Liberated dressing ...

I have used this pattern before to make a bicycling suit , and decided to see if it wouldn't make up into a unlined warmer weather blouse for me as well .

 



I have a great paisley printed jacquard weave in perfect colors for a late teens garment , a 50/50 silk cotton lawn type fabric for the sleevea , cream cotton organdy and dainty all cotton laces for the trim .



 

 

So here I go , trying to capture the spirit of those wonderful old fashion illustrations ...

 

I have about a yard and a half of this old black cotton net to use as an overlay on the vestee front

 

 

I think it will look right with the cotton laces & cotton ogandy foundation

 



 

Now for the sleeves , semi sheer black cotton silk blend , I had originally followed the pattern and cut sleeves flounces from the cream organdy . No way I am using them , they look just like a cone collar from the vet after your pet has some medical procedure done !

 

 

So I drafted my own less extreme flared cuff from the paisley ...

 

 

and am much happier with this look and function

 

 

I wanted a faux vest look , so I opted to use a length of elastic to define the waistline across the back

 

 

Having an ample rear required I slash & face the center back to accomidate that feature

 

 

It looks pretty good & greatly improved how the back fit

 

 

And here it is with the collars I decided to make seperate and optional , since this requires the hair to be up and secured to wear , and anyone who knows me also knows how horrible I am at hair & make up tasks ! Ask anyone that was in the Dicken's show LOL

 

Just add a narrow Edwardian skirt and jaunty hat : )

 





Under the Cover of Darkness ...

A few months back , toward the later part of 2012 , I agreed to help out with a Dicken's fest near by . I made grand promises of a new silk crape dress copied from an original , and to wear it in a vintage fashions show . Well ... guess how THAT worked out . Family hoopla & drama crowded out all the creative energy and any other energy I had in me , and no dress has been made . I ended up scrambling to let out - waaaay out - an older well worn dress of mine instead , but as guilt crept in , I resolved to at least stitch up a new parasol cover for one of the antique frames found about the house .

                                                                           

                                                                               
I picked the original cover and lining off , saving the best section to use as a pattern . I then decided to use silk crape backed with a 50% silk 50% cotton lining fabric , since the crape is so wonky & stretchy .

                                                                                   
I also wanted to replicate the scalloped pinked edge , so I used a rotary pinker to cut the edges of the sections after they were backed .

The original edge cut next to one done on the new pinker below -

                                                                              

 The hand crank rotary pinker in use , still made exactly like they were over 100 years ago ! Sold by taxidermy supply stores , believe it or not .

 

Every antique parasol I have ever looked at closely , has been sewn with a chain stitch . I assume this is due to the flexible nature of that stitch being able to survive the stretching of the seams when the frame is opened . Being lazy still , I used my electric rather than treadle version of the Singer model 24 chainstitcher . It is a copy in mechanics of the Willcox & Gibbs machine , but takes a needle that is still readily available , unlike the W&G.

Unfortunately , the tiny gathering foot attachment is missing from my model 24 set , so I switch over to my little WWII era Singer blackside Featherweight , since the whole mourning thing seems to go with the blackside finish .

then back to the model 24 to stitch on the trim ...

and then sitting and hand sewing it to the frame in a gazillion different places ...

only to realize that I have cut the sections with too much curve on the sides and it is "baggy" . UGH !

Oh well .... it is still super cute all folded up & will do in a pinch to keep the sun out of my face since my toque style hat will do me no good for sure !

Now to scramble and make a petticoat since I left mine in AZ. last month , 3 days & counting ...