tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15697518894864798232024-03-14T11:32:48.946+01:00Marmota's Dress DiariesRe-inventing the wheel...Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.comBlogger281125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-68826363678292988182024-01-19T20:07:00.002+01:002024-01-19T20:07:56.732+01:00All right, this needs to be addressed: USA vs The World<p><b>(or,
Assuming Everyone Is American by Default / Assuming Everything Everywhere Is Just
Like in the USA / This Is an International Forum, For Crying Out Loud!)</b></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzWeYOANmTc_l-XXgmTeSoZdzb6Sqd6HLXwNBM2ESFIrIhn6LUSkMg6MuYES4NaXZMN-tlvW_a1H_qhcegCvUacPk859MiZHFxVXxFDUN8YUGeZCkANCepcULbuB3VV6_7w9ylphsT8NudfR_GlnO8hkoaG66AjSYVOGvbl5AI-LSGoV5GR45MVw21Q/s1425/Historical%20costuming%20US%20vs%20The%20World.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="1425" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzWeYOANmTc_l-XXgmTeSoZdzb6Sqd6HLXwNBM2ESFIrIhn6LUSkMg6MuYES4NaXZMN-tlvW_a1H_qhcegCvUacPk859MiZHFxVXxFDUN8YUGeZCkANCepcULbuB3VV6_7w9ylphsT8NudfR_GlnO8hkoaG66AjSYVOGvbl5AI-LSGoV5GR45MVw21Q/w640-h280/Historical%20costuming%20US%20vs%20The%20World.gif" width="640" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b>This started out as a "Five for Friday" type of post - part of a post about my pet peeves in historical costuming discussions online that I have had in the works for about years now. The post got majorly out of hand, because I'm apparently incapable of writing short texts, <i>especially</i> in lockdowns. :P This part was one of those that got out of hand, and it quickly outgrew the confines of historical costuming discussions, too.<p></p><p>You will see soon why it got too long. It has something to do with the nature of internet discussions, where you're basically always open to arguing with the whole world (and isn't that a terrifying thought), and a lot of things I have observed over a lot of years. And I do need to get it off my chest. I am not particularly happy with this now becoming the first post of 2024, but also quite frankly I'm so fed up with so many things right now that finally getting this less consequential one out there feels somewhat vital.<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">* * * <br /></p><p>It's intended to make people stop and think, I think.<br /></p><p>It's ranty (and hopefully at least a bit tongue-in-cheek, but the rantiness can't be helped). It's not necessarily personal. It's not aimed at you, my singular, very nice American reader. Or you, one singular random American reader over there thinking every generalisation needs to be refuted as a generalisation, and every singular experience has to be interpretted as a generalisation and then refuted as a generalisation, and taken personally, or explained away and thrown back into the original commenter's court.<br /></p><p>It's not aimed at you, Canadian or South American reader, arguing that "American" should not be used solely for USians.<br /></p><p>(Okay, the above may be aimed at all of you. Those are all common features of this sort of discussions, so I had to get them out of the way first. If you come into my comments bringing up those discussion points, I can now freely ignore them. My point is, it's not a personal attack; not everything posted online is, and that's one of the major current frustrations with the Internet. It's intended as food for thought. It's ranty because it genuinely has accumulated for over twenty years.) </p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *<br /></p><p>It's just letting off lots of steam accumulated over thousands of little unintended transgressions. Lots of inoffensive but still pretty annoying stuff. I'm not the only one who clashes with this issue every now and then. But it's rarely one that's ever offending enough to roast anyone over on a case by case basis - and besides, doing it on a case by case basis won't help the next time someone else does it again, perfectly innocuously.</p><p>Thus all the accumulated steam. And everything in life including the kitchen sink* has been stressful lately, so some safe letting off of steam is sorely needed. One can't affect the big things getting on all our collective nerves, so it seems everyone's been more bity online recently, often unconsciously. I include myself in that group.<br /></p><p>Maybe writing up all of this particular little problem like this can help someone else let off steam. Or help people who haven't stopped to think about it - to stop and think about it.<br /></p><p></p><p>So that's all my cautions not to take this too seriously but do give it a thought out of the way, and here's a cute cat picture to ease you into it. And if that doesn't tell you something about the everyday stress of internet discussions...<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgGTCjhnYzZ0SWHGn8JHXJ0wy767twm9-yJp78TCfOqPd3NCY4gEcyEg74s6RwU0sWONc2UJOGQ0i8LFYOhEVTTZ_XCNmPhflCHEyETZgRB1ianlkPsc0nXoJeG0cv8prwu9NAOrth-Rqt7N8RiGEXD0KmdVWtnV3vJnJS-4D6XOF58Y_oOA6pyEVvQ/s3072/IMG_2243.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3072" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgGTCjhnYzZ0SWHGn8JHXJ0wy767twm9-yJp78TCfOqPd3NCY4gEcyEg74s6RwU0sWONc2UJOGQ0i8LFYOhEVTTZ_XCNmPhflCHEyETZgRB1ianlkPsc0nXoJeG0cv8prwu9NAOrth-Rqt7N8RiGEXD0KmdVWtnV3vJnJS-4D6XOF58Y_oOA6pyEVvQ/w400-h300/IMG_2243.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>(These days, the kitties are father's, and he's not entirely consistent about naming them, so I'm not sure what this one's called; father being what he's like with cats, I suspect it's "The Small One". I am fairly confident that the fragment of a black cat tail to the left is Lemur the tomcat, though.)</p><p> </p><p>(* I'm not even kidding about the sink.
Admittedly, this post sat unfinished for ages, so the sink is no longer
recent. But there was a point when it was extremely annoying, draining
veeeeeryyyyy sloooowlyyyy and getting clogged up quickly. Fortunately it
turned out to be just a badly designed strainer, and was in the end
easily solved by getting a new, different one. But the fact that even
the kitchen sink was making my life difficult sums up the past couple of
years really well.)</p><p> </p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p><p>So, you see, on the whole Americans
have many wonderful qualities. And one of them is that they're usually friendly
and outgoing and pro-actively willing to help and support you with encouraging or informative comments. Sadly, a
large percentage of them in online discussions (such as Facebook groups) also has
the innocuous but unfortunate
ability to forget about the rest of the world on a daily basis.</p><p>I live
in the rest of the world. After nearly twenty years of using the
internet in English (which, as you may realise from the name, is not an
exclusively US-based language), it's impossible not to notice and not to
be
just a little bit fed up with it.<br />
<br />
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_NxM2yTzqiMCegyQwyeWxA6AP0qgI39qZEmu4xauQiQgzOHn_SvJmFx6_9_ay7GffEtIE6jiK8uqu6tDtoCfGL0jJlHCCgyrLujWZJwGDG7VqSvRPP4oiCMWDBYZ_6ilowi8lsTAf7bX/s1600/Countries_with_English_as_Official_Language.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="1366" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_NxM2yTzqiMCegyQwyeWxA6AP0qgI39qZEmu4xauQiQgzOHn_SvJmFx6_9_ay7GffEtIE6jiK8uqu6tDtoCfGL0jJlHCCgyrLujWZJwGDG7VqSvRPP4oiCMWDBYZ_6ilowi8lsTAf7bX/s400/Countries_with_English_as_Official_Language.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>English-speaking countries of the world according to Wikipedia. I <u>still</u> live in the rest of the world which, you may notice on this map, is still not an insignificant portion of it.</i></div>
<br />
It's not just me, either, so I think this
constitutes more than just a Pet Peeve. It comes up in
conversations with other costuming people outside of the USA. In fact,
it comes up in all online spaces, not just the costuming circles. It
gets on our collective non-US nerves just a little bit.<br />
<br />
It's not even a case of the groups being primarily American. For
example, the "1730-1830 Clothing Construction Support Group" was founded
by an Australian and was originally geared towards making things for the
<i>Australian</i> Jane Austen festival. Another group this happened to me in relatively recently (innocuously, it's always innocuous) is comprised of fans of a British YouTuber. (I have since then left it, but that had to do with different types of annoying posts.)<br />
<br />
The Americans just come in, see everyone using English, and <i>assume</i>.<br />
<br />
No one means to offend by it and they always apologise for doing it when
their error is pointed out to them. And it's a low-key sort of
annoyance when treated as individual cases. But, well, if you have to
keep repeating the same sort of explanation ("I don't live in the same country you do, this is the Internet") over and over and <i>over</i> to people from <i>one</i>
specific country out of <i>nearly</i> <i>two hundred</i>, you do eventually develop some unfavourable opinions
about a certain nation's situational awareness regarding geography.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx6SAnyO_mp21HNhJTWJa6TUOpfQ0m8OgKOPLA7_DvT-6A1WH_FPMXWOGTgdAKrmyD2d3EcqA6y_h13uR9wdj7WOXbpSM60FjkU1fmseZnuu9fRvgpQ3VOG9cQgKZggJw-E8KenQro_g00/s1600/Historical+costuming+US+vs+The+World+2.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="1425" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx6SAnyO_mp21HNhJTWJa6TUOpfQ0m8OgKOPLA7_DvT-6A1WH_FPMXWOGTgdAKrmyD2d3EcqA6y_h13uR9wdj7WOXbpSM60FjkU1fmseZnuu9fRvgpQ3VOG9cQgKZggJw-E8KenQro_g00/s640/Historical+costuming+US+vs+The+World+2.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><p>
</p><p>Oftentimes, in sewing and historical costuming groups, it is
closely related to what was termed Pet Peeve Nr. 2 in my original list: that of not answering the question that is <i>actually</i> being asked and instead jumping in with your five cents and missing the fact the OP is using pennies (it was a metaphor in the original list, but in this context, it's getting close to literal!). By far the most common offenders
here are: <br />
<br />
<i>A) "You can get XY material being discussed very cheaply if you save up your Joann's coupons." </i>/ <i>"You can get it at Joann's, they're having a sale on patterns right now / have a sale on patterns every now and then."</i><br />
Reality outside of the USA: No Joann's anywhere outside the US of A (unless there are some in Canada?). There are next to zero fabric chain shops in the Czech Republic;
most are limited to a single city anyway. Good luck getting such a sale
on patterns anywhere. What coupons?!</p><p>(Seriously: What coupons are all you Americans talking about?! How does it work? After about fifteen years in internet sewing spaces, I <i>still </i>
don't know what those actually are. In part because when I tried to actively look it up relatively recently, results were inconclusive. But largely because the moment when someone in a discussion jumped in with
the automatic assumption that I must have them because obviously everyone who sews has them, usually <i>unasked for</i> to boot
because no one was actually asking about <i>buying</i> anything,
you just decided to answer my question <i>about</i> pence with <i>giving me</i> your five cents... well, in that situation I'm usually not in the mood to ask politely.)<br />
<i></i><br />
<i>B) "You can just get a free paint stirrer in a paint shop and use that as your busk."</i><br />
Reality outside of the USA:<i> </i>The
largest free paint stirrer I've ever seen here in Czechia was
about 20 cm long (8 inches, for the Imperial-minded). It was also the first <i>and</i> the last shop with free paint stirrers I've <i>ever</i> seen in over 30 years of my life. Oh, and it's closed down since.</p><p>Understandably, when the prevailing costuming advice is tied to the cultural quirks of one specific country, your costuming journey can get pretty frustrating.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4wVvuzGnIo8Md1Sh6XawKD6w-DbdIXpyeTHMjpCKqIP0KXsSGutFGAjnam5yDlGQlhfxMlMjlfKMZyBuVEhkM5tkO1jpNUGQheAbF-gEeHebwPTTePtlhBkwGdOrCbuOKz8shF5O6r7k/s1600/Historical+costuming+US+vs+The+World.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="1425" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4wVvuzGnIo8Md1Sh6XawKD6w-DbdIXpyeTHMjpCKqIP0KXsSGutFGAjnam5yDlGQlhfxMlMjlfKMZyBuVEhkM5tkO1jpNUGQheAbF-gEeHebwPTTePtlhBkwGdOrCbuOKz8shF5O6r7k/s640/Historical+costuming+US+vs+The+World.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><p>
<i><br /></i>
Although I think this one is less prevalent nowadays than it was when I started out with Regency, and I've more recently been informed that free paint stirrers
suitable for busks may be a North American thing, not just limited to
the USA. Still... the rest of us have to at the very least buy some paint to get a
paint stirrer, and I don't know about you but I don't paint stuff all that often so that doesn't seem like a particularly advantageous manner of procuring costuming material when in the end I got my busk truly for free by digging through my father's junk. (I do not recommend that manner of procuring as a generalisation. I understand not everyone has access to a father's collection of junk. You may want to give the same level of consideration to other manners of procurring.)<br /></p><p>The same thing does apply to all sorts of
products and shops that Americans online assume you will be familiar with (one of the more recent offenders was a brand of butter, of all things). Joann's and paint stirrers are just the most
common and most obvious ones in my usual circles.</p><p><br /></p><p>A special mention goes to
people asking "where can I get XY" in a geographically unspecified and therefore
international group without mentioning where in the
world <i>they</i> are. In about 95% cases (and I may be conservative with my
estimate here), that person turns out to be located somewhere in the US
of A. Although, in all fairness, I think it's mainly the lower 48 - Alaskans and Hawai'ians are probably far more used to needing special attention paid to location.</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzWeYOANmTc_l-XXgmTeSoZdzb6Sqd6HLXwNBM2ESFIrIhn6LUSkMg6MuYES4NaXZMN-tlvW_a1H_qhcegCvUacPk859MiZHFxVXxFDUN8YUGeZCkANCepcULbuB3VV6_7w9ylphsT8NudfR_GlnO8hkoaG66AjSYVOGvbl5AI-LSGoV5GR45MVw21Q/s1425/Historical%20costuming%20US%20vs%20The%20World.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="1425" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzWeYOANmTc_l-XXgmTeSoZdzb6Sqd6HLXwNBM2ESFIrIhn6LUSkMg6MuYES4NaXZMN-tlvW_a1H_qhcegCvUacPk859MiZHFxVXxFDUN8YUGeZCkANCepcULbuB3VV6_7w9ylphsT8NudfR_GlnO8hkoaG66AjSYVOGvbl5AI-LSGoV5GR45MVw21Q/w640-h280/Historical%20costuming%20US%20vs%20The%20World.gif" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <i>This map of the world I lifted off of Wikipedia and coloured does contain the infamously often missing New Zealand, but somehow does not contain Hawai'i...</i><br /><p></p><p>
<br />
<b> </b>All this is, I think, aggravated by the fact the US of A are a big country so you
can go for hundreds of miles and still find a Joann's. Meanwhile, Czech Republic is, size-wise, roughly comparable to South Carolina, so imagine living in South Carolina, and when you cross the border to North Carolina, everything is in Polish. Foreign countries are a basic fact of life in Europe, and here in
Czechia just going hiking (or skiing) in the mountains almost
automatically means that you'll be walking near (or <i>on</i>) a national border.</p><p>Many Americans at this point like to point out "You don't know anything about the US! We have states! The states are actually very different!" To which my answer is, picture crossing the border from South Carolina to North Carolina, and everything being in Polish.</p><p> <br /></p><p>Online, it's also aggravated by the fact that the inhabitants of the USA <i>are</i>
a big huge mix of nationalities so it's much more difficult for Americans to look at
someone's name on Facebook and go "okay, that's a foreigner". Even then, though,
I think other English-speaking post-colonial
nationalities with immigrant societies do this <i>far</i> less often.<br /> <br />
You do see people from other
countries not listing where they are from. But as I've already hinted, more often than not in
that case their actual question has less to do with "where" and more
with "what", and it's the Americans in the comments jumping in with
"where". You want to know which type of fabric is best suited for a specific
application (so that you know what exactly to look for in <i>your</i> part of the
world)? You can probably expect some variation on Americans jumping in
to tell you that Joann's currently has it on sale, or that their favourite US-based internet shop has the best and/or cheapest one, even though you never
asked "where to buy" to begin with.</p><p>You never asked where to buy precisely because you know you'd just get Americans giving you answers that won't help you one bit in your part of the world. And then they do it anyway. Probably because it never even occurs to them, when <i>they</i> are asking, that some of the people reading their question may live thousands of miles and at least one ocean away.<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *<br /></p><p>And this is where this innocuous issue begins to get really, really frustrating. You begin having to think of clever and detailed ways to phrase your questions so that you can circumvent unhelpfully helpful Americans and actually get the pence you're after. And then after you've gone to all that trouble, they still don't bother reading the whole thing mindfully because now it's Too Many Words For The Internet, and they jump in with their five cents anyway.</p><p><i>They</i> often don't even bother mentioning where in the <i>States</i> they are, even though it would often still get them better answers. <i>You</i>, on the other hand, start having to define yourself solely by your nationality because you have to mention your nationality Every. Single. Effing. Time. Everywhere. Even when you didn't even ask for <i>where;</i> even when you never even asked a question, you just shared a picture of your homemade breadrolls, and an American still came in convinced that you will eat your homemade breadrolls with their favourite American brand of butter<i>. </i>You have to preface everything you ever say online with your nationality just so <i>they</i> won't jump in with shop and product suggestions that are no use to you and that you never asked for in the first place. Because if you don't mention it right away, you will end up having to mention it later, anyway. You slowly cease to be yourself, an individual. You become a part-time volunteer (even though you never volunteered) ambassador of the rest of the world to the USA.<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *<br /></p><p>Still, all this is fairly innocuous. The problem is that Americans never even stop to think about it, and as with a lot of unchallenged assumptions, it can very easily get worse in less innocuous contexts.</p><p>You see, one of the offenders I noticed was a YouTube comment lecturing someone that a specific term had been struck out of an American list of mental conditions so they should not be saying they'd been diagnosed with it. In response to <i>someone whose username was written in the Cyrillic alphabet</i>. That one was definitely starting to cross the border into straight up "America rules the world so your lived experience and identity is invalid unless you conform to how Americans view it, and if you don't, Americans will just ignore it and force their own worldview on you."</p><p>And I'm still sure the person did not necessarily mean it like that, and yes, of course that list was compiled by leading medical professionals so they genuinely believed their correction was valid. But, dear anonymous American person who will probably never read this: Saying you were diagnosed with something is a significantly different kettle of fish from saying "I think I am..." It's not just opinion, it's not just the diagnosed condition in and of itself, it's something that <i>happened</i>. You're essentially saying "an American dictionary does not have a word for your experience so your experience never happened." That sort of thing - that sort of <i>not stopping to look and think </i>and just straight up assuming the same experiences apply to everyone else in this conversation - that genuinely is where the USA begin to be the country the rest of the world hates because they think themselves better and more important and more valid than everyone else.</p><p>And aiming that sort of carelessness at someone neurodivergent? That felt especially low. That can, in fact, completely ruin someone's day. Or week, because that sort of thing can have a knock-on effect, especially in tough times. And we all live in tough times right now.<br /></p><p>And this, dear American readers, is why you should want to be more mindful with your careless US-centric cultural references. It's because you're putting all the responsibility for the mental effort in the conversation on the rest of us, and a lot of us straight up don't have the spoons. Most of you genuinely are perfectly decent people, and I think most of us will be only delighted if you prove yourselves to be.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *<br /></p><p><b>So, listen, Americans.</b> Of course people on the whole keep being
polite about it to you because it's almost always a new, innocent person
making the mistake.<br />
<br />
But all put together it amounts to a pretty high degree of mental
gymnastics the rest of the world has to perform for your convenience on
an everyday basis, okay? <i>A hundred times nothing did the donkey in</i>, as the Czech saying goes. Don't be surprised if we sometimes explode in your face over something innocuous; you probably hit a spot that had been hit with something innocuous a hundred times before. Don't be surprised and offended if we say you're self-centered, and develop some unfavourable opinions about your country. We would welcome you taking up some of the slack once in a while.<br />
<br />
<br />
There is actually a very simple way to get out of this national
predicament with grace and no offense inflicted either way that many
people from the rest of the world (and some very nice Americans!)
utilise: Precede all your mentions of products & things with a
variation on "<i>I don't know if this is the same where you are but where I come from...</i>"<br />
<br />
See? Easy. By putting your suggestion in context and expressing consideration for the other side, you actually come
across as even more helpful / friendly, and the person asking / posting does not have to
spend such a big percentage of their free time and mental capacity volunteering as an
ambassador to the USA.</p><p> Every time you go online, remind yourself that the internet is an
international space where a lot of people communicate in a language not
their own. That would be a good start for compensating for the way a lot of us go online every day communicating in a language not out own. <br /></p>Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-91373761233937391712023-11-18T00:29:00.000+01:002023-11-18T00:29:35.453+01:00#HighQualitySockContent<p>Just. You know. Socks.</p><p>Handknit sock yarn socks. They are, as my sister said, addictive. And she's only wearing them!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBtNGbx7W2euxG2pFZp8Ml6vMtQ_OdLlTcJmAf4gUNdOlDsgAx2AYi9wxRi7aHin-loB-qJ4O7zLYI6GK_UPMxdvgdRCiwmIBJ_OoRE7iMaursyQVa1245Cy2UyuqJpMcpgfojEAjpa_c2QZWHzmdpwXuktrE92T4xxJoYMwN4NA-XsFzwr5XpJUEWn5t/s3888/IMG_20231117_172639061_MFNR~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="2592" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBtNGbx7W2euxG2pFZp8Ml6vMtQ_OdLlTcJmAf4gUNdOlDsgAx2AYi9wxRi7aHin-loB-qJ4O7zLYI6GK_UPMxdvgdRCiwmIBJ_OoRE7iMaursyQVa1245Cy2UyuqJpMcpgfojEAjpa_c2QZWHzmdpwXuktrE92T4xxJoYMwN4NA-XsFzwr5XpJUEWn5t/w266-h400/IMG_20231117_172639061_MFNR~2.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>This is the newest pair, following The Modern Maker's principle of "Italian / antique heel", but not following either of his patterns directly; I did my own thing. The patterns are <a href="https://www.themodernmaker.co/knitting-feed/ankle-socks-with-an-antique-heel-and-gusset">here</a>, and in the book Knitting with the Modern Maker Vol. 1.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOdB1MRlO3lrdk79g-ElTxZiiuIq24RCTNco-YVPed58QGFUacK7rFWHQBkV-n26I8bVj6gkE_ktJo2Oo2rqODMSQIYeGW4b9izLhjkfAgSGOqTCyajk9xURRNiFXYdW6A6KQ27yZyBemgujl92LY4RcMpjBcRzjQmjAmCRbCm8NYdBNX2Fcx_5CXwj-e/s4608/IMG_20231117_180037872_MFNR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="2592" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOdB1MRlO3lrdk79g-ElTxZiiuIq24RCTNco-YVPed58QGFUacK7rFWHQBkV-n26I8bVj6gkE_ktJo2Oo2rqODMSQIYeGW4b9izLhjkfAgSGOqTCyajk9xURRNiFXYdW6A6KQ27yZyBemgujl92LY4RcMpjBcRzjQmjAmCRbCm8NYdBNX2Fcx_5CXwj-e/w225-h400/IMG_20231117_180037872_MFNR.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I still need to tweak it a little bit, but I'm satisfied that I've got something very workable. Wearing them right now and they're very nice and fit almost just right; I just feel like I need to change them around the heel a little bit more. Or maybe I made them a tad short. I suppose once I have something I would deem perfect, I might have to write it up, with proper credit of course?<div><br /></div><div>This pair is 68 stitches on 2 mm needles. Yarn is Best Socks by VlnaHep (Czech company), colourway 7118 - no longer available. My gauge with thinner 4-ply sock yarn on 2 mm is about 9 stitches per inch; not sure about row gauge.<br /><div><br /><p>There's more nice new socks I never posted about here. I've just realised some of them were HSM entries and deserve their own post, though.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwXGHzM_odtGCXXzuJcRhRp40J2MQmdxy61B355QYw64RFwB9Uy3CKQ9vdDAzzjCIN4HaR_KpvI20uYTOYMaUP7UjeHxappGolYCL_Eo6G2mhrNtD_-TpVRe5yCMsvxSivXZQ9kYQJiwKCZ9oUa7ycU2ocqkJvsW4QzJePYgKAm2F8d7FdsdqXGLsDFnlN/s2489/IMG_20230207_131801_016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="2489" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwXGHzM_odtGCXXzuJcRhRp40J2MQmdxy61B355QYw64RFwB9Uy3CKQ9vdDAzzjCIN4HaR_KpvI20uYTOYMaUP7UjeHxappGolYCL_Eo6G2mhrNtD_-TpVRe5yCMsvxSivXZQ9kYQJiwKCZ9oUa7ycU2ocqkJvsW4QzJePYgKAm2F8d7FdsdqXGLsDFnlN/s320/IMG_20230207_131801_016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>This pair, also featuring Best Socks 7118, plus Drops Fabel 108, went to Ukraine early this year. 72 stitches, again 2 mm needles. The idea was to make them fun and colourful. I don't know where they ended up, the person going there had more destinations, but I hope they did and do help brighten someone's day.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizvWfWCDYjcOT02EpJiS9VcBe1wIcrBTuhccEDk-tvJRZ6eDmy13XL7DCnFXk07Qvj6PXK0tijinUSwPTAr6XxK5GG-erjyroa5OA1UiP9YFWMkNV9a5YF5ZF5BVaFraLYqUnaHN2n0IPgOLRvZ2MaMyNsM6RHghu4zyfvSktZIEmHd4TlOq3F9H_XUFm/s2880/IMG_20221210_123743_851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="2880" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizvWfWCDYjcOT02EpJiS9VcBe1wIcrBTuhccEDk-tvJRZ6eDmy13XL7DCnFXk07Qvj6PXK0tijinUSwPTAr6XxK5GG-erjyroa5OA1UiP9YFWMkNV9a5YF5ZF5BVaFraLYqUnaHN2n0IPgOLRvZ2MaMyNsM6RHghu4zyfvSktZIEmHd4TlOq3F9H_XUFm/s320/IMG_20221210_123743_851.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>These were my first attempt at a Balbriggan heel, last year. Yarn is Sportivo by Vlnap, but it's from a "mystery packet", not their regular production which is all patterned - there wasn't even a colourway / dyebatch number. 64 stitches and 2,5 mm needles.</p><p>I like 2,5 mm for lighterweight but still durable socks, but compared to my previous pairs in different yarns, these exhibited some considerable superwash stretching - ended up at about 7,5 stitches per inch and honestly that's not great in this yarn. Lots of loose fluff quickly accummulating around the heel. Now they have also been accidentally dyed in the wash and have lost their bright blue colour. I don't particularly mind, see about the stretching and stuff. Also I made the pattern up as I went and it's not perfect. Good learning experience, not entirely the best socks. I did like the colour, though, so I <i>am</i> somewhat sad to see that go and I think I need another bright lighterweight pair like that. Not the same yarn, though. (Not that I can get it anyway.)</p><p><br /></p><p>(Hashtag title courtesy of <a href="https://youtu.be/6Ev4et7xadk?si=U8Jm6tbHa1HWCaeP">Matt and Tom</a>.)</p></div></div>Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-48435627414287012042023-10-27T16:55:00.001+02:002023-10-28T10:32:56.293+02:00I think Victorian corsets are in fact still conical stays<p>Technically. At least some of them.</p><p>This is, sort of, a follow up on <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2023/10/why-i-have-not-made-bernhardt-stays-yet.html">my last post</a>, and sort of a follow up on an older one that preceded it. A while ago <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2020/02/deciphering-historical-clothes-c-1840.html">I posted</a> about this 1840s corset <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/82069">from the Met Museum</a>, and how, when
I broke it down to pattern pieces and looked at the grainlines, it
