out.

Here is Sarah's wash dress fabric, a very pretty blue, white and black plaid.  It looks primarily black in this picture but it's actually primarily blue.

And now, the most beautiful book ever,  "Fashion: The Collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute".  It spans the 18th century to the 20th century.  I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

 Georgian:

 Regency:

1860's:

That's all, folks!  Till next time!

Muslin Madness!

I have been a muslin-making machine!  In the past 2 days I have made 2 muslins, one for Sarah's Civil War bodice and one for my sacque.  Well, Sarah's muslin fitting didn't go too smoothly... let's just say that it was a tad too small and must be let out.  That's not too big of a hassle, though.  I haven't sewn together the muslin for my sacque yet, but holding it up to me, it looks just right.  Also, it kind of helps that a sacque is not fitted!  The pattern I'm using is from the Wisconsin Historical Society (Patterns of History #1865).  It is currently out of print but can be found for the lovely discounted rate of $5.00 at www.sewingcentral.com .  The pattern actually comes with directions for the sacque (deemed a paletot by the pattern, but it's a little too short to be a paletot), a bodice, skirt, AND a cage crinoline!  The last one was a pleasant surprise to me!  However, the dress style is a little late in the Civil War time period, so it can't be used as widely as other dresses.  Oh well!  The sacque will be made with the extra raspberry wool I have left over from my dress, lined with black polished cotton and trimmed with velvet ribbon.  I can't wait to get started!

--Mel