All posts filed under: 19th Century

Polly / Oliver – learning to let go

I’ve been working on Polly / Oliver, trying to get it done, in to the Literature challenge, and off my UFO pile. I’ve also been working myself into a bit of a state over it. I want it to be based on Terry Pratchett’s description of Polly / Oliver Perks feminine dress uniform at the end of Monstrous Regiment. And I want it to be 1880s, with overtones of late 18th century inspired historicism. And obviously it needs to use all the bits of the costume that I already cut and worked on back in whatever year it was when I actually started this (2007 maybe?) otherwise it would defeat the purpose of finishing a UFO. And I want it to be historically accurate, which means accurate fabrics to the 1880s and military uniforms, and an overall design that is supported by extent garments and fashion plates. And all the fabric needs to come from my stash. And you know what? I realised last night, trying to pick skirt fabrics, that sometimes everything I want …

The faille skirt of fail

Published by The Dreamstress

So this fortnight’s theme on the Historical Sew Fortnightly is Literature, and, of course, I’m using it as an excuse to finish (finally) my Polly/Oliver outfit (inspired by Terry Pratchett’s Monstrous Regiment). It’s been so long since I worked on the outfit, or thought about it, and my skills have improved since then, and my image of the details has shifted somewhat, though I’m still going with the basic concept of 1880s Victorian does Georgian riding habit/military. I bounced out of bed on Tuesday and thought “Right! I’m going to make massive progress on this today!” I had a rummage through my fabric stash, found a big bolt of blue rayon faille, and thought…”Oooh…what a great shade of military blue…and so practical and late Victorian.” Sure, rayon isn’t entirely accurate, but it the fabric does a reasonable approximation of silk, and the hand is perfect. So I unrolled a length of the faille, spread it out on the floor, went at it with chalk and measuring tapes and scissors and quickly drafted and cut out …

Rate the dress: tan and red in 1875

Published by The Dreamstress

Last week I showed you a flower-strewn frock by Jean-Phillipe Worth, one that might have been a little too frilly and feminine, but which most of you found fabulous. While I don’t think Worth, original or JP, quite as infallible as some of you did, I wasn’t surprised that this frock received high accolades. One of two of you flat-out hated the dress, and there were a few complaints about the symmetrical placement of motifs over the bust, the overall fussiness of the bust, and the colour of the creamy silk and blonde lace (I definitely don’t agree that the dress has faded over time – all the different layers of dark ivory matched too well, and were too true, for age to have changed them substantially), but the frock still managed an 8.7 out of 10. Can this week match that? This fortnight’s theme on the HSF is Literature, and I was rather at a loss as to how that could fit in with Rate the Dress. In looking for inspiration, I found this …