Regency evening dress...?

Well hello everyone who stumbles across this blog again :) I am finally off of school and already have a sewing project that may - or may not - happen. At least I can post my research for it and keep it in the mix.

In March there is a regency-period ball that a few of my friends and I are considering attending. Since it's quite a distance away, and not on any particular week we have off of school, we're not 100% sure, but I have been meaning to make a regency dress for some time anyway. I have a feeling that it will be easier to start with than my ambitions for an 18th century wardrobe (which WILL happen... someday!)

Since this is a ball, it would probably be necessary to create a ball gown. However, I am not experienced with sewing silks and I would like to have something multi-use.

My utterly favorite costumed movie based off Jane Austen's works is the Sense and Sensibility with Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, and Hugh Grant. That period of dress is one of my "transition" favorites and therefore I am aiming to make something more in line with that look. The image I have above is slightly too early for the look I'm aiming for, but it is its older sister I feel. One of my favorite gowns is Marianne's (on the left). And her hat! :)

As far as evening gowns go, here are some images of Marianne's dress. I really like this style -- sleves ending just at the elbow and the color of the silk... This is the style I am going to aim for.

The best pattern I have found for this is Sense and Sensibility's Elegant Lady's Closet. Particularly, the pattern shown on the right, although I could see the left one being similar to the dress that Keira Knightley is wearing in the image below, except the neckline is a bit more pointed? (I also like Jane's dress in this pic, too.)

Well we shall see what, if anything, emerges!

Sewing drama

*sits down on the psychiatrist's couch*

Lately I've been a bit bummed over my sewing accomplishments, or lack thereof. I haven't worked on my stays for over a week, I think, although I might tonight. Mostly because, in my heart of hearts, I'm positive that they won't turn out no matter how much work I put into them. Because I don't know something. What that something is, I don't know! (That probably makes no sense.) I'm worried that despite my attempts at fitting, I don't really know what I'm doing and so they will just be all wrong.

I'm not sure how to become more confident in my skills, to feel like I can tackle stuff. I don't want to make 800 drawstring bags. :P The crazy thing is that I had no trouble making my slat bonnet -- why can't I be happy with accomplishing that? Because it's not a dress, I guess.

A friend and I are going to make vintage aprons together. That seems fairly easy and maybe I'll learn something new in the process. Hopefully the completion of a project will help me get back on track.

Stays Progress?

Well, I got stalled by making a 19th century slat bonnet but I'm back to my stays now.

I found an extremely helpful suggestion on Slightly Obsessed - her stays tutorial, called Stay the Course. Here, she makes the mockup of the stays in CARDBOARD! What a brilliant idea! :) I have been hemming and hawing over how to ensure my mockup will accurately represent the tight fit that stays create. Also, another great concept here is the fact that here you can use a hole punch to make the eyelets. Although I'm still going with the modified pattern from the Elizabethean corset site, I'm definitely going to make the mockup in cardboard.

On MaraRiley's site of stays instructions, I'm on approximately step #2 (which is actually the last numbered step, lol). She skips a lot of intermediate instructions, though. I just noticed that somewhere between the third and the fourth picture she modified the front piece to dip over the bust (the original mockup goes up in the front) and added a slight bump where the shoulder strap will connect. I'll have to do most of this by sight.

My shopping list: 3/8" wide cable ties, lining fabric, blue thread?

Wish me luck!

Hello Dear Reader!

Just an update on the progress of the stays. Using the Custom Corset Pattern Generator I created the pattern for an Elizabethan corset. I managed to get it all drawn out on freezer paper -- which curls annoyingly. Now onto the next part. Either I need to get an eyelet thing from JoAnn's, or -- no, there's no way I want to stitch buttonholes for a test fitting! Is there? Ugh. (Also, does eyelet = grommet? I need to look at my CW corset to see how big they are.) Once I have that, I can do a sufficient test fitting, although I'm still not 100% sure how to do the tabs, slicing it up into the 1700s pattern, and boning channels for the cable ties -- but it will come together... I hope.

I also realized that I HAVE NO IRON! My iron had a short in the cord and since it had lived a long, good life -- born in the mid 70s or 80s, I'd say -- it went to Iron Heaven. Now I'm dazzled with iron shopping. Who knew it would be so thrilling? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. :)

Just a tip: Check out the Stays post at Rockin' the Rococo. She is making hers by hand and has very wonderful photos!

A new blog!

Hello everyone who happens to come across this site...

I've started up a new blog to work out my costuming ideas, to show pictures of my sewing projects and to drool over paintings and images of historical fashion. Case in point, the lovely image to the left. :D

Although I also like Livejournal a lot too and I already actively post there -- and I might get more sewing newbie help there too. I wonder which would work better. Hmmm.

To be honest, I know very little French (German or Japanese is more my racket!) so I apologize if the name of this blog -- Nouvelle Romantique -- is totally wrong. I just like the word "nouvelle" and I will admit to being an unabashed fan of the new romantic music of the 1980s. I also like its connotation with history!

Another note: I am pretty new when it comes to sewing. I didn't have anyone to learn from since I was a youngin'; my mom always says sewing "skipped her generation"! So obviously I'm going to have to overcome some bumps and curves, but I'll do my best!

Now, onto projects. My first historical project will be a set (?) of stays. In my quest to make myself a nice 18th century wardrobe, obviously this is where you gotta start! I've been doing a lot of research -- I'll be using cable ties for boning (cheap & available, you can't go wrong with them if you're a newbie).

The pattern is more of a quandary. I've scanned in one from Jean Hunnisett's Period Costumes for Stage and Screen book. But I don't really like the look of it, so I've also been thinking about doing one from MaraRiley.net. I actually like drafting my own patterns and she links to a generator that teaches you to draft your own.

After the stays, or during, I'll be making the chemise (shift, excuse me -- left over from my 1855 days) of course -- again fromt he MaraRiley page. I also will be trying to get my library to buy or ILL the Janet Arnold book -- why they only have the one that covers 1560-1620, I'll never know. One thing I want to keep working on throughout this are the pockets. I've never embroidered, so it'll be an interesting experiment. The pockets look like a fun and easy job, though!

Dream dress for the far off future: A robe a la anglaise polonaise and/or chemise a la reine.

Anyway, all this will take place (we'll pray) this summer -- which is in less than a week. School be gone!

Note: Stupidest name for a knitting book with plus size patterns? "Style At Large"! Good grief. I came across it while searching for the name of the book mentioned in this post.