All posts tagged: terminology

Historical Sew Fortnightly ’14 Challenge #5: Bodice (and What is a Bodice?)

The Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge #5 for 2014, due March 15, is Bodice. It’s pretty simple. Make a bodice – a garment that covers the upper body. You can either abide by the strictest historical sense, and make a ‘pair o bodies’ for earlier periods, or a matching but separate upper half, in later periods, or can explore the idea of bodices in a more general sense. I’ll leave the ‘more general sense’ interpretation of bodice up to your judgement, but will explore the more historical sense, and how the definition and style of bodices have changed over time to give context and inspiration. The word ‘bodice’ dates back to the mid 16th century, and comes from the term ‘pair of bodies‘ (or ‘pair o bodies’). The ‘pair’ was referring to the two sides of the stiffened garment which laced together. In the 16th century a bodice could refer either to the boned under-stays, or to the boned and stiffened garment that went over it. Ben Johnson conveys a sense of how the word arose …

Terminology: What is a reticule or indispensable?

Published by The Dreamstress

Since I don’t want my HSF-marathon posts to get monotonous, I’ve come up with the clever idea of combining them with other thematic posts, for double-goodness. Today I have a cute finished project, and a long overdue terminology post. First, some terminology: A reticule is a small drawstring bag carried as a purse by a woman in the 18th and early 19th century. It was also used as a synonym for any kind of purse or handbag carried by a woman. The name comes from the latin reticulum, meaning a net or mesh bag (the same word has given its meaning to reticle – the cross-hairs (or net) in a firearm scope or telescope). It entered English, as so many fashion words did, from the French, in this case, reticule. The word was first used in the 1730s, but remained relatively uncommon through the 18th century. The Memoirs of the Reticule states ” I am not aware of any mention of the reticule until after the French Revoluton.” At the end of the 18th century, …

Tutorial: How to sew flat lining

Published by The Dreamstress

One of my favourite sewing techniques is flat lining. Flat lining is used extensively in historical (particularly 19th century) sewing and couture sewing, but it’s a technique that is not frequently taught or used in modern sewing books or patterns, which is a pity, because it’s awesome, and opens up many possibilities for design techniques and fabric use. I used it to make thin, flimsy fabrics strong enough to make corsets and jackets out of, and to make bodices that shape and hide squish without adding bulk and weight. Though the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, flat lining is not quite the same thing as interlining. These days (according to Shaeffer’s Sewing for the Apparel Industry) interlining is used to mean the same thing to as interfacing, whereas flat lining is an underlining, and is never fused. According to the Singer Sewing Book interlining is meant to add warmth and bulk, while flat lining or interfacings adds strength and support, but bulk and warmth should be avoided. When picking a flat lining fabric, pick a …