reminded me of J.S. Bernhardt's Fig. F pattern. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCl11Ut1NnX3NzfBq6y4-RomX8oaX_JFQgWGVcSWYQVPTixeXHq7dNcY5ZODJzwFYrK69OwQSom_7zN9FbLWxv1yQf8NmAho22wF8JlbH0jZ7oOAX5VdL_W8H5gTSwR_DaRBFEWu8c8t8tgWedVyxDE5onVaf4OmhYbIvC_qfb6yv_13oTcM2u1Bt7tBYq/s697/1839-41%20corset.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="697" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCl11Ut1NnX3NzfBq6y4-RomX8oaX_JFQgWGVcSWYQVPTixeXHq7dNcY5ZODJzwFYrK69OwQSom_7zN9FbLWxv1yQf8NmAho22wF8JlbH0jZ7oOAX5VdL_W8H5gTSwR_DaRBFEWu8c8t8tgWedVyxDE5onVaf4OmhYbIvC_qfb6yv_13oTcM2u1Bt7tBYq/w288-h400/1839-41%20corset.jpg" width="288" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Corset, American or European, 1839-1841, silk. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, ID: C.I.38.23.10b-d</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjrVjkNoHHeUOGfyXyLVKNRofWbR4oob8UzK0oVtWJES8Hk9-o4kY0bR2mvae62q39Xso76buGsC_0U-eQ7ZyDZbRwEOo8z3Tlt2His9aVe4gv2IS0fpPzx1k4cFdGwsPoD0aB45aAWXb_ra2FGEdJU05Ar7Nh-Qme7jMKToEMWNQy_nDq1hlTEy9DI0y/s2048/1839-41%20silk%20MET%20C.I.38.23.10b_F2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1567" data-original-width="2048" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjrVjkNoHHeUOGfyXyLVKNRofWbR4oob8UzK0oVtWJES8Hk9-o4kY0bR2mvae62q39Xso76buGsC_0U-eQ7ZyDZbRwEOo8z3Tlt2His9aVe4gv2IS0fpPzx1k4cFdGwsPoD0aB45aAWXb_ra2FGEdJU05Ar7Nh-Qme7jMKToEMWNQy_nDq1hlTEy9DI0y/w400-h306/1839-41%20silk%20MET%20C.I.38.23.10b_F2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Well, now that I've looked at Bernhardt's <a href="https://digital.slub-dresden.de/werkansicht/dlf/963/1">book</a> and not just Sabine's <a href="https://kleidungum1800.blogspot.com/2013/05/short-stays-studies-schnurleib-studien.html">Short Stays Studies</a>...</p><p>Nevermind Fig. F; look at Fig. B!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTpPNQu1cUTFvF5M5fQ1wOQROGb-FDketZkZjRvGJoZNSzfXOQ7Zhb4GxmYt47GBIdZ2nZ7yWBLJEE9L_WqGWi8YS_cPcxwY-TJh0AvO_Ix3qjH42SyHt69zhrWX95y89X3GQD4p2tbRj1XdzS-5t9EPcpu6Nd6GR6Fu-kt-YWt4IWZji2mPHEvzkAC07r/s1718/00000129.tif.original~3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1646" data-original-width="1718" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTpPNQu1cUTFvF5M5fQ1wOQROGb-FDketZkZjRvGJoZNSzfXOQ7Zhb4GxmYt47GBIdZ2nZ7yWBLJEE9L_WqGWi8YS_cPcxwY-TJh0AvO_Ix3qjH42SyHt69zhrWX95y89X3GQD4p2tbRj1XdzS-5t9EPcpu6Nd6GR6Fu-kt-YWt4IWZji2mPHEvzkAC07r/w400-h384/00000129.tif.original~3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It has exactly the vertical seaming over the bust that certain mid-19th century corsets like the one above do. Also, hip gusset in the back.<br /><p>Compare Fig. B to my rough draft of the Met corset:</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7GhmT_guvWAr9SkhdurLdReACPwAVdwIhdldNt2IxcUz0MEiLFClVnaUd7ZzZImNGPDROlAyTsMUVqUnHZFBc16bVtHJHjgIvzQ1tEBOhKoumm85RPzK4XGYV1T508a3Z_lWuT333T9V3WUp0i5cfcIM3mnJt12Xpu-h3Jc65_5RmPQBVhs0KQ42f6YTg/s1600/1840%20rough%20draft%202.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1345" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7GhmT_guvWAr9SkhdurLdReACPwAVdwIhdldNt2IxcUz0MEiLFClVnaUd7ZzZImNGPDROlAyTsMUVqUnHZFBc16bVtHJHjgIvzQ1tEBOhKoumm85RPzK4XGYV1T508a3Z_lWuT333T9V3WUp0i5cfcIM3mnJt12Xpu-h3Jc65_5RmPQBVhs0KQ42f6YTg/w336-h400/1840%20rough%20draft%202.png" width="336" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Divide the back pieces of Fig. B differently - cut at the "i" hip gusset slit that's closer to the front and incorporate the gusset itself into the back piece (notice that that particular spot lies around the underarm line both in Bernhardt's draft and mine!) - and change the remaining tabs into a large hip-hugging gusset; raise it over the bust a bit... You've got yourself a mid-19th century corset!</p><p></p><p>Of course the pattern pieces are tilted slightly differently in my rough draft, because I wasn't drafting it on a conical plane. And in fact, I think the grainlines are the main difference between Bernhardt and the later corset - Bernhardt, or at least Sabine according to him, lays it out with the centre back on the grain and everything else fanning out from there, with the centre front almost on true bias. The 1840s corset also has the centre back on grain, but the tilt of centre front is more akin to its tilt on the draft itself, as if you left the draft as is and just rotated the back pieces so that they are on grain... </p><p>On the other hand, though, if we consider Bernhardt-style stays as a precursor, it suddenly makes a lot of sense why a lot of Victorian corsets cut the side pieces tilted, on bias! Which otherwise comes rather out of nowhere if you're instead looking at them as a direct descendant of straight-cut Regency stays.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGJgPPFPWRVez7sdTlfgv2jOMHeNBk16jMbZjdKaLbO4G1FhdkJgQQ1d99P2r0hvW9xezNkrhoQFvbF_9RQuKKJPy9DN1w0fQ3Y0_jlDHt2ixhtwQF5AHyUkNfyvYD-A-bpSghwZXOjwDF93RWrjCr86Or6IK3Hrz4K7gA_2AAZGitHoldgSIn7SGLm1X/s810/us000206964-001_.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="414" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGJgPPFPWRVez7sdTlfgv2jOMHeNBk16jMbZjdKaLbO4G1FhdkJgQQ1d99P2r0hvW9xezNkrhoQFvbF_9RQuKKJPy9DN1w0fQ3Y0_jlDHt2ixhtwQF5AHyUkNfyvYD-A-bpSghwZXOjwDF93RWrjCr86Or6IK3Hrz4K7gA_2AAZGitHoldgSIn7SGLm1X/w205-h400/us000206964-001_.gif" width="205" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">Fairly randomly chosen 1878 US corset patent <a href="http://haabet.dk/patent/206964/index.html">from haabet.dk</a></p><p><br /></p><p>All in all, it's fairly clear to me that if I started out with a conical block a la Bernhardt, it would actually be way easier to get exactly the results I need for this particular style - I would have far less counter-intuitive places to do subtracting of empty spaces in. The conical draft already wraps around the body the way you want it to and accounts for its non-rectangular nature; you just cut it up into sections where you need to and take it in so that it really hugs the body and supports the bust. Does that make sense? </p><p>Like so:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_UYxdG04b4eB1xair23lSBY8kIdCzU8kgwB5WFw7YyHf_TQBxaZa4I4adCd3KX0FCtQyZP7u29Udr3cDbAwN2opFuYT6dppzF1HAsHJ-wzCjR768wRZ6M5med1HP22gqlUWRBA3qkCMSgDr3m_zvYr84ArAxryy9YnqXq3pseuaYWgTuZqMMfcPdk6Li/s1830/1840s%20na%20Fig%20A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1724" data-original-width="1830" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_UYxdG04b4eB1xair23lSBY8kIdCzU8kgwB5WFw7YyHf_TQBxaZa4I4adCd3KX0FCtQyZP7u29Udr3cDbAwN2opFuYT6dppzF1HAsHJ-wzCjR768wRZ6M5med1HP22gqlUWRBA3qkCMSgDr3m_zvYr84ArAxryy9YnqXq3pseuaYWgTuZqMMfcPdk6Li/w400-h376/1840s%20na%20Fig%20A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p>It's a quick and dirty draft and I forgot a couple things, like taking it in in the back. But you get the idea. One day I'll do it properly; it's pretty clear to me now that I will have to. :D<br /></p><p>A teeny tiny detail, but even the fact the hip gusset is cut on bias now falls into place for me - it seems many late 18th century stays cut them that way.<br /></p><p></p><p>Ergo: <b>Victorian corsets are still conical stays!</b></p><p><br /></p><p>But that's not all! There's another fun image to support my working theory!</p><p>The working theory is that professional staymakers continued cutting things the way they knew, and just kept gradually updating the styles. That the straight-cut gussetted columnal stays we think of as Regency stays, that we think of as the direct precursor to Victorian corsets, are, in fact... well, not an evolutionary dead end, I think they may well have contributed something. But it seems to me it makes a lot more sense if they contributed less than we think. I think that the picture will be more complete if we think of it as Victorian corsets having at least two ancestors, not just one. That all the experimentation of the long Regency era resulted in the subsequent designs picking up features from all over the place.</p><p>Which brings me to the aforementioned another image. This is a detail from a satirical print from 1823:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVULPepiTTpVCpyiclf5i79GvIDxvRgTnNNzsBslt1y5G5shpA44OybYiJjhGVqdQBco5mkJcLUujQWK7qCrlE_n1oYMR8FL-bNfn73ldEbtPVjvRezsBt0p8cDyzuR22-AXG2HW3CB3vPI00JLShGwoDmE8ul9-Yp-r_8QDF_8gIe7uH_Tu3GThKEW-4w/s1301/32359617.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1301" data-original-width="1015" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVULPepiTTpVCpyiclf5i79GvIDxvRgTnNNzsBslt1y5G5shpA44OybYiJjhGVqdQBco5mkJcLUujQWK7qCrlE_n1oYMR8FL-bNfn73ldEbtPVjvRezsBt0p8cDyzuR22-AXG2HW3CB3vPI00JLShGwoDmE8ul9-Yp-r_8QDF_8gIe7uH_Tu3GThKEW-4w/w313-h400/32359617.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/10969276">"Painting"´, William Heath</a><a href="https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/10969276">, 1823</a>.<a href="https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/10969276"> Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University.</a><br /></p><p>Well, if that doesn't look a lot like what we consider to be 1790s transitional stays. In the 1820s! (And the picture can't be much older than its publishing date, what with her hairstyle, puffy chemise sleeves, and the dress to the left of her that I cut out from my selective image.)</p><p>I see two not immediately striking but I think very important differences in the image, compared to "transitional stays" like these:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5BNM1-kw-g9tWUFmEk0_cHxN-bCj30jKQ20IuZqS0onGAs1aaKM0m4wVRNxye1au7OHdi3JCJmnslD1dD6XwZcDcp_FMLrkfnxRhGQCXxw7GveJCekhfYCjYVHdoS0FqPh7KaJZlja-whDtVgDUYzgJs-3C5jDVLWq4ZEoOXMFGgs-dyRIwnNeVIQ7s5/s2313/CI41.94_F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2313" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5BNM1-kw-g9tWUFmEk0_cHxN-bCj30jKQ20IuZqS0onGAs1aaKM0m4wVRNxye1au7OHdi3JCJmnslD1dD6XwZcDcp_FMLrkfnxRhGQCXxw7GveJCekhfYCjYVHdoS0FqPh7KaJZlja-whDtVgDUYzgJs-3C5jDVLWq4ZEoOXMFGgs-dyRIwnNeVIQ7s5/w260-h400/CI41.94_F.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/107910">Corset, 18th century, Met Museum, ID: <span class="artwork-tombstone--value">C.I.41.94</span></a></p><p>One, the pronounced curve of her busk - really quite similar to the 1840s corset, especially in how it curves over the stomach instead of the more or less straight belly line of 18th century stays.</p><p>Two, the fact the bust cups do not look gathered but smooth.</p><p>Somewhat like these:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JCXIsDcNh8YeKGua7PejQoOB4gv0itXN1dCIhIrW7_HM2ZeaszDfhfX-SdyI1aSXxSO8eZ9U2tYd6k1wvQ8uen2HFkSctgfi_i6NfvhyWM4OGPDt0x50CYG6UShOOrq4t7HQ6W_cxWMeHhdXSWXGa1kIsEGns-iKfzpW5D9d-ZI-BcTJ5HfoQm9UGXDq/s630/E_1948_31_%5B1%5D_01_S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="520" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JCXIsDcNh8YeKGua7PejQoOB4gv0itXN1dCIhIrW7_HM2ZeaszDfhfX-SdyI1aSXxSO8eZ9U2tYd6k1wvQ8uen2HFkSctgfi_i6NfvhyWM4OGPDt0x50CYG6UShOOrq4t7HQ6W_cxWMeHhdXSWXGa1kIsEGns-iKfzpW5D9d-ZI-BcTJ5HfoQm9UGXDq/s320/E_1948_31_%5B1%5D_01_S.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Corset/stays, dated to 1820s-1840s, <a href="https://collections.glasgowmuseums.com/mwebcgi/mweb?request=record%3Bid%3D212180%3Btype%3D101">Glasgow Museums</a>, ID: E.1948.31.a</div><p> I am currently aware of three 19th century corsets / stays with smooth cups of this sort - the Glasgow example above stands out among them by having seamed cups (really they seem quite similar to a modern bra), likely to accommodate a larger bust. Three still isn't much, but it already is more than <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/81981">the one I knew of years ago</a>, and goes to show that this was, in fact, a Thing. The third one is in the Czech National Museum, was featured in <a href="https://publikace.nm.cz/neperiodicke-publikace/snerovacku-nebo-korzet-spodni-tvarovaci-odevy-a-odevni-soucastky-2-poloviny-18-stoleti-az-1-poloviny-20-stoleti-stays-or-a-corset-shaping-underclothing-and-undergarments-from-the-second-half-of-the-18th-century-until-the-first-half-of-the-20th">Stays, or a Corset?</a>, and unfortunately has no online presence that I know of. It also has fully corded cups, in a diagonal pattern that I am tempted to say I am seeing in the Heath print, but I think what's actually happening in the print is simply shading.</p><p>The three extants are all, more or less, stays of the columnal style, so seeing it done on the conical plane in this picture is super-interesting. And it supports my theory that there was a lot of experimentation and variety going on in the first half of the 19th century, the styles were by no means set in stone, and they did not necessarily conform to our modern ideas of what was happening when.</p><p>A pattern for the stays in the print could basically be achieved by combining Bernhardt's Fig. B/Fig. D with the bust cutouts of his Fig. C - although, based on comparison to the pattern draft of the stays from the Czech National Museum, you should probably make the cutouts a bit narrower and deeper - there needs to be a busk in the centre front going all the way up, and since there are bust cups in the cutouts, the bottom should likely reach the bottom of the gusset slit:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSarfvtDXmm3K5BQ4DiuRMO0ORyD0Q1cqDeTSB8P_p9M1EIm2Wh-AcQwx2Px4UiLahacEVfG6W8t_jMdHdpFxUALhhyEsBqbkpJl6hkK8rz6-SJi9kN8MDTtHJHSqPnLqk5l0LMT9ukKCJBe7U0oTeenllE2E7HtBVyQCLkcQimJR5qijP6nMPHGwyBg2/s1755/00000129.tif.original~4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1755" data-original-width="1379" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSarfvtDXmm3K5BQ4DiuRMO0ORyD0Q1cqDeTSB8P_p9M1EIm2Wh-AcQwx2Px4UiLahacEVfG6W8t_jMdHdpFxUALhhyEsBqbkpJl6hkK8rz6-SJi9kN8MDTtHJHSqPnLqk5l0LMT9ukKCJBe7U0oTeenllE2E7HtBVyQCLkcQimJR5qijP6nMPHGwyBg2/w314-h400/00000129.tif.original~4.jpg" width="314" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, yeah. This patchwork of styles apparently existed. Or at least likely existed - we still have to keep in mind it's a satirical print. But since the stays don't seem to be being satirised and therefore don't seem overly exaggerated, and they show quite a lot of detail that actually makes sense in the larger context of early 19th century corsetry, I think the likelihood of them being a complete fabrication is low. Tabs in 1823 are a bit surprising, but the bust cups are not, and thirteen years earlier Bernhardt did include tabbed drafts in his book and apparently said one could and should mix and match according to taste. So... there definitely is more to corsetry of the first half of the 19th century than we used to think.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It <span style="font-family: inherit;">makes</span> a lot of sense to me that, as there began to be more emphasis on the natural waistline again, at least some staymakers simply returned to cutting stays the way that worked for that. They just added the experience gained from Regency styles to it - such as a greater reliance just on the cut of the fabric for bust support, as opposed to fully boning the stays and/or packing them with strength layers. And using gussets in more places than just the back hip.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Throughout the long Regency period there had been old-fashioned ladies who still preferred the old smooth cut of stays over the bust gussets (Bernhardt also mentions as much in 1810). And people in more remote, rural areas had not made the switch so swiftly - sometimes never. (Czech folklore collectors noted / recorded that fashions could take up to about twenty or twenty-five years - basically a generation - to filter down to regional dress more remote from urban centres at that point in history, and that's just talking about the elements of fashion that <i>did</i> filter down into it.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The period of raised waistlines was not so long that all the old staymakers would have died out and taken their knowledge to the grave. It's not a breach and a complete change, it's a gradual evolution. <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It actually possibly continues all the way to the Edwardian era, when we once again get an openly conical design with the "Corset Radical" that I did a Deciphering post on years ago:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFjeXcDASwVYEl0bZEb1wHOiKBUmlP8b_tSyVaExFh_sWCXlZ4g7_2SvUzsq58vREVAEO3VAwd_M3kINi1TDYKpvRnQc1oKYS2JCEeK9ExE2R-PC704SBpBF8PmQ2kRFZ66Ue0aSZbbeanQR7PIf1SnbcWZx8Tq2VoAPDzPcXHiRKnq-agVSsiRHiPelMi/s2048/Korzet%20Radical%20UmPrum.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1367" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFjeXcDASwVYEl0bZEb1wHOiKBUmlP8b_tSyVaExFh_sWCXlZ4g7_2SvUzsq58vREVAEO3VAwd_M3kINi1TDYKpvRnQc1oKYS2JCEeK9ExE2R-PC704SBpBF8PmQ2kRFZ66Ue0aSZbbeanQR7PIf1SnbcWZx8Tq2VoAPDzPcXHiRKnq-agVSsiRHiPelMi/w268-h400/Korzet%20Radical%20UmPrum.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Corset "Radical", Federer & Piesen, Prague, c. 1905. The Museum of Decorative Arts Prague, ID: <a href="https://collections.glasgowmuseums.com/mwebcgi/mweb?request=record%3Bid%3D212180%3Btype%3D101">104484</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of the joys of my nerdy existence is that someone has actually made a corset like that since then!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7prVD34D6bFnjIMf-Ho62kNDcUrQfP8t3IUyNPZ3H89xbS468Rn-VAxHRLm91Q22CXU3wngNS_MnMSI6Pxt8P2TikRAoxQCFVFLRUuINjDeJ7K3KPLIhaNudnofq2XAmE4wx_vpasKkCeIxHc1ku2CsN5-FR2cTa1b8SE6aAktSqa013vXc3_AuTo934z/s790/us000767006-001_.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="495" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7prVD34D6bFnjIMf-Ho62kNDcUrQfP8t3IUyNPZ3H89xbS468Rn-VAxHRLm91Q22CXU3wngNS_MnMSI6Pxt8P2TikRAoxQCFVFLRUuINjDeJ7K3KPLIhaNudnofq2XAmE4wx_vpasKkCeIxHc1ku2CsN5-FR2cTa1b8SE6aAktSqa013vXc3_AuTo934z/w251-h400/us000767006-001_.gif" width="251" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://haabet.dk/patent/767006/index.html">Again, US patent from haabet.dk</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now that I have the idea of a basic conical block to compare it to, this design makes even more sense. I wonder how exactly A. P. McGraw (or Federer & Piesen?) arrived at it? Even if it was not through a conical block, I think my ideas of creating one could easily be applied to it...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">More on those ideas later, I hope.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-59327177732013787502023-10-18T14:52:00.001+02:002023-10-18T15:50:11.689+02:00Why I have not made the Bernhardt stays (yet). Also, J.S. Bernhardt is awesome and it is not stressed enough.<p>It's not for lack of trying. (Well, to a degree it is, but that has more to do with the past three years plus having been... A Thing.)<br /></p><p>I wanted to make a variation on Fig. F - <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2020/02/deciphering-historical-clothes-c-1840.html">I did mention that</a> some time ago.</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHdzfzywSePRRhgwjIAZAV0xw3skR0K1ZBrse8L5c6MO-dvVSnaHSnZHcQi9bxk581GA-Qw1c6qHSHZb1xfJDU_wZ2Gf_qHdjHhz4qA3NnJH_yAupqX_NAnUelUP-_DtemmXNp_jYYQF7hSbFv-dQaEdU6O8chbRFZo6f4uFaR-yjaCWYkSGY-3mtYLw5q/s1694/Fig%20F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1694" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHdzfzywSePRRhgwjIAZAV0xw3skR0K1ZBrse8L5c6MO-dvVSnaHSnZHcQi9bxk581GA-Qw1c6qHSHZb1xfJDU_wZ2Gf_qHdjHhz4qA3NnJH_yAupqX_NAnUelUP-_DtemmXNp_jYYQF7hSbFv-dQaEdU6O8chbRFZo6f4uFaR-yjaCWYkSGY-3mtYLw5q/s320/Fig%20F.jpg" width="302" /></a></div><p></p><p>But I just couldn't make the scaled pattern work for me. The operative words being "for me". They're great designs that clearly do the job and they explained a whole load of things to me - J.S. Bernhardt left an amazing legacy for people interested in Regency costuming (here's the <a href="https://digital.slub-dresden.de/werkansicht/dlf/963/1">original scan</a>). But his gridded scaling method leaves a few things to be desired.</p><p>Funnily enough, the answer as to why does, I think, lay directly in Bernhardt's text.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaThKoj7HYvq3_f318tbWTOIlct39QhYscRq76SrRKkwSLNGYvhe4UCxGUIz50V4A4kuNGnI6eapLLYqTgINRT0-O9WtCdJPwVxA1JNBi-DHjH_JduvRFmv6V_mPA9RuiOLD9q-q7MLdLUQMzEn2c8SqOJgAko1o0yMzpXz2X0TTZ80u9tgYC-rsoEN6Az/s967/Strana%2047.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="967" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaThKoj7HYvq3_f318tbWTOIlct39QhYscRq76SrRKkwSLNGYvhe4UCxGUIz50V4A4kuNGnI6eapLLYqTgINRT0-O9WtCdJPwVxA1JNBi-DHjH_JduvRFmv6V_mPA9RuiOLD9q-q7MLdLUQMzEn2c8SqOJgAko1o0yMzpXz2X0TTZ80u9tgYC-rsoEN6Az/w400-h219/Strana%2047.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>"Such a body (i.e. "well-grown") has to have... the thickness and length proportional."</b> (p. 43; 47 in the scan)<br /></p><p>That, dear readers, is where it falls apart for me.</p><p>Not only is my torso proportionally longer, it turns out my back is probably comparatively narrower than my front. With Bernhardt's "measure the back and derive a square grid from it" scaling method, I ended up with a pattern that was a whopping <b><i>8 cm</i></b> too short for me.</p><p>Trying to alter an essentially conical-shaped pattern by that amount of length is... frustrating.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPn47b-VgQaUBKb-3wWFuB_Cy-CVA_ba6fiCcYFRAELb3HuEYpPF8Mlcyghz-jU_NrXSnH9HjgjbWsqwetppTlx0MJKbuM4i4pd0q9EF1buUws59m9bLDquTMXRRKYjblBmClWbmOlexsEF62uyXhVnPFlWF2E07GYAkOFVoUj8xdUK5D4IgyXU-10QlI_/s3840/IMG_20220213_195458_416.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPn47b-VgQaUBKb-3wWFuB_Cy-CVA_ba6fiCcYFRAELb3HuEYpPF8Mlcyghz-jU_NrXSnH9HjgjbWsqwetppTlx0MJKbuM4i4pd0q9EF1buUws59m9bLDquTMXRRKYjblBmClWbmOlexsEF62uyXhVnPFlWF2E07GYAkOFVoUj8xdUK5D4IgyXU-10QlI_/s320/IMG_20220213_195458_416.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>I had to figure out where to do it, first. And I realised it needed to be done at both bust and above-waist level.</p><p>I might have been able to make it work, don't get me wrong. I got started. I just have too many other things to do, so it never got finished. At one point I managed to align my cutting lines wrong on my additional strip of paper, and there were too many curves to be trued over a pretty large distance and, well, there is such a thing as "more trouble than it's worth".</p><p>The good news?</p><p>Bernhardt may have provided us with a neat gridded sizing method, but it isn't the only thing he provided us with. He also shows how you can take a basic conical block and turn it into his stays designs.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xYPaVNmsVCxKUymyWdFXqDFBJsI_bL8N5wDaR4YLSonL6bmPzPsGcFruA153XrFVn1P_vPoAthvZUlQwuTpSdzgVt0EPM3NzsUhuM7dW0mk0C8VE0pn8sNqcumpbrOwbyIRzgAn6FxIwzO_gIFmBtJbR4JApQ8iiToUvaLFJgQI70cZUJGXcdRwUR9hi/s1841/00000129.tif.original~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1742" data-original-width="1841" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xYPaVNmsVCxKUymyWdFXqDFBJsI_bL8N5wDaR4YLSonL6bmPzPsGcFruA153XrFVn1P_vPoAthvZUlQwuTpSdzgVt0EPM3NzsUhuM7dW0mk0C8VE0pn8sNqcumpbrOwbyIRzgAn6FxIwzO_gIFmBtJbR4JApQ8iiToUvaLFJgQI70cZUJGXcdRwUR9hi/s320/00000129.tif.original~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>So what I'm actually going to do is make a basic conical block for myself, and turn it into his stays design.</p><p>It turns out that drafting a basic block and messing about on paper is actually a perfectly historically accurate way to design Regency women's clothes. <br /></p><p>Oh, by the way?</p><p></p><p>The book doesn't just feature stays patterns. J.S. Bernhardt is AWESOME.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM4YvTLZtqnak5ImevcJk-Xkh5j5AxtPe92OzokfYi0Plcjt2pc07uL8UFsDSC8K6524bPKn7uW_XNfy7-FostO28SgOx82FDqTfy58WqjQfSE_AyflqguzdTkp_bUOOx4ERrE9OF4HIVuaGIJV_XR0c4riTmT8mGf_mh9S-8_P8ZTEIrkNbtWvDTGL9Hz/s4852/00000125.tif.original.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3647" data-original-width="4852" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM4YvTLZtqnak5ImevcJk-Xkh5j5AxtPe92OzokfYi0Plcjt2pc07uL8UFsDSC8K6524bPKn7uW_XNfy7-FostO28SgOx82FDqTfy58WqjQfSE_AyflqguzdTkp_bUOOx4ERrE9OF4HIVuaGIJV_XR0c4riTmT8mGf_mh9S-8_P8ZTEIrkNbtWvDTGL9Hz/w400-h301/00000125.tif.original.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>(I've already cleared this image up because LOOK AT THAT MOTHERLOAD OF REGENCY AWESOMENESS.)<br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9QF-VZ2zpFGFJhvyl81i-fkRYdv4VBn1j4kwspZ1adY_D5chYJpeYel0bFzixXe8vkdzIvfLn_AgPVb_OM1ZLFv3EtoeMzAvwcakIihMHdv5EI4XLUyoqsv8KXI6Sb-bNhGs3trXWcw5TwFtiOeDOJ47X4WCONyNmSUbR-hrefJ7JGXmhMfiR97-ISrAV/s5448/00000127.tif.original.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3811" data-original-width="5448" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9QF-VZ2zpFGFJhvyl81i-fkRYdv4VBn1j4kwspZ1adY_D5chYJpeYel0bFzixXe8vkdzIvfLn_AgPVb_OM1ZLFv3EtoeMzAvwcakIihMHdv5EI4XLUyoqsv8KXI6Sb-bNhGs3trXWcw5TwFtiOeDOJ47X4WCONyNmSUbR-hrefJ7JGXmhMfiR97-ISrAV/w400-h280/00000127.tif.original.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;">SLEEEEVES</p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFku1dJzzqcgmUuFDq09-sgmMyj-SHZJCwgden1EqYRhgGcsQl5mZI-2cP1S4_xz3iFzTkuMVkjSzJo9aLjFvFxo_xZmWzDKh617m6nFhVWeYxpN5I6TPXQjuySeITAp1zLdDKijXFnzH0F17ibdxZn0pINCc5OfxJ4AXxVpwRvyJjk69Y0OPQKOMfJ-Ix/s5448/00000131.tif.original.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3921" data-original-width="5448" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFku1dJzzqcgmUuFDq09-sgmMyj-SHZJCwgden1EqYRhgGcsQl5mZI-2cP1S4_xz3iFzTkuMVkjSzJo9aLjFvFxo_xZmWzDKh617m6nFhVWeYxpN5I6TPXQjuySeITAp1zLdDKijXFnzH0F17ibdxZn0pINCc5OfxJ4AXxVpwRvyJjk69Y0OPQKOMfJ-Ix/s320/00000131.tif.original.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">ANOTHER SLEEVE! SKIRTS!</p><p style="text-align: center;">(Oh, and there's <a href="https://digital.slub-dresden.de/werkansicht/dlf/964/1">Part 2</a>. With adjustments for posture, <b>men's blocks</b>, and stockings.)<br /></p><p>I still need to properly read his text and see if he left any other pointers. Reading German in fraktur isn't the easiest thing for me to do; I can figure it out (with the help of online dictionaries), but it's slow going that tires me out quickly. So far I've learnt that I should start at centre front and draw the curves as they are on the body, according to sight, which... isn't particularly helpful.</p><p>(I mean, I do understand to a degree. I <i>have</i> successfully drafted a basic block for my grandma, <i>long distance</i>, applying the time-honoured method of eyeballing to some of the curves. The problem is that it's much easier to do that with the curve of a rounded back, which you can see clearly in a side view of the person, than it is to do it with the curve of a pattern piece wrapping around the body horizontally.)<br /></p><p>No matter:</p><p>There's the arc method described in Patterns of Fashion 5, which right away takes into account torso length and different measurements for front and back. Which, phew. <br /></p><p>There's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6dzhexyw8E&t=0s">Mariah Pattie's method</a>.</p><p>I tried combining the two in 1:5 scale, and it seems theory does translate into practice thus far. I used two different radiuses for front and back. (Ignore the messy lines and unclear style, this is just doodling to see if theory translates into practice, and the 1:5 scale kind of messed with my numbers here and there.)<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTUzg6JHygCr3lo_exX__E8vDggB1YDCIyJhYtGWn5dhoLSB63REGf3y35S_YI0gVoUIt5hPUU77Hf6EjPlPqikwWgGVpeNLKj4DVzNAq5T9B224LEtgeFx2g1rpXnBg535lqQA-ZUJ0j40u8CfWaYoXiYwlPVKj0pIruUdALomj9xDEkgC2pl0rejGLya/s4608/IMG_20231018_130004662_MFNR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="2592" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTUzg6JHygCr3lo_exX__E8vDggB1YDCIyJhYtGWn5dhoLSB63REGf3y35S_YI0gVoUIt5hPUU77Hf6EjPlPqikwWgGVpeNLKj4DVzNAq5T9B224LEtgeFx2g1rpXnBg535lqQA-ZUJ0j40u8CfWaYoXiYwlPVKj0pIruUdALomj9xDEkgC2pl0rejGLya/s320/IMG_20231018_130004662_MFNR.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><p></p><p>And then there's the... phenomenon... I came across when <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2019/08/hsm-19-entry-for-challenge-7-unexpected.html">drafting my sister's folk costume bodice</a> using a variation on Bilikis' (Nigerian) bodice drafting method.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzqEgSUknNNa5oxDeOfnar7pLoWgYMaYLU68tjIyALgOFSyPnUSkMBY3vn3G0G9M3tjRhCv9jrIzVsBfiLkA1fGi0yt8bD8hJutx7kbWkN22c-L0ZA7RwzakvG7hwVUsanHkeSpisBAHeDnT_JAklT30_dwa33FaplgjO4LDJyXSnftux_3hG55IKbr6Yt/s1600/Martina%20kordulka%20-%20zm%C4%9Bny%20st%C5%99ihu.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzqEgSUknNNa5oxDeOfnar7pLoWgYMaYLU68tjIyALgOFSyPnUSkMBY3vn3G0G9M3tjRhCv9jrIzVsBfiLkA1fGi0yt8bD8hJutx7kbWkN22c-L0ZA7RwzakvG7hwVUsanHkeSpisBAHeDnT_JAklT30_dwa33FaplgjO4LDJyXSnftux_3hG55IKbr6Yt/s320/Martina%20kordulka%20-%20zm%C4%9Bny%20st%C5%99ihu.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I suspect my final method will be some sort of amalgam. I have an idea how I could combine the arc method and the... phenomenon... for an easy creation of curves.</p><p>Bilikis' method of aplying various lines for various vertical points on the body and differentiating underarm and full bust/chest definitely was another of the missing links that made me go "oh, of course!" I think basically the winning combination is doing that but on a curve.<br /></p><p>(Mariah Pattie's method looks great and simple, but I have my suspicions regarding possibly too unrealistically large radiuses for some people. Generally, it doesn't look particularly friendly to small sewing spaces; until recently, I didn't have a good large drafting / cutting table myself. Also, in her basic method she has the same curve for front and back, and that's not what I'm seeing in Bernhardt's draft. But if it works for you, more power to you!)</p><p>It's funny, because this burst of Regency inspiration actually came about from my pondering of 1780s stays and possible local folk costume variations thereof. It turns out the local harvest festival in September (more or less a harvest festival) references the elevation of my current hometown to town status in 1788. Which gives me the perfect excuse to finally make <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2015/10/deciphering-historical-clothes-cca-1790.html">the jacket-and-petticoat ensemble I've been dreaming of since 2015</a> (although it won't be happening in such fancy fabrics). No promises as to when - I have bad track record in that regard - but it's definitely going to happen. I have a printed cotton with personal significance that is waiting to become some variation on the <a href="https://www.scrooppatterns.com/products/amalia-jacket-1775-1795">Amalia jacket</a>. I hope I can get a collar out of it, too.<br /></p>Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-49386093361220614822023-05-01T09:30:00.005+02:002023-05-01T10:34:21.590+02:00Where Were You When... Take 2<p>There hasn't been much posting here recently, for a number of reasons that can be summed up as "Real Life". I have a whole bunch of unposted, unfinished posts in the background. Waiting for photos and stuff like that. I even had my usual Easter post written for this year, and then I... I don't even know. Fell asleep? I was ill over Easter this year, so that seems like a probable explanation.</p><p>Google reminded me that it's Labour Day today. As an explanation, I did not exactly forget what day it was; a Monday off is easy to remember. But I've gotten used to thinking of it simply as "First of May", probably because there is more than just Labour Day connected to the date in Czech culture (such as <i>our</i> Day of Love proudly distinct from Valentine's, and Maypoles, and stuff). So. I got reminded it's Labour Day, and I remembered something from many years ago, and it both amused me all over again, and reminded me it's been nearly twenty years since we officially joined the EU, back in 2004. Which is a bit of a weird realisation. It doesn't exactly feel like it (maybe in part because we did not join the Schengen Zone until later) - until I remember where I was back then and where I am now.<br /></p><p>Back in 2004, I crossed the border from Germany to Czechia on April 30th, on the return journey from a week-long school exchange trip. It felt rather symbolic. First of May fell on a weekend that year. I can't remember which day exactly, but I think it was Saturday. (I should probably be able to find out for sure, but I don't feel like it.) I do know it was a weekend, because that same weekend a weekend youth event in our presbytery was taking place, and I went there a day later, on May 1st, because I had been in Germany. All those events lining up is why I think it was Saturday.<br /></p><p>After I arrived, my sister told me that that morning, the person responsible for waking everyone up walked into the room where they had been sleeping, and announced something like: "Rise and shine! Early bird gets the worm! We'll celebrate Labour Day with labour! And other than that, we're in the European Union."</p><p>Which always amused me, and did so again today.</p><p>If I remember correctly, the labour in question was helping out in the parsonage garden. I remember running around with a barely cooperative old lawnmower at some point, and I think it was that particular parsonage garden, so I think the memories slot together. I can't be sure anymore, though. It's been nearly twenty years.</p><p>So it's a bit of an interesting exercise in memory retainment and retrieval. A good deal of the memories can be retrieved with the help of other factors, like a historical date, and knowing how the weekend events usually went so knowing Saturday makes the most sense. But I don't <i>actually</i> remember. I need those mnemonics to put the memory together. The actual memories are fragmented, more like isolated images, and some of those images may not be from this particular time.</p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p><p>A while ago, I found this quote:</p><p>"There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: <span style="font-style: italic;">The Lord of the Rings</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Atlas Shrugged</span>.
