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Making a Hawaiian Quilt thedreamstress.com

A Heliconia Hawaiian Quilt

13 years ago I finished a Hawaiian quilt, photographed it (with help from Felicity), blogged about it, and gave it to dear friends who had just had a baby.

And then I immediately started another one, because Hawaiian quilts take a looooooooong time to make, especially when you only work on them around other projects. But I knew that at some point someone else I loved enough to make a quilt for would have a baby, and I needed to be ready!

12 and a bit years later, the quilt had progressed quite a lot, but wasn’t quite done, and my dearest friend in the world (the one who knows secrets about me she’s going to have to take to the grave) was pregnant.

And what do you know, the quilt that I started all those years ago was perfect for her and my not-quite-nibling to be.

So one of my big sewing achievements this year was finally finishing my third Hawaiian quilt!

So, that’s one per decade so far…

Hawaiian quilts are fully handsewn. They feature a central motif that’s usually based on a stylised plant (although there are some animal quilts, and a few examples with lei or kahili or historical motifs) appliquéd on to a plain ground. The central motif is cut out from a folded triangle so it opens out to form 4 or 8 mirrored sections.

Different motifs symbolise different things. Breadfruit usually symbolise abundance and are often given for weddings and housewarmings. Pineapples symbolise hospitality so are also popular housewarming gifts

This quilt is based on a heliconia pattern, specifically heliconia rostrata. Heliconias are a flower that have been imported in to Hawai’i as ornamentals. The plant has proved hardy and thrived, without becoming an invasive pest. Heliconia rostrata are usually grown from rhizomes: sections of root that branch out from the parent plant, and develop into their own plant which can be planted elsewhere.

Like me, my friend Stella is an immigrant to NZ. The quilt is a wish that her child will thrive here, growing up with the support of its family and friends, until it can stand on its own.

The quilt represents hundreds of hours of work. You cut the central motif, and then baste it on to to the background layer. The motif is then sewn on with slip or appliqué stitches. The layers of the quilt (applique on background, warm wool batting, backing fabric) are basted together so they don’t shift. Then the layers are quilted together with lines of running stitches that spread out and in from the lines of the motif, like ripples spreading in water.

Finally you bind the edges. This is the only part I did by machine, as I wanted it to be as strong as possible.

As with the other quilt I blogged about, Felicity helped with both making and modelling!

Such a workhorse my cat!

Thirteen years later, and she’s still eager to play fetch with her favourite toys: the plastic caps from water bottles.

(Yes, Stella is fully aware that Felicity has been all over this quilt! Obviously the last thing I did before I gifted it to her was to get it cleaned.)

I’m pleased to report that Stella loves the quilt (baby Embee is a little young to have an option on it), and she’s given it the greatest compliment you can give a sewist who makes you something: she’s actually using it.

Grandma thinks its too precious to be used, and should be put away, but Mum knows me. I want her to use and love it and enjoy it.

Embee gets to lay on it all the time, and better yet, it’s the backdrop to the monthly photo! (awww!).

So every month I get to see a photo of slightly bigger adorable little Embee on my make. Worth every stitch!

Call for Pattern Testers for a 1775-1790 Gown!

Published by The Dreamstress

UPDATE: Applications are now closed, thank you to everyone who applied

Amber of Virgil’s Fine Goods and I have another fabulous late 18th century pattern almost finished, so we need testers to help us check the final fit and instruction details.

We’ve already asked a number of testers with specialised skills, so we’re only looking for a few extra testers. If you’d like to be one of them, keep reading to learn more, and how to apply.

The Pattern:

The pattern is a fashionable ‘Italian’ Gown with two bodice views, three sleeve length options, and two front closure options. The fronts and backs are interchangeable, and the skirt can be made with or without a train. View B can be made with or without a cutaway front.

Scroop + Virgils Fine Goods Italian Gown 2023 scrooppatterns.com

The armscye and side back seam are identical to the Angelica, so the fronts, backs and sleeves are also interchangeable with the Angelica Italian Gown.

The new pattern will be available in the full Scroop + Virgil’s Size Range of 30”/76cm bust to 52”/132cm bust.

Testers:

This is an advanced pattern, and we’re looking for testers with prior historical sewing experience, OR extensive non-historical sewing experience.

Testers MUST have the correct undergarments already. As part of the application you’ll need to have a photo of yourself in 1770-1790 suitable stays that you can send us a link to.

To be a tester you will need to:

Be able to print patterns in A4, A0, US Letter or US full sized Copyshop paper sizes
Have the time to sew up the item. You’ll have 10 days to sew a toile and check the initial fit. This can be done by machine, and takes Leimomi less than 90 minutes from fabric to finished. You’ll then have a further four-ish weeks to make a finished dress, photograph it, and provide feedback. For reference, Leimomi was able to sew View A by hand in 18 hours.
Be able to photograph your make being worn, and be willing for us to share your photos on this blog and instagram.
Provide clear feedback
Agree to a confidentially agreement regarding the pattern

We would hugely appreciate it if testers would share their finished make once the pattern launches, but this is not mandatory. We’re asking for TESTERS, not marketers.

As always we’re looking for a range of testers. We need a spread of geographical location, body type, sewing experience, and personal style.

