I came across this tutorial for making a hat from an old silk stocking in my Feb 1928 issue of The Women’s Magazine, and I thought it was rather fabulous and something that you might enjoy. What a great re-use idea! It’s also a great insight into the colours and aesthetics that were en vogue on the eve of the Great Depression. Now, if only I had any old silk stockings to re-use 😉
I first wore my ca. 1369 medieval dress to a historical banquet, so I felt it needed fancier, glitzier accessories than I will usually wear it with. Enter the silk veil, gold circlet, and embellished gold leather belt: My belt was primarily inspired by the effigy of Katherine, Countess of Warwick. Her narrow belt sits at the hips, fastens at the front with a small buckle, features raised floral motifs, and has no hanging end. The belt I ended up with isn’t historically accurate, but it’s attractive, gives the effect, and was quick, cheap, easy and fun to make! To make my costume take on Katherine’s belt, I started with a cheap belt with an embossed floral pattern: Using an Elmers Painters Metallic pen, I coloured it gold. The TRG the One Colour Dye & Preparer I recommend for my dyeing leather shoes and bags tutorial comes in gold and works even better, but I didn’t have the right shade on hand when I did this belt. I didn’t worry too much about getting my …
Someone asked about the finish of the lace edging on my Wearing History 1910s camisoles/corset covers, and I thought you might enjoy a tutorial. I like this method because it is quick, easy, and provides a strong, neat, and tidy finish to necklines, armholes and hems. And I’ve seen it used on at least one 1910s camisole, so it’s period accurate, even if it wasn’t the most commonly used finish. For the tutorial you will need: Cotton beading lace (for a neckline) or broderie anglaise hem lace (for a hem). You can use this method with any lace with enough coverage to hide the raw edges (I’ve also used it for the tiny bobble lace around the armholes of the camisole above), but it’s easiest to start with a cotton lace. It doesn’t work well with beading lace where the holes extend almost all the way to the edges of the lace. A garment that needs its hem, armholes or neck finished with lace. In this tutorial I am sewing beading lace around the neckline …