One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession
with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted,
socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The
other, of course, involves orcs."</p><p>And found out it came from <a href="http://kfmonkey.blogspot.com/2009/03/ephemera-2009-7.html">here</a>.</p><p>Ayn Rand passed me by completely, and the more I learn about her, the more I'm glad she did. I think overall she's more of an American phenomenon. <i>The Lord of the Rings</i>, on the other hand, entered my life much earlier than at fourteen, and I'm also very glad of that. What a poor childhood it would have been without it. (I can't remember when I first read it. It wasn't entirely in one go because we were borrowing the books.)<br /></p><p>So I can't remember if there was any book that "changed my life" at fourteen in particular.</p><p>Did I read <i>The Last Hero</i> at fourteen? (My first Pratchett, incongruously, because, as a heavily illustrated book, it ended up in the children's section of the library while the rest of the Discworld books were in the adult section.)<br /></p><p>I can't remember.</p><p>I know I first read <i>Pan Tadeusz</i> earlier. By about a year or two years, I think, based on when Wajda's film came out.<br /></p><p>The only conclusion I can make is that fourteen was not a particularly life-changing age for me. Zooming in on it, in the quote, feels rather random to be honest, which of course makes a lot more sense when you realise it was just a rather random, irreverent paragraph coloured by personal experience, quickly fired off in a blog post.</p><p>This, too, is that sort of blog post.</p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p><p>The <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2014/08/pivot-points-where-was-i-when.html">previous post of this kind</a> was from 2014. It serves, in a way, as an example of its own kind. There's the mention of me and my sister discussing big countries bent on acquiring and retaining territory at all costs. It was, of course, in reference to Russia and the annexation of Crimea. At this point, I'm honestly not sure if I should say it aged well, or it didn't age well. I think the observation I made back then did? I think I'm still glad to live in this country. We have loud grumblers, and out share of problems, but overall, it's still a good country to live in.<br /></p>Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-19202331526558024302021-06-30T12:00:00.002+02:002021-06-30T12:12:24.207+02:00Experiments in woven bras, Part 1: The reasons and the initial process (and mistakes)<p></p><p>I've been fed up with RTW bras for quite a while now. The ever-present <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2017/08/coblwrimo-10-not-in-million-years.html">artificial fibre</a> (even if the bra is mostly cotton, the various findings are not). The fact that I'm nominally one size but then when I try it on the cups are gaping. The fact that I have to keep searching for styles that are both as much natural fibre as possible <i>and</i> a cut that does not result in gaping. The annoyment of the sliders of adjustable straps often ending up sitting right on top of my collarbones, which can be a lot of fun (insert sarcasm) especially with a backpack on top.</p><p>I first started out, years ago, basically trying to replicate RTW underwire bras, and it never worked out. Eventually I found out, thanks to a random commenter in the Curvy Sewing Collective Community group on Facebook, that part of my problem probably is that I have <a href="https://www.braandcorsetsupplies.com/2016/04/24/alpha-to-omega/">Omega-shaped breasts</a> - or something of that sort, anyway (what that article describes doesn't fit me on all counts, I also have top gaping and have never struggled with the bottom of the bra sliding that much; but more or less it does fit). So the standard cup setup probably simply doesn't quite work, even if I had managed to get it "right". (If you do not have that problem, and want underwires, I think the free <a href="https://afiatelier.com/allpatterns/maya-bra/">Maya bra</a> may be a good starting point for that sort of thing - the author says the whole front of the pattern can easily be made without any stretch, so if you combine that with some sort of vintage-style elastic setup in the back, you're probably good to go.)<br /></p><p>(I would have shown you my most recent unsuccessful wearable muslin here - complete with self-made bias channels for underwires - but I think it went into the rubbish bin during last year's move. It did not sit right. It did at least serve to drive home the fact I <i>really</i> want to wear woven natural fibre bras in summer.)</p><p>And then last year I came across <a href="https://quietlycurious.co.uk/sewing-a-1940s-minnie-mouse-bra/">this review</a> of <a href="https://veravenus.com/vv-pattern-shop/1940s-bra-pattern/">the Vera Venus 1940s bra</a> and realised, over that bra's clearly fabulous support, that proper vintage-style bras might be a much better solution for me. Especially because I had been wearing exclusively wireless in RTW bras for the past couple of years anyway and my absolute favourite, fit-wise (sadly not material-wise), was <a href="https://www.marksandspencer.com/ie/total-support-embroidered-full-cup-bra-d-k/p/clp20139824">this rather vintage-style number from Marks & Spencer</a>. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhEgo9pyH_f_d8l8DYbfkMXW4v0wiP5vqhDUDXmayIzpGFCKQORr86tMtmguTxWNewq3VASFULBiibtB_24LyV0G8kZj6iaRZ0McJQ-JIKD4jXW95KUk0N3-O8bOUEnimo5TnitMb83-B/s1950/SD_02_T33_8020G_Z0_X_EC_90.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1950" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhEgo9pyH_f_d8l8DYbfkMXW4v0wiP5vqhDUDXmayIzpGFCKQORr86tMtmguTxWNewq3VASFULBiibtB_24LyV0G8kZj6iaRZ0McJQ-JIKD4jXW95KUk0N3-O8bOUEnimo5TnitMb83-B/w308-h400/SD_02_T33_8020G_Z0_X_EC_90.jpg" width="308" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I lifted this image off the interent somewhere; maybe the Czech M&S site. I normally don't do this. But links break, especially shop links, and I want this blog to serve as a record for posterity and to help people regardless of when they find it. And this image shows the seamlines in relation to fit relatively clearly.<br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Note: shaped cups, fabric around them and full coverage, and - as you will see bellow - taped seams.<i> </i>Those seem to be the crucial elements of support in here to take note of. Also, note central front seam. I don't know if the "grainlines" there also serve a purpose but what is certain - that seam is also taped.<i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">It's wireless but it's not woven - I think the cups are some kind of tricot knit? They say it's part cotton and therefore nice to wear. Don't believe them
if you have skin trouble and sweat trouble. I definitely sweat in it
unpleasantly when it's hot.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">So, as you can see, the seams are taped. With something that definitely isn't cotton. There's also some kind of mesh fabric under the cups on the inside (it does not look like the power mesh I google but presumably it serves the same purpose). Also definitely not cotton. Aaaand exposed bra elastic.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HGOmbZpOCFOi33xqZGCeeRwUgiaEIKWETIhC4dfn0fi5RsOhQv-iwae1sloDTrg1DLeU58Rt8IqUv54H-PiTnDOK-odTMNO5VNUWBeLdgpN7VWZczyuKeK_xxyC0OGmxfZzkFJcZWI6G/s2048/IMG_2943.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HGOmbZpOCFOi33xqZGCeeRwUgiaEIKWETIhC4dfn0fi5RsOhQv-iwae1sloDTrg1DLeU58Rt8IqUv54H-PiTnDOK-odTMNO5VNUWBeLdgpN7VWZczyuKeK_xxyC0OGmxfZzkFJcZWI6G/w400-h300/IMG_2943.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sadly far from ideal in my world, even if it is much better than anything else before, and very instructive.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">So I:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Collected lots of pictures of vintage bras (mostly from auction sites) in a secret Pinterest board (which I may eventually un-secret for general use but for now it's a bit too personal a research, complete with non-historical related material ideas etc.), and took mental notes of cut and construction.<br /></li><li>Went ahead and drafted some patterns last year, based on my measurements in the above-mentioned M&S bra. Which were both (pattern and bra) subsequently, quite soon after I made that effort, rendered obsolete by my losing a whopping 6 cm in the full bust measurement due to a change of jobs (more movement & different food, and my body seems to primarily store fats in my bust area to begin with).</li></ul><p>Bra calculators tell me, right now, that I ought to be 30F or 32E in UK bras (my underbust measurement is currently closer to 29 inches, BTW). Which I'm pretty sure would gape <i>a lot</i> in reality. I wore 32DD previously; the bra I have is 34D (I could not find 32DD in the shop when I bought it, so I did the improper thing of buying the upper sister size and wearing it on the farthest set of hooks). It's gaping in the cups now (and as you may guess from the above list of sizes, the band must be too big now). Presumably I could get away with a C or D in this style now?<br /></p><p>But: material. I used not to have such a big problem with blend bras, skin-wise, but
during the last year I got rash problems in the bust area as well. I don't know, maybe it
was the stress of the past year - apparently atopic ecsema gets worse
with stress, and let's face it, the past year plus has been... A Thing.</p><p>So. Time for more bra experiments. Especially because summer's here and the knit and partially-artificial RTW bras I have, currently also <i>badly fitting</i>, just really don't cut it anymore.</p><p>I drew on my knowledge of historical bras - from the Lengberg style and <a href="https://katafalk.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/lengberg-castle-brassiere/">Katafalk's recreation of it</a> through <a href="https://thedreamstress.com/2017/09/the-ideal-wwi-figure-part-iv-staying-fashionable-and-supporting-a-full-bust-1910s-style/">1910s</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130809131830/http://www.historicallydressed.com/patterns/1910sbrassiere.html">princess-seamed bras</a> to 1920s and 1930s bras - and took lots of measurements and made an initial draft that I then refined the fit of in a muslin (considerably).</p><p>It turns out, as I sit down to document my process, that my initial princess-seamed draft does not exist anymore. Nor does the subsequent muslin-influenced draft because the garment that resulted from that is still faulty. In an attempt to be a good girl who cleans her room, I threw those patterns away immediately upon their becoming obsolete, without documenting them. Oops.</p><p>Anyway, here's my back piece, derived from my sleeveless spencer, which exists still mostly unchanged - I just took it in a tad from the top of the underarm area for better support, and I think I scooped it down / out in the underarm / armscye in general? The side seam sits a bit more towards the back than directly under my arm, incidentally. I didn't bother correcting that; it works better with the grainlines this way. (There are additional straps connecting the front and back, BTW.)<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk26Rs8Bi_Kx2QQQOBRGIC_sInTgWQ_81zczjujgVXefDXemcMpG424ko9H659nXrHMGIoLLVnc-sw3efLUu-918lLZv8z8mbU9wWh2RQt1IRpf92Yz4vsusJnc-0nXt76bK_3TIHhf08k/s1600/IMG_2946.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk26Rs8Bi_Kx2QQQOBRGIC_sInTgWQ_81zczjujgVXefDXemcMpG424ko9H659nXrHMGIoLLVnc-sw3efLUu-918lLZv8z8mbU9wWh2RQt1IRpf92Yz4vsusJnc-0nXt76bK_3TIHhf08k/w300-h400/IMG_2946.JPG" width="300" /></a></div> <p></p><p>And this is my initial Lengberg-style front piece, not yet muslined, which is basically where I started - by drafting this flat piece out of my measurements, with breast cutouts, because I could hold that against my chest and roughly "test the fit" even in paper. (Considering my further fitting problems, I suspect this is inaccurate.)<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFLY6rkXZtQ8N45or-C2qXbT2KLZySDlqzCbGmHtCCdjZ0-LhsXCfyFNzxJLEAg5P3KQNxB6Zyok_OV6camRAbqeUS1qMz0ynxtdHlL41QUmwDUWBiCYNjShhhGkzFzkgXW4t5Wn_ON8m/s1600/IMG_2945.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFLY6rkXZtQ8N45or-C2qXbT2KLZySDlqzCbGmHtCCdjZ0-LhsXCfyFNzxJLEAg5P3KQNxB6Zyok_OV6camRAbqeUS1qMz0ynxtdHlL41QUmwDUWBiCYNjShhhGkzFzkgXW4t5Wn_ON8m/w400-h300/IMG_2945.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>From there, I drafted two princess-seamed pieces following that vertical line, both with a "bulge" for the bust, based on measurements of my breasts.</p><p>And then I made a muslin of that, with a front opening, and pinned and pinned. The bulge was reduced, more so on the central front pieces, but really both of them. I generally took in the seams for better support.<br /><br />So I think you could basically arrive at a similar thing just by starting out with a vertically princess-seamed pattern for wovens, exactly as The Dreamstress recommends for 1910s bras.<br /></p><p>I made a wearable muslin with lacing in the front (that will be Part 2), and found out that, oops, my muslin fabric was an old bedsheet and old bedsheets have considerably more give than new fabric so I had taken it in too much, especially in the underbust. Fortunately, the lacing takes care of that gap, and it definitely is a wearable muslin and already far nicer to wear than my RTW numbers. But - it needs improving.<br /></p><p>So this is my pattern for the front with those further changes taken into account (and some sort of basis for a bust cup drawn in tentatively): </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_UcXoLkU9U0Ocv_PsLXc8ykUWOuXW_bZGmaWAYFu_3WRDJFyxo4to-q5LnUn0C3v1vjHHZ11vdw4JPlFezlR4sOA1bd_6GwUepaQX7dKiKLK2aQHmXJ2pC1Jd3wj7aHeUVpR-J-a7VA5c/s1600/IMG_2947.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_UcXoLkU9U0Ocv_PsLXc8ykUWOuXW_bZGmaWAYFu_3WRDJFyxo4to-q5LnUn0C3v1vjHHZ11vdw4JPlFezlR4sOA1bd_6GwUepaQX7dKiKLK2aQHmXJ2pC1Jd3wj7aHeUVpR-J-a7VA5c/w400-h300/IMG_2947.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Which will presumably go into a Part 3 of this adventure, this time with elastic. We'll see how many parts will follow after that. :D<br /></p></div>Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-74414227879131701742021-05-26T12:21:00.002+02:002021-05-26T12:21:22.341+02:00Regency picnic (Čechy po Kosířem)<p>Lockdown is finally slowly lifting, and so we pulled off an outdoors Regency picnic.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvqUxComUBgaM3EQ7EflmNtgwLqLMPyRDJGKrluojleLZXvQ6OSykDHPZ0j6fxmWo8jFOj8v48m08ogeFyYOHUFrDr298r7yyYo8RBsgBpkc9hnCWKczT7KZ4fLz27QxbG59xMXkrvNOaR/s2048/IMG_2687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvqUxComUBgaM3EQ7EflmNtgwLqLMPyRDJGKrluojleLZXvQ6OSykDHPZ0j6fxmWo8jFOj8v48m08ogeFyYOHUFrDr298r7yyYo8RBsgBpkc9hnCWKczT7KZ4fLz27QxbG59xMXkrvNOaR/w400-h300/IMG_2687.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>I had to leave earlier, because there was also a family gathering that weekend, but even then, I got a full blast of... being with "my" people. I'm not even close friends with any of them, but it was such a fantastic feeling to be in an environment where you:</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>share advice and opinions about historical costuming ("you can wear whatever you want as long as you don't claim it's accurate in an educational environment")</li><li>share opinions on the lack of meaty pastries in Czechia (shame, and also a sign we really aren't Eastern Europe)</li><li>talk of how you'd much rather have a nice interior than pretty exterior in a house</li><li>joke and commiserate about the woes of having too many books in too small a flat</li><li>share advice and joke about "historical" solutions for modern equipment</li><li>and just... make silly imaginative jokes.</li></ul><p>We were all a bit drunk on sudden company, I think.</p><p>I also found out this weekend - or, rather, re-discovered something I already had had an inkling about - that I'm baaad at photographing people.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAro0QcLUAhBpOoca7yQV5pERr90GxWofmZjMJwSEVrsZ1vSF4-DLQ_YJfewPNy6etJNS8iTzPnFXy2ArknVd64F5OLqm1PvF1IraGNGAcoVT3lgiMvZdOBudY9klBMEPxpjHEALWk2ERe/s2048/IMG_2686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAro0QcLUAhBpOoca7yQV5pERr90GxWofmZjMJwSEVrsZ1vSF4-DLQ_YJfewPNy6etJNS8iTzPnFXy2ArknVd64F5OLqm1PvF1IraGNGAcoVT3lgiMvZdOBudY9klBMEPxpjHEALWk2ERe/w300-h400/IMG_2686.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>So let's just focus on the venue: the park at the chateau in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%8Cechy_pod_Kos%C3%AD%C5%99em">Čechy pod Kosířem</a>. It's the usual venue for the Jane Austen CZ's annual "Empire Day", but this was the first time I made it there for the event, and largely because it was very scaled down this year and there still aren't that many other events for it to collide with. The village is unfortunately very hard to reach in a time-flexible manner if you don't have a car. And May is always packed full, and even this time there was also a family gathering on the same weekend! (Basically, the first weekend such a thing was possible.) Thankfully, a family gathering is a bit more flexible than, say, singing in a choir, which was one of the colliding events in the previous years.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje74I3zk3NypEJkSHg-wFQxAmR1Afk7POTwBRX3AT8d9l9vu2p18qphkc9SlKgEP9DB9brXUZq1QHaJsquMj_PDe5S7gOUpjZ80rhWOZ9gNDGyU1KSkYYFbKN3Djgu3p-ZoVUWFh3uwBA4/s2048/IMG_2695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje74I3zk3NypEJkSHg-wFQxAmR1Afk7POTwBRX3AT8d9l9vu2p18qphkc9SlKgEP9DB9brXUZq1QHaJsquMj_PDe5S7gOUpjZ80rhWOZ9gNDGyU1KSkYYFbKN3Djgu3p-ZoVUWFh3uwBA4/w400-h300/IMG_2695.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>I had visited before, though, on a trip with my sister several years ago.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhuHzkkKl6YPgxi9X2aNVIRIB9RsoSQR5IYihB19mCXCRVvRxGtaLRZuivUOcC5ERZA7Zl-UfAMnwNgQ0cnTk31OSkJx1rZsnpeGjfHGr67mSHCHv9C3lNgX6p-vEt9xGRsWgJkqth-7v/s2048/IMG_7591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhuHzkkKl6YPgxi9X2aNVIRIB9RsoSQR5IYihB19mCXCRVvRxGtaLRZuivUOcC5ERZA7Zl-UfAMnwNgQ0cnTk31OSkJx1rZsnpeGjfHGr67mSHCHv9C3lNgX6p-vEt9xGRsWgJkqth-7v/w400-h300/IMG_7591.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>We had better, sunnier weather for the picnic this year, which was a great stroke of luck because it was still raining when I was getting on the bus in Olomouc fifty minutes before my arrival in Čechy pod Kosířem!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-PObfAjOdz5J22msOPTJqJpbImGyYTnjJ8YPC9hKfTnAML3k3iWAlLNWQSks5cRq7qe6oPuVZSGhbR4kVPWflxRrZ66zZTqPZ-wz_AllEzn8p8cE_FzJTSC0HYGDv4X3SpTxH0bAgLAb7/s2048/IMG_7602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-PObfAjOdz5J22msOPTJqJpbImGyYTnjJ8YPC9hKfTnAML3k3iWAlLNWQSks5cRq7qe6oPuVZSGhbR4kVPWflxRrZ66zZTqPZ-wz_AllEzn8p8cE_FzJTSC0HYGDv4X3SpTxH0bAgLAb7/w300-h400/IMG_7602.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>I had been in the chateau before so I did not go inside this time around, although we did have the opportunity to go on individual, unguided tours.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhApbX5dEgqQwZduWvwV8EMCmncnZWGAM3wk8ffu8ZTbrrQcFRhYB4FpQWzJokqrJ1cLV4ty_ecdrEbjfJZXbIjdTLI3X3wQUM4GSNRKK8Bta1D1apN507h_l4Cwn_ip9HgI9Z29qxs29Sw/s2048/IMG_7635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhApbX5dEgqQwZduWvwV8EMCmncnZWGAM3wk8ffu8ZTbrrQcFRhYB4FpQWzJokqrJ1cLV4ty_ecdrEbjfJZXbIjdTLI3X3wQUM4GSNRKK8Bta1D1apN507h_l4Cwn_ip9HgI9Z29qxs29Sw/w300-h400/IMG_7635.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p>The interiors aren't as old as our era of choice, but the staff seems to be on very good terms with the organisers, which is probably the main reason the annual event takes place in a place that's a bit harder to reach. Still well worth visiting, though!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4d4SfBrBJeHutZIcNi8LwF9_58sfb3PpKisHJ3tDVSkc2aYaTl_LoZIbhJ3TXRqTKJnQLRkp54lS0s88En1Szs7vI4iQ6Itospl1VmA8RhyphenhyphenNwVjlIm7Y4P6HrCHLOnVY0D0Hibq7h4bOA/s2048/IMG_7619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4d4SfBrBJeHutZIcNi8LwF9_58sfb3PpKisHJ3tDVSkc2aYaTl_LoZIbhJ3TXRqTKJnQLRkp54lS0s88En1Szs7vI4iQ6Itospl1VmA8RhyphenhyphenNwVjlIm7Y4P6HrCHLOnVY0D0Hibq7h4bOA/w400-h300/IMG_7619.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>The chateau is mostly known for its ties to 19th century Czech painter Josef Mánes, who is responsible for the big paintings in the "ancestors' gallery", apparently based mostly on smaller period portraits?</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDoavvrkgY-jEOaXReSKYVRI2-EIvrfyi4p0L33ZRWOaNu5gWLAYXZmDwQ5izOkQuAgSe4XAtBwk1sKIKhpG0nkYrbA3286v3m18uhn7Eb43gxZWMdkig-zMPQP1OpxdqIsiryk3Vkv18/s2048/IMG_7628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDoavvrkgY-jEOaXReSKYVRI2-EIvrfyi4p0L33ZRWOaNu5gWLAYXZmDwQ5izOkQuAgSe4XAtBwk1sKIKhpG0nkYrbA3286v3m18uhn7Eb43gxZWMdkig-zMPQP1OpxdqIsiryk3Vkv18/w300-h400/IMG_7628.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p>This is Mánes and therefore should be taken with a grain of salt, costuming-wise.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxqHFGBqFq1ciFKtnhtOCv0f_WjeVAakTQIhmuXJTPH3QQ5BZRw2OEGtlzlwGLXPh08Y5V1jdXHlRIxNqY7H5sKJg2fSbFiFVgZX1HvCnPu23sqbK7Utfmht0qmsmsaX7_U_x8YnAAq9A/s2048/IMG_7711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxqHFGBqFq1ciFKtnhtOCv0f_WjeVAakTQIhmuXJTPH3QQ5BZRw2OEGtlzlwGLXPh08Y5V1jdXHlRIxNqY7H5sKJg2fSbFiFVgZX1HvCnPu23sqbK7Utfmht0qmsmsaX7_U_x8YnAAq9A/s320/IMG_7711.JPG" /></a></div><p></p><p>So is this.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1N9NxXc-MVlv3m4tlJiVER7_k9zXTVL9NMAsReP2E4BWNknrYmJisFYQ2DUuGustYqOOlq8oFZwt_6MjpTpXCa9Rjju37aIn5I_-RvYW0vpBKmNydh_x0LmXOe1JLv5xiMZM5dsOowPG/s2048/IMG_7678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1N9NxXc-MVlv3m4tlJiVER7_k9zXTVL9NMAsReP2E4BWNknrYmJisFYQ2DUuGustYqOOlq8oFZwt_6MjpTpXCa9Rjju37aIn5I_-RvYW0vpBKmNydh_x0LmXOe1JLv5xiMZM5dsOowPG/s320/IMG_7678.JPG" /></a></div><p>And this. Though this may be contemporary to him.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKbz9JNZwVx955Xf5GNqqOBp3kVG8Zo91k1sqb-tByk-wCtkaaZe1C9NM-ibm6a10SoAa7qRmjey6PFUsj-3w9q0eR5q5fxhooq5aP0oUsvDqYOLMWdCzJ42tjamSh0lep4_UnDvFUfDw/s1600/IMG_7687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKbz9JNZwVx955Xf5GNqqOBp3kVG8Zo91k1sqb-tByk-wCtkaaZe1C9NM-ibm6a10SoAa7qRmjey6PFUsj-3w9q0eR5q5fxhooq5aP0oUsvDqYOLMWdCzJ42tjamSh0lep4_UnDvFUfDw/w300-h400/IMG_7687.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p>This, on the other hand, was one of several miniatures under glass, and presumably contemporary to the fashions depicted.<br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8smgPBxEJl_eQ-iSon9P_ZiFg8SiN9nH71HRs0_-Go1JNyOdFQ7TJcXv7GPBs1onBdJh2Qr9YvdTa3xoVbxiNkH011uwF22RbZgfO4dR3xzczP2h1zDy7G9WHIHF1qkJSQigYaXub9Eu/s2048/IMG_7667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8smgPBxEJl_eQ-iSon9P_ZiFg8SiN9nH71HRs0_-Go1JNyOdFQ7TJcXv7GPBs1onBdJh2Qr9YvdTa3xoVbxiNkH011uwF22RbZgfO4dR3xzczP2h1zDy7G9WHIHF1qkJSQigYaXub9Eu/w400-h300/IMG_7667.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>They had a whole "ladies' room" with crafty handworks, from later in the 19th century.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuri9ef5pca71Niejv8tgcgBgLvSK_xIFS9Q6ZW3rwliakK2calBq_sHQ_rtx4Ow9t3h9P1br1dNKE7GoW_KT-9llZlSmA3N_AoKvqxyNS9qm_1Odl-T2Gy2n_uoEfVfHdzE4IKeNmUB2O/s2048/IMG_7720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuri9ef5pca71Niejv8tgcgBgLvSK_xIFS9Q6ZW3rwliakK2calBq_sHQ_rtx4Ow9t3h9P1br1dNKE7GoW_KT-9llZlSmA3N_AoKvqxyNS9qm_1Odl-T2Gy2n_uoEfVfHdzE4IKeNmUB2O/w400-h300/IMG_7720.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Our picnic this year took place on the slope between this orangerie (where there is normally a café but it sits mostly empty now and we kept our things there)...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKdWFDXjTTfb8WxL_cKFVJrxWq7zx2Z3XodzQqZh5JVEgLkzbt4oiwIK4uYG16n3ob6NdtUUepzdPO9DW5QCpSsWzAMzyvbJmMG0JZs0CoMLJeeFURhpYqf6Z8nvrOVOgtQK5xN1CVeCN/s2048/IMG_7732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKdWFDXjTTfb8WxL_cKFVJrxWq7zx2Z3XodzQqZh5JVEgLkzbt4oiwIK4uYG16n3ob6NdtUUepzdPO9DW5QCpSsWzAMzyvbJmMG0JZs0CoMLJeeFURhpYqf6Z8nvrOVOgtQK5xN1CVeCN/w300-h400/IMG_7732.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p>... and this pavillion.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv4JjjHUXojVkAti74OPCWkQsd6qpdI2h9QSzKAxEIpwXXzvqQnpLu1inCaHD3h0QyixVlCgbEe8mFnbYCPPh8uGIpepgicqUnMF4cq68x5PJ-6MEWYtYUkg_x_DXfQTApvkZFjcF7NUgJ/s2048/IMG_7747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv4JjjHUXojVkAti74OPCWkQsd6qpdI2h9QSzKAxEIpwXXzvqQnpLu1inCaHD3h0QyixVlCgbEe8mFnbYCPPh8uGIpepgicqUnMF4cq68x5PJ-6MEWYtYUkg_x_DXfQTApvkZFjcF7NUgJ/w400-h300/IMG_7747.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>And the chateau sits next to what's an impressive but probably fairly "commonplace" baroque (?) church. Commonplace for Czechia, I mean...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4K0-8KBkHoOwKWJ3mVd4azlCiI73ym6stp22ujVHq5GR7UUopypvt7M29_1sn_HpPywVw4CW0TRkh2j05Icmrf7PpoczZxEp3ki6Ky6yaZn2Qfz247-fHLLMr4UnP0F0Fv0w4JY3CiM52/s2048/IMG_7586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4K0-8KBkHoOwKWJ3mVd4azlCiI73ym6stp22ujVHq5GR7UUopypvt7M29_1sn_HpPywVw4CW0TRkh2j05Icmrf7PpoczZxEp3ki6Ky6yaZn2Qfz247-fHLLMr4UnP0F0Fv0w4JY3CiM52/w300-h400/IMG_7586.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p>It really is a great place for a picnic.</p><p>Also, ducks. And, inexplicably, a turtle. Or is it tortoise in English? I'm not sure.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoFH-BZCicwD3srnxVRT8mavzJhASLig8UzAANFEdgQOLelW5ZsXY2YUE1Er3oW8JEZFJ_R7YfL7XgcegXEvVsam0mKSYK5ceZfI0lbFhi45ugHSbzbOrdSEbsePBISScOde-lhYTTVpw7/s2048/IMG_2699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoFH-BZCicwD3srnxVRT8mavzJhASLig8UzAANFEdgQOLelW5ZsXY2YUE1Er3oW8JEZFJ_R7YfL7XgcegXEvVsam0mKSYK5ceZfI0lbFhi45ugHSbzbOrdSEbsePBISScOde-lhYTTVpw7/w400-h300/IMG_2699.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Anyway, whichever it is: there was a fallen tree in a fishpond, covered in dinosaurs.</p><p>This was the point where I left to catch a bus: with everyone making jokes about ducks and turtles.<br /></p>Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-16640649921836823552021-05-15T22:23:00.002+02:002021-05-16T11:06:57.487+02:00HSM '17 #2: The c. 1800 sleeveless spencer / bodiceNo, that's not a mistake: it really is a make from 2017 (in its final finished state). There's really a lot I've never gotten around to blogging about...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPpBewRk68cG-HukBKSEVADf54EdWBlGJ_Bq49GjMiwZmCxNjiWTWUXsHpjp3LlvrGDRqq01GbKdA98leJxCsSxVxgwzTw3NBGli1GytNNonyJVcV1wNIlUg-c5l_npHINBBAna2AYw0jD/s1600/IMG_7832.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPpBewRk68cG-HukBKSEVADf54EdWBlGJ_Bq49GjMiwZmCxNjiWTWUXsHpjp3LlvrGDRqq01GbKdA98leJxCsSxVxgwzTw3NBGli1GytNNonyJVcV1wNIlUg-c5l_npHINBBAna2AYw0jD/w480-h640/IMG_7832.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">Once upon a time, I fell in love with <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gottlieb_Schick_-_Heinrike_Dannecker_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg">t</a></span></span></span><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gottlieb_Schick_-_Heinrike_Dannecker_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg">he 1802 portrait of Heinrike Dannecker by Gottlieb Schick</a>, and decided I </span></span></span><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">wanted to make an outfit inspired by it - really possibly my favourite portrait from the era, fashions-wise, <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.cz/2017/08/coblowrimo-10-visual-source.html">as I've already mentioned</a>.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdoANai9s1NpJhGO14DykXKUeQNrOKXVh0TxhvyG2JK9NfD2M2nKkjIVT6IAyeaAOm0Fewg8m_20qnCKu3SsYke3rPb2UisR9_Q24wni5GJObsMBUW27gf6ngnRVvo1pgthwieC6C-DC3M/s1600/1802+Heinrike+Dannecker+-+Schick.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1402" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdoANai9s1NpJhGO14DykXKUeQNrOKXVh0TxhvyG2JK9NfD2M2nKkjIVT6IAyeaAOm0Fewg8m_20qnCKu3SsYke3rPb2UisR9_Q24wni5GJObsMBUW27gf6ngnRVvo1pgthwieC6C-DC3M/s400/1802+Heinrike+Dannecker+-+Schick.jpg" width="341" /></a></div><p>
<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">Then later I came across two other portraits involving sleeveless bodices that I took inspiration from: <a href="https://cz.pinterest.com/pin/224898575115413114/">this ca. 1795 miniature by Augustin Dubourg</a> and <a href="https://cz.pinterest.com/pin/224898575117911162/">the 1800 portrait of the Comtesse de Bonneval by Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson</a> which was good for figuring out how the front would sit at a slightly later date than 1795. <span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe">:-) </span></span></span></span></span><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"> (Links to Pinterest because the original links are broken.) </span></span></span>- Yes, they're both blue worn over white dresses. My colour bias is showing. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe">I had some fabulously shiny cotton satin upholstery fabric that I had snatched up from a remnant bin and that seemed to want to become this sleeveless bodice. Red! Shiny for evening wear! So wonderful.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe">I played with the pattern for <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.cz/2013/06/ufo-transitional-wrap-stays-jumps.html">my transitional "bra"</a> to turn it into a front-lacing bodice, and as I placed it on the fabric, I thought "maybe I could squeeze two things out of this fabric" and pieced the front to accommodate a more tetris-style pattern placement.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe">I ended up shifting the grainlines in the three front-and-shoulder pattern pieces in comparison to the "bra". Since it was my own experimental pattern it wasn't exactly set in stone anyway but:</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe"> </span></span></span></span></span><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe"></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisqPHLyTvopx7DcnLqA_Q8vF4mznLfUBOA4MhCRzPM2EtAaDl2ukxKIu9G2_gi5N6XUUPhTrBf1GE7AmusIFQOhqmvWbt5nhSB5noVJIlD0S00J0nt8djoBhsz54rWAwxeTuZNXXA4aND_/s1600/Grainlines.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisqPHLyTvopx7DcnLqA_Q8vF4mznLfUBOA4MhCRzPM2EtAaDl2ukxKIu9G2_gi5N6XUUPhTrBf1GE7AmusIFQOhqmvWbt5nhSB5noVJIlD0S00J0nt8djoBhsz54rWAwxeTuZNXXA4aND_/w400-h300/Grainlines.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></div><p></p><p><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe">I find that shifting grainlines when altering and piecing historical patterns is actually mostly OK - as long as you keep your grainlines mostly the same / symmetrical on both sides of the body, don't remove bias from where it serves a purpose, or don't put bias somewhere you really don't want to stretch out! (Which was actually why I shifted it on the shoulder strap pattern piece: I wanted it lying nicely along the grain. That oddly shaped front bit got its grainlines shifted just for the sake of placement on fabric, though.) When loking at the patterns in <a href="http://mediatum.ub.tum.de/node?id=619442">the priceless German disertation on the Kostümsammlung Hübsch</a> by Johannes Pietsch, I realised this was done historically, too, with pieced garments. So in that context, you can totally shift grainlines</span></span></span></span></span><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe"> away</span></span></span></span></span> to your heart's content!</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe">I sewed the bulk of the seams by machine because I was excited and wanted to finish this bodice faster than my previous historical makes (<a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.cz/2014/07/hsf-12-shape-and-support-my-regency.html">four years</a> is a rather excessive precedent and is stretching one's patience, once the undergarments are already done). Then I got the bright idea to fell stitch / whipstitch (?) the seam allowances down, which turned out to be not very brilliant actually because it resulted in ridges on the outside (thick upholstery fabric). But I kept it that way while I was ahead...</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe">The lacing eyelets were rather a pain. The thick upholstery fabric was so hard to make proper awl holes in! And deciding to use buttonhole silk twist didn't help - it's bulkier. Though also neater, even if mine turned out to be lighter in colour than the fabric.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe"></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPDRcBUUHlreYlsSpqVBt3Xthm9_VG-RWv4uAyXnTt7rnvRK0t0okAsZFzBSrbrF7KbjBB252HzELyMfT6sgwEyxVGPc0sDZDDhz8nOk3243PRkCWEyhRjZx7M_KhIL9kxS0f0A5Potge/s1500/%25C5%25BDiv%25C5%25AFtek+-+p%25C5%2599edn%25C3%25AD+%25C5%25A1n%25C4%259Brov%25C3%25A1n%25C3%25AD.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1500" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPDRcBUUHlreYlsSpqVBt3Xthm9_VG-RWv4uAyXnTt7rnvRK0t0okAsZFzBSrbrF7KbjBB252HzELyMfT6sgwEyxVGPc0sDZDDhz8nOk3243PRkCWEyhRjZx7M_KhIL9kxS0f0A5Potge/w400-h300/%25C5%25BDiv%25C5%25AFtek+-+p%25C5%2599edn%25C3%25AD+%25C5%25A1n%25C4%259Brov%25C3%25A1n%25C3%25AD.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></div><p><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe">Thankfully, I decided to lace it with a cord <a href="http://worldturndupsidedown.blogspot.cz/2011/11/how-to-make-civil-war-period-corset.html">I knitted myself</a> out of cotton crochet yarn, with two stitches only (just like lucet, without a lucet), which is thin enough to pass through the resulting tiny eyelets (a large blunt needle in place of a bodkin helps, though, although it also passes through with more difficulty).</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe"></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGstgcZEk-WMm80tb45XzWDYo8twm_nadNAJNDxoiu-QboU67b8fEjKM1gTJRIf8NCH_nt2IJQavFoqDfBOigqcOmc76YaBiI0_7TP1gmHDvwBJJPy3E2i5aJLq6qk7fidOgb7pddLxznO/s2000/1800+1800+Comtesse+de+Bonneval+by+Anne-Louis+Girodet+de+Roussy-Trioson.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1590" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGstgcZEk-WMm80tb45XzWDYo8twm_nadNAJNDxoiu-QboU67b8fEjKM1gTJRIf8NCH_nt2IJQavFoqDfBOigqcOmc76YaBiI0_7TP1gmHDvwBJJPy3E2i5aJLq6qk7fidOgb7pddLxznO/w318-h400/1800+1800+Comtesse+de+Bonneval+by+Anne-Louis+Girodet+de+Roussy-Trioson.jpg" width="318" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></div><br />
<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe"></span></span></span></span></span>
<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe">I spaced the eyelets as suitable for spiral lacing - although looking at Comtesse de Bonneval, I clearly could have gone with a regular criss-cross placement; I somehow forgot that part. (I need to work on keeping my inspiration images and sources before me throughout the process of working on things because that sort of thing happens to me far too often.)</span></span></span></span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxeh2Pd98XCxkVbMVM8Z6xy3_aVFydDRnIehEAbu-WBhfCoXxX2Rn-ek1K1keJXtWgqzmBLtmfe8XxBAKw0_2OlNXgyVApmYU6A4fE7sD_UVPoOnwEgUIBjGWBlAbDcf0osSR-71Sy4PJ/s1600/IMG_2684.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxeh2Pd98XCxkVbMVM8Z6xy3_aVFydDRnIehEAbu-WBhfCoXxX2Rn-ek1K1keJXtWgqzmBLtmfe8XxBAKw0_2OlNXgyVApmYU6A4fE7sD_UVPoOnwEgUIBjGWBlAbDcf0osSR-71Sy4PJ/w400-h300/IMG_2684.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe">I made a thread bar on the inside at the top edge, also from my buttonhole silk, to tie one end of the lace to. The bottom end of the lace I originally usually led back up underneath and tied to the thread bar again as well. When I had a not-lacing-tight kind of day (like when I wore this over a modern bra to church...), I just tied that end off at the bottom. Then that became the norm because my bust had grown about 6 cm since I first made the bodice... and now I've lost some cms there again, though not the full 6. But that's the flexibility of lacing for you! :-)</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span class="_7oe"> </span></span><br />Originally,
I only finished all the edges with piping. I don't even think it’s
historically correct for the period anymore (maybe it's only an 1810s-onward thing?); and in either case, the folly of using an ahistorical
thick upholstery fabric this way became apparent</span></span></span><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"> soon</span></span></span>: the fabric
ripped / unravelled in several places at the edges in the first wash, before I even had pictures taken. (All the photos in this post were taken during the restorative process or afterwards, I have zero pictures of it in the only-piping state...)</span></span></span><br />
</p><p>ETA: The problem is that, in order to turn the seam allowances around the curves, I had to cut them quite narrow and - well, the thick fabric is simply not suited to that sort of treatment, together with the thick turn of cloth it puts too much strain on it, and the fact it's a satin (= a somewhat looser weave) did not help...<br />
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzeVJLeDWoF_b3TTL0h_pLZM3o9Q_QGWP1LV01sK70eBk8Hwwt3OqNQ9t9p3etBjy4ZUFIkR0pkbbx4YOmHgQAINQwutSFjhxpEw7eaVbvYtFRik81QVVAJMEb5wxJ2HoJkEYm5kZQW1AC/s1600/IMG_6573.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzeVJLeDWoF_b3TTL0h_pLZM3o9Q_QGWP1LV01sK70eBk8Hwwt3OqNQ9t9p3etBjy4ZUFIkR0pkbbx4YOmHgQAINQwutSFjhxpEw7eaVbvYtFRik81QVVAJMEb5wxJ2HoJkEYm5kZQW1AC/s400/IMG_6573.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>
<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">I
was grumpy about it for a bit, because it ruined the clean look I was
going for, but then I caved in and added more trim to save it / cover it
up: bias strips whip-stitched (fell-stitched?) to the piping & stitched down with backstitch on the other side, and bias binding at the lacing holes in the front.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">So that's the whole of the lesson of not using historically accurate fabric and historically accurate techniques. :P</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">(More historically accurate fabrics would also likely result in the historically accurate wrinkles one can </span></span></span><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">see in the portraits...) </span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">ETA: Notice that the bottom edge, which isn't so curvy, survived my piping treatment unscathed, presumably because I did not cut the seam allowance as closely as I did around the curves and the lacing holes at the front openening. <br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1cwGM79Xcci2111nz9SdUZNYebO6EstqGk9V-BKFf2mH2ezEZNAm3ll-gyuVEYu9DE8F3sZbW6ZMCjiEyF_-mlFamk-DjXdbOi-oyEwnDOqS5h1_XahyCLPregqf2FbmHwBXx-VMB_Sx/s1500/%25C5%25BDiv%25C5%25AFtek+-+p%25C5%2599edn%25C3%25AD.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1125" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1cwGM79Xcci2111nz9SdUZNYebO6EstqGk9V-BKFf2mH2ezEZNAm3ll-gyuVEYu9DE8F3sZbW6ZMCjiEyF_-mlFamk-DjXdbOi-oyEwnDOqS5h1_XahyCLPregqf2FbmHwBXx-VMB_Sx/w480-h640/%25C5%25BDiv%25C5%25AFtek+-+p%25C5%2599edn%25C3%25AD.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></div><p><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><br /></span></span><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">Anyway. Despite the problems, I'm happy with it. I'm particularly happy with the basic shape of the pattern, because <i>that</i>
looks exactly the way I wanted it to look. It looks so good I could not believe it when I first saw myself in the mirror and later photos... It sits just like the
bodices from the portraits. It's a very satisfying experience to get
that result without the jumping board of a pattern taken from an extant
garment, with something you just kind of eyeballed.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYi8F4Zjty4SjDwzVxsmEnLBd0npwIvH4DqukLsR0pZmPVj0lTfMJhDLabdrWRCr0svR2VPz2fYBnrKcwCgWYJXJFz83KC1nRM71yaFzRQZ5wrB1btIfEZUEQjRmz7byrB4UGAhbe5NsAJ/s2048/17017112_1428765043822346_3527309628177512796_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYi8F4Zjty4SjDwzVxsmEnLBd0npwIvH4DqukLsR0pZmPVj0lTfMJhDLabdrWRCr0svR2VPz2fYBnrKcwCgWYJXJFz83KC1nRM71yaFzRQZ5wrB1btIfEZUEQjRmz7byrB4UGAhbe5NsAJ/w266-h400/17017112_1428765043822346_3527309628177512796_o.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></div><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><i> This is a photo by Páv Lučištník, so far the only good one I have of myself in <u>full</u> Regency getup... my tendency to forget to put on jewellery strikes often! :D So does my "RBF"; for some reason the photos of myself from the events that I know of always make me look bored even when I know I was anything but! Here I was looking at the people dancing and apparently previously tried to take some photos of my own. It's back from the bodice's first outing in its altered state in February 2017. I think I need to revive that headdress style...</i></span></span></span></span></span><br /><p></p><p><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p></p><p><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">So I'm totally going to one day make another one in similarly rather
inaccurate cotton velvet, with hopefully more accurate construction techniques. I was originally thinking of a blue velvet remnant, but now there's the Purple HSM challenge and I thought back to <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2010/07/progress-and-old-new-fabric-2-thrift.html">the purple velvet</a>... and there's <a href="https://sewingempire.wordpress.com/2020/07/20/regency-bodice-plays-2-sleeveless-bodice/">Vanessa's oh-so-pretty printed cotton one</a>... aaand I have some thrifted silk garments intended for repurposing as accessories... so, considering how easy it is to make this garment out of remnants, I suspect I'll eventually end up with a wide choice of sleeveless spencers to spice up my Regency ensembles. :D<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show">
I also want to eventually share the pattern (because it turned out so well!), but
this post has been in limbo long enough and I don't want to keep waiting till I finish digitising the pattern... especially because it occurred to me that with how simple it is, it may be a good training ground for improving my grading skills...<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><b><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show">Just the facts, ma'am: </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><b>What the item is:</b> “Regency” bodice / sleeveless spencer<br /> <b>The Challenge, and how this item fulfils it:</b> HSM '17 #2: Re-Make, Re-Use, Re-Fashion. I used trim to save / cover up fabric damage.<br />
<b>Fabric/Materials:</b> Marked down remnant of red cotton upholstery-weight
satin (NOT recommended, with emphasis!); navy blue lightweight cotton
sateen for trim (pretty great!)<br /> <b>Pattern:</b> My own, an evolution of <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.cz/2013/06/ufo-transitional-wrap-stays-jumps.html">my wrap stays / bra</a><span class="text_exposed_show"><a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.cz/2013/06/ufo-transitional-wrap-stays-jumps.html">ssiere</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"><b>Year:</b> c. 1800<br />
<b>Notions:</b> red thread (polyester, I believe), dark blue cotton thread;
red buttonhole twist for the lacing eyelets & a thread bar on the
inside which I tie the lacing to; dark blue cotton crochet yarn knitted
into a lacing cord; thin linen cord for the piping.<br /> <b>How
historically accurate is it?</b> Meh. Fabric is wrong, some of the methods
are wrong (it’s even partially machine-sewn). On the other hand, the
shape is pretty spot on on me, so that’s a plus. Also, the Re-Make part
is pretty good: using trim to cover up damage is a valid thing, bias
strips as trim are valid as far as I know, and the handsewing stitches I
used (backstitch & <wbr></wbr>fell stitch) are valid.<br /> <b>Hours to complete:</b> No idea whatsoever. Sewing down the trim at one armhole (cca 52 cm) took about 1,5 h, I think?<br />
<b>First worn:</b> In the original state, for the first and the last time to a
production of <i>King’s Speech</i> by the National Theatre in Brno (an
occasion that seemed to call for an evening dress, so I used the best I
had <span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="grin emoticon"><span class="_7oe">:D</span></span>).
In this new iteration, to the “All in the Garden Green” ball held by
Jane Austen CZ on February 25 2017 in Brno-Tuřany. And then many times
afterwards, not all of them historical occasions, either.<br />
<b>Total cost:</b> Low. I don’t remember how much any of the materials cost
anymore, but in any case, the red fabric was marked down and I only used
about half of it, the blue was cheap to begin with and I only used a
bit of it, and there wasn’t much thread or yarn used, either. All in
all, I’m guessing about 70 CZK ( = less than 3 USD)? The cost would go
up if I did it more correctly and used a thinner, historically accurate fashion fabric
coupled up with a linen/cotton lining.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
</span></span></span></p>Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-40252144700698577252021-03-03T12:23:00.020+01:002024-01-09T11:54:50.488+01:00Analysis of the proportions of a successful Regency dress<p>So you want to do early Regency but you don't exactly have a columnal figure...?
