The Gallery:

January 2010
My gown's debut at a private Twelth Night Party in Colonial Williamsburg. More pics from the event can be found here.

January 2010
Close-ups the dress.

The Dress Diary:

November 2009
I was feeling inspired to work on some 18th century last night so I started work on what will become my red silk robe à l'Anglaise.

I've been dying to cut into this fabric ever since Loren picked it up for me in April. It's so-o-o-o-o pretty and different. Well except for the fact that both Loren and feathrfetish have some of it too! :>

I've decided I want go late 1770s, something fairly basic in construction and detailing that I can style into the 1780s depending on the occasion and my mood. (working with the theory that you can always wear an earlier dress with later accessories.) I've been inspired by many frocks in my files but the ones that have really stood out have been a yellow dress from Marie Antoinette, the polonaiseville dress from the Duchess and a yummy yellow frock from the Met.

I'm going to do an en fourreau because frankly it's easier and it pushs back the date a bit. :> Trimming I'm not too sure about. I have enough fabric to go reasonably crazy with self trim. The matching petticaot will have a full ruffle though and both pieces will have spangles - definitely needs sparkle!

So last night I started with the pattern from my pierrot jacket, which is also the pattern I used for my blue print jacket. I adore the fit of those jackets but I wanted to tweak the grainline (to shape the stripe in the front) and the shaping of the shoulders a bit (to try and achieve the same super pretty and comfortable sleeve I just got on my printed linen dress).

So I played around with the pattern and cut out a toile. It's all sewn up and ready to be tried on.

In changing the angle of the front's grainline I used the c1780-90 dress in Arnold as my guide. I lined up the center front of my pattern piece with the center front of the book's pattern and traced. When I lined up the newly marked grainline on the fabric, sure enough it created that pretty V in front with my stripe - just like on the Duchess polonaiseville dress. I'm assuming that if the grainline worked for Arnold it will work for me but I'm still curious to see if the change with throw the fit off in some way. I hope not but this is why we toile before we cut our yummy fabric! :>

November 16 2009

Worked a little on my anglaise toile tonight. My first try on looked okay, really just had to re-cut the too short should straps. After attaching some new straps it was just a matter of tweaking little things here and there. I figured since I had time I could be a little more anal than normal.

I also cut out a sleeve toile, and had Mom help me pin in place on. It needs a little work, mostly adding to the back so I can have some little pleats back there and move my arms. I don't think I'm going to bother with any more toiling, I can make all the little tweaks when I trace out the master pattern... which I'm going to go do right now. :>

I love a project without a deadline - this is fun!

Oh and also today I updated my website with all the recent projects and event pics... man was I behind!

November 17 2009
Okay so I lied, I did do one more toile. I didn't like the look of the sleeve Mom helped me with and decided to try the sleeve I just draped for the linen print dress. Sure enough it fit perfectly without any changes - I love it when that happens!

So the master patterns have all been traced out and I'm ready to start work... if only real life won't get in the way!

November 20 2009
I worked on my red anglaise a bit last night. Got most of the en fourreau pleats set & sewn when I noticed how "off" the pleats were from the repeat of the fabric's pattern. Umm. So the burning questions began - would anyone notice, will it bother me in the end or not, it is period, am I being silly??? So I stopped work, slept on it and decided this am that I really did need to rip out all my stitching and do it again, this time paying attention to the print. Why I couldn't have thought of that the first time around... mreh.

Luckily this fabric is continuing to be a dream to work with (I love the weight and crunchiness of it!). Not only do the pin holes not show once it's been steamed and the washable pencil marks come out just fine with a damp washcloth, but the application of water doesn't change the crispness of the fabric's "hand". The red dye is a little unstable (some of it came off along with the washable pencil marks) but really that is to be expected with red silk. I'll have to be careful about getting it wet while I'm wearing it, that's all.

I'm going to have to think about the construction of this dress more than I thought I would. I've never made an English gown with a repeating pattern that was noticeable. It requires some adjusting in one's thinking.

November 21 2009
My red robe à l'Anglaise is progressing. I'm feeling lazy about uploading pics so you'll just have to take my word on it. :>

It's starting to look like a garment of some kind which feels good. Although I have to say that this frock is fighting me a lot. Nothing major, just a lot of little things that are being fiddly. Or maybe I'm just paying more attention and not wanting to say "oh it's fine" because the fabric is too awesome for that sort of attitude. Also I don't need it until Jan so I have time to fuss with the fiddly.

Sometimes having a tight deadline is good, there is less fussing and dithering that happens in my sewing room and more "it's good enough - make it work!". :>

November 25 2009

Let's see, so far I've done the back en fourreau pleats (twice *sigh*), assembled the bodice (minus sleeves), added panels to the skirt and begun the skirt pleating.

