All posts tagged: 18th century

Introducing the 1780s Augusta Stays pattern!

Meet the Augusta Stays pattern: the perfect foundation for your late 18th century wardrobe. Buy the pattern here! With two bust-to-waist ration size sets, to make fitting as easy as possible, and both historically accurate and theatrical pattern pieces and sewing instructions, the pattern has everything you need to make beautiful stays – whether they are perfectly historically accurate, quick and easy theatrical versions, or a combination of both. The pattern comes in bust sizes 30″-52″ (76-132cm), with the options for a ‘straight’ fit, which has a finished garment measurement 10″ smaller than the bust, and a ‘curvy’ fit, which has a finished garment measurements 12″ smaller than the bust. The historically accurate pattern features adjustable partial front lacing, full back lacing, three layers of construction fabric, tape binding, and an optional loose lining and optional taped seams. The theatrical versions features a solid front piece, two layers of construction fabrics, an optional decorative outer layer, metal lacing grommets, and bias binding. Both versions are spiral laced and use synthetic whalebone (German plastic boning). …

Making linen buckram: gum tragacanth vs xathan gum thedreamstress.com

Making Linen Buckram: Gum Tragacanth vs Xanthan Gum

Published by The Dreamstress

I’ve been doing a lot of experimenting with making linen buckram in the last year and a half, playing with using both historically accurate gum tragacanth, and a much cheaper and easier to source modern equivalent: xanthan gum. We’re getting very close to launching Scroop Pattern’s and Virgil’s Fine Good’s first collaboration: a 1780s stays pattern with extensive historical instruction. Historical stays use linen buckram, so here’s what I’ve learned about it to help you make your own. What is linen buckram? Linen buckram is stiffened linen. It was used in 17th, 18th and early 19th century sewing as support layers where stiffening was needed, such as in stays, stiff collars, stomachers, and hatmaking. It’s made by coating linen with a gum paste, usually gum tragacanth, or xanthan gum, and then letting the gum dry. The more layers of gum that are applied, the stiffer the linen gets. Here is what it looks and sounds like in motion: In addition to historical sewing, I think it has lots of potential for general costuming: particularly for …

Rate the Dress: 18th century fabric manipulation

Published by The Dreamstress

Between the start of the new term at Toi Whakaari, personal life, and prepping for Costume College, I’ve been so busy that I haven’t managed to write a single blog post between Rate the Dresses. So we’re going straight from one frothy pink and green concoction, to another frothy pink and green concoction. Will this week’s prove as popular as lasts? Let’s find out! Last Week: an 1870s day dress in summer florals Last week’s Rate the Dress reactions caught me by surprised. I suspected a lot of people would like it, but not quite so much, and not quite so many of you! I thought it must have been a bit too saccharine for at least some of you, but nope! Love was in the air… Even the one person who didn’t like it was too polite to put their rating, and ruin all the others! The Total: 9.5 out of 10 These days that’s a practically perfect score. This week: a late 1770s dress with fascinating fabrications Today’s pick is a late 1770s dress with …