</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLqW2obDgAHypFCeYG6_95DqKUIO_ys9qmDoCh9WtGBLNpMuEdJkdWHz7JylPyohuXPpFxQasS6VQQsXa71ROLO1MRIqVi0uPlaFliohPxLZ47fFtNNeiQx2qWB2Yxrwq59sxQ_3Uzpq8M/s2000/IMG_7806.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLqW2obDgAHypFCeYG6_95DqKUIO_ys9qmDoCh9WtGBLNpMuEdJkdWHz7JylPyohuXPpFxQasS6VQQsXa71ROLO1MRIqVi0uPlaFliohPxLZ47fFtNNeiQx2qWB2Yxrwq59sxQ_3Uzpq8M/w300-h400/IMG_7806.JPG" width="300" /></a></div> <p></p><p>While searching for some other conversation I've found an old comment of mine in a Facebook group, a comment documenting the relative measurements of my Regency dress compared to my figure. I thought it was worth reproducing as a (more detailed) blog post for future reference for anyone who wishes to achieve this sort of early 1800s columnal style on a more "feminine" figure with bigger hips. Since mine was achieved through trial and error but I'm really happy with how it turned out in the end.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPpBewRk68cG-HukBKSEVADf54EdWBlGJ_Bq49GjMiwZmCxNjiWTWUXsHpjp3LlvrGDRqq01GbKdA98leJxCsSxVxgwzTw3NBGli1GytNNonyJVcV1wNIlUg-c5l_npHINBBAna2AYw0jD/s2048/IMG_7832.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPpBewRk68cG-HukBKSEVADf54EdWBlGJ_Bq49GjMiwZmCxNjiWTWUXsHpjp3LlvrGDRqq01GbKdA98leJxCsSxVxgwzTw3NBGli1GytNNonyJVcV1wNIlUg-c5l_npHINBBAna2AYw0jD/w300-h400/IMG_7832.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto">So here goes one person's experience:</span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto">I'm <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2017/08/coblowrimo-13-pro-tip-maybe-hip.html">wide-hipped</a>, approximately DD-cupped, but pretty slim.</span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto">My underbust measurement is c. 75
cm (29,5 inches), my hips are c. 102 cm (40 inches); 1,36 : 1 hips-to-underbust ratio. The vertical distance between the two is c. 40-42 cm (c. 16 inches).</span></span><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto"> My bust span</span></span> </span></span><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto">is c. 20 cm (c. 7,5-8 inches). </span></span></span> </span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto">The dress has rectangular front and back panels, with gathers in the back and trapezoidal gores at the
sides (more like side front I guess). The front panel is 24 cm (c. 9,5 inches) wide (= with 2 cm on each side in addition to my bust span). The gores are 18 cm on top and 29 cm at the hem (c. 7 & 11,5 inches).</span><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto"> The back panel is 115 cm (c. 45 inches) wide, gathered into the waistline.</span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto">So it all adds up to 172 cm</span><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto"> (c. 68 inches) at the waistline / underbust level</span>, compared to my 75 cm (29,5 inches) measurement; 2,3 : 1 ratio. A lot of that is taken up in the back gathers. It's a drop-front dress, so there's also some overlap between the side gores and the back panel.<br /></span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto">The skirt is 112 cm / c. 44 inches long at the front & sides (slightly longer in the back due to the raised waistline there). <br /></span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto">The hem is 2,5 m (c. 98 inches & 2,7 yards) - so it's c. 2,5 : 1
compared to my hips measurement, and c. 1,4 : 1 compared to the skirt dimensions at the underbust level.</span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto">Update: I found <a href="https://sewingwithkenna.wordpress.com/2019/04/19/hem-circumference-resource/">this post trying to document the circumferences through the centuries</a>, and my 2,5 m seem to fit in pretty well with the era I was aiming for - it's on the larger side actually, but then I suspect most of the museum items are in smaller sizes, as they tend to be (survivorship bias?). You can see how there's a fairly drastic change between 1790s styles and early 1800s styles - that would be the change from a skirt gathered all around to the typical Regency flat front.<br /></span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto">All this in a very lightweight cotton sateen. There are tight
gathers of the two rows of running stitch kind in the back; about 60 cm (c. 23,5 inches) gathered into about 10 cm (4 inches) - I'm not sure how much exactly it was anymore, this was just a very quick measure at the hem, but 60 cm kind of make sense to me as a number I'd have picked. :D I underlined the thin fabric with a strip of cotton
plainweave so it's a bit thicker and not quite as much fabric is taken up in the gathers as it would otherwise take in
something as lightweight as my sateen (it's a lot anyway - 6:1 ratio!). Then gentler gathers towards the sides.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQoRmiuYe_5OcNZBNcfw4FH5ENWx4TD3yerKCaDK4dpTGRK94yJ4urOqXQ00D4ULmrqAt25Rl5sUUmq2Fc65inNXt1mOHGIyle3u2fIl5gR4Hap6ETAz2fZj5ATJUwVn_73wbp7aQgpZfo/s1333/IMG_3657.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQoRmiuYe_5OcNZBNcfw4FH5ENWx4TD3yerKCaDK4dpTGRK94yJ4urOqXQ00D4ULmrqAt25Rl5sUUmq2Fc65inNXt1mOHGIyle3u2fIl5gR4Hap6ETAz2fZj5ATJUwVn_73wbp7aQgpZfo/w300-h400/IMG_3657.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto"><br />Now you may not want to reproduce the exact proportions of my pattern pieces - my narrow front panel is a bit weird to be honest - but hopefully putting it down in exact numbers and proportions like this can help you decide how to proportion your dress if you're struggling with that. :-)</span><p></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto">You see the trapezoidal skirt patterns more often on later, 1810s & 1820s dresses, but they do sometimes appear in dresses dated to the earlier, more strictly neo-classical era as well. Based on my own experience, they may well have been an invention to accommodate wider-hipped figures similar to mine who wanted the sleek columnal look with full enough skirts for movement and without putting too many gathers at their underbust level.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJFSR3cmB4iDs8ZU6bStYRln4aU3fCOs4fv3Fqj5sz1roR-ardYjS1x9_X4dFZRzgT0SiXVf8HYMtwie5McsT507f4229voQcX4-QtvoiyhvF9qfD0X64lttWOD4PPUt0N85bHWyWN0qT/s2048/IMG_7835.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJFSR3cmB4iDs8ZU6bStYRln4aU3fCOs4fv3Fqj5sz1roR-ardYjS1x9_X4dFZRzgT0SiXVf8HYMtwie5McsT507f4229voQcX4-QtvoiyhvF9qfD0X64lttWOD4PPUt0N85bHWyWN0qT/w400-h300/IMG_7835.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto">Good luck!</span></p><p></p>Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-12367344297207825102021-02-20T19:40:00.000+01:002021-02-20T19:40:09.037+01:00Pro tip (maybe) - Hip measurement complications<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This is a blog post about the wisdom of very careful and detailed measuring
of oneself.</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(It's also one that, for the first time in my blogging history, made me want to go all silly puns with the title. I've stayed my hand.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div><p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Re-measuring myself some time ago (it's now been several years - this is a post rescued from "development hell"), I found out a head-scratching thing:</span></p><p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">At the largest
part of my hips, my front measurement is bigger than my back measurement. That
wouldn't be so head-scratching maybe; the head-scratching part comes from the
facts that:</span>
</p><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">A) my hip-to-waist ratio is noticeably on the hourglass side, which one
usually thinks of as "fluffy tissue on one's backside";</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">B) fitting tutorials dealing with bigger volume in the front assume volume
in the belly; which is in center front and, once again, fluffy tissue;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">C) meanwhile, my additional volume in the front is in my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hip bones</i>. That means I have volume at
the side-front. Not an area you usually see dealt with in trouser-fitting
tutorials. :P Conversely, I actually have a bit of a hollow space behind my hip bones at
my sides.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The difference was about 4 cm some years ago when I first came across this problem. That's a lot of hip bone for an area of the body where the difference is usually in the back.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Seriously, I don't think I've EVER come across anyone approaching this as a
fitting issue in explanations of fitting issues and how to fix them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(Also, because it’s a bone issue, I think it’s a good thing I haven’t attempted
a custom dress form yet, because that may well distort with
stuffing. I will have to come up with some way to simulate my bone structure because one of the reasons I want a custom dress form is for it to be squishable for corsets. And its being squishable in places where I'm not - which is frankly most of them - would defeat the purpose.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It goes a long way towards explaining some of my trouser woes. I have noticed that generally, trousers that fit me best in the hip area are actually often men's trousers (except then they gape awfully at the waist).<br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In historical costuming terms, most of the time I thankfully don't have to worry
about it, because skirts. But because the re-measuring happened because of
hypothetical future corsets, I came to wonder, how exactly do I deal with that
in longer corsets? It's bone. It won't squish.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It's mostly something I'll have to experiment with on my own, I’m afraid. But
I wanted to share it. In case there are actually other "curvy" women with bone
structure interfering with the fit of their clothes, rather than being "fat"; and yes, to stress the
importance of measuring oneself thoroughly.</span></div>
Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-91520748418634102262020-11-18T16:46:00.000+01:002020-11-18T16:46:01.413+01:00Just a pair of stockings<p>I'm finding out this blog has been sadly neglected in the past years and there are lots of things I never posted about.</p><p>Like my stockings. Which I already made a couple years ago, for some HSM challenge or other - if I dug through the Facebook albums in the HSM group, I'm sure I'd find it, but I don't particularly care to do it right now.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieE9KfmRMPMM5INQ96jdkxOqHYrL6UvX2QaKYGQsE9C-aDPgzcNC-17k8-rMLcz5cqFSm2ejepiXVq7tCRZnXifuJWrCCNz3ADlWuakGy6cAvKrgOGyUMvxPvkeCipYW8Gsc1mlxeXCZsa/s2048/IMG_8276.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieE9KfmRMPMM5INQ96jdkxOqHYrL6UvX2QaKYGQsE9C-aDPgzcNC-17k8-rMLcz5cqFSm2ejepiXVq7tCRZnXifuJWrCCNz3ADlWuakGy6cAvKrgOGyUMvxPvkeCipYW8Gsc1mlxeXCZsa/s320/IMG_8276.JPG" /></a></div><br /><p>It's my first attempt at <a href="http://www.orbitals.com/self/history/stocking.pdf">sewing historical stockings</a> (well, second, after a sort of rough mockup of my pattern), and they're nothing special in execution, wonkily sewn and not particularly historically accurate (there's lycra and machine sewing).</p><p>But they look the part.</p><p>And they contain three different tees, two thrifted, one of which was <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2010/08/now-that-ive-mentioned-sunglasses.html">my orange tee from years ago</a> after it stretched out of shape (and that's why I no longer wear lycra tees because if you don't have a dryer, they do sooner or later stretch out of shape while line-drying.)</p><p>The other thrifted tee was just bought specifically to make up for my lack of fabric in my original white tee.<br /></p><p>That was my white Latvian tee, made in Latvia, from back in 2011. It got yellowish with use and also a bit stretched out of shape. (Don't believe people who say lycra assures your knits will retain their shape.)</p><p>So they are, in a way, a sentimental object.</p><p>And I'm currently knitting a wool(-ish) pair for colder days, so I decided these needed to be posted for the sake of painting the full picture.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZXidrHwGLfq1En7wzyqD1iFClCnBfLyrH3l_nnbJt0hTjYWSSh5urUe-XU5q1P7s1rbmKXJPntxI3Ld6XICjrp4mJ1XfWkqe_AXbR-bqxapDco2gfMY13mWBU8iYMJ1kIJmEV72oOjgz/s1600/IMG_8271.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZXidrHwGLfq1En7wzyqD1iFClCnBfLyrH3l_nnbJt0hTjYWSSh5urUe-XU5q1P7s1rbmKXJPntxI3Ld6XICjrp4mJ1XfWkqe_AXbR-bqxapDco2gfMY13mWBU8iYMJ1kIJmEV72oOjgz/s320/IMG_8271.JPG" /></a></div><br /><p>My garters are two layers of plainweave cotton tape, paired up with vintage ribbon from my grandma. (I could have sworn I blogged about them and other stuff when I got them, but apparently it's one of a myriad of things I never blogged about.) I had ideas of embroidering some satin to put on the tape to make them really pretty, but that never materialised. So far.<br /></p><p>Because it's "found materials", one of the ribbons is slightly different from the others. I actually rather like that my ribbons are mismatched and that my stockings are pieced. I often enjoy the mismatched and pieced items in museum collections more, because they have more... character, than the picture-perfect gowns that people are oohing and aahing over on social media...</p><p> </p><p>Which reminds me - I've been pondering joining Instagram because that's where all the cool kids are these days, and when I blog I spend this huge amount of time writing blog posts that no one then comments on. So I eventually started reading their Terms of Use, where they keep talking about how it's aiming to be a personalised and up-to-date service, and yet somehow they fail to mention what it actually <i>is</i>, in the several paragraphs I got through. I backed out again at that point because a service incapable of telling you what it is that feels the need to instead keep wrapping pretty words around the fact they keep tabs on you... probably isn't something I want to sign up for, regardless of how many costuming friends are using it (and regardless of how many online services these days do the same keeping tabs thing). I've never been one of the cool kids anyway, why start now?</p>Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-63166143137432560822020-11-17T14:12:00.004+01:002020-11-17T16:27:42.338+01:00Drafting sewing patterns in Inkscape: Setting up your gridIf you want to <a href="https://growyourownclothes.com/2014/10/30/tips-for-pattern-drafting-with-inkscape/">draft patterns in Inkscape</a> (which is a free vector aka line-drawing program, aka the free alternative to Illustrator), your best bet is to start by setting up the auxilliary grid. I find that with the help of grids, I can turn paper patterns digital even without mucking about with scanners (which I don't have myself) and the correct resolution - more on that later, hopefully. But the best part for us historical costumers? If you set up your grid right, you should be able to do scaled patterns or <a href="https://sewingempire.wordpress.com/2014/01/30/drafting-vintage-block-patterns-with-inkscape/">draft those block / apportioning rulers drafts</a> straight into your own measurements. (With the caution that things like bust cup sizes still won't enter into it - always do mockups.)<br /><p>Although that's a step too far if you don't yet know how to set up the grid to your specifications. Which is something I've only just discovered how to do properly myself, so I'm happily sharing.</p><p>I'm sure there are other tutorials for this out there; but I often find it's easier to read tutorials written by someone coming at the problem from the same angle as you... so here's from a pattern-drafter and historical costumer to others.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLueP-wYQRVDjKLolZYNDt4HmPwOVduozzZad00uLl_s2V9LZUHOVdtlAnZWeRIy4i_9RMEAXQweHQ3AQdTqq-IH9-URJrWmShHvJelAENLbho2ry6LADiZhb40zdPvgaalVZY79E9UhiT/s1366/Sleeveless+spencer+pattern+in+progress.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLueP-wYQRVDjKLolZYNDt4HmPwOVduozzZad00uLl_s2V9LZUHOVdtlAnZWeRIy4i_9RMEAXQweHQ3AQdTqq-IH9-URJrWmShHvJelAENLbho2ry6LADiZhb40zdPvgaalVZY79E9UhiT/w400-h225/Sleeveless+spencer+pattern+in+progress.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Here's my sleeveless spencer pattern, digitised with the help of Inkscape grid, still missing its side piece for some reason. I'll have to look into why I stopped at that point; I suspect it's because I lost the paper pattern...</i><br /></p><p></p><p>Now, up front, I'm Czech and my Inkscape is in Czech, so sadly I'm not always sure about the exact English terminology. If you have the same version of Inkscape, things should hopefully all look the same, though. Mine is 0.92.2 (5c3e80d, 2017-08-06). (Which reminds me maybe I should look for an update.) You should find yours in the Help section under About or some such.<br /></p><p>So, yes, I've only just figured this out properly. In <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2020/02/deciphering-historical-clothes-c-1840.html">the post about drafting a corset from pictures</a>, I mentioned that I had trouble switching my grid to milimetres... It's because when you change units, Inkscape is clever and retains the dimensions of your previous grid! :D</p><p>Setting up your grid is easier when you work in metric. You don't usually have to worry about divisions much - Inkscape works with decimal numbers, and your units work with decimal numbers, so it's quite easy.</p><p>Inches require more math and theoretical mathematical thinking. Which goes to show that inches are an older unit from a time when people just did things with physical measures that could be folded in half, instead of with mathematics in their heads...<br /></p><p>So, <b>to set up a grid for the first time</b>, you go to File Properties, under the Grid menu, and set up a grid by choosing the type of grid you want (apparently it's "Rectangular" in English) and clicking "Create new".</p><p>(BTW: If you want to draft hexagonal patterns for patchwork, the other type of grid can help with that - which is something I should have realised about a month ago when I mucked about and struggled with trying to draft out <a href="http://encyclopediaquiltpatterns.blogspot.com/2016/08/golden-wedding-ring-blockbase-313.html">the Golden Wedding Ring block</a>...)</p><p>Make sure you have checked that the grid is turned on and visible (important!). The last option says something like "snap only to visible grid", which means that if you zoom out enough that you can only see your major, red lines, your nodes will only snap to the red grid.</p><p>And then you define the exact properties you want your grid to have.</p><p>Once you have once set up a grid, you can just turn it on or off, and just change the properties as needed - unless you want the other type of grid, or unless you removed / deleted it somewhere in the process, in which case you have to create a new one again.<br /></p><p>This is how I get a "milimetre paper" effect with <b>my unit being milimetres</b>:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzB0kKTOySARdYaBBIKAyVFIuihbe6KsMs0CYKjJp7H__8niPrJoiz59XcbuVVn3wmF7pW3GmbCCB7kuD6G906GVLLa-hoqWs993h2cXgMOOSIomO4IDtKrPLvc0I-Y3ZAImNfkfE_ehA/s1366/Grid+-+Milimetre+paper+in+mms.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzB0kKTOySARdYaBBIKAyVFIuihbe6KsMs0CYKjJp7H__8niPrJoiz59XcbuVVn3wmF7pW3GmbCCB7kuD6G906GVLLa-hoqWs993h2cXgMOOSIomO4IDtKrPLvc0I-Y3ZAImNfkfE_ehA/w400-h225/Grid+-+Milimetre+paper+in+mms.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p>You go to the Grid menu on the right, choose your unit, and then decide at what intervals you
want your lines to be. As you can see here, I chose to have my basic,
blue lines at 1 mm and my major, red lines at 1 cm. 1 cm is 10 mm, so that's easy. Your basic lines will be at every 1 whole unit, in both directions (along the X and Y axes), and your major lines will be at every 10 lines (that's the last setting there at the bottom).</p><p>You can also check (bottom left) that you want your grid to display only as dots rather than lines. But personally I find the lines much easier to see and work with. <br /></p><p>Note that whenever you change any of those numbers in the menu on the right, you have to hit Enter or click in another menu "window" for the change to take place. Other than that, it's pretty straightforward.<br /></p><p>Where it starts to get a bit confusing is when you decide to change units. If I <b>switch my units to cm</b>, I get this:<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUYmEc-DzGumnv2Nmc9X0mNyQBE5E4Vz__Xg2O1YK8nVXSoQueqYkEPjzUCEN6vilxfk5LaVuz3mFPyGJOWW88A8fiQZZx3IyXtpIu2YBu7i_iNPxslz0ctzDrOJatRnACILG42ZNQXGMF/s1366/Grid+-+Milimetre+paper+in+cms.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUYmEc-DzGumnv2Nmc9X0mNyQBE5E4Vz__Xg2O1YK8nVXSoQueqYkEPjzUCEN6vilxfk5LaVuz3mFPyGJOWW88A8fiQZZx3IyXtpIu2YBu7i_iNPxslz0ctzDrOJatRnACILG42ZNQXGMF/w400-h225/Grid+-+Milimetre+paper+in+cms.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Suddenly my lines are at every 0,1 of my unit (since 1 mm is 0,1 cm). My major lines are still at every 10 lines.</p><p>This is why I had trouble getting mms out of my grid when drafting my corset pattern - I did not notice that the numbers had changed when I switched units, so I could not understand why the grid resolutely stayed the same...! <br /></p><p>(You could also change where your grid is centered on the X and Y axes. Those are automatically centered in the left bottom corner of your page. Messing with that is more trouble than it's worth for our purposes - we don't need
that because frankly the page does not enter into the drafting process at all the way I do
it - except maybe as a rough gauge for how many pages the printed pattern will take. If for some reason you wanted to change where your grid is centered, you would have to know the exact coordinates of the point where you want to move it.)<br /></p><p>Of course, you don't have to have your major lines at 10. I can do a "half-centimetre" version by setting them up at 5 mms:<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqK0Siwb36LZPsEKjm57wsN-xo7KhAd49KqQ0mltHuRmay1otRHVLb0AYyB45MV1cwQEfCkMDy58gk0_EH4Bif256phvTjUrkBl7T8uZ6JFQQdKOjAlTL_YMe61O-lFEKqSWEM2kZzkHyH/s1366/Grid+-+Five+mms+in+mms.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqK0Siwb36LZPsEKjm57wsN-xo7KhAd49KqQ0mltHuRmay1otRHVLb0AYyB45MV1cwQEfCkMDy58gk0_EH4Bif256phvTjUrkBl7T8uZ6JFQQdKOjAlTL_YMe61O-lFEKqSWEM2kZzkHyH/w400-h225/Grid+-+Five+mms+in+mms.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The only thing that bothers me about this system is that I'm limited to two types of lines, so I can't have both a detailed "milimetre paper" and mark 5 or 10 cms as well. If I want that type of super-helpful grid, I have to add more lines manually... which can interfere with my drafting a bit as those "objects" get in the way. Maybe there's still a way around that but I haven't figured it out yet...<br /></p><p>Now, <b>inches</b>. As I said, inches require more math.</p><p>To help you, the various divisions translate into decimal numbers like so:</p><p><b>1/2 = 0,5</b></p><p><b>1/4 = 0,25</b></p><p><b>1/8 = 0,125</b></p><p><b>1/16 = 0,0625</b></p><p>And if you're math-and-numbers-challenged, you can write down those numbers or print them out on a piece of paper to stick at some place where you'll have it in sight and won't lose it.<br /></p><p>(You can get those numbers easily with the help of a calculator by dividing <b>1 : your division number</b>. If you need, say, 3/8, you then just multiply your 1/8 decimal number by 3... But part of the point of setting up our grids in Inkscape is that you avoid that further multiplication and just use your grid as a ruler.)<br /></p><p>So if you want an inch grid divided down to sixteenths of an inch, you set it up like this:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQX04_EmVGmjYL3w7q9_vLti1fUVprAYDMM-i3YoG3BuLgoMjbTvu8rqxhi22oDmcpMqwqqfHikBXNZ3ERzHy4goJ69KHlJvE99gQwYAR7NAvvMAxtT4jQB3xucB6k6XTSBM0EqZkR4rB/s1366/Grid+-+Inches.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQX04_EmVGmjYL3w7q9_vLti1fUVprAYDMM-i3YoG3BuLgoMjbTvu8rqxhi22oDmcpMqwqqfHikBXNZ3ERzHy4goJ69KHlJvE99gQwYAR7NAvvMAxtT4jQB3xucB6k6XTSBM0EqZkR4rB/w400-h225/Grid+-+Inches.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>With your basic lines being the decimal number for 1/16 (i.e. 0,0625) and your major lines at every 16 lines. <br /></p><p>Just for fun: Because Inkscape goes that detailed with its decimal numbers in these settings, you can go extra-detailed with... what is it called, thirty-secondths?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfp7gZSpS_RM8QHsLJ7RNFFR8AR5xKKat6WWZy8SvOuqXCy9wi2Ik_q7lNG72vEUUoIZfjC2OIhyphenhyphenwLSgpc6rfqIyWUv2LYysQ06GPyI0fhUdg6RLaxeVRXcCUFuq1_3SCjzgoFMXEPltbc/s1366/Grid+-+Inches+-+thirty-secondths.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfp7gZSpS_RM8QHsLJ7RNFFR8AR5xKKat6WWZy8SvOuqXCy9wi2Ik_q7lNG72vEUUoIZfjC2OIhyphenhyphenwLSgpc6rfqIyWUv2LYysQ06GPyI0fhUdg6RLaxeVRXcCUFuq1_3SCjzgoFMXEPltbc/w400-h225/Grid+-+Inches+-+thirty-secondths.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>And now you can give Vanessa's tutorial a whirl regardless of whether your pattern draft uses cms or inches.</p><p>As a teaser for how you would do the apportioning rulers stuff: Your X and Y measurements don't have to match.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_GE_jn0TQAIME9F8DrpJonjFFG85TeEyb4m5Hqb4Y2gko5I2j8MCWrE36srDiUdwGybeORhNelDU-mYCVGwverSxzajAKX3N_iwmJ5pb9SYUfCvYuT67q3qxeoPhIBzaXgOsadB4XExJA/s1366/Grid+-+Changing+proportion+in+mms.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_GE_jn0TQAIME9F8DrpJonjFFG85TeEyb4m5Hqb4Y2gko5I2j8MCWrE36srDiUdwGybeORhNelDU-mYCVGwverSxzajAKX3N_iwmJ5pb9SYUfCvYuT67q3qxeoPhIBzaXgOsadB4XExJA/w400-h225/Grid+-+Changing+proportion+in+mms.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Here's the same grid in inches:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnRaYuZRQxs5w5N7TJFeUW_N5EodDFat8JrRbLsbx5cihy2ALfMp9JxdDrS-kU63pXCsC6ke1YLBmORlT0Klc2cH_g0fMY-lRMKiuv7pu968-zmjznwMC30yv545cZ4FkgfM7CEAXXL8-/s1366/Grid+-+Changing+proportion+in+mms+except+in+inches.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnRaYuZRQxs5w5N7TJFeUW_N5EodDFat8JrRbLsbx5cihy2ALfMp9JxdDrS-kU63pXCsC6ke1YLBmORlT0Klc2cH_g0fMY-lRMKiuv7pu968-zmjznwMC30yv545cZ4FkgfM7CEAXXL8-/w400-h225/Grid+-+Changing+proportion+in+mms+except+in+inches.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>So... yeah... just with some help from a calculator (you most likely have one on your phone), you can totally do the apportioning rulers drafts to your own measurements. Or create your own apportioning ruler / tape measure for doing it by hand. But more on that at some later point...<br /></p>Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-43150824528843827952020-10-07T19:45:00.002+02:002020-10-30T20:11:42.870+01:00How NOT to draft a women's sloper: Why the FreeSewing.org Breanna sloper for women does not work at all (unfortunately)<p>In the loquatious manner of old books, the full title of this blog post continues:<br />
<br />
<i><b>Containing therein an explanation of the fundamental importance of the difference between dart width and dart angle.</b></i><br />
<i><b>Or</b></i><br />
<i><b>What shenanigans Marmota gets into when she has too much free time on her hands and wants a quick solution to something (Spoiler alert: It was anything but quick.)</b></i><br />
</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I have to say right ahead that this was written back in May so some of the info about how the FreeSewing.org site is set up here is dated. The problems with the pattern remain exactly the same, though.</p><p><br />
I also have to say right ahead that the sum total of my knowledge of programming is a neat zero, so I have no idea how the actual code works and cannot unfortunately fix it.<br />
<br />
I do, however, by now know a thing or two about drafting sewing patterns, and about measuring and altering them to make sure they fit - seeing as I'm exactly the sort of non-average person <a href="http://freesewing.org/">FreeSewing.org</a> is targetting:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaq7Oj5AiNokSB3-God6Cm9kdLfYpYDBAklGz11JUkRGHCKDVKJJpEf9JTpWdWC5dHc6BlokmJC5yq1-eCw8F_GD7JI0N2ScdsHDSLygYdG7y3Ik4WS-785ro9jb_HU79LGhZErCuDln4F/s1600/Perfect+splotch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1204" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaq7Oj5AiNokSB3-God6Cm9kdLfYpYDBAklGz11JUkRGHCKDVKJJpEf9JTpWdWC5dHc6BlokmJC5yq1-eCw8F_GD7JI0N2ScdsHDSLygYdG7y3Ik4WS-785ro9jb_HU79LGhZErCuDln4F/s640/Perfect+splotch.jpg" width="540" /></a></div><p>
<br />
In their system, back in May, the closer you were to a standard size, the more your diagram looked like a perfect circle. Mine was a perfect <i>splotch</i>.</p><p>
<br />
So I can at least offer an explanation of why it doesn't work. Why the way they take those detailed measurements (that for the most part do make sense to me) and turn them into this pattern... results in a pattern that does not work at all. Long story short: the very base of the women's sloper is flawed and does not seem to take into account some fundamental truths of sewing and pattern-making.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hT7eLchnmNf-VtRHxhJCPae5u2CE0_K45-yh_YdsVaKu6L-oMcrXFqUCbjf8y1gqMZiVunPrzXVkGt362p-n4yc2XKXvGsrPKIODsCaVIthLfaWKqi54GR9Xvl-RuFFD3PpCWxlIjkng/s1600/Sloper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="732" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hT7eLchnmNf-VtRHxhJCPae5u2CE0_K45-yh_YdsVaKu6L-oMcrXFqUCbjf8y1gqMZiVunPrzXVkGt362p-n4yc2XKXvGsrPKIODsCaVIthLfaWKqi54GR9Xvl-RuFFD3PpCWxlIjkng/s320/Sloper.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Namely how you deal with darts and angles.<br />
<br />
I hope that this post will both work as a (<i>very</i> detailed) review for other existing / potential users to see exactly why that particular covetable pattern (custom slopers are covetable, right?) doesn't work right now, as well as hopefully help the programmers do things better in the future when it comes to women's patterns. Because I do love the idea of OpenSource patterns!<br />
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(And maybe it will also help explain some things about drafting your own slopers. I learned a lot from this myself.)<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
It all started for me with a desire to get some quick standard-size slopers to compare a historical pattern to - namely, I started re-evaluating the <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2014/04/an-easter-gift-for-you-free-pattern-for.html">kacabajka pattern</a> because I know for a fact my old grading method is Bad, so I wanted to start again by seeing where the original historical pattern lay in terms of measurements and proportions to be able to average it out for a basis for new grading.<br />
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One can obviously expect some faults in patterns drafted for the aforementioned non-average people, but surely standard sizes should be standard?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrXBgapHEoAWKlcSyAzCJXcKCoRb5brJMuutdc8hA2fzykU-kdvXXmJpXMMFuFGx9zoew58IjV9VKx2lCyzjlUKnhFTTForoX4o_8XPj006UrEeJum12Q5L_kG9bnV3t_OjjKd3Y4W0GKt/s1600/Stacked+standard+sloper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrXBgapHEoAWKlcSyAzCJXcKCoRb5brJMuutdc8hA2fzykU-kdvXXmJpXMMFuFGx9zoew58IjV9VKx2lCyzjlUKnhFTTForoX4o_8XPj006UrEeJum12Q5L_kG9bnV3t_OjjKd3Y4W0GKt/s640/Stacked+standard+sloper.jpg" width="540" /></a></div><p>
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<br />
Nope.</p><p>That was me downloading all the standard sizes and nesting them together in Inkscape demostratively, once I realised things were looking off.<br />
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A) That's definitely not how grading works and what nested standard-size same-bust-cup-size patterns normally look like. (It would help immensely if they made their standard size measurement charts available...)<br />
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B) There's definitely something wrong going on with the angles at the side seam. As well as the shape of the armhole. And probably also the length of the back darts.<br />
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Only the L and XL (I think those were the sizes there at the outside edge of my nest) do somewhat resemble what you would expect a standard women's sloper to look like. The rest is decidedly off.<br />
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So clearly there's something off in the algorhythm. Code. Whatever. And it sent me off on this whole completely different and <i>big</i> tangent than I expected...<br />
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Okay, but maybe that's just because it's a different system? Maybe those are just unusual-shaped patterns that will still fit?<br />
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Nope.<br />
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Let's look at what FreeSewing.org should be good for: Let's look at the sloper customised for me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8SUs3IrXGYcJw8fhN0_upaRNfeWABnijYTXvG4-r9eI55BenSfE-dvl8KXcJ8O9CHVbNnN-B8d7_mh428nPQf-itXzbGeAZ-NBAhNZuoZpmokCfze5QOj3DsqcpN4loT7RnRSWIskz20/s1600/Sloper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="732" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8SUs3IrXGYcJw8fhN0_upaRNfeWABnijYTXvG4-r9eI55BenSfE-dvl8KXcJ8O9CHVbNnN-B8d7_mh428nPQf-itXzbGeAZ-NBAhNZuoZpmokCfze5QOj3DsqcpN4loT7RnRSWIskz20/s320/Sloper.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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That's even worse than I expected. And because I'm well aware of the sort of measurement comparisons to and adjustments from standard sizes that I normally have to do, this made for an excellent exercise in "spot the problems".<br />
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Here below is a comparison with what my basic sloper does in reality look like on the right. (Well, strictly speaking, it's one I have not tried out in fabric yet, but I did measure it thoroughly and adjusted it accordingly so at the very least it's a far better start than the FreeSewing one on the left. It's adjusted from another <a href="http://selfpattern.alwaysdata.net/wp/womendress/">free standard size pattern I found online</a>, which is identical to my basic bust and waist measurements in the one size they do offer for free, so it formed a neat basis for my spate of Inkscape messing around - starting with <a href="https://youtu.be/06BscPbSSlo">changing it from a B cup to my DD cup</a> - I suspect it's still a faulty method, but it was a start.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV0fLqbNRUtFBSvdz-Vu9_vOdiJzIshyphenhyphen40TyC1IthgmmZndKUkGZxxBn25KsIT_kKGQ6rtqrx3Ijf4r6s_zbulqh32cKMgb_mgwUbIlLmTQjG-fX0yThqZdI13YgpxByVgUGA5pr32yBel/s1600/Sloper+comparison.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="1539" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV0fLqbNRUtFBSvdz-Vu9_vOdiJzIshyphenhyphen40TyC1IthgmmZndKUkGZxxBn25KsIT_kKGQ6rtqrx3Ijf4r6s_zbulqh32cKMgb_mgwUbIlLmTQjG-fX0yThqZdI13YgpxByVgUGA5pr32yBel/s640/Sloper+comparison.jpg" width="540" /></a></div>
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Soo... do we play "spot the differences" now? I didn't count them. :D In almost every aspect, the FreeSewing sloper is just... wrong.<br />
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The thing that was immediately obvious to me (even without the comparison, which I eventually made a lot later in the process) was that the armhole on the Breanna was way too low (especially in the back) and the side seam way too short for me. I wondered if perhaps the whole thing was too short (and wondered how that would have happened with all those detailed measurements), so I made use of the wonderful measuring tool in Inkscape and measured and measured.
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The center front length is more or less OK. The shoulder slope angle is OK (that's nice). But that's it. From there all the way to the right of the pattern the problems get only worse and worse.
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So as I measured, I began to see where the problem was.
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* * * </div>
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<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There was a sidestep here decumenting my thinking process, but, really, you don't need to know all the nitty gritty details. What you need to know is that the sloper pattern is derived from a base pattern, which is just a front piece, with one dart.<br /></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div>
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So I looked at the base, one-dart-only front pattern you can get if you go into the advanced pattern settings down below on the site, and all the problems became more obvious.