The pleating as gone as well as it usually does. I spent most of Sunday working on it without much to show for my effort. Razzen-franzzen!!! After doing the pleats so many times I lost tract, I finially got them to a point where I liked the look but they didn't fit the bodice. So I finally came to the conclusion that a total of three panels of fabric just wasn’t enough fullness for the look I wanted. So next step is to add more fabric to the skirt. And of course redo the pleats. *big sigh*

Thanks to Real Life (TM) and a lovely visit on Monday with Casey (happy butt wiggle) I haven't gotten back to it... hopefully tonight, definitely Friday!

December 2 2009

So after being neglected for nearly a week I finally got back to my red silk anglaise tonight. I decided in the end not to add more fabric to the skirt. I tried it on and decided that really it was full enough. Anymore and I'm afraid I will lose those pretty puffs when I polonaise it. Besides I really want some self-fabric trim and with more fabric used in the skirt that may not have been a possibility. Not cool!

So I figured out how to get the skirt I have to fit, pinned the pleats and just finished pinning the skirt to the bodice - success! I'm taking a break but I think I will go ahead and stitch the skirt on tonight before bed. It's a headachy night so I don't feel like doing anything else anyway.

December 9 2009
*pops out of lurker mode* Hello! Yes I'm still alive. Just incredibly busy with Life(tm), Events(tm), Holidays(tm) and various aliments.

I've managed to work a tiny bit on my red anglaise, in little snippets of time here and there. The skirt on the dress is now finished, the sleeves are in and the petticoat is 3/4 pleated. Oh and the petticoat ruffle has been seamed . All very exciting, huh?! :P

December 29 2009
Warning: ranting, whineing and self-pitying ahead... you have been warned. So do you want the good news first, or the bad? I'll start with good news:

1. After working on my red anglaise trimming ideas I figured out what I wanted to do and it looks freaking awesome!

Bad news:
1. I just tried on my red anglaise for the first time, to mark the hem, and it's two inches too small!!! Now I know I've gained some Christmas fudge weight this month but a fricking two inches!!!! It's not possible. My stays are laced exactly the way they were during my toile fittings, I even tried on some other costumes to test sizing and while they are snug they fit. I have no idea how this could have happened! *weeps in frustration*

2. I'm already not in a good headspace with Christmas being over, Bridget leaving tomorrow, migraine blah, stress and Real Life (TM) threatening to rear its ugly face again. I needed my costuming to be my happy place today, not re-enforce all my recent feelings of being fat, ugly, behind in life in general and not good for much. I know in my head those things aren't really true but it's how I'm FEELING. Stupid lying feelings. Stupid dress. Stupid 12th night party.

*sigh*

I do have enough fabric to re-cut the front bodice, it will just mean compromising either my elaborate trimming schemes or my awesome train. I am NOT a happy panda.

I have no idea how it happened but the bodice ended up being way too small. As in unworkable. I think it's a case of some sort of seamstress error (what I have no idea!) and a tiny factor of Christmas fudge but really I blame the dress. Diva!

After having a slight cow and wondering if I ever wanted to sew again, I ended up needing to recut the bodice. It was the best option. Which of course also meant recutting the shoulder strap as well. *sigh* I laid out what was left of my fabric, the bit on the bolt and every descent sized scrap I had (fortunately) saved along the way. Bridget kept me company while I laid out, enlarged and cut, talking me off the ledge more than once and reminding me that these sorts of set-backs, disasters and compromises usually make my costumes better in some way. And of course she is right; I used a different part of the print this time and I think I actually like this version better. Who knew? Thanks PB - I really appreciate everything! *hugs*

So at the moment the second bodice is cut out, waiting to be put together. I have enough fabric to cut one more bodice in case this too is a disaster. I'll be able to squeak out enough fabric for my trimming scheme, that being a lot easier if I don't have to cut a third bodice of course. I also started playing around with polonaising ideas and sure enough my train O’doom is a bit too much so I can cut some off for trim use, which is helpful!

Honestly this whole fiasco has really killed my momentum on this project this week. I have carried on (if not staying entirely calm) but it's been slow. I decided to put the bodice aside for a little while and turned my attention to the petticoat, which is not being a diva. So the petticoat is almost finished, it's waist-banded, hemmed, ruffled and the trim is pinned on. A few hours of handstitching and it will be finished. Yay for some painless progress!

January 2 2010
I've spent the evening stitching tiny red spangles all over my Diva anglaise. I haven't decided if I like them yet... umm.

Oh and the petticost is finished - finially something on this outfit is done!

Oh and I'm not posting pics of the gown until Twelth Night. 'Cause I'm mean like that. :P

January 6 2010
Just keep sewing, just keep sewing...

