Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been plugging away on the Wearing History 1916 Suit.  It’s going pretty slowly, because I’ve got a lot else on, but progress is being made.

For one thing, the skirt is done!

Actually, it’s been done for over a week, but I’ve been too busy/sick to blog about it, and haven’t managed to wear it or take proper photos yet.

If you are making the full suit, the Wearing History pattern prints out at a whopping 100 A4 pages of pattern pieces – plus instructions.

Worth it though: look how fabulous it is!

For my fabric, I polled people on The Dreamstress FB page on fabric choices, and settled on a lightweight worsted wool in black with charcoal stripes (the other options were a black & white rayon check and a brown linen).

Then I settled down to tape pages together.  And tape.  And tape.

I rather like taping print-at-home patterns.  It’s quite meditative, and you get into a rhythm.  Here is how I do it, if you are interested.

Felicity was also interested:

 

She sat on a chair and watched the whole process very intently.  And then chased all the balls of scraps that I made at the end with great delight.

Then it was time for cutting, which required lots of concentration thanks to the rather elaborate stripe pattern in the fabric:

 

Felicity also assisted with cutting out, because she’s a good cat like that:

And besides, what black wool suit wouldn’t be complete without a liberal helping of cat hairs?

I started on the skirt first, because I knew that would go quicker, and it’s always nice to feel that you’ve finished something.

Plus, if only the skirt got done, at least I could wear it with a blouse and have a full outfit!

The skirt construction was pretty basic, though (as the pattern warns) you do need to be experienced, be familiar with period sewing techniques, and use a bit of creative thinking.

The only really interesting part is the interior belt, which allows the skirt to sit 3 inches above the natural waist.  It sort-of gets sewn to the completely finished skirt, to hold it up.

To make mine stiff enough, I supported it with a horsehair backing, and a length of vintage belting.

Then the only thing to do was to make the curved decorative outer belt – also supported with horsehair for  a bit of body.

Does anyone else get excited about notching?  I love doing it and always want to make it SO perfect.

And it’s done!

And while it hasn’t been worn by me, it has been worn, by a lovely model at the Museum of Wellington City & Sea’s ‘The Home Front’ night.

(with, I must confess, a wacking great pleat taken in at the back, because all the models were tiny 16 year olds!)

I’m hoping to do a proper photoshoot with the skirt this weekend.  Quite fitting, as it’s Anzac weekend.

And there are more photos of the event coming soon!