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Let's highlight all my points of comparison somewhat so you know exactly what I'm talking about.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanuev4UT6fVPAlyRdXaPcGCfL_5cn0OLVSEOm9nqW4OV4Rai3Msw8GoXJmGfIiTZR58YUKpA6QDSt-40Wi_qesDrug6emkO6DfhXkjQonjd-fiOQbEjirVDq1no-63JqdYdUE-V44WqRr/s1600/Sloper+base+problems.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="652" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanuev4UT6fVPAlyRdXaPcGCfL_5cn0OLVSEOm9nqW4OV4Rai3Msw8GoXJmGfIiTZR58YUKpA6QDSt-40Wi_qesDrug6emkO6DfhXkjQonjd-fiOQbEjirVDq1no-63JqdYdUE-V44WqRr/s640/Sloper+base+problems.jpg" width="476" /></a></div>
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To begin with, I think the programmer (in this case, it appears to be the founder of the site, Joost de Cock) does not know enough about the significant role all this plays in pattern drafting: A) what angles at seams look like when you sew them up,
B) what angles placed at the fold look like when you open them up, and C) how darts <i>actually</i> alter the shape of things and how dart rotation actually works...<br />
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Because, let's say I rotate that waist dart to get a side bust dart instead... <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioEnME12z0jS02jpNG4GU_LpHkngQQ2oMW90nBcemgvmwnA6CR-6ZG30gatMAsDjBqss7m2CayqIYMzZqcnVeuUCoSQsGVCgOi9HoeewyGQfmacZX2AqsK6MBLhLvP41800LqPYHd2Ey8-/s1600/That%2527s+not+what+you+want+your+waist+seam+to+look+like.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioEnME12z0jS02jpNG4GU_LpHkngQQ2oMW90nBcemgvmwnA6CR-6ZG30gatMAsDjBqss7m2CayqIYMzZqcnVeuUCoSQsGVCgOi9HoeewyGQfmacZX2AqsK6MBLhLvP41800LqPYHd2Ey8-/w331-h640/That%2527s+not+what+you+want+your+waist+seam+to+look+like.jpg" width="331" /></a></div>
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That's not what you want your waistline to look like. Even though you're nominally keeping the intended length of the waistline there, by introducing an angle significantly different from 180 degrees you're actually considerably shortening the arch length this waistline covers...<br />
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More than anything, this looks like my old patterns for Barbie, and it's common knowledge that Barbie does not look like a normal human being. (And then I did compare it to a pattern for Barbie, see below, and it's <i>worse</i> because that pattern for Barbie was hand-drafted by <a href="https://www.theshapesoffabric.com/2020/04/12/how-to-draft-patterns-for-diy-barbie-clothes/">someone who knows from drafting</a>.)<br />
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Besides, no one (who isn't going for a historical impression) wants their basic bodice pattern to end in a point at the centre front. <i>The centre front of the waist seam should be at a right angle to the centre front seam / fold</i>, period.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwQfKUJowObn4-UTPnKFstc1xwbC7Lnn2SkMAGnfkPsycT5ZVDIzuhf2AlPYSjOOwT8jJ6kHVbgiQM_fIP1MJRIsJxkGlMDQnWtu6ca4CeeXThC57df-jxyHLdfoDnTNzlGKsM4zMdt7S/s1600/Sloper+base+problems.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="652" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwQfKUJowObn4-UTPnKFstc1xwbC7Lnn2SkMAGnfkPsycT5ZVDIzuhf2AlPYSjOOwT8jJ6kHVbgiQM_fIP1MJRIsJxkGlMDQnWtu6ca4CeeXThC57df-jxyHLdfoDnTNzlGKsM4zMdt7S/s640/Sloper+base+problems.jpg" width="476" /></a></div>
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To get back to my comparison lines, please also look at the apex-to-side-seam line, which I assume to be roughly the bustline. (Ignore the two bustlines, please.) Now, what <i>exactly</i> this says took quite a lot of figuring out for me as well, so let's look at hard numbers.<br />
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Hard numbers are: my apex to waistline measurement is 19 or 20 cm. My side seam measurement (in a tightly fitting garment) tends to be 22 cm. (I may have a low-sitting bust.)<br />
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So while towards the centre of the sloper, as far as dart length, the measurements are about right, towards the right of the pattern it all falls apart.<br />
<br />
The line from the bust to the waistline (AKA the dart legs) is <i>longer than the side seam</i>. And we've just established, in hard numbers, that on the real me it's the other way round.<br />
<br />
There's no way the horizontal lines would really sit horizontally and the vertical lines would really sit vertically on my body. The angles in that tetragon between the dart and the side seam are all wrong. And so... while you're keeping the given measurements in one direction, you're considerably shortening others in the <i>other</i> direction.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-2ETvFjDzzFuUJeIsWBLeHk5xXBNtNGbaGOUs142fdA6ZMNuVj54VCxbscN8q94cye9soxHkKBO48TVIK2XmcC2XrR4enUEGeRELq6G-0REKV9svPW0OsbqCB4FUO7126WIrU7IbslKy/s1600/Shortening+of+distances.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="483" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-2ETvFjDzzFuUJeIsWBLeHk5xXBNtNGbaGOUs142fdA6ZMNuVj54VCxbscN8q94cye9soxHkKBO48TVIK2XmcC2XrR4enUEGeRELq6G-0REKV9svPW0OsbqCB4FUO7126WIrU7IbslKy/s640/Shortening+of+distances.jpg" width="464" /></a></div>
<br />
When I measure the pattern in <i>this</i> direction, underarm to base of the dart, and compare it to the same measurement on myself...<br />
<br />
... my actual measurement is <i>twice as big</i>. (Not exaggerating at all! Twice as big! 36 cm.)<br />
<br />
You will see what this does in 3D later...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2u0CLNtpu3OaXCLExhI4r4otlMiZTY9t9dB4sc5xW2SAcjDh6jXPEdWJSGnLA8wEpvjGaKj5wP4GAo8np6DU5WESZvdCwrw8ujod0_dt3-OCDm7RKh0YmzVi5KUgFiiMcTPfmww7fxzxI/s1600/Bust+placement.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="620" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2u0CLNtpu3OaXCLExhI4r4otlMiZTY9t9dB4sc5xW2SAcjDh6jXPEdWJSGnLA8wEpvjGaKj5wP4GAo8np6DU5WESZvdCwrw8ujod0_dt3-OCDm7RKh0YmzVi5KUgFiiMcTPfmww7fxzxI/s640/Bust+placement.jpg" width="458" /></a></div>
<br />
Still, with my stated apex-to-apex measurement of 20 cm and HPS-to-bust measurement of 31 cm, the placement of the bust point is about right. Even the bust point to waist seam length is still about right in the base - at least along the legs of the dart. So if you ignored the big dart for now and did this in a more rectangular-grid manner <a href="https://youtu.be/LT9pX-kV23U">like Bilikis does</a> and like other patterns on the site do (the vertical red line at the side in my red-marked picture above kind of illustrates that rectangular grid), some of the theory behind all this might be fairly sound. At a cursory glance it looks sounder than Bilikis' nearly symmetrical back and front... (I've been referring back to Bilikis a lot lately...)<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, just like you want your waist seam at the centre front to be horizontal, you probably also want your vertical waist dart to be indeed more or less vertical, which is where Bilikis gets it right and this draft begins to get it all wrong.<br />
<br />
Theoretically, without taking into account the waist seam and side seam angles, the garment would look something like this: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLdna41hufc14UgcRpWqL-ZPJoHJWxXkU6Zghj1RwHu741XOtK1LR0cYZ60TD8eXxCUzewt4rdCLApxr6a1LnPhtgdeTgy722DQMQkLfiRdiFkjBoCK7jmnQ-0Z9eH8WtyznNuHYQPwIf/s1600/Resulting+garment.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="309" data-original-width="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLdna41hufc14UgcRpWqL-ZPJoHJWxXkU6Zghj1RwHu741XOtK1LR0cYZ60TD8eXxCUzewt4rdCLApxr6a1LnPhtgdeTgy722DQMQkLfiRdiFkjBoCK7jmnQ-0Z9eH8WtyznNuHYQPwIf/s1600/Resulting+garment.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Theoretically.<br />
<br />
That dart slant may be about right for historical clothes (mental note to self...), but A) that's not what we're after here; B) even if we were, the rest of it is still wrong.<br />
<br />
So in 3D practice, <i>nothing</i> sits where it should. <br />
<br />
(And yes, I know this is just the base and not the finished pattern,
but if you get the base wrong it will all go downhill from there, so
none of this is improved in the finished pattern!) <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div><p>
<br />
With printer, paper, scissors, Scotch tape, and a handy knitting needle, I could neatly demonstrate how bad this gets in 3D.</p><p></p><p></p><p>And when I say "bad"...</p><p></p><p>... I mean "it barely fits together".</p><p><br />
This is my "actual" sloper:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2TvAJCuCIKHBHi_wtSAFNmE66aJ0wwLnvdEMgSGCA3QTnpPHPmT8r3pdCC0ryvMhrU7c7-a3rOP4hJPSFYTgRK-mj7moRdKQqrMeGZs8FRA5yxiGSbYTujIYHWLu9liodNDueVIvHqUdx/s781/IMG_2232.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="614" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2TvAJCuCIKHBHi_wtSAFNmE66aJ0wwLnvdEMgSGCA3QTnpPHPmT8r3pdCC0ryvMhrU7c7-a3rOP4hJPSFYTgRK-mj7moRdKQqrMeGZs8FRA5yxiGSbYTujIYHWLu9liodNDueVIvHqUdx/s320/IMG_2232.JPG" /></a></div><br /><p>This is the Breanna base, with back from the sloper since the base has none:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuh2aMGXHIg0vLEcOPyYGTDLjXVmbfhsX0ezMD_NxEDGwqf3I8Jc-w3vvrorS6Y0YR4I_ybHQI5chPTRfDtpt9E1cFNowKz6l_HUTX9uFYMVC7xpVRGFbqU1wB-ALOTwMoWbwUbxJO6NMm/s909/IMG_2234.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuh2aMGXHIg0vLEcOPyYGTDLjXVmbfhsX0ezMD_NxEDGwqf3I8Jc-w3vvrorS6Y0YR4I_ybHQI5chPTRfDtpt9E1cFNowKz6l_HUTX9uFYMVC7xpVRGFbqU1wB-ALOTwMoWbwUbxJO6NMm/s320/IMG_2234.JPG" /></a></div><br /><p>This is the full-blown Breanna sloper:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgl7qt5AuCjR1cm497VQcUfekyT86n0EbOpEoG7ZWw6V4GnyvwDuu6dKc4LjNKY8OR_vnaEIYvpgs_y5pjLOdIjLthSDRm43XvCNZZi4CrNQAYZL5WyQKKPHJORbeuD-p1T0qMvOXzQGqu/s927/IMG_2233.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="702" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgl7qt5AuCjR1cm497VQcUfekyT86n0EbOpEoG7ZWw6V4GnyvwDuu6dKc4LjNKY8OR_vnaEIYvpgs_y5pjLOdIjLthSDRm43XvCNZZi4CrNQAYZL5WyQKKPHJORbeuD-p1T0qMvOXzQGqu/s320/IMG_2233.JPG" /></a></div><br /><p>Notice, among the things not yet fully pointed out, how the deep back armhole utterly distorts the shape of the "garment".<br /></p><p>Just for good measure, all of them from the front, with bonus Barbie pattern at the left:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdSeYceR-4_0vWAqc98e5f8thw1-gkyF07De98YO3KK5YF53Sq4l5Lo3-mXHbRzP0UeMxC6GQRs-NCTYeDzsyV81eZLuY_Q9lK6tYP43V2zyD8MZSGBhV4STqkBfGusIC7or_eZHalJG0/s2791/IMG_2230.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1127" data-original-width="2791" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdSeYceR-4_0vWAqc98e5f8thw1-gkyF07De98YO3KK5YF53Sq4l5Lo3-mXHbRzP0UeMxC6GQRs-NCTYeDzsyV81eZLuY_Q9lK6tYP43V2zyD8MZSGBhV4STqkBfGusIC7or_eZHalJG0/w400-h161/IMG_2230.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">
* * *<br />
</p><p><br />
I assume this draft is doing some sort of widening of the dart and bodice from the upper left origin point through bust point depending on bust-to-waist ratio, and therefore also rotating the direction of the side seam accordingly:
<br />
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKD7jpO1krFB_kpPvI-zixV7hltc8KaaOdJ126D0hsa7SVGk_XSGWDt_9eHTiJmyJJStYdhMBpWc8LW5Ug7Gdh51HOgETLZK8_u1GYqx3_hfwIMBf3RgTgi-h6a7foD9jRSBZRXWZXbc83/s1600/Conical+drafting+in+the+wrong+direction.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1454" data-original-width="1148" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKD7jpO1krFB_kpPvI-zixV7hltc8KaaOdJ126D0hsa7SVGk_XSGWDt_9eHTiJmyJJStYdhMBpWc8LW5Ug7Gdh51HOgETLZK8_u1GYqx3_hfwIMBf3RgTgi-h6a7foD9jRSBZRXWZXbc83/s400/Conical+drafting+in+the+wrong+direction.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><p>
<br />
The problem is, of course, that this way I end up with that ridiculous centre front point, an increasing disappearance / distortion of my actual bust-to-waist length, a dart that is exceedingly big, and a side seam that is angled <i>out</i> despite the fact my waist measurement is 20 cm smaller than my bust measurement...<br />
<br />What you would really want to be doing is basically treating the side seam as another dart. Which is what the rectangular construction does.</p><p> <br />
</p><div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div>
<br />
So yes, as a direct result of all that, in the Breanna sloper I end up with a side seam that is a whopping <u><i>7 cm</i></u> shorter than it should be:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5Y9RIo4vtgEYvcE4_of1SK1J42ylfvL7j9ONR9B2nSyxNp6S6TjCFptgYEfku4DQN8CYRuMUQRv17Lq2z8U8EWkDGiuoaEwkkZviUsEjiZnWMZB_qCiyqY1SsQaRJDP3gcREPcmtUBgf/s1600/Side+seam+too+short.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1038" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5Y9RIo4vtgEYvcE4_of1SK1J42ylfvL7j9ONR9B2nSyxNp6S6TjCFptgYEfku4DQN8CYRuMUQRv17Lq2z8U8EWkDGiuoaEwkkZviUsEjiZnWMZB_qCiyqY1SsQaRJDP3gcREPcmtUBgf/s640/Side+seam+too+short.jpg" width="553" /></a></div>
<br />
And that's clearly a problem that, with the coding, carries over into the back pattern piece and gives you the extremely improbable back
sloper shapes I ended up with. (With a waist dart so short it doesn't go
anywhere near my shoulder blade level!)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div>
<br />
Now obviously the theory behind the draft is that some of that huge dart space in the base pattern will be rotated into the secondary bust dart. Except that when your base pattern is already flawed, that won't fix it - and the coding of that situation does, in fact, only exacerbate it because the way it treats the rotating of darts is flawed (I'll get to that). So the whole waist seam / side seam angle situation becomes <i>even worse</i>. Moreover, the weird angled vertical waist dart shape is also still very much present...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPs9ivucJtHkzawGByfgEWSzoqfmzkfkKQM4S73WImeDADCponGAuonXBuIXjXjCRSBhw0UpO2a6svfhumhCYrKdiwhHPZWgVcf3qjm0npvKf3-1hhVhLWigKQlfgG6HZp6w9nXMTbIMia/s1600/Sloper+comparison+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="438" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPs9ivucJtHkzawGByfgEWSzoqfmzkfkKQM4S73WImeDADCponGAuonXBuIXjXjCRSBhw0UpO2a6svfhumhCYrKdiwhHPZWgVcf3qjm0npvKf3-1hhVhLWigKQlfgG6HZp6w9nXMTbIMia/s640/Sloper+comparison+2.jpg" width="363" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
By now it should be clear why the Breanna angles are all wrong. And you should see how there's a good chunk of side seam missing.<br />
<br />
Now look at this comparison between the base pattern and the sloper...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_L_kCYMroDFTCK_qv_F1bqNOew22hDfGBXnrjDo70QF4pRgznNFX3LyGshxdsrIHELC-q6LV-QzAUNwss_XK8DQm-1dqKALPxktrbMnNq7-eXAqHRbfTe7ee9pm8kwwZGtfuFqCnDztW_/s1600/Sloper+comparison+3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="528" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_L_kCYMroDFTCK_qv_F1bqNOew22hDfGBXnrjDo70QF4pRgznNFX3LyGshxdsrIHELC-q6LV-QzAUNwss_XK8DQm-1dqKALPxktrbMnNq7-eXAqHRbfTe7ee9pm8kwwZGtfuFqCnDztW_/s640/Sloper+comparison+3.jpg" width="445" /></a></div>
<br />
Why is the waist dart <i>even more slanted </i>in the basic vertical position?<i> </i>Why is not even its axis vertical? That rather defies my powers of explanation, but when I project the axis further, I begin to suspect it's because somehow in this position they're assuming an axis that runs to the centre of the shoulder. Because princess seams I guess? Except that's not how darts and princess seams work in 3D, as we've seen in my paper models.<br />
<br />
If we want to know why it gets even shorter in center front, it may help to look at what happens when we move the waist dart just a step from the "06:00" position to the "17:00" position:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjUT3NKbdOQjdM2plRXxfR8pSnbw-gVxSBnr-S7HkIU5rJ4xIpRSDQivkLo_EgEfU1plLTh7WsPevg4y-ldpSqJOV-eDVV1UiNCNm-42DUrekdBGdIHL0jb57mWwtefUm6w8vbwXT8MTP/s1600/Ridiculous+darts+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjUT3NKbdOQjdM2plRXxfR8pSnbw-gVxSBnr-S7HkIU5rJ4xIpRSDQivkLo_EgEfU1plLTh7WsPevg4y-ldpSqJOV-eDVV1UiNCNm-42DUrekdBGdIHL0jb57mWwtefUm6w8vbwXT8MTP/s640/Ridiculous+darts+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
But wait, it gets even better at "16:00"!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghakhcGzPHBE-4NfjcycKP53sLthfPPW8EeDWyuHebLhCmeoYBWCq4H5KkuNVJeiiqgJ0gC3DdGhBdN5iIaAVTVGo1gKvuNj0_D1u2ByuFeb7TFHfQ-YnnPvMPw9LsdsrbOJDwP8dP84l6/s1600/Ridiculous+darts+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghakhcGzPHBE-4NfjcycKP53sLthfPPW8EeDWyuHebLhCmeoYBWCq4H5KkuNVJeiiqgJ0gC3DdGhBdN5iIaAVTVGo1gKvuNj0_D1u2ByuFeb7TFHfQ-YnnPvMPw9LsdsrbOJDwP8dP84l6/s640/Ridiculous+darts+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
This is all somehow a problem with the code for rotating darts.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
Speaking of <b>rotating darts</b>, then.<br />
<br />
You know what's the funny thing about rotating darts?<br />
<br />
It's <i>rotating</i>. You're not moving and redistributing the distance between the ends of the dart legs. You're moving and redistributing the <i>angle</i>. Angle as in "degrees of a circular section". That means that:<br />
A) depending on where you move your darts, you may end up with significantly <i>different</i> dart width / length measurements, and still have a pattern that fits the same way the original did, because you're <i>maintaining the way it conforms to the angles of the body underneath it</i>;<br />
B) <i>you're not supposed to change the shape of the outline of the pattern! </i>You're only dividing it into parts and rotating them.<br />
<br />
And obviously that's <i>not</i> what's happening in the FreeSewing code. To sum up what I've observed (though I may be wrong): When <i>redistributing</i> darts into more darts, the code treats them as <i>distance</i>, which is wrong (A). When rotating them in the clock positions, it does seem to treat them as angles (I think?), but it fails to maintain the outline of the pattern piece (it messes with it even in the first case), which is also wrong (B).<br />
<br />
Let's look at this picture again:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoVb5GzlNEjiKAYQtihvXC-eaJTY90PWQ0q7AahyTkjMkBl99l_n03yqcYaPQ24xH02_wi0Fy5mvf5a2U-292R-eNoDDRypMv3Zf2ioNcuf0rLGMkPeBQ5JNV3s4c2VR7ri0MmFUmPr-1/s1600/Sloper+comparison+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="438" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoVb5GzlNEjiKAYQtihvXC-eaJTY90PWQ0q7AahyTkjMkBl99l_n03yqcYaPQ24xH02_wi0Fy5mvf5a2U-292R-eNoDDRypMv3Zf2ioNcuf0rLGMkPeBQ5JNV3s4c2VR7ri0MmFUmPr-1/w363-h640/Sloper+comparison+2.jpg" width="363" /></a></div>
You may notice that my green (actual sloper) side seam is taking away the same amount of waist width by which the green waist dart is smaller than the black (Breanna) waist dart.<br />
<br />
If you're redistributing darts <i>in a parallel fashion along a line</i>, you can treat them like that (although in that case you have to watch where their points are pointing - you don't want to introduce an "apex" where it should not be). This is basically how you e.g. divide a single waist dart into multiple waist darts to better conform to a particularly curvy body.<br />
<br />
However, once you start <i>rotating around a point</i>, things leave the area of distance and enter angle zone.<br />
<br />
Come to think of it, that may become even more obvious when I look at another pattern from the FreeSewing collection:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQopHcBWFSwR32fVMq0KuMzL_LW2pLDnIwKq2dXjeOGUke-3yT32EQmX7E_Gjx2NIiXUWvX1Vwk3WY7C1sjxoqBnP2GuNfGPDqLmCreDP6WETCztK9saLWmkand5PA4X_axQ4L5_28AwkX/s1600/Rectangular+waist+darts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="1244" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQopHcBWFSwR32fVMq0KuMzL_LW2pLDnIwKq2dXjeOGUke-3yT32EQmX7E_Gjx2NIiXUWvX1Vwk3WY7C1sjxoqBnP2GuNfGPDqLmCreDP6WETCztK9saLWmkand5PA4X_axQ4L5_28AwkX/s640/Rectangular+waist+darts.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
This
is just a quick PrintScreen of the Cathrin corset (not my measurements, I was just messing around), with the base at the left and the actual
pattern panels on the right. The Cathrin is an underbust, so if you
would be dealing with the bustline you would be tapering the "darts"
to a different point and different angle - but it should serve to illustrate the
principle neatly. The waistline here remains vertical all throughout. So
if you rotated the "darts" in the front, you would end up with a side
seam angled in direct opposition to what the Breanna does for me and the smaller "standard" sizes.<br />
<br />
... you know what, that's easier to show than describe.<br />
<br />
Front is on the left, back is on the right. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7giI4zEBvTFVChLvOmKxZGhha4BgmPEYR8K_Gs2A1iBTGs_UnPIuaeXreAuK8dx6HRuFJheGUUS1NF1YD8V1BVQf4WzOPwHisCJqyMyvv6RfibPFu9D_wLZ4mUKL_L4bNISz8qAnx3rTn/s1600/Rectangular+waist+darts+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="1088" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7giI4zEBvTFVChLvOmKxZGhha4BgmPEYR8K_Gs2A1iBTGs_UnPIuaeXreAuK8dx6HRuFJheGUUS1NF1YD8V1BVQf4WzOPwHisCJqyMyvv6RfibPFu9D_wLZ4mUKL_L4bNISz8qAnx3rTn/s320/Rectangular+waist+darts+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbRKx2kKyV-FzwPpI38jRem-7KoagPKBHE8QJoWm7e9VAJZiv5J51hALrkXmCq_JYSrmwn5A0IDRAd7yzKvNHP3kZ8gWt-QKMvrogBSaZy3w2q_RBprPT8fCIiJIYBEVZM0HhOfBqvJ2Tm/s1600/Rectangular+waist+darts+3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="1038" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbRKx2kKyV-FzwPpI38jRem-7KoagPKBHE8QJoWm7e9VAJZiv5J51hALrkXmCq_JYSrmwn5A0IDRAd7yzKvNHP3kZ8gWt-QKMvrogBSaZy3w2q_RBprPT8fCIiJIYBEVZM0HhOfBqvJ2Tm/s320/Rectangular+waist+darts+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>
<br />
Imagine a side dart above where the side front piece dips down, and you will probably begin to see how you could build a whole bodice block above this...<br />
<br />
So
yes, it is probably a lot more accurate to draft the basic
women's block on top of a rectangular base anchored at
center-front-waist and center-back waist somewhat like this (just with
some ease instead of <i>negative</i> ease), compared to what the site is currently doing... <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHSQSiFosjI">and guess what, that's where you normally draft your starting lines when drafting women's slopers</a>.<br />
<br />
<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">
* * *</p><p>... with all this theory I came up with for how the sloper code maybe works, I still have no idea why, when toggling for a bigger / smaller underarm dart, <i>both the darts </i>become bigger / smaller.</p><p></p><p>That's wrong on so many levels I'm not even sure where to begin.</p><p>*headdesk*<br />
<br />
</p><div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
The worst thing about all that is that it is basically just <b>Part 1: What Happens to a Longer-Torsoed Larger-Busted Otherwise-Pretty-Rectangular Lady</b>. (I'm not rectangular below the waist, but that doesn't enter into the Breanna pattern.) When it comes to drafting patterns for myself in a more or less rectangular manner, I'm actually pretty straightforward. <br />
<br />
What happened when I entered measurements for a decidedly <b>short-torsoed, narrower-waisted sway-backy lady but with a non-negligible belly protrusion, and with wide bust span</b> ( = the rough measurements I derived from Ludmila Tomková's kacabajka) was that I kept getting an error message... Now obviously those were speculated measurements, and I was lacking her actual neck circumference, shoulder width and measurements below the waist. But I did make some educated guesses based on my own measurements and their standard size estimates so by all rights all the measurements should at least roughly resemble a person who did, at one point, really exist...<br />
<br />
... (I was short on other women to test it at in lockdown, okay?) ...<br />
<br />
... I did even lengthen her vertical measurements to match the estimates better while maintaining the rest of the proportions, and lowered her bust span, and <i>still</i> got an error message...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Eal6Yu4pi3WfSpKqgtxhBciUtHcrra53Cc28RguTTcGjtzyTfVz2gM3c4bHKz0c9sRanaMKvvo_vNiPn_HRNJzor3yEmUh4TS7RhruHLR3V47Mx501oAQs1NgQPyGtjP6c3VyzFof3AX/s1600/Error+message.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1017" data-original-width="1045" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Eal6Yu4pi3WfSpKqgtxhBciUtHcrra53Cc28RguTTcGjtzyTfVz2gM3c4bHKz0c9sRanaMKvvo_vNiPn_HRNJzor3yEmUh4TS7RhruHLR3V47Mx501oAQs1NgQPyGtjP6c3VyzFof3AX/s320/Error+message.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
... which was a pretty good indication that there was something rotten with the base code for women to begin with because aside from her very short torso, general historical smallness and 1840s-corset-influenced bust span, I think her proportions actually are a fairly common shape for adult women. She seems to have a pronounced belly compared to a small bust (in terms of cup size, not overall measurement), but that is, say, something I can see on my own mother...<br />
<br />
I messed around with her measurements more and I widened her neck and changed her shoulder slope, which however of course results in a <i>wrong</i> shoulder slope for her. Only then did I finally get a pattern. Where the base pattern for the front once again demonstrates neatly how this manner of drafting the base indeed does not work:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidjGh4TAx8p8aPQCwJXvYFwrwku8SQVX1w-4pI01ny_gq0jMRunIpuPXcVOJcR-uknD9aDH4IFol1yT7zgdMFt58zrac0tjoIwOvyyHhKkkIpZcU38VIxNq2sqjo0-ylVEkn5KA_QLD6kg/s1600/Ludmila+Tomkov%25C3%25A1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="363" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidjGh4TAx8p8aPQCwJXvYFwrwku8SQVX1w-4pI01ny_gq0jMRunIpuPXcVOJcR-uknD9aDH4IFol1yT7zgdMFt58zrac0tjoIwOvyyHhKkkIpZcU38VIxNq2sqjo0-ylVEkn5KA_QLD6kg/s400/Ludmila+Tomkov%25C3%25A1.jpg" width="312" /></a></div><p>
<br />
You may wonder why I said that shoulder slope is wrong when it seems to match nicely. Well, that's because on the original kacabajka pattern, the front shoulder slope angle is significantly smaller than the back shoulder slope angle - what we're looking at around the shoulders is an 1840s pattern with the shoulder seam pushed backwards, not a contemporary one where you want it sitting directly on the shoulder.<br />
<br />
But because the Breanna drafts the front and back shoulder angle more or less identical (or maybe even the other way round from the kacabajka), you'd actually want far more of an angle there than there is. <i>What you see here is the result of my lengthening the shoulder slope measurement</i> (shoulder point to center back high hip, at the time of writing) to be slightly closer to what they estimate for a standard size. But of course that means this pattern reflects Ms Tomková's real shape even less.<br />
<br />
Despite the fact that I estimate Ms Tomková's shoulder slope angle was more or less identical to mine or my sister's (decidedly existing, real, non-average people), it did not like her with it. Somehow, it seems that <i>big difference between a sway back-y back and a bigger-belly overbust front length measurement</i> was exactly what the code did not like and why it kept spitting out an error message.</p><p>Yet those are all features I see on a lot of decidedly existing, real ladies in the Curvy Sewing Community.<br />
<br />
So it definitely needs to be reworked entirely.<br />
<br />
</p><div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div>
<br />
<b>Final notes to the developers of the FreeSewing.org site:</b> As I said, I have no idea how the code works so I have no idea how exactly to deal with all this on a programming level. But you may want to:<br />
A) Somehow rework the code to <i>maintain the outline of the basic pattern when rotating darts</i>.<br />
B) Include the <i>side seam measurement</i> in your set of measurements
somehow. It's a very helpful measurement to be aware of and stick to
when you're drafting for female curves. A similar sort of thing could probably be covered by a HPS-to-bottom-of-shoulder-blade measurement (that's what the back dart is there for), because that's obviously also the level where the Breanna back piece <i>fails miserably</i> right now.<br />
C) Considering Ms Tomková and the many women (or even men, come to think of it) with belly protrusions and / or sway backs, including the <i>natural waist front</i> (and front hips, and front "seat") measurement (i.e. vertical measurements only in the front) would also be very helpful for capturing the real shape of the body.<br />
D) Speaking of curves: A thing I noticed in patterns other than the Breanna. I do carry more of my hip mass in the bones on the sides so the rectangular style of drafting that area would probably work for me just fine for the most part; but probably the absolute majority of curvy women tends to carry it in other types of tissue in other areas than the side seam, so in your rectangular-drafted patterns for women, especially the more detailed ones, you may generally want to look into ways to redistribute the width differential more evenly, like some sort of toggling dart width and placement that would change the side seam angle maybe? Something a bit more precise than just your current contour / waist ease settings somehow... (This is one area where you can absolutely do that through width!)<br />
E) While you are at it, could you maybe please include all those pretty armscye and sleeve cap adjustment functions with the Breanna? I know for a fact certain styles of lower but more curved sleeve caps set into higher armscyes fit me much better than the super-basic eased tall narrow one. :-)<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Final note to regular readers:</b> This was written in mid-May of 2020 (with revisions for readability in October of that year), and the Breanna was only introduced in February 2020. I'm holding out hopes that if you read this at a much later date, things will have changed... :-)Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-73455837690087496932020-05-11T15:33:00.001+02:002020-10-20T12:26:45.837+02:00Throwback: The Andrea blouse and patternThis dates back to the era of BurdaStyle as a website for OpenSource patterns, and BurdaStyle as a sewing community. Digging back, it seems I made this blouse in 2008? Definitely finished it in 2008. It predates this blog, and was actually one of the first items of clothing I ever made for myself... preceded by a "medieval" (ha-ha) dress and an evening dress! I always had a habit of jumping headfirst into sewing projects without regard for the order of their perceived difficulty ratings. :D<br />
<br />
In retrospect, it's absolutely no wonder I've developed the
sewing persona and habits I have if, out of the first three garments I
ever made for myself, one was drafted based on a scaled draft, one was
made from a heavily altered pattern, and one was a completely new design
drafted from a basic sloper! There's no way I was ever going to end up
the sort of sewist who buys and has to try all the newest patterns! :D<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_GD2jy6wXDXO7roMUjQrKjM9LUhxqbcDGwhBpc6WHA-lle0N3DcEsHue2fei2ukRlEUnQbB9NlY_SRiTn_0293UavKAWw4HQZ0hRNAvknMEe3GZ4aeTTY3B6Jk5PIcOp-_7TJurtyYUr/s1600/Andrea+zp%25C5%2599edu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_GD2jy6wXDXO7roMUjQrKjM9LUhxqbcDGwhBpc6WHA-lle0N3DcEsHue2fei2ukRlEUnQbB9NlY_SRiTn_0293UavKAWw4HQZ0hRNAvknMEe3GZ4aeTTY3B6Jk5PIcOp-_7TJurtyYUr/s1600/Andrea+zp%25C5%2599edu.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Old photos demonstrating that my habit of wearing headscarves is
already more than ten years old... and that my problem of finding
well-fitting RTW trousers is a lifelong one.</i></div>
<br />
<br />
That era of BurdaStyle as a sewing community is now definitively <i>gone</i>. Just like the blouse.<br />
<br />
The physical object no longer fit me, and was worn and the
colours washed out... so recently I cut it up and am in the process of
turning it into patchwork pillowcases for my sister. Well, technically, I
would be far more in the process of if the project were not
currently 180 kms away... <br />
<br />
(I wasn't even in the habit of visiting the BurdaStyle site for the past couple of years, so I was surprised to find out it was completely remade when I ventured there recently - I'm not sure when the change happened. But everything is gone. It's truly and fully nothing but a shop now, and as you can guess from the previous paragraphs, I definitely don't need it.)<br />
<br />
This blouse was my first pattern of my own, drafted from a basic sloper (provided back then by BurdaStyle user JJ), based on my own design, my own idea, and so it will always be special.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_jsnp-5QSmePwIRWyacgqi4NHuQw4k-NklnCsJMEMpPYDh8JBukk6FqUMLbmwpWW4Lb08xaQoy0BdSU_QXskW09eh6ESUU3boFPK1xbZmt1lSAzrup44RZpiRvYTxN2PNV-5dHVfoZ9j/s1600/Andrea+-+prvn%25C3%25AD+n%25C3%25A1vrh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="642" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_jsnp-5QSmePwIRWyacgqi4NHuQw4k-NklnCsJMEMpPYDh8JBukk6FqUMLbmwpWW4Lb08xaQoy0BdSU_QXskW09eh6ESUU3boFPK1xbZmt1lSAzrup44RZpiRvYTxN2PNV-5dHVfoZ9j/s320/Andrea+-+prvn%25C3%25AD+n%25C3%25A1vrh.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The original idea counted on colour blocking or at least several colours / patterns of fabric, which I eventually scrapped in part because I did not have that many coordinating fabrics of the same type. I also played with the idea of back lacing which I think was quite "in" at the time (also, hey, I've always loved historical costumes), and scrapped that because, well, back lacing isn't very practical.</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Also I named it after the little girl who was baptised the day I
finished it, so even though I'm not sure how many times I've even met
her after that, it is a rather specially named pattern that way. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoqC-Vkh_jb9iu_t0I40Db7-chwN0K_ja2__NFE8lo0AYRJ4bCPjCPpysncWV4sFlSxc8cw0N5v_MtxtPMOKxwdam8C1dJVi3h4mvFvi0W98UXazrJmOoTGlJ1wuGqyg1UM1xNEd2R0jH/s1600/Andrea+zezadu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoqC-Vkh_jb9iu_t0I40Db7-chwN0K_ja2__NFE8lo0AYRJ4bCPjCPpysncWV4sFlSxc8cw0N5v_MtxtPMOKxwdam8C1dJVi3h4mvFvi0W98UXazrJmOoTGlJ1wuGqyg1UM1xNEd2R0jH/s1600/Andrea+zezadu.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i>And as you can see, I eventually adjusted the back seams to echo the front more. It's much better balanced that way! And more fun! I dislike patterns that have inventive designs in the front and boring standard seam / dart configurations in the back.</i></div>
<br />
The blouse used to have a record on the BurdaStyle site, including a single-size PDF download of the pattern, but as I said, that is now gone, and the record only lives on <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120301160400/http://www.burdastyle.com/projects/andrea-blouse">in the Wayback Machine</a> - without the PDF (and including my early confusion concerning invisible zippers if you go further back in history :D - it was a regular one). Plus there's <a href="http://marmota-b.blog.cz/0804/halenka-andrea">my old Czech blog post</a> - now picture-less. ETA: Actually, now that blog is gone, too (the platform is gone), and only lives on <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20111129003852/http://marmota-b.blog.cz/">in the Wayback Machine</a>.<br />