Based on previous calls for testers, we will get 30+ applicants in each of the most common size ranges (34-40 bust), so if we don’t choose you, it’s not that you weren’t fabulous, it’s that there were many applicants.

The Timeline:

Materials:

If you’re selected to test we’ll let you know and send you the materials requirements, line drawings, and the full pattern description by 6 pm NZ time on Wed the 4th of Jan. This is Tue the 3rd for most of the rest of the world.

Patterns:

We will send out a digital copy of the pattern to testers before 10pm NZ time on Wed the 11th of Jan.

Testing & Reviewing:

As this is a pretty time intensive pattern, testing will go for five weeks. We will ask for a toile check in one week in.

Testers will have until 10pm NZ time on Sat the 21st of Jan to do an initial toile of the dress bodice and respond to the initial set of testing questions.

We’ll need testers to provide final feedback by 10pm NZ time on Thur 16th Feb. They will need to be finished with their dress and provide photos by 10pm on Tue 21st Feb.

What you get:

Pattern testers will get a digital copy of all three size packs of the final pattern, lots of thanks, and features on my blog and our IGs.

Testing also offers testers an opportunity to get group and 1-1 feedback, assistance, and sewing tutorials from Amber and I. It’s similarly to what you’d get in an online sewing workshop. We’re modelling our testing process after an online class, albeit one you don’t pay for, because you’re letting us beta test the pattern on you. There’s an online group that testers can join as they wish. We’ll also be running a couple of live zoom events. We’re committed to making testing as beneficial to testers as it is to us, and improve our testing process with every pattern we do.

Testers chosen from this open call are not paid.

Hope to hear from you!

To Apply:

Sorry, applications are now closed

Making a 1360s Medieval gown

Published by The Dreamstress

I’ve been in love with second-half-of-the-14th century fashion ever since 2015, when I made my first 1360s gown.

Between life in general, the demands of my job, and Scroop Patterns, I’ve never managed to make another one, until now!

I bought some beautiful vintage yellow wool at Fabric-a-Brac in Wellington back in 2017, and knew it would be perfect for a 1360s gown, and that there was exactly enough.

Back in 2020 my local costuming friend group decided to do Medieval, so I helped a bunch of them make custom patterns based on the techniques I used for my original gown, and I started one of my own. I got it done as far as sleeves, and wore it sleeveless for an event at Zealandia, but only managed to finish it in October this year, just in time for our annual historical retreat.

Here’s a quick photo essay of the making process. I used all the same resources I used for my first dress.

The back panels, with the back gusset set in:

And from the wrong side:

Pressing your seams is very important for a good result! My main seams are machine sewn. My work is so demanding of my hands that I have to be careful about how much handsewing and machine work I do.

And here’s the back with the side gores attached:

And the front, with half of the front gore attached, and a strip of linen reinforcing for the front lacing pinned in:

Catching down the front reinforcing:

Please note that I an NOT an expert in Medieval garment construction, and did not do the research to make sure that every stitch I used was documented for the places and ways in which I used them.

More reinforcing of the front strip. There’s a narrow cord run down the front edge and held in with prickstitches to support the front lacing.

Working on my lacing holes:

I’ve done a little series of knots around each lacing hole before moving on to the next one, so that if the thread wears out and breaks, the stitching is still secured.

Stitching down the neckline. I’m really not sure if a herringbone stitch is accurate here, so do not imitate it without doing your own research if you care about accuracy!

And that’s the point at which the gown stalled, because I misplaced my medieval sleeve pattern (I’m convinced I lent it to a friend), and did not have the energy to re-draft another one at that moment.

Finally in August of this year I decided I really needed to finish this gown because we were having a Medieval day at this years historical retreat, and my original Medieval dress is…snug.

So, I made lots and lots of buttons using the same cloth button making technique I used for my first dress.

And then braved another bout of sleeve patterning.

I cheated. I took the photograph of my old sleeve pattern, scaled it based on the width of my floorboards, traced it off, and made a toile based on that.

Five toiles later, I had a workable sleeve that juuuuuuuust fit on my remaining fabric, with a little piecing (piecing is period!).

Sewed that up, and reinforced the sleeves openings with linen strips:

Then it was on to buttonholes.

This is where I made a mistake. I started my buttonholes on the flight back from Hawai’i to NZ after a family trip home. I just guestimated at buttonhole spacing. I got it wrong, and had to add back in other buttonholes, so my spacing varies, and I ended up with two more buttons on one sleeve.

I mostly used La Cotte Simple’s tutorial. Matsukaze Workshop has two great blog posts on different buttonhole techniques through the ages (second one here) that are super helpful for understanding how they change over time.

I’m working with vintage silk buttonhole twist. The number of buttons and buttons ended up being determined by how much thread I had!

Then it was time to sew on the buttons.

I just love making their little stems. There’s something so satisfying about turning the buttons into little cartoon trees attached to the dress!

And we have sleeves!

And a full dress!

I still need to take photos of the dress without my surcote on. I’ll do that once I’ve had time to walk off the post holiday midriff snuggness! (and also once it stops being so hot. It’s a little muggy at the moment for a wool dress…)

I also feel that the sleeves may be a tiny bit long from the upper arm to the elbow, so I may see if I can remove them from the dress and shorten them at the armscythe. Maybe…