This dress has to be one of the most discouraging projects ever. I'm trying to keep myself modivated with the thought of how lovely it's going to turn out and how much of a pretty, pretty princess I'm going to feel in it but it's been hard going. Seems like I'm working slower than molasses but progress is being made...

Let's see, so far I've had to cut the bodice twice, sew the straps on three times, re-work the neckline twice (somehow it ended up way too high), trim down the armcyle and try it on countless times to double check everything. *sigh* I think part of the problem is the grainline I used, you know to create a pretty V in front. Even though I've used this grainline, which is based on one in Arnold, on previous dresses without issue this fabric doesn't seem to like it. That doesn't explain all the issues I've been having though.

What a bratty outfit!!! I'm doing my best to just beat the wretched thing into submission though.

January 12 2010

So in between lots of drama such as my car dying (the battery dying really), getting a case of food poisoning, packing away the Christmas stuff and the diva being it's Diva self, I did manage to get my red silk robe à l'Anglaise into wearable condition for the Twelfth Night party in Williamsburg. Not finished mind you, I still have all the trimming on the skirt to do, but close enough to feel like a very pretty, pretty princess.

It helped that I was having a very good hair day of course. I think I've discovered the secret to a Pouf hairstyle - a shower scrubie! Seriously it worked like a dream. I put my hair in soft curlers, letting them dry overnight. I then teased my hair at the roots, made a little bun at the top of my head, secured the scrubie to that and started pinning my hair up and over to cover it, starting in the back, then the sides, then the front. Masses of hair spray later and I had a Pouf. Yay! The scrubie was great because I could put the bobby pins right in it and it was lightweight on my head.

The party was nice, all in candlelight and with period correct food, drink and diversions. I was still a little wary of rich foods but I did venture some rum punch (I think it was rum) and the rich Queen's cake. Yum! The beginning of a migraine that I left the party with and the 2-hour drive home (I couldn't stay the night) was a bit brutal but thanks to the alcohol in my system, and pulling off the road for a little 5 minute power nap about Ladysmith - I got home safe and sound. Ah, life - always an adventure!

All the pics are here, including close-ups of my frock and hair:
http://www.jennylafleur.com/dressup/2010.0109/album/index.html

Re-Visiting the Diva:

July 7 2010

I've been deconstructing and re-fitting, fun. It's starting to look like a dress again, the bodice has been taken in at the side seams, the skirt pleats adjusted and pinned back in place. I need to trim down the armholes a bit so I can reattach the sleeves. Then I'm back to handwork and trimmming.

Becasue of the way I altered the bodice I could have left the bodice trimming in place but I decided to take it off, fray check it and reapply it. This fabric proved to be too loosely woven for my lazy tear & fray method. Seven months later and it's still shedding threads like crazy. Pretty soon there won't be any red strips left!

Which means all the trimming for the skirt will need to be fraychecked too. Joy.

July 18 2010
I haven't done much on the dress so not much to report. The real point of this post is to try and get myself modivated to sew something. I have been sitting here debating with myself on whether or not i should continue handstiching the random red sequins on the skirt or break down and glue them on.

It would be so much faster but it seems so wrong. Will I hate myself later if I do it, do I even care at this point? Umm... I don't know. *ponders*

July 19 2010
This dress is feeling like an endless bowl of pasta. I've been working and working and while I know I've made progress it's really, really hard to see it! The seemingly endless fray-checking is done so now I'm in the process of applying and re-applying the trim. Tedious!

I'm making myself finish it though before I work on anything else. The carrot I'm dangling in front of myself, as a reward for the tedium, is a secret project for the Ice Cream social. Hee.

July 20 2010
I got some work done on the Diva yesterday, though not as much as I'd like. Gah this trim is a time sucker!!

I sewed in the sleeves. They still aren't great but I can live with them. most of my day was taken up with the foofy red ruffle that runs along the hem. I gathered and pinned and sewed that on the machine. Doesn't take long to say but it took f-o-r-e-ve-r to do!

Next up is the green zig-zag trim. It took me a little while to figure out how to apply that. In a straight line was boring while deep swags looked odd with the ruffle. In the end I'm swaging it just a bit. From faraway you can't really tell it's swaged, it just looks more interesting.

Of course I had a couple of threads break so I had to re-sew some of the basting stitches. Also I found I was going to be short so I had to tear, fray and stitch a couple more strips of fabric (making a total of 8 now I think). What a pain! I could have saved myself so much hassle if I'd just put the trim on the front of the skirt but really what is the fun in that?

The idea of glueing the red sequins on the skirt (rather than sewing them by hand) is starting to look better and better though I have to say! :P