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<br />
I forgot to take more photos than these original ones before I took it apart. So you only have my word for all the beginner mistakes I made... such as trimming the seam allowances too fine as I zig-zagged them (together, too, I suspect - you can kind of see that it even affects the fit in the back), before I even tried it on properly. It wasn't that a big problem with this piece, but it's not a habit you want to maintain in general. :D<br />
<br />
There's also the matter of my not knowing anything about understitching - so I topstitched around the neckline instead. Again, not a big problem with this casual blouse but not a habit you want to get into in general!<br />
<br />
And somewhere between my forgetting some details from <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080411092756/http://vintagesewing.info/1940s/42-mpd/mpd-05.html">the drafting tutorial</a>, the block I used having come without sleeves, and my generally not yet knowing the wisdom of measuring patterns against my own measurements, the sleeves originally ended up a tad too tight - so the underarm gusset was a necessity. One I fell in love with, though. :D<br />
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<br />
Looking at these photos now, and remembering how I did things compared to what I now know about my usual adjustments, I think I probably should have lengthened it in the upper part / lowered the bust point / raised the shoulder seam, too... I suspect that was also part of the reason the sleeves originally ended up too tight. Not having done that, however, does make the resulting pattern a bit more usable as a general pattern. :-)<br />
<br />
... I kind of forgot about my old Czech blog; I don't use it anymore because that old Czech platform is pretty clunky. I now found out there that the thrifted pillowcase from which I made the blouse cost only 5 CZK (!!!), and that the yellow fabric I used for the teeny piping along the sleeves cost 10 CZK (and it cycles back to today because I think I have now used some of that fabric for face masks...).<br />
<br />
That blog post is also a bit cringe-worthy because I had frankly no idea what I was doing or how to write about these things in a logical manner. :D<br />
<br />
<b>Pattern!</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3btUdiN8o-ep2NXQiOJnVj3IDTihh7ANlMxk5inc-WUdE8ZZpwgEUzAWWIgVr7J5163XjveJhyphenhyphenFwyBbUpc23sTGn2Iap8KZpt-l12XIUMcwAz2F0EAd8tnBGXYiK8MmjXNAI7AfzQLS4/s1600/Andrea+-+st%25C5%2599ih2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="555" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3btUdiN8o-ep2NXQiOJnVj3IDTihh7ANlMxk5inc-WUdE8ZZpwgEUzAWWIgVr7J5163XjveJhyphenhyphenFwyBbUpc23sTGn2Iap8KZpt-l12XIUMcwAz2F0EAd8tnBGXYiK8MmjXNAI7AfzQLS4/s400/Andrea+-+st%25C5%2599ih2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I retained my habit of drafting patterns on newsprint ads for many years after. I don't do it anymore, in part because we don't end up with them in the mailbox anymore (or only rarely maybe?). But it's actually not such a bad habit - if you don't mind drafting on already printed things and having to peer closely to see your lines! :D (I would always do the final markings in a black pen.) Re-using useless stuff isn't a bad thing to do; these days I still have a habit of e.g. taping together office papers printed from one side...<br />
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<br />
Here's the original pattern, as-is: Drafted at Burda size 38 in the bust (88 cm), c. size 36 in the waist (66 cm), widening back to size 38 (94 cm) or even 40 (98 cm) for the hips; the bodice lengthened in the waist to fit my long torso, and pretty narrow sleeves. No seam allowances.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9hq0s_-cBLGbUwyQktXdTV3S3c/view?usp=sharing">Download original Andrea blouse pattern</a><br />
<br />
I have an ambition of turning it into a more standard-size multi-sized one - but I'll leave that for the future (because it would hopefully also involve sewing a new version for myself and doing some sort of tutorial!).Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-27027002110683951322020-05-10T14:56:00.002+02:002020-05-10T14:56:22.241+02:00A simple trick for clipping / notching seam allowances<br />
It's another thing I learnt from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-uJSwODjLMuC6jVU_pupPg">Bilikis</a>. She doesn't even describe it; she just does it whenever she notches seam allowances (so it usually ends up being sped up!).<br />
<br />
When you have a curved seam that needs to have the seam allowance clipped into / notched, it can be a tedious and slightly perilous job. But if you fold your piece at the spot where you need to clip, and cut into your seam allowance along the fold, both sides of the triangular notch at once like this...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhRewH46ISqe8ANHbI9g9-MFPMawaL9IYeCZMVN0ow-CrSGxDzYD3LPEMsOYv4WTk7_N2Tu3Txf6XoJ7RndyMjGivZHMCiJ9WVfHCQ0q4TdKPv4BOhzlHbhLWOl7-XV6MYjNC5Tr1acl6/s1600/IMG_2136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhRewH46ISqe8ANHbI9g9-MFPMawaL9IYeCZMVN0ow-CrSGxDzYD3LPEMsOYv4WTk7_N2Tu3Txf6XoJ7RndyMjGivZHMCiJ9WVfHCQ0q4TdKPv4BOhzlHbhLWOl7-XV6MYjNC5Tr1acl6/s400/IMG_2136.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
... it goes much faster and it's much easier to ensure you don't snip all the way into your seam (without needing to bring <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOTsPUj_Lbk">a craft knife</a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"> into your sewing room and move your project to a cutting mat!</a>)<br />
<br />
Really simple, eh? :-) It barely rates the name of tutorial but... it's supremely helpful, and clearly isn't common knowledge, so let's tag it with that, too.Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-12531021490715721452020-04-12T18:05:00.003+02:002020-04-12T18:05:33.608+02:00He's not here, he's risenAnd it's Easter Sunday and I'm alive.<br />
<br />
Which, given the current worldwide situation, and my last post featuring a flu, is far less of a given than it may normally seem.<br />
<br />
There have been sudden upheavals in my life since the last post.<br />
<br />
But it's Easter Sunday. It's <i>still</i> Easter Sunday. I watched / listened to a service, and I sung Easter songs.<br />
<br />
It's sunny outside and it's Easter Sunday.<br />
<br />
... I can't get enough of that fact, possibly because I did not get to share it with many other people "live". But in a way, that's the only element missing from my requirements for Easter Sunday - it's sunny, and trees are in white bloom, and I did get to sing my two favourite Easter songs, and listen to a sermon. So that's the absolute majority of my personal Easter requirements checked, so I'm doing pretty well all things considered.<br />
<br />
I had a bit of a habit, in the past years, to post at Easter - I even have a tag for it. So it seemed like a good opportunity to rear my head in the blogosphere again.<br />
<br />
And I'm making things. They're not always the things I thought I would be making this year. But that's practically tradition with me by now. So, yeah. Nice worsted things, or finishing the whole of my folk costume? Probably not happening anytime soon.<br />
<br />
Hand-knitted socks? Happening sooner than I thought. Right now, one. In about three days, I expect to have a pair, and then on to more. (The least enjoyable part is casting on. With most of the rest, I can sit in front of a computer and watch things, like videos from the Ffestiniog Railway with my father.)<br />
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Knitted mitts of a vaguely historical nature are happening.<br />
<br />
New Regency stays based on Bernhardt's Fig. F (which for some reason not many costumers have used so far, despite the greater ease of adjustment with more seams?) are probably still happening.<br />
<br />
Also, historical recipes are still happening every now and then, although I don't think that's anything I will ever document with much consistency. There has been Welsh rabbit. There will be something with eggs from Rettigová (and I should probably take care to document that). Beyond that it's anyone's guess.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div>
<br />
Aside from Sunday services online, and regular fixed-days-of-the-week calls with mom, what's helping me along is videos from Kate on The Last Homely House channel. Kate is great. Kate has four cats. And chickens. And a goose. And bees. She's creative and imaginative and friendly and fun.<br />
<br />
What's getting on my nerves right now is town PA. On Easter Sunday. They could have done that on Saturday instead, blegh. Especially because they're right now reminding us that going to church is not good and you should only watch services online. A bit late for that, folks, I've already done that. :D<br />
<br />
But that was the last announcement for today. It's still sunny, and it's still Easter Sunday, and I think I'm going to cast the rest of my stitches in the garden. There were supposed to be photos in this post, but I have better things to do.Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-5167672895845594622020-02-17T21:00:00.002+01:002020-11-17T14:48:59.749+01:00Deciphering Historical Clothes: A c. 1840 corset & Drafting a pattern from photosI've been stuck at home with a flu for over a week. After the first couple of days when I really felt awful, I now feel mostly okay except for a bit of a cough, a bit of a temperature and the fact any sort of physical activity tires me very quickly.<br />
So I'm stuck mostly sitting down and trying to invent ways not to go crazy with boredom and do something more productive at least with my mind.<br />
<br />
Which in Marmotaland sooner or later means DECIPHERING HISTORICAL CLOTHES.<br />
<br />
I have corsetry on my mind, what with deciding that I need to make myself new Regency stays (my size has changed so much that I eventually figured out altering <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2014/07/hsf-12-shape-and-support-my-regency.html">my old ones</a> was probably more trouble than it was worth, alas). Along the line, I got to wondering about some 1830s-1840s corsets without bust gussets (I always have the 1840s low-key in my mind because the discontinued kacabajka adventures hang over me), and that led me to <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/82069">this c. 1840 corset in the Met</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTnaf8kmYR5-uzMUHhfAYqBsG3HAu3TwIGczlzTTz-tWT1WmceMCzQYlrbMBHDKWl7eBEnNPML366tu8QE9JTNgjOcs4uWdCOo18BhD7urlnOlZ9ApIKReHHvT_H2NUUjC6KnsdTmmZQ_/s1600/1839-41+corset.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="697" data-original-width="501" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTnaf8kmYR5-uzMUHhfAYqBsG3HAu3TwIGczlzTTz-tWT1WmceMCzQYlrbMBHDKWl7eBEnNPML366tu8QE9JTNgjOcs4uWdCOo18BhD7urlnOlZ9ApIKReHHvT_H2NUUjC6KnsdTmmZQ_/s640/1839-41+corset.jpg" width="458" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://ateliernostalgia.wordpress.com/2018/12/30/a-corset-for-the-late-1830s-sort-of/">Atelier Nostalgia</a> (who has recreated it and whose blog post directed my attention back to this particular one) noted that it has no bust gussets. Which she says was unusual but I think it was actually quite common at that particular point in time and soon ceased to be so for some unknown reason - plenty of the c. 1830s corsets are simple "princess seamed" affairs. She also noted that the museum helpfully provided lots of detailed photos.<br />
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Those photos are, of course, ideal for deciphering.<br />
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Behold my usual messy colour-coded pictures:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOjhqUyUXpGXNqR-oB7lff8UnmHuMX2RLJz2qOHomcazk3hVlUGKcDGR7bdLcsYMrbAMD6qtGNrG64p6Vt6UOTL3odw6aTmt9yMnPZisKncByD2Ac248Bqi_OjT64iU3H6-UdN5HrZvPu6/s1600/1839-41+silk+MET+C.I.38.23.10b_F1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1267" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOjhqUyUXpGXNqR-oB7lff8UnmHuMX2RLJz2qOHomcazk3hVlUGKcDGR7bdLcsYMrbAMD6qtGNrG64p6Vt6UOTL3odw6aTmt9yMnPZisKncByD2Ac248Bqi_OjT64iU3H6-UdN5HrZvPu6/s640/1839-41+silk+MET+C.I.38.23.10b_F1.jpg" width="506" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvnWcSkobzEDUEHr_YXIqbBj8FZKuG45sQ9AX9YA_nzZG2VQte43dyZBtDw7BwdNay2qLJ3jU_3eQn41l1Gb58NSh831YsFv1pww8ONXU8OzV9xpl1Vd35MnNHSy-7RmtIbwpUvJN3v1RE/s1600/1839-41+silk+MET+C.I.38.23.10b_B1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1205" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvnWcSkobzEDUEHr_YXIqbBj8FZKuG45sQ9AX9YA_nzZG2VQte43dyZBtDw7BwdNay2qLJ3jU_3eQn41l1Gb58NSh831YsFv1pww8ONXU8OzV9xpl1Vd35MnNHSy-7RmtIbwpUvJN3v1RE/s640/1839-41+silk+MET+C.I.38.23.10b_B1.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Blue</span> is for seamlines between pattern pieces.<br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;">Purple</span> is for boning and the front busk.<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;">Red</span> is for the very narrow boning channels which may involve narrow baleen (is it possible to make baleen so narow? I have no idea), or cording, or even reed - which you can totally still use in Victorian corsets! To which <a href="http://haabet.dk/patent/39909/index.html">this 1863 patent by Lavinia H. Foy</a> attests with this sentence: "Rattan and whalebone strips can be inserted in the usual manner..."<br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;">Green</span> is for grainlines. Sorry for making it so pale; I didn't want to cover the details underneath too much with all my scribblings, and went a bit overboard on the transparency. It should be easier to see in the full size. (What's not accounted for in my pictures and what I did eventually figure out is that the front hip gusset is also cut on bias. I am still not entirely sure about the back gusset but I think it might be on straight of grain.)<br />
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The corset is made from satin, which is a beast for determining grainlines even in real life, let alone in photos. Luckily, some of the photos are VERY detailed, allowing me to make a better guess, especially because in some places the fabric is a bit worn, which exposes the yarns more and makes it less of a quesswork. Also the lining (see additional photos at the museum site) is plainweave, which also helps; although I think the lining doesn't <i>quite</i> match the outer, it does more or less correspond to it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLmyEnGE-ACrKGJqHPpcHUqquuerCpZwF_xACS5BNFJFPxOIl7P2nkMWwPLVHIe_SBkUBHNN6fDaLr1c8jJ2kaxjfYZny7AUNdf2GYPLaBylWLNYX5zgGS-wo5wD8UJ8IBZw8hwg_3LFw/s1600/1839-41+silk+MET+C.I.38.23.10b_d1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="1600" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLmyEnGE-ACrKGJqHPpcHUqquuerCpZwF_xACS5BNFJFPxOIl7P2nkMWwPLVHIe_SBkUBHNN6fDaLr1c8jJ2kaxjfYZny7AUNdf2GYPLaBylWLNYX5zgGS-wo5wD8UJ8IBZw8hwg_3LFw/s400/1839-41+silk+MET+C.I.38.23.10b_d1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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What struck me was that the centre front was not cut on straight of grain, and neither was the side piece - leading my train of thought straight back to my Regency stays enterprise and <a href="https://kleidungum1800.blogspot.com/2013/05/short-stays-studies-schnurleib-studien.html">the Bernhardt stays, specifically Fig. F</a>.<br />
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There are definite similarities between this corset and the Bernhardt stays when you look closely (aside from the aforementioned, the hip flare is basically just an addition to bring the corset lower down the hips). That got me so excited about this corset as a possible sort of missing link between Regency and Victorian styles that I went ahead and roughly drafted out the pattern for myself in Inkscape, more or less following the principles lined out in Cathy Hay's <a href="http://foundationsrevealed.com/free-articles/68-the-new-corset-drafting-masterclass">Corset Making Revolution article</a>. (ETA Nov 2020: Sorry, that's no longer available. The Foundations Revealed website has changed the way it works and there are no free articles now.)<br />
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And it worked.<br />
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Well, obviously I haven't made a mock-up yet. But my experiment did yield a pattern that looks like a good starting point for that. It's also similar to <a href="http://www.abitiantichi.it/collezione/busti/busto46.html">this possibly early 1850s corset</a> on the Abiti Antichi site (which still has shoulder straps and on the other hand seems to have some sort of proto-opening-busk), so it's probably a very good basic style for the <strike>1840s</strike> mid-19th century.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyIzDMup7_VlOWPhdj5X9aUajhLREAPC4SU7x6OTuSRMjUT06fu75AB-K9DndYbsWn3LNh5BeGDN2HffppOMIeCbVl5y2VRc41nAKMx-VgE5QvBFjQ-0-ZE-ppmvM1jC4oAnD84cx4r2R/s1600/1840s+Abiti+Antichi+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="550" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyIzDMup7_VlOWPhdj5X9aUajhLREAPC4SU7x6OTuSRMjUT06fu75AB-K9DndYbsWn3LNh5BeGDN2HffppOMIeCbVl5y2VRc41nAKMx-VgE5QvBFjQ-0-ZE-ppmvM1jC4oAnD84cx4r2R/s640/1840s+Abiti+Antichi+1.jpg" width="475" /></a></div>
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<br />
But more than that, as Atelier Nostalgia also noted, it's also a style that you can find it later corsets as well. And not just the 1850s. It looks surprisingly similar in principle to <a href="http://haabet.dk/patent/130983/index.html">a couple</a> <a href="http://haabet.dk/patent/79647/index.html">corset</a> <a href="http://haabet.dk/patent/143479/index.html">patterns</a> <a href="http://haabet.dk/patent/39964/index.html">in patents</a> from the 1860s and 1870s on the Haabet site.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTF8L1gaoXESB_oCjSW81fYaRW7sKGTWZEoGiDYX1sgr9AhFiVVxIYcn3O90Mfi8drgAIs7UUtSXeRw5mdlAPFE73QiKga1cQI7HJzL8cCZKhNQUnqSGRite1jw5DBdcZ2d03gg7EbhT7D/s1600/us000079647-001_.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="866" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTF8L1gaoXESB_oCjSW81fYaRW7sKGTWZEoGiDYX1sgr9AhFiVVxIYcn3O90Mfi8drgAIs7UUtSXeRw5mdlAPFE73QiKga1cQI7HJzL8cCZKhNQUnqSGRite1jw5DBdcZ2d03gg7EbhT7D/s400/us000079647-001_.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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And, from my browsing of museum collections, it also looks like a style that, with slight variations, <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/87377">carried all the way to the 1880s</a>. Most <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/85415">1880s</a> <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/86409">corsets</a> tend to have wider fronts, though, and are usually more along the lines of the gussetted or princess-line corsets you can find in commercial patterns. But you can still see elements of this sort of construction <a href="http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O115832/corset-unknown/">even in some later corsets</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://www.augusta-auction.com/search-past-sales?view=lot&id=12867&auction_file_id=27" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="969" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO2kaYIPa8tRaytJ0lwp9TyJpMGhavjfAGjzNYNsvHkHIKtALLoCvONRDl2zCJYc4sT6jOyPkHSNCLrSBQb12HkiyU4Y1vuCVUJIKtf7QXxy0hHRMXqIDaWhqfD9IPXltQk0IrvLNjbuOe/s400/1875-1890+Tasha+Tudor+Augusta.jpg" width="296" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.augusta-auction.com/search-past-sales?view=lot&id=12867&auction_file_id=27">1870s-1890s corset from the Tasha Tudor colelction sold by Augusta Auction</a></div>
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The difference being mostly the fact later corsets have opening front busks, cross-lacing, and tend not to go so low on the hips. Many of them also utilise bust gussets instead of the bust seams of this particular style.<br />
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All this basically means I've developed a method of drafting a certain kind of Victorian corset pattern that can work, with various alterations, for a period of about 50 years from the end of the 1830s to 1880s! It's different enough from the commercial patterns I'm aware of, and yet ubiquitous enough in museum collections that I think I really hit on something here.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljHe7y9F0E9sODrM2JpwNNugB3oTfc_Sbg5nsB0CgQwuNULnqmTwXOaFzIRSW3Shut28ZRfCXuyOwcZ0pBnXzoNqQSS6FLIKa-mxbukrUaw9awUcPNC3a0ESa5CFrYnTvY1Re1CuayLWT/s1600/1840+rough+draft.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1346" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljHe7y9F0E9sODrM2JpwNNugB3oTfc_Sbg5nsB0CgQwuNULnqmTwXOaFzIRSW3Shut28ZRfCXuyOwcZ0pBnXzoNqQSS6FLIKa-mxbukrUaw9awUcPNC3a0ESa5CFrYnTvY1Re1CuayLWT/s400/1840+rough+draft.png" width="336" /></a></div>
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This is what I eneded up with. It will still nead fine-tuning, especially in the underbust area, but it's definitely a workable start.<br />
(The exclamation mark on the left means my division of the waist is imprecise because what I really needed was decimal point numbers and I couldn't do those quite so easily in Inkscape without changing the grid - which is a bother, so I'll get around to that in paper stage. Basically at this point there is zero waist reduction and I think there needs to be at least a little bit of it.<br />
The exclamation mark at the front hip gusset means that particular seamline is in serious need of truing - and the hip gusset will need some slashing-and-squishing after I get around to altering the waist.)<br />
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In order not to make this post too long (more than it already is), winding and difficult to navigate, and in order to make it easier to make stuff linkable (I'm not flattering myself to think this will be linked, am I?), I will eventually put the whole drafting method for this particular style in a separate post, probably after I've had a chance to make a mock-up and really see how well it works. <strike>Although now that I have shared an actual flat pattern draft, I guess you could also just apply Cathy Hay's method to it without waiting for the next post. :D<br />
</strike><br />
And when I get around to physically drafting this pattern, I'll definitely do some sort of further pictorial comparison between it and the Bernhardt Fig. F to prove my point. It's not quite immediately obvious - especially because the distribution of seams is a bit different - and I don't think I'd have thought of it had I not been drafting the Regency stays just before. But that front dip, slight bias in the front and bias on the side (also just slight in the Bernhardt stays) did make me wonder. If you lengthened the two back pieces and the front tip of Fig. F, and introduced hip gussets, you <i>would</i> get something approaching the 1840 stays and all those subsequent styles!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFwhQeLEZgphSHeqj7MSyrU4mZDWYemCUWP1IGLp-bTL09sLXUaq_461ZObrN61DH5hYFrT0Vv8QcgjNtG0ti7aDnVtn23EsuPmukS5aHjUySeq_gR4qh_DgFRTF8rgyMPXQBvXK2o-Px/s1600/1810+vs+1840+rcomparison.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="827" data-original-width="437" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFwhQeLEZgphSHeqj7MSyrU4mZDWYemCUWP1IGLp-bTL09sLXUaq_461ZObrN61DH5hYFrT0Vv8QcgjNtG0ti7aDnVtn23EsuPmukS5aHjUySeq_gR4qh_DgFRTF8rgyMPXQBvXK2o-Px/s400/1810+vs+1840+rcomparison.png" width="211" /></a></div>
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What I will share here regarding the drafting is this: I knew, instinctively, that this drafting method might work because I've done it before with my first Regency stays. I looked at lots of photos of extants. Focused on seamlines and where they sit on the body. Drew myself some technical drawings. And drafted the thing in a grid following my own measurements in a method similar to what Cathy Hay does - except that I used a lot more measurements to make sure it really fitted me.<br />
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So yes, this can totally be done just from photos - as long as they are decent quality and you have more than just one view. Look where the seamlines sit on the body. Find the underarm line (3 in my plan below). Find the waistline (C) and underbust line (B - in this case it's a lower underbust). Figure out the grainlines. Go from there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwPaEcDDxTOdbpiy5hG1ecG4Sx-2j3Xcbzr2oDkOH8kkiEjVk_vF2rzJKAnRQQDCqzZsYyROBRGBlvMN1lIB6y1cPEywnlaJaY_xDuKjMhBvAHryjgG0XVZ8AtUcI9LIrCtzYnCzwqUHO/s1600/1839-41+silk+MET+C.I.38.23.10b_F2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1225" data-original-width="1600" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwPaEcDDxTOdbpiy5hG1ecG4Sx-2j3Xcbzr2oDkOH8kkiEjVk_vF2rzJKAnRQQDCqzZsYyROBRGBlvMN1lIB6y1cPEywnlaJaY_xDuKjMhBvAHryjgG0XVZ8AtUcI9LIrCtzYnCzwqUHO/s400/1839-41+silk+MET+C.I.38.23.10b_F2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In this particular case, I was lucky because the museum even provided a flat photo, so I could use that as my rough starting point for a flat plan (and use some common sense to account for the distortion).<br />
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If you don't have a flat photo - I didn't for my Regency stays, both because there aren't that many online in the first place and because the stays were an amalgam of many individual garments - draw yourself a sort of gridded flat plan first, not bothering with exact measurements for now. Make several such plans if it helps you to make sure you understand how it goes together.<br />
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And then you fine-tune that plan with actual measurements. Make your default horizontal lines the length of the biggest measurement of the main pattern pieces (excluding gussets), minus your preferred lacing gap, and go from there, leaving gaps where your other horizontal measurements are smaller. Or (like Cathy Hay) go with the bust, overlapping your pattern pieces in places where you're bigger (hips).<br />
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Meaning that for this particular corset - with its bust seams - I went with the bust measurement for my horizontal lines (and added the gussets for my hip / upper hip measurement, which is slightly bigger than my bust). For my Regency stays, I went with the underbust (because I was using both bust and hip gussets and really needed them to fit snugly at the underbust).<br />
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If you're drawing on paper, it may help to start with a scaled down pattern (in pencil!) to see at one glance if you're really going in the right direction. Your scaled down first draft can also double as a draft for your boning layout. (Or do it like I did now and draft your pattern in a grid in Inkscape or similar vector graphics program - that has the advantage of allowing you to correct mistakes cleanly, including the "back" function.)<br />
That draft is your first dry run. It will help you catch any mistakes and things you forgot to take into account before you draft full-scale on paper. (There will totally be mistakes and things you forgot to take into account. On my first run through this pattern, I completely forgot to take into account the bust-to-waist difference in the back, and the fact you want your corset to dip in the underarm area. Among other things.)<br />
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And even then, always make mock-ups. :-)<br />
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You could apply the method to other items of clothing as well, but what with them not sitting close to the body like a corset does, and involving things like pleats and gathers and sleeves, that will involve even more trial-and-error. But it can totally be done, as <a href="https://kleidungum1800.blogspot.com/2017/02/probably-french-or-re-making-of-met.html">Sabine of Kleidung um 1800</a> and <a href="http://matsukazesewing.blogspot.com/2015/03/drafting-patterns-from-extant-garments.html">Bránn</a> both demonstrate. Especially if you start with<a href="https://sewingempire.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/a-regency-apron-tutorial/"> something simpler like an apron, and something in a patterned fabric like a check that makes it easier to determine pattern shapes</a>. <br />
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So that's my five cents concerning drafting from photos. And 1840s corsets. Some people seem to think the 1840s are boring. I hope I've just proven they're far from that.Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-85830619657922155782019-09-08T11:16:00.000+02:002019-09-08T11:16:33.997+02:00HSM '19 Inspiration: #9 EverydayThe challenge theme for the Historical Sew Monthly in September is <i>Everyday: It’s not all special occasion frocks. Make something that would have been worn or used for everyday.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYbMyXiCn5nvPQ_l6-Cpv0jMJ94bZt5DeV60tpa55OIEjPxOOqBThK_T1QmVKU9ozWCxiEcNBuFZe6ka8HAoXIfV4J4R5La8D83HmNBKv3NgTOlDnuD6ZsLvjGvnZ5ELyCRRU5bFPhhvR/s1600/BYVANCKB_mimi_74f1_071r_min.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1051" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYbMyXiCn5nvPQ_l6-Cpv0jMJ94bZt5DeV60tpa55OIEjPxOOqBThK_T1QmVKU9ozWCxiEcNBuFZe6ka8HAoXIfV4J4R5La8D83HmNBKv3NgTOlDnuD6ZsLvjGvnZ5ELyCRRU5bFPhhvR/s640/BYVANCKB_mimi_74f1_071r_min.jpg" width="420" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://manuscripts.kb.nl/show/manuscript/74+F+1"><i>The Hague, KB, 74 F 1, fol. 71r. Book of Hours in Latin and French (use of Paris). Paris, follower of the Master of Jean Rolin (illuminator); c. 1450. Koninklijke Bibliotheek – National Library of the Netherlands.</i></a></div>
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<i>Look at those divided mittens! Also, hoods, and split skirts probably for greater use of movement. That's about as far as I get, myself; if you do Middle Ages, I'm sure you'll gain more from this.</i></div>
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That's one challenge idea that's near and dear to my heart - over the years, I have discovered that even though I do fall in love with those pretty frocks (and there are some special ones I'm head over heels in love with), on the whole I prefer to treat my historical wardrobe much like my modern one: as a collection of separates that can be mixed and matched according to current needs, rather than as special occasion head-to-toe looks. I have great admiration for people who can pull those off, but this one is certainly a challenge for us who like our clothes plainer or don't feel up to that yet. :-) And maybe a relief from the big challenges for the others. Or maybe it's a greater challenge for you if you've only been making special occasion clothes so far! ;-)<br />
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Now you may ask, what <i>is</i> everyday clothing? And the answer is, it probably depends.<br />
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The conservation bias that particularly preserves special occasion frocks and special occasion looks usually makes all the genre paintings and photos and the occasional extant piece where you can see what people were <i>really</i> <i>wearing</i> on an everyday basis all the more exciting. But the scope of what that group of clothing and accessories contains is still large, depending on many factors like era, class, or region; and while it is tempting to go to the other extreme and look for poor people's clothing, it's not so black and white. Which is actually good, because you can still tailor this challenge to your own costuming (or even your own everday) needs!<br />
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Interestingly, the more recent it gets in the timeline of the HSM, the more differentiated clothes types can get, concerning conventions for occasions - until you reach the 19th and early 20th century with so many different types of clothes it gets confusing - what's the exact difference between an evening dress, a dinner dress, and a ball dress? And then tea dresses, and for men, things like lounge jackets get thrown into the mix. A ball dress is definitely special occasion, but might a dinner dress or a tea dress actually count as everyday? I'm tempted to say they're definitely special occasion, but who knows what they were like for different people! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAulEewTc16Bg_n9gK9JzIQM9SncquORrfz1QSxGAlRdQ1qVPz9YxBNkpLLkpnwAqA5zYbaVNFYW-Yw45kvf7E5qlzDw9tIejmaRi1n-gSzl_87T7veV8EsN3VnhbJGMKvlnjzsiyKTPCw/s1600/1977.293.3_F.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAulEewTc16Bg_n9gK9JzIQM9SncquORrfz1QSxGAlRdQ1qVPz9YxBNkpLLkpnwAqA5zYbaVNFYW-Yw45kvf7E5qlzDw9tIejmaRi1n-gSzl_87T7veV8EsN3VnhbJGMKvlnjzsiyKTPCw/s640/1977.293.3_F.jpg" width="384" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/108114?&searchField=All&sortBy=Relevance&when=A.D.+1800-1900&ao=on&ft=dinner+dress&offset=0&rpp=20&pos=3">Dinner dress, 1841–46, silk, American. Metropolitan Museum of Arts, ID: 1977.293.3 </a></i><br />
<i>For a lady of somewhat limited means, this might be her best dress. For a more well-off one, this could be just one of several. </i></div>
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What for one class of people would be everyday might be special occasion clothes for another class - or what would be special occasion clothes in one era might be relegated to everyday in another; or vice versa. Clothes pass-me-downs were far more common in history than they are nowadays and a noble lady's everday stays may become a maid's best pair...<br />
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There is also the fascinating case of the (tree) bast shoes that medieval Czech kings would put on during their coronation - in rememberance of the legendary Prince Přemysl the Plowman who, of course, in his previous life as a plowman wore such shoes as a matter of course, just like other peasants all the way to the 19th century.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwmUtLUrPgkhD948o6AeC4OngMnL4w9LQ3Cqv-gA_zlnjJagTEgmLMGCI8lGXXyelDdU51VPI5nmuiR0Ww8wna6D4EfI_In65IzbYYymrUk6nQZSwZZ4tM_Xp_3wh4t8sB1syhMaukkLc/s1600/H4-S3680ab_original+NM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwmUtLUrPgkhD948o6AeC4OngMnL4w9LQ3Cqv-gA_zlnjJagTEgmLMGCI8lGXXyelDdU51VPI5nmuiR0Ww8wna6D4EfI_In65IzbYYymrUk6nQZSwZZ4tM_Xp_3wh4t8sB1syhMaukkLc/s400/H4-S3680ab_original+NM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.esbirky.cz/predmet/3519990"><i>1880s tree bast shoes - "lapti" - from Russia beyond the Ural. Národní muzeum, ID: H4-S3680</i></a>.
