After creating the basic bodice support for my 1780s chintz pet en l’aire, figuring out the general measurements and sewing together my panels of Japanese block-printed obi silk, it was time to pleat the bodice back. First I needed to find a lining fabric, as I planned to completely flat line the silk, as it was so thin.  Thin, crisp unbleached linen?  Sounds perfect. Then for the pleating. My main inspiration garment, the cotton pet from the Manchester City Galleries, has multiple narrow back pleats. I don’t like it.  It’s kinda ridiculous.  The Met pet has a much better back. So that’s what I went for with my back pleating. This is also when I found out that the silk is kind of evil to work with.  It creases, but doesn’t pleat easily and lay nicely.  It’s rather like frizzy hair – you press it down and it just springs back and heads off in its own direction. To get it to work I actually had to unpick some of the panels so that I …

I’m making a 1780s Indian chintz inspired pet-en-l’aire. I’ve been holding off on telling you about this project, because I didn’t want it to turn into one of those things that takes 8 months to make (and maybe never quite gets finished at all) and is difficult to follow as a reader.   But I’m determined to have it done in time to be worn for the Afternoon Tea talk (which has sold out!) just over a week from now.  So I hope it’s safe to start blogging the story! The pet was inspired by this fabric: Yum! It’s block printed Japanese silk habotai, and when I bought it, it was an obi.   I just couldn’t resist. It was just so, so, so perfect for a late 18th century garment.  The colour scheme, the small scattered floral, the slight imperfections in the print.  It would be even more perfect if it was cotton, since Indian and Chinese silks were usually hand painted, rather than block printed, but I’m willing to settle just a little. …