Halloween Sew Along: Part 3


OH dear, where to start, where to start. Well. This is one of those projects where I get to be pushed to be a better seamstress, especially in the hand sewing department. This dress easily has 10+ hours of just hand sewing. My mom would be so proud! 

Image result for 1860's fancy dress plate
From In the Swan's Shadow, attributed to 1860. 

Image result for 1860's fancy dress plate
From the New York Public Library, Attributed to 1860 as well and a good example of how short fancy dress costumes could get. I think the plates of fancy dress ballgowns also show how the myth of seeing an ankle was so scandalous that one would have to marry the lady if he caught even a glimpse of it. The white dress might even reveal the knee if the lady turns just right. This plate also gave me the idea of where I wanted the dress to hit. I needed to shoot for somewhere between below the knee, but above mid calf. And for such a length, one of my poor loaner hoops was going to have to be sacrificed and mutilated, but its all in the name of fashion right?



I chose my three bone flounced wedding hoop as my cage crinoline is about six inches too long for this project. This good old faithful hoop has been through a lot with me, has withstood many a rainstorm, falling into a lake, and even the time I fell asleep in corset and full outfit on the floor of the ladies' bathroom at Charlton Park (now there's a fun story to tell someday once my dignity has recovered enough to tell it). But it is getting older and a little dingy so time for it to give  a last great hurrah before the big send off to hoop heaven, with its boning being re-salvaged for a future project. I did need to put in a tuck in-between the first and second bones on the top. It may not be the pretties but I figure if anyone is looking at my undergarments that closely they deserve to see all my unpretty and awkward stitches anyway. 

I sewed the panels of blue and tan together and hand sewed the tassel trim on the appropriate side. Not sure if you guys can tell, but I did make a little bit of a change. I felt that having the tan on the right side, and the blue on the right would kind of draw the eye from right to left as if the dress is transitioning from the warmth of day to the darkness of night. 

I really did enjoy the way the trim looks against the tan side. It took about an hour to sew it all on, so I worked on it during one of my desk shifts at the college. It gave the great opportunity to plug historical reenacting and the Harvest Ball in Lansing to all who walked by, whether they wanted to hear it or not. It was interesting to see those who were especially into the project and reenacting that I would never have guessed would be curious about it. Who knows, maybe a few might end up at a reenactment someday but just needed that last little encouragement to do it! Excited to see if any of them show up at the dance. 




I did start the day side of the over skirt. I could not for the life of me find a decent material except for one of alibaba that they wanted a minimum of 15 yards ordered and that wasn't happening. So I pulled some tulle out of my stash and grabbed some hodge podge, some sparkles, and went totally off the historically accurate track. It actually looks pretty cool, but took forever as the stars took about three hours to dry each and only a few could be done at a time due to space. Fingers crossed for the next week that I will have something more substantial for you guys to view and hopefully the bodice will be started.

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