<i>Felling trees just for costuming would be a bad idea, and there's probably a limited use for these in the costuming world. But it's a fascinating historical tidbit.</i> </div>
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Of course, one can always use more chemises or shirts for one’s everyday wear. Undergarments – given they do not scream “fancy” or “for a special occasion” – are certainly something that would have been worn every day.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJN5f39M5RsMDkwRmQcVja0MtZl5L7Jx0_9NiTXpeYTfynIh7l6XDK5zSfuwDyQn3ih6CioEQmbzLkHGMaCC0JGaLYbYPVJ6cUKMjddcZLJRpU1YVmqB3O415gwsAbNzX50oKU9RtIsNFJ/s1600/5351+5051_1983_a+N%25C3%259ALK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJN5f39M5RsMDkwRmQcVja0MtZl5L7Jx0_9NiTXpeYTfynIh7l6XDK5zSfuwDyQn3ih6CioEQmbzLkHGMaCC0JGaLYbYPVJ6cUKMjddcZLJRpU1YVmqB3O415gwsAbNzX50oKU9RtIsNFJ/s400/5351+5051_1983_a+N%25C3%259ALK.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="http://badatelna.nulk.cz/predmet/5351">Man's shirt, linen or cotton, Dolní Němčí, Uherskobrodské Dolňácko, Czechia, early 20th century. Národní ústav lidové kultury, ID: 5351, Accession Number: 5051/1983.</a><br />
(The date comes from <a href="http://www.esbirky.cz/predmet/10318703">this</a> Esbirky listing.)<br />
This shirt is yet another example of the blurred lines I am speaking of above: for the village man who would have been the original wearer, this was probably a special occasion shirt, as the lace on it indicates. But a pintucked shirt sewn along the exact same lines could have been a city man's everyday shirt in the late 19th and early 20th century. I share this particular example because NÚLK's online Badatelna, while somewhat clunky for searching, has listings for a number of these and other folk costume shirts with good quality flat photos that you can use for shirt construction research. (Search for "košile" and dig through the results.)</i></div>
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So this is all open to interpretation and if you can argue your case, we'll be only happy to grant it!<br />
And therefore, for the rest of this post I'll just share more of my own favourite historical everyday items that I've stumbled on, and maybe some of it will spark an idea if you don't have one yet.<br />
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Here's one for those who sew for children - these are almost certainly village children, most likely in summer, or maybe spring: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhRtLzrWji69uekF_YnI3XN2Z78RJ53fuGrVDP4rCFh7y7vlp2YKRNsDsFcJRSE51rhV3lmhVmowivyhNEQj_00UmxKzYm2fZhstQdnpgIMU4uIDKjtAlRpZcqIB8vi6p-9lx68eLWM7GI/s1600/1891+Bro%25C5%25BE%25C3%25ADk+-+D%25C4%259Bti+v+lese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="800" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhRtLzrWji69uekF_YnI3XN2Z78RJ53fuGrVDP4rCFh7y7vlp2YKRNsDsFcJRSE51rhV3lmhVmowivyhNEQj_00UmxKzYm2fZhstQdnpgIMU4uIDKjtAlRpZcqIB8vi6p-9lx68eLWM7GI/s400/1891+Bro%25C5%25BE%25C3%25ADk+-+D%25C4%259Bti+v+lese.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.galeriekodl.cz/cz/galerie/detail.html?id_galerie=1875"><i>Václav Brožík: Děti v lese, 1891. From an auction by Galerie Kodl on May 27, 2018.</i></a></div>
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The Czech painter Václav Brožík, who was otherwise mostly gaining traction as a society portraitist and a painter of historic or romanticised historical scenes, actually painted a number of similar scenes of children, as well as other village people, so you can get a pretty good overall idea from that if village life at the end of the 19th century is what you're after. Probably specifically in France, actually, because that's where he spent most of his working life; but <a href="http://www.artplus.cz/uploads/articleGallery/1757/9.jpg">here's one</a> I think is almost certainly meant to depict a Czech scene. (Notice the woman in the back knitting a red stocking!)<br />
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If you're after <i>city</i> life in Europe at the end of the 19th century, though, especially Central Europe, you really shouldn't miss out on the work of Jakub Schikaneder for some everyday insights, both of working-class people, and this company at summertime leisure that's probably middle-class (I love the proof that the blouse-and-skirt combo was definitely already a thing in 1887, and not limited to white, on the two ladies in the middle):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXgmua43jDu9CCrxusTUr497-EmBJZxy5EaJm1N2oZsdMuteLNlZ_ugZ7FwRVDlEbvUGzFaoTcN_Hn8MYcTYagIDV0Naz0PwY8sNt9C53dk6kigEpp2S7q0t72prmYwSDJMlJWKEGrBnRN/s1600/1887+Schikaneder+-+Spole%25C4%258Dnost+na+terase.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="1600" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXgmua43jDu9CCrxusTUr497-EmBJZxy5EaJm1N2oZsdMuteLNlZ_ugZ7FwRVDlEbvUGzFaoTcN_Hn8MYcTYagIDV0Naz0PwY8sNt9C53dk6kigEpp2S7q0t72prmYwSDJMlJWKEGrBnRN/s400/1887+Schikaneder+-+Spole%25C4%258Dnost+na+terase.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schikaneder.jpg">Jakub Schikaneder: Company on a Terrace, 1887. Středočeská galerie v Praze, via Wikimedia Commons.</a><br />
Also notice the corsetted postures!</i> </div>
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Or maybe you could make nice cozy mittens for winter! (Their suitability for everyday probably depends on what your everyday looks like...)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXh165FaX60QOr1HK4yCFDEihO5rEL0v_vNsISz88sQ_lhH82qcMxCSFVGcqTMg8ClcWieKw3YBpcNyJUE077kmJ_BPumIROpVlkLM6fjADSXHyuXEEi57Ahez4EnGWrLW-Sq_6cn8f2j/s1600/1930s+wool+mittens+NM+H8-20091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="993" data-original-width="1600" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXh165FaX60QOr1HK4yCFDEihO5rEL0v_vNsISz88sQ_lhH82qcMxCSFVGcqTMg8ClcWieKw3YBpcNyJUE077kmJ_BPumIROpVlkLM6fjADSXHyuXEEi57Ahez4EnGWrLW-Sq_6cn8f2j/s400/1930s+wool+mittens+NM+H8-20091.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.esbirky.cz/predmet/4913154"><i>c. 1930s-40s wool mittens, Národní muzeum, ID: H8-20091</i></a><br />
<i>These are probably from the tail end of the HSM's time range, possibly already from outside it. It doesn't give the measurements, so I'm not sure if they are meant for an adult or a child... but child seems likely. The fact that they are mittens, rather than gloves, as well as the long cuff, suggest they were aiming at practicality, despite the colour and fancy braiding patterns. It is, of course, those fancy braiding patterns that landed these among my historical darlings. :-)</i></div>
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And as a long-time lover of Albrecht Dürer, I would be remiss if I didn't include something by him; this drawing of a girl, with her partlet and headband, has always been one of my favourite portraits by him:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeWKtMQbOimoeTM8pPscbpER8yFfY-q0sydpLvHlRviptqhEAmGbf6uSjxOkqUvLzbfxUj2JwT_orwkeqbwk4JRf6s5LwKpm8OzEULQsweEAfLMZkPrB71IXn6RRi1qVQM-pTHSOROnRAM/s1600/07girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1016" data-original-width="700" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeWKtMQbOimoeTM8pPscbpER8yFfY-q0sydpLvHlRviptqhEAmGbf6uSjxOkqUvLzbfxUj2JwT_orwkeqbwk4JRf6s5LwKpm8OzEULQsweEAfLMZkPrB71IXn6RRi1qVQM-pTHSOROnRAM/s640/07girl.jpg" width="440" /></a></div>
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<i>Albrecht Dürer: Portrait of a Girl, 1515, Charcoal. Staatliche Museen, Berlin, via <a href="http://www.wga.hu/">Web Gallery of Art</a></i></div>
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Accessories are always a good way to go with the challenges, and one that would have undoubtedly been used in everyday contexts is a money purse!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDpM6OPSTPhkDzfQMfcNYx3Tj1ECMqWRaPwnwZogYcMPR7pWC0qUfFJa2QsNxOLMXSj39pvdISl_ZuCS9lptcVikEg3SYuoHBkvPz4m9R7BTdoKlnJjB_4giRgNs2VMUn8N4aIwG7N_wo/s1600/CZE_MG.U_3622.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDpM6OPSTPhkDzfQMfcNYx3Tj1ECMqWRaPwnwZogYcMPR7pWC0qUfFJa2QsNxOLMXSj39pvdISl_ZuCS9lptcVikEg3SYuoHBkvPz4m9R7BTdoKlnJjB_4giRgNs2VMUn8N4aIwG7N_wo/s400/CZE_MG.U_3622.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://sbirky.moravska-galerie.cz/dielo/CZE:MG.U_3622"><i>Money purse of Ernst(?) Rüdiger von Stahernberg, silk, end of 17th or beginning of the 18th century, Germany. Moravská galerie, ID: U 3622</i></a><br />
<i>This particular money purse is definitely a high class everyday object!</i></div>
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And while we’re on the subject of money and shopping, how about a reusable shopping bag, which will definitely come in useful even in your modern everyday contexts?<br />
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If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at netting, a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_bag">string bag</a> could be just the thing to start your netting adventures on. (The link leads to Wikipedia; note especially the Czechoslovakia part, which falls into the HSM range, and I confirmed from <a href="http://chalupa-strzanov.cz/sitovani-na-horacku/historie/">another</a> <a href="http://chalupa-strzanov.cz/sitovani-na-horacku/ssssss/">Czech source</a> that that part at least is fairly accurate, if brief.) It became all the rage (at least in Europe) in the lean 1930s when having a lightweight shopping bag of great space capacity ready at hand for whenever a good buy presented itself was quite useful, and bags of this style stayed in use for decades after that (but that's outside our scope of interest for the HSM). Although they were sold commercially, they could also be made at home, which undoubtedly added to their appeal. They are now making a comeback, although the commercially-produced ones are now no longer netted by hand.<br />
(I'll even confess to keeping an indefinitely postponed sewing project bundled up together in one of those... a use for which its see-through quality comes in handy!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5_xNZbcAb18coEfkF6AW34DWUwVOgxeNErD1NpVLv5MvO1MOyBgYXQ-AjL_krkfkU1vAL-ZdhENNjiDpRESmmhRmPriJmiFkvL6Y-9w2RGPBoq8kDTLY4eE8hlUVFPYtCi_2YSnfdh_z/s1600/vk-foto-fir-041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="517" data-original-width="696" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5_xNZbcAb18coEfkF6AW34DWUwVOgxeNErD1NpVLv5MvO1MOyBgYXQ-AjL_krkfkU1vAL-ZdhENNjiDpRESmmhRmPriJmiFkvL6Y-9w2RGPBoq8kDTLY4eE8hlUVFPYtCi_2YSnfdh_z/s400/vk-foto-fir-041.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Despite their historical ubiquity, I had a hard time finding an indisputably 1930s example. So here's a photo from the above Czech source, clearly taken years ago at an exhibition, said to be examples from the 1930s and 1940s - it probably comes </i><i>either </i><i>from Vlastivědný věstník Moravský, year XXXIV, issue 2, 1982, which that site cites as its source, or from the Krčil family archive.</i> </div>
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They can also be crocheted, and even the (homemade?) netted version would have crochetted handles, as a Czech <a href="http://www.digitalniknihovna.cz/mzk/uuid/uuid:50c78522-435f-11dd-b505-00145e5790ea">advice article in Národní listy from 25.3.1928</a> attests - it also points out that the crochetted version is a bit heavier and bulkier than the super-lightweight netted bag. It suggests to make it, either version, from "perle yarn", "twisted yarn", so I'm guessing a thin crochet yarn that's at least 2-ply and quite firmly twisted will do. The article's instructions will probably give you a smaller bag of this kind - they refer to
it as a "purse", and make mention of larger bags; so if you want a bigger one, size up accordingly. <br />
For netting such a "purse", the suggested diameter of the stick is 5-6 mm - quite small, probably to prevent things from falling out. Starting with 30 loops and increasing until you reach 50; then you do 20-30 rows of 50 loops and start decreasing again, until you create a netted hexagon. This you then crochet around, with two stitches in every loop, gathering the sides a bit and creating the "rim" of your bag, with an opening of about 45 cm in diameter. You add two more rows of crochet and crocheted handles; both the rim and the handles can be strengthened by crocheting around a cord. (The resulting bag would certainly look something like <a href="http://chalupa-strzanov.cz/wp-content/uploads/P3094852.jpg">this one</a>, from the abovelinked Czech source - unfortunately they give no date on <i>that</i> bag. But it illustrates neatly what the article also makes mention of - that one can have fun with colours!) <br />
The article also suggests you can sew a small envelope bag / pocket to keep your bag in when not in use; they extoll the beauty of keeping your hands free for most of your walk if you have a lightweight, easily packable bag like that. I'm definitely tempted to give it a try one day. :-) <br />
<br />
But other types of bags are out there - <a href="http://www.esbirky.cz/predmet/4912753">this one</a> is dated a bit outside the HSM range, but perhaps not too much so to make it implausible to use as inspiration for the very tail end of the HSM range. It is, interestingly, made of prefabricated straps in order to achieve a far more substantial, heavy-duty bag.<br />
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Not to mention that certain 1790s reticules could well double as shopping bags, if one is to believe their size in the fashion plates! This one in particular seems suspiciously bulky (are those outlines of round shapes hints of balls of yarn? apples?!). No dainty special occasion purse for <i>this</i> lady!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Gmy17BrJLV1eafKF9ctZxLHIynTyxTtU2Qk8mYTjoXJCEDymbbq3KNNKL5FtTJ4ufbdpqBRi7Bl9TdZCGAMYWfXDWNfEEwsedo9jtKKfIzkhWmQxyjI1KGbmGnUkm9O3VLJQzD-213Bo/s1600/RP-P-2016-8-125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1093" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Gmy17BrJLV1eafKF9ctZxLHIynTyxTtU2Qk8mYTjoXJCEDymbbq3KNNKL5FtTJ4ufbdpqBRi7Bl9TdZCGAMYWfXDWNfEEwsedo9jtKKfIzkhWmQxyjI1KGbmGnUkm9O3VLJQzD-213Bo/s640/RP-P-2016-8-125.jpg" width="436" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/nl/collectie/RP-P-2016-8-125"><i>Journal des Dames et des Modes, 1797-1798, Rijksmuseum, ID: RP-P-2016-8-125</i></a><br />
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And if you're going to be out and about on your everyday historical errands, you're definitely going to need some type of head covering, as this lady also shows.<br />
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* * *</div>
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It's apparently a costuming trend right now to sew things you can wear in modern contexts as well. I am all for that; just keep in mind that for the Historical Sew Monthly you should keep the modernising aspects of that trend well outside the sewing room door. There is still a surprising number of things that could pass the muster both ways!<br />
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Good luck, and have fun creating things that you will get much everyday use out of! </div>
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<i> </i></div>
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Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-2526684817032581772019-08-02T15:45:00.004+02:002021-03-14T21:22:38.085+01:00HSM '19 Entry for Challenge 7 - Unexpected: My sister's Moravian Wallachian bodice<br />
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMaFa20yvUmaNhBh44bYr-THnNJ8K8hh80CJw95mhmzSQikg8qfX-uhM1blGz8NVYHCH4RsqvJWymihu_zCdbl88iN1NypIgVt4OSzXDKMJzm8Z1B2Qm27katoidiDwRUYuIrmrrG-7Vpx/s1600/Martina+kordulka.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMaFa20yvUmaNhBh44bYr-THnNJ8K8hh80CJw95mhmzSQikg8qfX-uhM1blGz8NVYHCH4RsqvJWymihu_zCdbl88iN1NypIgVt4OSzXDKMJzm8Z1B2Qm27katoidiDwRUYuIrmrrG-7Vpx/s640/Martina+kordulka.JPG" width="426" /></a></b></div>
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<br />
<b>What the item is:</b> Moravian-Wallachian bodice for my sister<br />
<br />
<b>What is the unexpected feature?</b> The colour blue. These days, the typical Moravian-Wallachian folk costume bodice is red (usually with green or gold trimmings). But in my research, I found out that's actually only a c. mid-19th century development; before that, red dye was more expensive and red bodices were only worn by well-off women, and for special occasions. One of the colours more common historically was blue, and as we hacked out the ideas for her costume with my sister, we found out she really liked the earlier version of it.<br />
(Also, strikingly, it unfortunately came out much darker and brighter than expected - my inexperience with that brand of dye shows. :P I did use about 1/3 recommended amount as per Jacquard's instructions for "most saturated results", but apparently I should have used much less... :-( )<br />
Here are two <a href="http://www.vizovjanek.cz/rekonstrukce-mestkeho-kroje-z-vizovic/">modern</a> <a href="http://www.vlachovice.cz/informace-o-obci/vlachovske-kroje/">reconstructions</a> of blue bodices in Moravian Wallachia in the beginning of the 19th century that were our primary inspiration for this - and show the sort of colour I was actually aiming at. :P The first also shows an extant picture - originally published in a book I unfortunately don't own.<br />
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<b>Material:</b> For the outer, overdyed cream wool worsted (a sort of brushed twill?) strengthened with woven cotton iron-on interfacing to roughly imitate wool broadcloth with my resources. Lining is a cotton-linen blend I bought in Ikea about ten years ago.<br />
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<b>Notions:</b> Dark red polyester satin ribbon for trim (sewed on with wrong side out to lessen the shine). Blue cotton thread for machine-sewing the outer, white cotton thread for machine-sewing the lining, <a href="https://www.sartor.cz/272-lnena-nit-velmi-jemna-17-x-3-tex.html">white linen thread</a> for handsewing the lining in, dark red <a href="https://www.sartor.cz/1972-silk-thread.html">silk thread</a> for sewing on the trim. Blue linen buttonhole twist for sewing on the buttons. Dark red <a href="https://www.sartor.cz/5450-buttonhole-silk-thread.html">silk buttonhole twist</a> for buttonholes & the embroidery in the back. (All links to Sartor, because they ship all over the place and I'm pretty sure they carry the same brands I used; but I only bought the linen thread there myself.) Metallic filligree shank buttons. (The plan is also to add hooks and eyes in case her figure changes, but I haven't gotten around to that yet.)<br />
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<b>Pattern:</b> My own, based on lots of Wallachian bodices viewed online, most of them not extant. Derived loosely from the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-k4VTeceCQ">basic bodice</a> & <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJIWfyarvOI">princess seam</a> tutorials by Bilikis Signatures on YouTube, because her simplified drafting methods struck me as a good starting point for a more rural garment; but I drafted front & back separately, because my sister is very busty. Then tweaked in mock-up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAA6_BDnd-pfAUKG8JT_UWFtbNYIyalRcSH2dBPVLGyWVuheJaTWFlGxK9XR1tvCo64hM9_r3A0F21R7-yzC_NgnwKR3Wt_rf2YxWcnupbqho6nLSHx85u0bswlERnDYUAk4EybMNyX8jF/s1600/IMG_9848.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="1588" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAA6_BDnd-pfAUKG8JT_UWFtbNYIyalRcSH2dBPVLGyWVuheJaTWFlGxK9XR1tvCo64hM9_r3A0F21R7-yzC_NgnwKR3Wt_rf2YxWcnupbqho6nLSHx85u0bswlERnDYUAk4EybMNyX8jF/s400/IMG_9848.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>(The centre front is actually cut on grain.)</i> </div>
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<b>Year:</b> c. first half of 19th century<br />
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<b>How historically accurate is it?</b> About 50/50, I guess. Colour came out a tad too chemical. Material is mehish, though not too bad for our budget constraints & what's readily available (I'm not happy about the polyester trim, but the rest works quite well). Pattern is an educated guess. Machine sewing on seams & straighter bits of trim to speed it up. Aside from that, the construction method is plausible but not documented, and I think I made some mistakes because I was figuring it out as I went. I am not certain about the embroidery in the back, its existence is also a bit of an educated guess - I couldn't find any back pictures of extant bodices or historical depictions from the back; current bodices mostly have pom-pom-like decoration there but there are also some embroidered ones, and my sister wanted her bodice as smooth as possible.<br />
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The folds were, at first, delightfully neat - sew vertical seams, clip into seam allowance, fold, stitch seam allowance at the top of fold without stitching through to the outside, press.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-1M8hMAPQ38m2Acl9eE-uF61AeXUiPsy3dousnvU1-RsoO2ionEx4SR_b8Ie0pNIynjrPGizr6E-dZj-DbTr-mwHd1NueA0xOTfvBfAQHHCnuxZhoYKIPNmxDPRVSU0V-tbva3RAdy3C/s1600/IMG_9850.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-1M8hMAPQ38m2Acl9eE-uF61AeXUiPsy3dousnvU1-RsoO2ionEx4SR_b8Ie0pNIynjrPGizr6E-dZj-DbTr-mwHd1NueA0xOTfvBfAQHHCnuxZhoYKIPNmxDPRVSU0V-tbva3RAdy3C/s320/IMG_9850.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The outer and the lining were sewn separately - I pleated the folds in the opposite diretion on the lining, without sewing down the top, and then I pressed the edges down and fell-stitched
the lining in. This created a problem with the folds, however, in
part because I had done a stupid and embroidered over them before I sewed in
the lining - so it was even messier than it would have been anyway. (I've
forgotten that I still want to sew pieces of fabric over the top inside
to clean it up and secure it...<b> s</b>ee below how rather messy it is at the moment.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgORW76iC85tjwNIKDohB28Wy6N9Ys7XGOgj_4bk8SkqpWJifMKHQ46NOEXBDeR6FjWWEoLbhpJanSp0Fy6MR4Yk1WdKT2OXmLOl4H63Tr9ar0uKH17Ec0_x10Dx2MANMmbuBEPd7u_Rf8O/s1600/IMG_9859.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgORW76iC85tjwNIKDohB28Wy6N9Ys7XGOgj_4bk8SkqpWJifMKHQ46NOEXBDeR6FjWWEoLbhpJanSp0Fy6MR4Yk1WdKT2OXmLOl4H63Tr9ar0uKH17Ec0_x10Dx2MANMmbuBEPd7u_Rf8O/s400/IMG_9859.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The embroidery, though, makes me quite happy despite. I stitched tight triangles of overlapping stitches right above the folds to secure them, and then did a little decorative embroidery above it, in a bit of a spruce-branch pattern (or chicken feet, depending on how you look at it...) to echo the embroidery of spruce branches my sister made for <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2017/08/coblowrimo-7-made-for-someone-else.html">her shirt</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-7dqNslSSWhvuTJeX3rDPSrRfUOFGBv2lKIB4boB4jth85AGT5lQWIkGk0Xp2ga-NRqd61W5rBb4qcMKZTgVD8FHNJgdLtwFY6Ss_AILoVfiF3PUkxNWFjz08Nb6AUV6WCflNq2pB8ht9/s1600/IMG_9854.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-7dqNslSSWhvuTJeX3rDPSrRfUOFGBv2lKIB4boB4jth85AGT5lQWIkGk0Xp2ga-NRqd61W5rBb4qcMKZTgVD8FHNJgdLtwFY6Ss_AILoVfiF3PUkxNWFjz08Nb6AUV6WCflNq2pB8ht9/s320/IMG_9854.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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(Callback to that post: As you can see now, I didn't interface this with downproof ticking in the end.) <b><br /></b><br />
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<b>Hours to complete:</b> About 2 days for fabric dyeing & pattern creation & prep, about 3 days of rather intense sewing.<br />
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<b>First worn:</b> Not yet. It was meant to be worn at the final promenade at the Prague Folklore Days in July with the rest of her costume, but it was too hot for it so the bodice was left off. (She works as a guide for foreign dance ensembles almost every year and wanted to finally join in in her own folk costume.)<br />
<br />
<b>Total cost:</b> I got the wool as a super-discouted remnant with holes and smudges at work, so this amount came at c. 30 CZK! The lining fabric was bought ages ago but I'm guessing it would have been around 80 CZK per metre (it's very narrow). Can't remember exactly how much the notions were - let's say also c. 80 CZK for the interfacing, c. 30 CZK for ribbon, 100 CZK for buttons (bought from a seller online), about 30 CZK for negligible amounts of thread, most of the cost being the linen and the silk? About 180 CZK for dye + shipping (my sister bought that, so I'm not entirely sure, either). So a bit over 500 CZK all together? Because of my extreme employee discount, mocking up broadcloth still came out considerably cheaper than actual broadcloth, which starts somewhere around 500 CZK per metre...<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div>
<br />
Sooo. That pattern-drafting method.<br />
<br />
I discovered Bilikis a couple months ago through a YouTube recommendation when I started watching more crafting / historical videos on YouTube. I really like her demonstrative explanations, although some of her methods are not up to scratch if you're used to modern Western sewing methods. (Others, though, on the other hand offer some simple insights especially for a historical seamstress that modern Western drafting methods overcomplicate, so it balances out.) First thing I noticed is - that folded almost-symmetrical drafting method may create problems for busty ladies.<br />
<br />
So I <span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g">divided all of my
sister's vertical measurements into front and back, and drafted front
and back separately.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g">(She decided to wear <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2015/12/hsm-10-sewing-secrets-my-sisters-corset.html">her corset</a> underneath her costume, which isn't exactly accurate but makes her a lot more comfortable, as a very busty lady.) </span></span><br />
<br />
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g">I also, initially, took away
width in the front both at the sides and at the centre, creating a sort of trapezoidal shape; after I made a
mock-up and found out there was length missing at the front and a bit of width missing in the bust (I think I underestimated my ease in that area), conveniently missing exactly where I stopped my angled "dart" in the front centre so I could just add it along that line - I rotated the pattern piece to put the centre front on grain and added length
both on top to widen it there, and on the bottom to account for the missing length that her bust ate up, i.e., I lengthened
the front to the point where the new hemline formed a right angle with
the front.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g">Like so:</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaGOvdAGmGuQuu2j3FRiLht8uZGvFcodM6KhPJ46TxkmKanJZW6rdOAPuGbLew4icBIAvFi_iSzl3p-wOUHieDIBPoSij2c2y1RP9XBxJFudTQfzA3jHylGOOpunNPALZ0HW8pyjEsZSB/s1600/Martina+kordulka+-+zm%25C4%259Bny+st%25C5%2599ihu.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaGOvdAGmGuQuu2j3FRiLht8uZGvFcodM6KhPJ46TxkmKanJZW6rdOAPuGbLew4icBIAvFi_iSzl3p-wOUHieDIBPoSij2c2y1RP9XBxJFudTQfzA3jHylGOOpunNPALZ0HW8pyjEsZSB/s640/Martina+kordulka+-+zm%25C4%259Bny+st%25C5%2599ihu.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g">(Plus button overlap.) </span></span><br />
<br />
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g">Which was completely intuited, but may actually be a pretty good method to deal with that front length shortage due to bust while keeping the same side length as the back? I'd have to think more on that. Generally, I think I'll have to give more thought to this drafting method as relates to various historical patterns - it's a really neat starting point.<br /><br />Because I had two princess seams in the back, I think I used smaller measurements for my darts than Bilikis uses in her tutorial. I had to take them in a little during mock-up after all, and generally had to balance the back a little - taking width from the centre and adding it on the other side of the pattern piece only at the waist, which I think had more to do with my sister's specific build (she's pretty sway-back-y) than the drafting method as such - the exact sort of thing mock-ups are for.<br /><br />I also had to cut into the armscye considerably in the front - mostly because it's a sleeveless bodice, I think. And to adjust the shoulder slope - my sister has very mid-19th century shoulders! (The picture above already features these two adjustments.)<br /><br />Oh, and I moved the shoulder seam very slightly to the back - which you can see with my abundance of cellotape in the pattern above. Now I think about it, with my aim date, maybe I could have moved them even further? But it would have messed with the neckline and my aim for a pattern that's as simple as possible.</span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g"><br /></span></span>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g">* * *</span></span></div>
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g"><br /></span></span>
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g">I made the buttonholes following the tips in the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ladhbfRl6_0">buttonhole tutorial</a>(s) from Fort Ticonderoga, which proved priceless.</span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g"><br /></span></span>
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g">Aside from the fabulous tip to rotate the thread couter-clockwise, it was especially the tip on focusing more on keeping them even than at keeping them tightly packed that came really helpful. I just somehow completely forgot about the cording...</span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g"><br /></span></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSr9DSUrnCM3099BGVwjsZ2FMIlhxaLTRw4Onmpubn9Rv3deL9W1cqrWJv7hcBIs7gbG7CfUZTtlPmz8Ror7IqezSNERK3jGtqM7snb62iXn_RflNmmiUxGohMedxGOfa17ukYX-xlgyHm/s1600/IMG_9861.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSr9DSUrnCM3099BGVwjsZ2FMIlhxaLTRw4Onmpubn9Rv3deL9W1cqrWJv7hcBIs7gbG7CfUZTtlPmz8Ror7IqezSNERK3jGtqM7snb62iXn_RflNmmiUxGohMedxGOfa17ukYX-xlgyHm/s400/IMG_9861.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g"><br /></span></span>
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g">Here four of them finished, with some of the basting already taken out. I originally planned on doing six of them, but then decided only five looked more balanced.</span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g"><br /></span></span>
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g">Not bad at all for someone who's mostly managed to avoid buttons for fifteen years of sewing! Definitely all thanks to Stuart Lillie's tutorials. (Okay, and maybe also my general ability to handsew surprisingly neatly, and the power of handbasting stuff - a little more work that saves you a lot of trouble in the long run!)</span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g"><br /></span></span>
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<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g">* * *</span></span></div>
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g"><br /></span></span>
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g">This is a placeholder where I may share the finished pattern one day, to make life easier for other busty ladies out there.</span></span><br />
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<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g"><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show">P.S.
I've introduced a new tag, "Mess of making", which will be
strategically placed at posts of particular importance to the truth of
occasional sewing fails, messy insides and shortcuts taken. What with
sewists online recently often bringing up how discouraging it can be
when everyone keeps showing only picture-perfect finished makes, and how
helpful it is to see others make mistakes, too: here there be my mess
of making, <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.cz/2010/03/so-whats-this-about.html">as promised in the very beginning of this blog</a>.
I'm not going to show you the mess that's my room, but I do promise you
I won't, ever, stick to picture-perfect finished projects only. After
all, my love of sewing is just as much if not even more for the learning
process as it is for the ability to make pretty clothes. :-)</span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span>Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-21491156095788606522019-04-24T15:03:00.001+02:002019-04-24T15:08:29.185+02:00HSM '19: Moderator Favourites for Challenges 1,2 & 3For this year, we decided to switch up the favourites-choosing process somewhat. Last year we slacked off halfway through as we tried to keep doing picks from all the moderators and that became less and less feasible. So this time it's just the first three or however many more entries that anybody picks, which should hopefully make the selection process somewhat easier.<br />
<br />
We said. It didn't quite happen so smoothly because I got busier than expected every time it should have been posted.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzpY6d3w0iFiR-dY4Znh1MINRb48cA_s442MZQLBaxf7DUQqgGaeubcp1Qh77kW8kMVnvrlNIZsuaDlERjGmsBV7-lJdOqyJ6eSgp16_TQEjnklirUCdwU9SkYGEbVlydimlVsxZJ-gRi6/s1600/1930s+silk+step-ins+Augusta+Auctions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzpY6d3w0iFiR-dY4Znh1MINRb48cA_s442MZQLBaxf7DUQqgGaeubcp1Qh77kW8kMVnvrlNIZsuaDlERjGmsBV7-lJdOqyJ6eSgp16_TQEjnklirUCdwU9SkYGEbVlydimlVsxZJ-gRi6/s320/1930s+silk+step-ins+Augusta+Auctions.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Yet another picture to keep the preview from spoiling it!</i></div>
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<br />
So this post combines both <i>January</i>, <i>February</i>, and <i>March</i> into a three-challenge post, just like Leimomi used to do it back when it was still the Historical Sew Fortnightly. But even then, especially with January, we really couldn't quite settle who was picking what! So this time around, you also get a bit of an insight into the picking process. :D Definitely check out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/HistoricalSewFortnightly/photos/?filter=albums">the albums in the Facebook group</a> to see all the lovely creations, we still couldn't cover it all!<br />
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As usual, items with photos link to the Facebook group's album, items with only a link lead directly to the maker's blog.<br />
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<b>January - Dressed to the Nines:</b><br />
<br />
<u>Ninka:</u> "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2461909350550634&set=oa.1235231903294143&type=3&theater">The 1825 dress by Michaela Coy</a> is one of my favourites: My immediate thought was "This looks like out of a fashion plate!" and it really is based on one. The colour, fabric and design give it a fancy look and there's clearly much work been put into creating the dress. Plus I always have respect for completely handsewn items, especially whole dresses. The extra effort in recreating also the depicted accessories really fits the theme."<br />
& <u>Carrie</u> loved this one too, and her and Ninka couldn't quite decide between this and the following one!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgSsDu-T-sqPp-cZbCbT6tdkGODqKVm7Y1gxT1rvmNr4h73LOtVKsP-sXfhxOZL6wcncWrzqfgn1EJ1QP82ItJEXX6o7r-MKLr5R73V_uz4SiQayhb4Fxgqd5F0VGpbidjB5i4BUH-Ckx/s1600/Linens+-+Michaela%2527s+dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgSsDu-T-sqPp-cZbCbT6tdkGODqKVm7Y1gxT1rvmNr4h73LOtVKsP-sXfhxOZL6wcncWrzqfgn1EJ1QP82ItJEXX6o7r-MKLr5R73V_uz4SiQayhb4Fxgqd5F0VGpbidjB5i4BUH-Ckx/s320/Linens+-+Michaela%2527s+dress.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<u>Carrie:</u> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10111112465701473&set=oa.1235231903294143&type=3&theater">Jamie's 1860s petticoat</a> - "The pintuck petticoat is beautiful and I think that might be my overall favourite."<br />
& <u>Hana</u>: "I'm super impressed by this one!"<br />
& <u>Bránn:</u> "Her petticoat is probably my favourite."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_xv8tM_Shd6caJsFq9sfrHBokTVROO1KmXdxCbsag18YNniNlQOLMg-VCfC-c922V9rf2YASYn50dpg8mfHbzd84M5lK3HoYODKbeNnHlyJovwSIBFfzqdUkPwfs1UkD-1XllaS2IZlI/s1600/Linens+-+Jamie%2527s+petticoat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1201" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_xv8tM_Shd6caJsFq9sfrHBokTVROO1KmXdxCbsag18YNniNlQOLMg-VCfC-c922V9rf2YASYn50dpg8mfHbzd84M5lK3HoYODKbeNnHlyJovwSIBFfzqdUkPwfs1UkD-1XllaS2IZlI/s320/Linens+-+Jamie%2527s+petticoat.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<u>Leimomi:</u> "My favourite is <a href="https://frauleinninka.wordpress.com/2019/02/05/hsm-19-challenge-1-dressed-to-the-nines-a-1920s-step-in-chemise/">Ninka's</a>:
I love the clear but subtle inclusion of the theme, with nine roses,
and the effort that went into creating a pair of beautiful
undergarments. They are so evocative of their period."<br />
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<u>Hana:</u> And in addition to all that, I couldn't decide between:<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1253881844776296&set=oa.1235231903294143&type=3&theater">Raquel's nine-gored skirt</a> - "I really liked that she went with nine gores, such an interesting take on the "nine elements" interpretation of the challenge. And it is so neatly made and hangs so beautifully and elegantly!"<br />
<u>Leimomi:</u> "That one was super cool!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNz08_EcAZLcd1lpg-rc_496R_Ye2cb1EgnZHRjzEgnVq3b-GfRY2vKJBY8gkt3tleoxxIggYzkToqC_Z41afR18TcTNjYLWM3QGraiGuLGOkcSFKudgJqhX53IW6L0VQKuWIrbJCch4hq/s1600/To+the+Nines+-+Raquel%2527s+skirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNz08_EcAZLcd1lpg-rc_496R_Ye2cb1EgnZHRjzEgnVq3b-GfRY2vKJBY8gkt3tleoxxIggYzkToqC_Z41afR18TcTNjYLWM3QGraiGuLGOkcSFKudgJqhX53IW6L0VQKuWIrbJCch4hq/s320/To+the+Nines+-+Raquel%2527s+skirt.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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And <a href="https://theperfecttouchvictorian.blogspot.com/2019/01/historical-sew-monthly-2019-january.html">Jeanette's "Day gown with dinner bodice option and Talma wrap with French bonnet" full outfit</a>. "So much work, definitely dressed to the nines in the idiomatic sense, and she used nine different embelishment techniques!"<br />
Carrie: "I really like Jeanette’s use of the 9 embellishing techniques."<br />
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<b>February - Linens:</b><br />
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<u>Ninka</u>: "I pick <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10218198417930528&set=oa.1265071086976891&type=3&hc_location=ufi">this 1770s apron by Melissa</a>. An apron is always a useful accessory to have, and this one is especially pretty. I love these blue stripes!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGD6irPKaJFPF1EQKZcsno7xk3_oPkmtj7fEKFLgaLoWCUb_IamRu0ATlxTySesyi5nMJz7rpEQmx7JoVbNnRh_9ms22ZP0gFdNAYMqnLB0CI8BgSE95x1Tfl-ahPsOoacYRbtCTBsKG-/s1600/Linens+-+Melissa%2527s+apron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1259" data-original-width="1600" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGD6irPKaJFPF1EQKZcsno7xk3_oPkmtj7fEKFLgaLoWCUb_IamRu0ATlxTySesyi5nMJz7rpEQmx7JoVbNnRh_9ms22ZP0gFdNAYMqnLB0CI8BgSE95x1Tfl-ahPsOoacYRbtCTBsKG-/s320/Linens+-+Melissa%2527s+apron.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<u>Hana</u>: "I loved <a href="https://theperfecttouchvictorian.blogspot.com/2019/03/historical-sew-monthly-2019-february.html">Jeannette's 1913-1916 brassiere</a> both because it was so neatly sewn, from a pattern based on an original pattern, and because it combined both interpretations of the challenge - it is lingerie, and linen was used!"<br />
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<u>Leimomi</u>: "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157247487193939&set=oa.1265071086976891&type=3&theater">Katie's embroidered pocket</a>. It's absolutely beautiful - so meticulously worked, and striking."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihfDOqSsLivw9TmJAOfSBpPybt8DNCkFGbAShpcJH_-TdxuFVX4JV4iOhVaxZgmnqFcOIlPD2BVULMnOYXw5yYe5cJ7mV4Md2tjFky3X5zi8zLf-v_5AxbcgIOMnbC6BUZh3wWET3xsDh2/s1600/Linens+-+Katie%2527s+pocket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihfDOqSsLivw9TmJAOfSBpPybt8DNCkFGbAShpcJH_-TdxuFVX4JV4iOhVaxZgmnqFcOIlPD2BVULMnOYXw5yYe5cJ7mV4Md2tjFky3X5zi8zLf-v_5AxbcgIOMnbC6BUZh3wWET3xsDh2/s320/Linens+-+Katie%2527s+pocket.jpg" width="174" /></a></div>
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<u>Carrie</u>: "My pick would be <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155683137986222&set=oa.1265071086976891&type=3&theater">Dai Sanders' linen Belle Époque outfit</a>. It was a lot of work in a pretty short amount of time, and I like that it stood out for being day wear in a pool of foundation wear (not that there is anything wrong with underwear of course!!). The colours are lovely and the outfit as a whole looked great."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPexbbg9DevHDbg-HSHbtvOwrwoRamWdx8XnGClS6ZSDL0extp3RQlN2_Xzo_YeNyx2Pq1dhYvswJhYHWVYdXNXAmaFujVuKzdWUYhN4Oum8K5dYUtKh0Imn6Ohy1EQFisevmfroOKxl2/s1600/Linens+-+Dai%2527s+outfit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPexbbg9DevHDbg-HSHbtvOwrwoRamWdx8XnGClS6ZSDL0extp3RQlN2_Xzo_YeNyx2Pq1dhYvswJhYHWVYdXNXAmaFujVuKzdWUYhN4Oum8K5dYUtKh0Imn6Ohy1EQFisevmfroOKxl2/s320/Linens+-+Dai%2527s+outfit.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>March - Sewing Kit:</b><br />
<u><br /></u>
<u>Hana:</u> "My favourite is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10216117414941707&set=oa.1288459144638085&type=3&theater">Sharon's 1770-80s apron</a>, because of the point she makes about fine, small needles. Fine, small needles are the best, and indeed a crucial tool for fine sewing!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjC9JoOEQLrj5WQy6cbxI8vp7UDTSVoR3EUy5DR9QlH8FEFg-EUP_GMRGUI8FatWwbsqRiECbblHUXqq9xc-LiTquBCpj-EhJaZzQtA8BwnETTku1j9fbzUaxvjIogUGtIGi1Tyalq9Wi9/s1600/Sewing+Kit+-+Sharon%2527s+apron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1071" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjC9JoOEQLrj5WQy6cbxI8vp7UDTSVoR3EUy5DR9QlH8FEFg-EUP_GMRGUI8FatWwbsqRiECbblHUXqq9xc-LiTquBCpj-EhJaZzQtA8BwnETTku1j9fbzUaxvjIogUGtIGi1Tyalq9Wi9/s320/Sewing+Kit+-+Sharon%2527s+apron.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
