All posts filed under: Sewing

Things I sew – historical and modern

A Regency Captain Janeway cosplay, thedreamstress.com

Little Red Spencer-ette

I promised posts on all the new (or re-made) elements of my Regency Janeway outfit, and the sleeveless spencer certainly got the most questions & comments, so it’s first in line. For my Regency Janeway look, I originally intended to make the military inspired sleeveless vest from An Agreeable Tyrant (which Carolyn of Modern Mantua Maker has made a beautiful version of). I traced out the pattern, graded it up, and mocked it up, was all set to go sewing it up in a beautiful bright red silk taffeta… When I decided that the red was too bright for the dark Star Trek red, AND (more importantly) I realised I had a length of slightly moth-damaged red wool (upper left) which would be perfect for a Star Trek meets Regency shawl. The only problem? The wool clashed horribly with the red silk taffeta (lower half). I did have a 30cm long length of silk twill (upper right) that was a good match in my stash, but it wasn’t enough for the Agreeable Tyrant vest, and …

1790s jumps based on a pattern in Jill Salen's 'Corsets' thedreamstress.com

The 1790s jumps of disappointment

Published by The Dreamstress

A month ago I blogged about making 1790s jumps that finally fit well and were super comfortable. In blogging about them, I realised I made a pair of jumps last year that I never blogged about – because they didn’t fit well, and weren’t super comfortable. These jumps are based on one of the 1790s corset pattern in Jill Salen. I loved the multiple back panels in the original, and the little tails they formed. However, there were other elements of the original I didn’t love so much: tabs cut along the front that didn’t seem to do anything and would have been so much work to bind, so I adapted the pattern based on a few other extant pairs of jumps, and other patterns. Unfortunately, partly because of my alterations, partly because of the original pattern, (and possibly because I did a weird job grading the pattern up) these did not turn out well. They look cute lying flat, but on a person? Not so much. The pattern was weird to start with: when …

The Quest for Regency Uplift: 1790s Achievement Unlocked

Published by The Dreamstress

One of my goals for 2018 was to make two pairs of Regency stays that worked on me: one for the 1790s, and one for the 1810s. I did not achieve this goal. I made The J.S Berhnhardt 1810s Stays, View C (and took them in and altered them so they have a better, if not great, fit), and another pair that I was equally unenthused about, but my year got rather taken over by settling in to teaching at Toi Whakaari, so personal sewing took a back seat. I’m determined to get back on track with this goal in 2019, and so far I’m halfway there: I have 1790s jumps that are super comfortable, give me lots of support, and actually create lift! I used the 1790s jumps pattern given on pages 102-107 in Salen’s Corsets: Historical Patterns and Techniques. The pattern as given in the book fits about a 40″ bust (and bigger if you want space in your front lacing) I drew it out and graded it up and down last year …