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<u>Ninka:</u> "My favourite is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10111329093303023&set=oa.1288459144638085&type=3&theater">Jamie's mid 19th century sewing bag</a>. First of all it's really practical for storing and carrying projects around. And on top of that, I think Jamie really captured the style of the extant pieces with her design and choice of fabric. Definitely a pretty and useful item!"<br />
& <u>Carrie:</u> "I vote Jamie's brown workbag. I love the fabric, the use of reference material and that she started using it immediately."<br />
& <u>Jeannette:</u> "<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x">Yes, Jamie's bag is perfect."</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBOgRdgTmL6fEM5oBgplrOZstTk4iScQRdUunjujkNzNm0cRU67Tv7TXRO6c_Q2ySujPVw6WZm4g4XUJlvRldJ3iKvpR6B-mAlc8IPIjgztOwHIG3J5oca3VCAvIY8gZORlLHFwT2QI2CF/s1600/Sewing+Kit+-+Jamie%2527s+Sewing+bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBOgRdgTmL6fEM5oBgplrOZstTk4iScQRdUunjujkNzNm0cRU67Tv7TXRO6c_Q2ySujPVw6WZm4g4XUJlvRldJ3iKvpR6B-mAlc8IPIjgztOwHIG3J5oca3VCAvIY8gZORlLHFwT2QI2CF/s320/Sewing+Kit+-+Jamie%2527s+Sewing+bag.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x"><u>Klára:</u> "</span></span><span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x"><span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x">I like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1295759857255161&set=oa.1288459144638085&type=3&theater">Raquel's pincushion</a> very much."</span></span></span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x"><span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x">(note from <u>Hana:</u> So did I, but I tried to stick with one choice... which doesn't really matter all that much by now. :D) </span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27_INUvNQIT5jjJ9gfmLzFXd8gCuLFA0Vf5ip6pQGiug_EmmXTFaYar4hWdyAnYMnSSAz1SRyNmSGH_opTciLqdfACmfEtpcGNdszRxtAo3bSNZGnpBv9nhGRFWefrtGGnHhHgwgLNKhP/s1600/Sewing+Kit+-+Raquel%2527s+pincushion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27_INUvNQIT5jjJ9gfmLzFXd8gCuLFA0Vf5ip6pQGiug_EmmXTFaYar4hWdyAnYMnSSAz1SRyNmSGH_opTciLqdfACmfEtpcGNdszRxtAo3bSNZGnpBv9nhGRFWefrtGGnHhHgwgLNKhP/s320/Sewing+Kit+-+Raquel%2527s+pincushion.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x">Bránn: "I quite like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2537911919571685&set=oa.1288459144638085&type=3&theater">Taylor's blue/white huswife</a>."</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntsJVAStHJO5yFUMOxNIZYw0rWSKEAGBvr9bt0PRHcp19NWya-n06cwvtBclmEWiVN55FrJw8vNSJV_f2bFjEESoEdB0b48Am2SGKx2Uo5XarDSYu0ZU9DuoKH5zouh76sAsQMn-hqpe4/s1600/Sewing+Kit+-+Taylor%2527s+huswife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntsJVAStHJO5yFUMOxNIZYw0rWSKEAGBvr9bt0PRHcp19NWya-n06cwvtBclmEWiVN55FrJw8vNSJV_f2bFjEESoEdB0b48Am2SGKx2Uo5XarDSYu0ZU9DuoKH5zouh76sAsQMn-hqpe4/s320/Sewing+Kit+-+Taylor%2527s+huswife.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x"><br /></span></span>
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x">And, well, anyone who knows me will know that ending on something blue and white is just about perfect! ;-)</span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x"><br /></span></span>
<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x">So that's it for the picks but, as I said, there are more nice makes and you should check them all out! And hopefully the next post won't take quite so long to write. :D Till next time!</span></span>Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-24902092522762535042019-01-27T13:52:00.004+01:002019-01-28T22:28:50.049+01:00HSM '19 #2 Inspiration: Linen/linensThe second challenge for Historical Sew Monthly 2019 is <i>Linen/linens: make something out of linen, or that falls under the older definition of linens: ie. underclothes (lingerie literally means linen).</i><br />
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Linen, made from the fibers in the stems of the flax plants, is one of the oldest textiles there are (at least in the Old World), so you're safe to use it even if you by any chance do Sumerian or Ancient Egyptian impressions!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJUJpZG4MMtWlYVNPiTbyNzOqrbgrYoyAYifyhxZdxxpZIKIqZek90zjIShfJkX6mMCxMC8jwHLuhpcX5ceONw9UAWreYdZqJlDFAHpVzfRpQJcjeimhey_80oXiHhyphenhyphen3E91u9pc1F-tza/s1600/-1300+Ani+before+Osiris+-+British+Museum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJUJpZG4MMtWlYVNPiTbyNzOqrbgrYoyAYifyhxZdxxpZIKIqZek90zjIShfJkX6mMCxMC8jwHLuhpcX5ceONw9UAWreYdZqJlDFAHpVzfRpQJcjeimhey_80oXiHhyphenhyphen3E91u9pc1F-tza/s400/-1300+Ani+before+Osiris+-+British+Museum.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BD_Ani_before_Osiris.jpg"><i>Ani before Osiris. 1890 facsimile of a ca. 1300 BC artwork in the Book of the Dead of Ani. British Museum, via Wikimedia Commons.</i></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Bale_of_flax_(hieroglyph)">Wikimedia Commons tell me that bunch of stalks before Ani represents a bale of flax.</a> Whether or not that's the case in this particular artwork, the clothes he wears most probably are linen.</i></div>
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Egyptian linen was known to be so fine as to be transparent, an aspect of linen you may also be familiar with from fine caps, fichus and chemisettes in the later centuries.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmph_E2yvAYuYZEBNF7r99nqbp1pruggK17H2Ms4xp68WLkQaEjtsW2QHSSfN45XAno8ooj1DQdGblq9cGuZ1EnHXIt4yxCotqJz3akTL6BuHqoi2AB_9RmeOJQR6J2HOzIngnxT1mFA6p/s1600/1860s+chemisette+American+linen+MET+CIX60.3a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="726" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmph_E2yvAYuYZEBNF7r99nqbp1pruggK17H2Ms4xp68WLkQaEjtsW2QHSSfN45XAno8ooj1DQdGblq9cGuZ1EnHXIt4yxCotqJz3akTL6BuHqoi2AB_9RmeOJQR6J2HOzIngnxT1mFA6p/s320/1860s+chemisette+American+linen+MET+CIX60.3a.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/101141"><i>Chemisette from an accessory set, 1860s, American, linen. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, ID: C.I.X.60.3a.</i></a></div>
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And while your quintessential transparent white Regency dress is
usually made of Indian cotton muslin, you can actually find some linen
extants as well - taking that clothing article that much closer to the
example of antiquity they were aiming at!<br />
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And throughout the centuries, it was a popular material for fine laces, more easily obtainable in Europe than silk. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhloKNWKEob3PTq2W4gffAHHs_SjcDJnkMfB6EUN3v9zmy3U_HEj3ijJ1lSCkyGg8RyU_OM5rHLyd9xu3hCio5_jB0LRgbpLXuGCNC3s6AysERqPj3jhC_7vZx4QnQzh7RA6Ib4r00QqLjy/s1600/16th+c+needlelace+Italy+Liberec+T01004_14A2533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="1200" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhloKNWKEob3PTq2W4gffAHHs_SjcDJnkMfB6EUN3v9zmy3U_HEj3ijJ1lSCkyGg8RyU_OM5rHLyd9xu3hCio5_jB0LRgbpLXuGCNC3s6AysERqPj3jhC_7vZx4QnQzh7RA6Ib4r00QqLjy/s400/16th+c+needlelace+Italy+Liberec+T01004_14A2533.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.esbirky.cz/predmet/5696427">16th century linen needle lace, Italy. Severočeské muzeum v Liberci, ID: T01004</a></i></div>
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Lace may be too much for you to recreate for the challenge (but isn't the one above adorable?), but of course these would often be attached to chemises and shirts, or separate collars, <i>also</i> made of linen.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg94vyelSC1o6hYi31oF-dtRwtrjaoaCsV5T56nz8wf_13mWCMbeNzpzWCHbr2bqQZs9MNY1koPRNBCjBYwPUs2cfAAdBTZLuvYzA8wGNHIstNHYnFXsHK4WX4VQL3KiVMuOuD5UO8wd74/s1600/1640-+collar+V%2526A+1126-1903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="736" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg94vyelSC1o6hYi31oF-dtRwtrjaoaCsV5T56nz8wf_13mWCMbeNzpzWCHbr2bqQZs9MNY1koPRNBCjBYwPUs2cfAAdBTZLuvYzA8wGNHIstNHYnFXsHK4WX4VQL3KiVMuOuD5UO8wd74/s400/1640-+collar+V%2526A+1126-1903.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O77374/collar-unknown/"><i>Collar, 1630-1640, probably made in Honiton, England. Linen, edged with bobbin lace, with tassels of knotted linen thread. Victoria & Albert Museum, ID: 1126-1903.</i></a></div>
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Linen was a home-grown fibre in Europe, and as such, something that you find very often in peasant / folk costumes. One aspect of it I find particularly fascinating is that in several countries (or regions, specifically), women wore caps / bonnets made with the very ancient technique of <a href="https://www.krosienky-sprang.cz/blog/z-historie-21.html">sprang</a> well into the 20th century. These were usually made with linen thread, although later also cotton (and I've unfortunately only tracked down cotton examples, but the style is the same).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKo4FN2OA-9IhCu9kAiQ7w2vWKwURvbOQ2BQsfI9UOyWj0TWX8soG9azFlsPxAPPJtnx1OZV0sTGeBvhamLwhRZWMX_iTl0wI-QUpVwDc15i7ZjQUz1C-ePAED87cEvebvnPnfQ26uCPe2/s1600/1800s-late+sprang+bonnet+cotton+Zd%25C4%259Bchov+Muzeum+regionu+Vala%25C5%25A1sko+Vala%25C5%25A1sk%25C3%25A9+Mezi%25C5%2599%25C3%25AD%25C4%258D%25C3%25AD+N+280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="689" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKo4FN2OA-9IhCu9kAiQ7w2vWKwURvbOQ2BQsfI9UOyWj0TWX8soG9azFlsPxAPPJtnx1OZV0sTGeBvhamLwhRZWMX_iTl0wI-QUpVwDc15i7ZjQUz1C-ePAED87cEvebvnPnfQ26uCPe2/s320/1800s-late+sprang+bonnet+cotton+Zd%25C4%259Bchov+Muzeum+regionu+Vala%25C5%25A1sko+Vala%25C5%25A1sk%25C3%25A9+Mezi%25C5%2599%25C3%25AD%25C4%258D%25C3%25AD+N+280.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cesonline.cz/arl-ces/cs/detail-ces_us_cat-psb0002168-11-Etnograficka/?iset=4&qt=mg"><i>Sprang cap, end of the 19th century, Zděchov (in Moravian Wallachia), cotton. Muzeum regionu Valašsko, Valašské Meziříčí, ID: N 280 (I'm guessing :-) ).</i></a></div>
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Another use of linen completely hides the linen in your project. I mention it here because it often lands you with search results on museum
sites that list "linen" among other materials, without the linen
actually showing on the outside of the garment, so it's something to watch out for:<br />
Linen was used extensively as a lining fabric underneath other fine materials - often, before the methods changed in the 19th century, you would drape the garment in the lining fabric, i.e. the linen, and then mount the silks or wools on top of this linen base.<br />
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This presentation on the Lengberg finds makes a case for it being the case back in the 15th century! <br />
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We discussed this particular application of linen with the moderators, and the final consensus was that if linen linings are a step towards greater historical accuracy for you, or you just happen to be working on a project like that right now, feel free to use it as a justification for your entry for this challenge.<br />
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Aside from the hidden linings, medieval depictions show white accessories like headwraps and aprons that would have definitely been made of linen.<br />
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And you can, of course, <i>totally</i> justify your linen linings if your outer fabric also happens to be linen!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMrzasj6p2ozNw652mrxADKyQNRysckKNbOwmmOu5C2KbSqdXtbOHG4NT6sPC54Rut8oQGXq1zuVPN3gHFn57Sofc5FkxROxKqwK5Hc6tAanZ0uXpU7PskfeCeW62I2y1IpnHInb63G-II/s1600/1785-1790+linen+jacket+V%2526A+T.219-1966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="435" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMrzasj6p2ozNw652mrxADKyQNRysckKNbOwmmOu5C2KbSqdXtbOHG4NT6sPC54Rut8oQGXq1zuVPN3gHFn57Sofc5FkxROxKqwK5Hc6tAanZ0uXpU7PskfeCeW62I2y1IpnHInb63G-II/s640/1785-1790+linen+jacket+V%2526A+T.219-1966.jpg" width="464" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O74230/jacket-unknown/">Jacket, 1785-1790, France (possibly), printed linen, quilted, lined with linen. The Victoria & Albert Museum, ID: T.219-1966.</a></i></div>
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But linen is also known as a nice material to wear in summer heat, and it was used that way in the past, unlined, in articles of clothing that were otherwise usually comprised of far more layers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8EEO2s9WF_zZPFr-OmDM9nutdnDPo_5KbbT7WGQZskyA7nlRPdAqVSZaNpe9Obqva-H9r6cNftsHz4mHk4CCL_vkQAqpePQrttM8bjVTYpRG6VpmH0UAMoPotXW_64IbYmE0e1vYVrun/s1600/1840s+American+linen+coat+MET+1982-158-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="988" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8EEO2s9WF_zZPFr-OmDM9nutdnDPo_5KbbT7WGQZskyA7nlRPdAqVSZaNpe9Obqva-H9r6cNftsHz4mHk4CCL_vkQAqpePQrttM8bjVTYpRG6VpmH0UAMoPotXW_64IbYmE0e1vYVrun/s640/1840s+American+linen+coat+MET+1982-158-10.jpg" width="393" /></a>
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<a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/82127"><i>Linen coat, 1840s, American. Metropolitan Museum of Arts, ID: 1982.<span class="artwork__tombstone--value">158.10</span></i></a></div>
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It's also known to be good at wicking moisture (that's part of what makes it nice for summer), and that, together with its ability to withstand repeated washings, made it an ideal material for underclothes like chemises and shirts.<br />
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<i><a href="https://collections.museumoflondon.org.uk/online/object/739231.html">Le Petit Modiste, 1820. The Museum of London, ID: 2002.139/2757.</a></i></div>
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Which ties us neatly into the other interpretation of this challenge: underwear.<br />
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<i>Especially</i> if it happens to be made of linen. ;-)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju0vWSR3sMBfw93ncv2tCdWFY0UTCvws1ozlXFsje21Z8ZEYHaGqkuW1lH5_rUP0GxCXXFjSuZxG7WzDylqu9Prqo4n47YrNNVi8ZwtHp3-9EWdNuJkmEohbEZXYL-G4MA7noXQb4MUs3w/s1600/1770-+pockethoops+GNM+T2479.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="625" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju0vWSR3sMBfw93ncv2tCdWFY0UTCvws1ozlXFsje21Z8ZEYHaGqkuW1lH5_rUP0GxCXXFjSuZxG7WzDylqu9Prqo4n47YrNNVi8ZwtHp3-9EWdNuJkmEohbEZXYL-G4MA7noXQb4MUs3w/s640/1770-+pockethoops+GNM+T2479.jpg" width="499" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://objektkatalog.gnm.de/objekt/T2479"><i>Pockethoops, c. 1770, linen and baleen. Germnanischen Nationalsmuseum, ID: T2479</i></a></div>
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If you're going the underwear route, you don't necessarily have to use linen the fibre, though (it's not always easy to find in the correct weight for fine underwear these days). It is, however, the most accurate material for the earlier periods.<br />
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From cca the end of the 18th century onwards, you find cotton being used in the same underwear applications as linen fairly often.<br />
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And of course, for certain things you could use silk.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmkZxJSKLoOAYVTDGBZchtrA4aTx8pcPXPKDk6QAT1G4H5wEdIikqISt1jBfz5TJn7F6cqV3a0nodR_5f5CnmLLZi1ybS4wxYOr1nMIf5W8H1-d6kWMgRZwhZw0AV-PLGmc8KO7ODj5bH/s1600/1930s+silk+step-ins+Augusta+Auctions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmkZxJSKLoOAYVTDGBZchtrA4aTx8pcPXPKDk6QAT1G4H5wEdIikqISt1jBfz5TJn7F6cqV3a0nodR_5f5CnmLLZi1ybS4wxYOr1nMIf5W8H1-d6kWMgRZwhZw0AV-PLGmc8KO7ODj5bH/s400/1930s+silk+step-ins+Augusta+Auctions.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.augusta-auction.com/search-past-sales?view=lot&id=18967&auction_file_id=52"><i>Silk and lace step-ins, 1930s. Sold by Augusta Auctions October 24, 2018 NYC, lot 18</i></a>. </div>
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Or even, as a more affordable option in the 20th century, <a href="http://thedreamstress.com/2014/01/terminology-rayon-viscose-acetate/">viscose / rayon</a>.<br />
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And if you're currently in the cold part of the world, or on the other hand would like to prepare for when your hemisphere is plunged into winter, you could even use wool.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BzLyrT_I6M3KkUhmCBPRun3SO2t5qxA-zqzGpmjowThS7hD_kWCmKLUMXlE5VMX6C4gg22Jf1yC99qIIjQnWAtTkevfmhcbCw0yJjZG7URfyv7XC1pycuAJ1wZ1i_KC8xJeWRFSrClpH/s1600/1800-1820+wool+undershirt+V%2526A+371X-1908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="696" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BzLyrT_I6M3KkUhmCBPRun3SO2t5qxA-zqzGpmjowThS7hD_kWCmKLUMXlE5VMX6C4gg22Jf1yC99qIIjQnWAtTkevfmhcbCw0yJjZG7URfyv7XC1pycuAJ1wZ1i_KC8xJeWRFSrClpH/s400/1800-1820+wool+undershirt+V%2526A+371X-1908.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O236213/undershirt-unknown/"><i>Undershirt, England, 1800-1820, wool jersey, machine-knitted and felted. The Victoria & Albert Museum, ID: 371X-1908.</i></a></div>
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Just please don't take the interpretation even further and <u><i>don't</i></u> make <i>household </i>linen instead! The HSM is meant for garments or accessories worn by a living person, normally not for other types of sewing. (Some challenges, like the Sewing Kit challenge this year, may specify you can also make something else, but those are only the exceptions proving the rule!)<br />
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Hopefully that still offers you a wide choice of things to pick your project from for this challenge. Happy creating!<br />
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(You can search, on museum sites, not only for "linen" but also "flax" - the term for the plant - or "bast" - the general term for plant fibres like linen. On different language sites it depends on the particular language the site is using, of course...<br />
On Czech sites like esbirky.cz, you can search for "len" - the material / fibre, or "lněný" / "lněná" / "lněné" - the adjectives. The downside to the adjectives is that, depending on the algorithm, you <i>may</i> accidentally end up with wool and cotton objects, too... "vlněný" and "bavlněný", respectively. Yep, Czech is fun!) Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-27408367672374903332018-07-31T21:20:00.000+02:002018-08-02T11:30:14.884+02:00HSM 18 Inspiration: #8 Extant OriginalsThe Historical Sew Monthly challenge for August 2018 is <i>Extant Originals: Copy an extant historical garment as closely as possible.</i><br />
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First and foremost, we would like to encourage you to simply
give it a go - have fun with it, make that garment you love, find a
garment you love, get yourself something you will love wearing. This
post - fair warning, it is quite long - tries to compile further
guidelines and advice if you want to up your game and do your best.<br />
Sometimes, the idea of doing that may seem just like a very unrealistic dream: for example, I love this c. 1790 silk jacket from Severočeské muzeum in Liberec to bits, but I have not yet come across a good modern version of those late rococo silk brocades with scattered flower bouquets.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0z31mJb5INfQ2Hs4jGMczy6ErOLkyiEpv3ANnSYl50vndWzR5moSFgi2KjAndTzTXpGljQVtsA4mgBp2UB_Br4SfyebFBXV1QX1Ta0M2c-3A0Rof03MsuLLfgGogh3Jy0sxVeNHsEsu0F/s1600/1790-+kab%25C3%25A1tek+hedv%25C3%25A1b%25C3%25AD+len+voskovan%25C3%25A9+pl%25C3%25A1tno+kostice+Liberec+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0z31mJb5INfQ2Hs4jGMczy6ErOLkyiEpv3ANnSYl50vndWzR5moSFgi2KjAndTzTXpGljQVtsA4mgBp2UB_Br4SfyebFBXV1QX1Ta0M2c-3A0Rof03MsuLLfgGogh3Jy0sxVeNHsEsu0F/s640/1790-+kab%25C3%25A1tek+hedv%25C3%25A1b%25C3%25AD+len+voskovan%25C3%25A9+pl%25C3%25A1tno+kostice+Liberec+1.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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With this inspiration post, I would like to guide you towards finding a realistic and perfectly doable version of that dream. You may have to start small, but small steps can eventually lead to a full historical outfit.<br />
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Right up front, I’d better clarify what exactly we mean by “extant historical garment” and “as close as possible”.<br />
We certainly don’t insist you actually find a historical garment to physically hold and study and copy exactly. What we want you to do is what many of you already do – find a picture, preferably more pictures, of a garment in a museum collection or on a trusted auction site, and make a garment for yourself (or a family member / friend) that looks as close as possible to it.<br />
(If you’re lucky enough to have physical access to your chosen item, or have an heirloom / personal collection item from the HSM time range you can recreate, that’s a plus but by no means a requirement.)
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“As close as possible” is definitely, at least to a certain extent, up to you and your circumstances, just like the historical accuracy of your HSM entries is to a certain extent up to you. If you have not yet, read <a href="http://thedreamstress.com/2013/05/what-makes-a-garment-historically-accurate/">Leimomi’s post on the various ways of approaching historical accuracy</a> – that alone may help clear some things up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59WVU_pQFkBTGrKUreiGzRQcQryT43oLYdpxEyo36xdhIvX3pvYuTju_FbGBN1ndLDVJtACiEt4AOl04gc0kmnp4voITt0t6-GzYdNejMG0zPb8AD3jSoW0kRJ4Y6ABObrn2Y076JtbBl/s1600/1790s+silk+taffetta+jacket+Abiti+Antichi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="621" data-original-width="550" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59WVU_pQFkBTGrKUreiGzRQcQryT43oLYdpxEyo36xdhIvX3pvYuTju_FbGBN1ndLDVJtACiEt4AOl04gc0kmnp4voITt0t6-GzYdNejMG0zPb8AD3jSoW0kRJ4Y6ABObrn2Y076JtbBl/s400/1790s+silk+taffetta+jacket+Abiti+Antichi.jpg" width="353" /></a></div>
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<i>1790s silk taffetta jacket, <a href="http://www.abitiantichi.it/collezione/abiti/corpino25.html">Abiti Antichi</a>.</i></div>
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<i>I love this one equally as much, and solid-coloured silks are easier to find. (Although I actually have other plans for this challenge, the comparison serves as a good example.)</i></div>
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What we would like to see with this challenge in particular, however, is a greater attention to the pattern shapes, techniques and details that make a historical garment historical – try to really recreate the construction, the seamlines and trimmings, and get inspired by garments genuinely worn in the period rather than prints and paintings (although those may also offer you insights the extants alone cannot).<br />
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The good news for sewing (and crafting) newbies is, there are many, many simple accessories to be found in museums, and the HSM timeline reaches all the way to vintage styles, so you really don’t have to struggle with an elaborate gown or coat for this challenge! You can always make a simple neckerchief, cap, bag, or pair of mitts. Underclothes are also a good place to start, and quite ubiquitous in collections.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZ-KrglYI6hhPRJMKw6Wsx1tFWSdEoj2W0JrZgxSPjoBvh-CdXbZTzIyTMk9tvZD2bVqXsv8ITsb_W4b-dlzgsp7sqsTqg6Sa6d2l9m7QDzrgOEziGze75p0Lup9sPcgc-rZ_NSRU8IlJ/s1600/1930s+drawers+Chapman+19920050004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="950" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZ-KrglYI6hhPRJMKw6Wsx1tFWSdEoj2W0JrZgxSPjoBvh-CdXbZTzIyTMk9tvZD2bVqXsv8ITsb_W4b-dlzgsp7sqsTqg6Sa6d2l9m7QDzrgOEziGze75p0Lup9sPcgc-rZ_NSRU8IlJ/s400/1930s+drawers+Chapman+19920050004.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>1930s silk drawers, Chapman Historical Museum, ID 1992.005.0004. <a href="http://chapmanmuseum.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/155938D6-7B3E-49DB-AA12-122575174950">Complete with pattern!</a></i><a href="http://chapmanmuseum.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/155938D6-7B3E-49DB-AA12-122575174950"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQEiiGKu8T0w4Y8q9IQcuZaKcpMkAAir4xeN4Pmh3S9tLTGvY2pqH8w9jfZngwNQ9HxhCv9GsZmRhYMK3woi8o6bzyaVF3D1GCueabzBSyxHzsxpLDClf6v_qrkz7YKhfwdXkITwyJGGAN/s1600/Early+19th+c+stock+-+MET+08.187.8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="728" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQEiiGKu8T0w4Y8q9IQcuZaKcpMkAAir4xeN4Pmh3S9tLTGvY2pqH8w9jfZngwNQ9HxhCv9GsZmRhYMK3woi8o6bzyaVF3D1GCueabzBSyxHzsxpLDClf6v_qrkz7YKhfwdXkITwyJGGAN/s400/Early+19th+c+stock+-+MET+08.187.8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Early 19th century stock, British, linen. <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/98177">Metropolitan Museum of Art</a>, Accession number 08.187.8</i></div>
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Kendra has a (non-exhaustive, possibly already a bit dated) list of online collections <a href="http://demodecouture.com/extant-costumes/">here</a> - that's a good place to start if you're new to this.<br />
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It's also a good idea to contact the museum if you want some additional info - often, the process of uploading the images online is half automatic, and the people working in the museum may know more. Try to get in touch with the costume curator if they have one / if they list those contacts, and politely ask specific questions (for example, I once asked what fabric was <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2014/04/an-easter-gift-for-you-free-pattern-for.html">the 1848 kacabajka</a> actually made of, as several books listed conflicting info, and whether it had any boning in it.)<br />
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While the accuracy is up to you, try to make informed choices. And to help you get an idea, I put together some (non-exhaustive!) lists of changes from the original, ones we would absolutely find acceptable, and ones we will rather frown upon.</div>
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<b>Acceptable:</b></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Different colour or print / pattern</b>, as long as it is historically accurate / plausible for the era and garment. (Life is short, money often tight and offer of fabric in modern shops limited. We all face these limitations here.) The good news (another) is that <a href="https://archive.org/search.php?query=subject%3A%22Sample+books%22&sort=date&and[]=loans__status__status%3A%22-1%22">many actual historical fabrics</a> are often crazier and more interesting than we imagine, so - depending on what the shops around you carry - it may not be as difficult to find an acceptable print as it seems at first sight.</li>
<li><b>Fibre content, <i>to a certain extent</i></b>. It is, for example, next to impossible to get silk trimming braids these days, so a modern alternative (like rayon) is fine – the more like the original, the better, of course. Some fabrics are also pretty much impossible to find (see the 1790s brocade above), but in that case I would advise choosing instead an item that’s easier to replicate in modern materials. Or at least stick to a similar natural fibre (like lightweight cotton instead of handkerchief linen) or a cheaper blend that behaves similarly to the original type of fabric. As usual, try to make informed choices here – try to find a type of fabric that will behave similarly, a similar weight of fabric etc.</li>
<li>Especially for earlier eras with garments that aren’t that well-preserved, some <b>guesswork as to the shape of the whole</b> is often necessary, and perfectly fine.</li>
<li><b>Machine sewing (for eras before sewing machines) in places where it won’t be obvious and won’t mess with the period construction techniques</b> (like long seams in skirts or boning channels in stays that will be covered with outer layers). Handsewing everything isn’t for everyone. If handsewing isn’t for you at all, for health or other reasons, maybe pick an item that’s machine-sewn, or that’s simple enough that it won’t affect the construction?</li>
<li><b>Changes to pattern to accommodate a different figure</b> from the original wearer’s are of course OK. Try to stick to the overall seamlines distribution of the original. (You may have to introduce additional darts or gussets to accommodate a curvier figure, or alternately reduce them for a slimmer one – try to do so in a period-like manner.) This may also involve slight variations in the proportions of trimmings etc., again to suit your own figure.</li>
<li>And of course, <b>modern alternatives to baleen</b> are not only acceptable but really necessary! <b>Faux fur</b> is also perfectly fine. </li>
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<i>1840s shoes, silk velvet with silk thread and ribbon embroidery, ermine fur, and leather, Russia, worn in Cambridge, Massachussetts. <a href="https://www.mfa.org/collections/object/pair-of-womans-shoes-489733">MFA Boston</a>, Accession number: 97.155-156</i><b> </b><br />
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<b>Not So Good:</b></div>
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<li><b>Very obviously different seamlines</b>. (E.g., the shoulder seams in many periods did not sit directly on the shoulder but further down the back.) Using a modern, non-historical costuming pattern with non-historical seamlines without the necessary alterations (for example, I've noticed that Burda's "historical" patterns are obviously based on modern pattern blocks and have modern seamlines only loosely imitating historical styles - like princess seams, so that's Not Very Good for the purposes of this challenge - or really the HSM in general). Do pay attention to the location of seams on your original, aside from proper undergarments they are the one thing that really makes or breaks a historical impression!</li>
<li><b>Very different material</b> – like recreating a silk jacket in wool broadcloth or quilting cotton, or a lightweight satin item in stiff herringbone weave, etc. :D Use
your sewing common sense, and feel free to ask in the Facebook HSM group (if you're there) if you don't trust your sewing common sense yet. The material also makes the garment what it is.</li>
<li><b>Very different colour / pattern</b>, like using a loud pattern in a garment that was originally plain-coloured, or a very bright chemical-dye colour for an era in
which it is not plausible... Avoid modern “photorealistic” prints, and use prints that look appropriate for the particular era.</li>
<li><b>Completely ignoring the construction of the original</b>, like machine bag-lining an item that would have had the lining sewn in by hand, or "replicating" embroidery with a printed fabric.</li>
<li><b>Very different type & style of trimmings</b>. This is one I think is particularly specific to this challenge! Do re-create the garment you chose.</li>
<li>Oh, and as always with HSM entries, <b>we frown on doll clothes</b> (unless you decide to recreate a whole historical “travelling fashion doll” from a museum, including the doll - that would be cool and acceptable), <b>and clothes for sale</b> (unless your <i>directly previous three entries</i> were <i>not</i> for sale).</li>
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Well, I hope that more or less covers it in terms of "rules" (don't take that word too seriously ;-) ).<br />
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<i>1750s banyan, Chinese silk, Netherlands. <a href="https://collections.lacma.org/node/214490">Los Angeles County Museum of Art</a>, M.2007.211.797. <a href="http://www.lacma.org/patternproject">Also has a pattern online.</a></i></div>
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<i> Fellow moderator Bránn has <a href="https://matsukazesewing.blogspot.com/2016/09/a-robe-for-reading-drafting-mid-18th.html">a post about scaling the pattern up to your own proportions</a> that may help you with other scaled-down patterns.</i><br />
<i>Earlier-style damasks somewhat like this seem a bit easier to find than later rococo brocades. </i> </div>
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When it comes to getting the seamlines right, you really can’t go wrong with <b>patterns taken from extant garments</b>. Even if you don’t recreate the very same garment the pattern was taken from, it gives you a guaranteed accurate starting point if you’re lucky to find a pattern for a similar garment. Very often, if you look away from the bells and whistles of a particular garment, the “bare bones” of the pattern can work for many other extants. Changes to take the pattern to the shape of the original can, of course, be worked out in the mock-up stage. And even if you don’t trust yourself with scaling up such patterns, they can give you a benchmark to which to compare commercial patterns and <i>their</i> seamlines.</div>
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There are <b>books</b> with such scaled patterns of extants, so I will try to list some of them – I certainly can’t guarantee it’s all such books currently available, especially because I don’t own a single one of the physical books myself... If you don’t have them yet, it's probably too late to order now (sorry about that, I did start writing the post early, buuut...). You may get lucky in a library, though, or find a costumer living nearby willing to give you a peek.</div>
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<li>the <i>Patterns of Fashion</i> series by Janet Arnold et al. – depending on the particular book, it covers a range of eras from the 16th to the first half of the 20th century.</li>
<li>the series of books by Norah Waugh - <i>Corsets & Crinolines</i>, and <i>The Cut of Women's / Men's Clothes</i>.</li>
<li><i>Medieval Garments Reconstructed: Norse Clothing Patterns</i>, companion book to <i>Woven into the Earth</i>, both covering the Herjolfsnes medieval finds in Greenland.</li>
<li>Linda Baumgarten et al.: <i>Costume Close-Up: Clothing Construction and Pattern, 1750-1790</i></li>
<li><i>Fitting and Proper</i> by Sharon Ann Burnston</li>
<li><i>Die Kostümsammlung Hüpsch im Hessischen Landesmuseum Darmstadt</i> - dissertation by Johannes Pietsch, <a href="https://mediatum.ub.tum.de/?id=619442">available online in PDF</a>. It features baroque costumes, jackets and bodices, both male and
female, from a range of dates ending with a cca 1790 spencer. (Bear in
mind that some of the other 18th century pieces there are theatre
costumes.) It also seems to be a pretty nice overlook of various sewing
techniques for the era - if you understand German.</li>
<li><i>Regency Women's Dress</i> by Cassidy Percoco</li>
<li><i>Corsets</i> by Jill Salen </li>
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<i>The Museum of London has helpfully <a href="https://collections.museumoflondon.org.uk/online/search/#!/results?search=AND%3BgroupRef%3Bgroup-21610&searchtitle=Janet%20Arnold's%20'Patterns%20of%20Fashion'&advanced=true">organised all of their garments featured in Patterns of Fashion together</a>. Woman's smock, linen, 1600-1618, ID: A21968.</i></div>
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But yet another good news – and one of the reasons I don’t have any of these books yet myself :-) – is that these days there are already <b>many patterns of extant clothes
available online for free</b>.</div>
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I’ve started compiling them in <a href="https://cz.pinterest.com/marmotab/extant-clothes-with-patterns/">a Pinterest board</a>, so if you use Pinterest, you can head there and take your pick (or give me tips in the comments here for ones I’ve missed!). Some of those patterns are – especially in the earlier eras – more along the lines of a rough draft of pattern shapes, and some – not many, I tried to avoid them, but I think some did slip in – are altered from the original to a different figure. But I make a point of only including patterns that come together with pictures of the original extant garment, and if possible, I pin a picture of the garment, not the pattern, so you can see what the pattern is <i>for</i>.</div>
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It’s rather skewed in favour of late 19th century and early 20th century, but you can still certainly find a variety of eras there, and both women's and men's clothes.<br />
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<i>Dress and chemise associated with Mary Habsburg of Austria, queen of Hungary, 1st half of the 16th century, Hungarian National Museum.</i></div>
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From cca mid-19th century onwards, there are also approximate patterns from women's magazines floating around online, like in <a href="https://archive.org/search.php?query=godey%27s+lady%27s+book&and%5B%5D=loans__status__status%3A%22-1%22&sort=date">the Godey's Lady's Book</a> (the early issues don't have them). There are also <a href="https://archive.org/search.php?query=subject%3A%22Tailoring%22&sort=date">tailoring</a> & <a href="https://archive.org/search.php?query=subject%3A%22Dressmaking%22&sort=date">dressmaking</a> books, many of which can be found, as linked, on Archive.org (where you can also search for other subjects to see if there's anything else not tagged with those two specific subjects). Bránn has also <a href="https://matsukazesewing.blogspot.com/2016/03/bibliography-of-historical-tailoring.html">compiled a list</a>. Some of those patterns come in the form of apportioning scales patterns, for which our member Alyssa wrote <a href="https://thesewinggoatherd.blogspot.com/2018/06/making-apportioning-rulers-for.html">a nice explanation</a> earlier this year as she made her own re-interpretation of an extant garment. And Nessa made a tutorial on drafting old pattern drafts like that <a href="https://sewingempire.wordpress.com/2014/01/30/drafting-vintage-block-patterns-with-inkscape/">in Inkscape</a>, if you want to go digital.<br />
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<i>Pattern for "Lady's short paletot" from the <a href="https://archive.org/stream/godey1856#page/545/mode/1up">November 1856 issue of Godey's Lady's Book</a>.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJTinGitxO_Wa71kI2wic0yuLnymy8lIDfWLbg17N6saAVvoWqFv-MctmAZVrNobybih3EjfW8YwzpkHqY8dCEXE4n5NIprYeE49DybBC4PwWAtI07H4XvQRjjzbsnP3tmRrKsZP3rXPs/s1600/1850s+silk+coat+MET+CI52.48.6_F.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="943" data-original-width="1600" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJTinGitxO_Wa71kI2wic0yuLnymy8lIDfWLbg17N6saAVvoWqFv-MctmAZVrNobybih3EjfW8YwzpkHqY8dCEXE4n5NIprYeE49DybBC4PwWAtI07H4XvQRjjzbsnP3tmRrKsZP3rXPs/s400/1850s+silk+coat+MET+CI52.48.6_F.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i> 1850s silk coat, American, <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/103954">Metropolitan Museum of Art</a>, ID: C.I.52.48.6. Obviously not the same garment, but also obviously following the same very basic seamlines.</i></div>
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For even a bit later, you can also find magazines complete with their pattern sheets on some library sites. For example, Moravská zemská knihovna has scanned and shared most of the magazines <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.digitalniknihovna.cz/mzk/periodical/uuid:5a616ca0-a2c8-11e3-aa54-5ef3fc9bb22f"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nové mody</i></a></span> and <a href="http://www.digitalniknihovna.cz/mzk/periodical/uuid:04bea6e0-a2c4-11e3-b74a-5ef3fc9ae867"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nové pařížské mody</i></a> from 1917 to the end of the HSM era (and beyond, so avoid those), and many of the issues come with
their pattern sheets also scanned (although many of them have the pattern sheet in a separate folder, so look closely). I wrote down a further explanation of how to deal with them on my <a href="https://marmota-b.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html">Resources</a> page (where I also haphazardly list other neat online resources I’ve come across). Others can be found on other library sites in different languages.<br />
<br />
So the choice of historical patterns available online is certainly quite large these days!<br />
<br />
For example, <a href="http://costumes.unc.edu/costar/view/Costar/garment.jsp?id=1601">this blue 1890s jacket in the COSTAR collection</a> - with pattern draft provided - bears certain similarities to many other 1890s jackets you can find online, like <a href="http://www.antique-gown.com/en/1890-1900/extravagant-red-jacket,-ca-1898">this red jacket</a> sold by Antique Gown, or <a href="http://www.esbirky.cz/predmet/3505502">this beige-grey one</a>
in the Liberec museum. Moreover, a pattern for a similar jacket could
e.g. be cobbled together from the pattern pieces offered in Thompson's
Universal System (now unfortunately available <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20050405235524/http://costumes.org:80/history/galleryimages/c1899thompsonssystem/index.htm">only through the Wayback machine</a>,
so not all the pages may be there). The fuller sleeves of the Liberec jacket could be borrowed from <a href="https://natmus.dk/historisk-viden/temaer/modens-historie/1890-1920/graa-spadseredragt/">this c. 1896-98 walking costume in the Danish National Museum</a>. And last but not least, <a href="http://wearinghistory.clothing/sophie-1899-french-jacket-pattern/">the Sophie Jacket pattern by Wearing History</a> is also built along the same general lines.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqYD1aBk4w_wN50Jmk6glE-5dZ7IxrkSY072EmhvE45X2MZATqaWGtHioz9z5gbmzKXexcIoW5dSyJkuo5Em25i-39xUPAfHpPQcRub1_WZNZAZTA6KCdvLjZRrA-YupsFAWtL9SaXEUUe/s1600/1890s+jackets+-+comparison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1172" data-original-width="1320" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqYD1aBk4w_wN50Jmk6glE-5dZ7IxrkSY072EmhvE45X2MZATqaWGtHioz9z5gbmzKXexcIoW5dSyJkuo5Em25i-39xUPAfHpPQcRub1_WZNZAZTA6KCdvLjZRrA-YupsFAWtL9SaXEUUe/s400/1890s+jackets+-+comparison.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Not only may finding a more common type of garment like the jackets above help you with finding a pattern - it may also help you with finding images showing more of the probable construction of that garment type. (Of course, if you're feeling adventurous and want to try your hand on an uncommon garment, that's even more impressive if you manage it well!)<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
I must say I am very excited by this challenge, regardless of whether I manage to make something myself or not: it was my idea. I love poring over museum sites, digging through search results, and collecting images on Pinterest.</div>
<div>
Which brings me to my last verbose piece of advice for this challenge:<br />
<br />
Note that Pinterest, in this process, is only a tool that allows me to save disc space in my computer as I collect images, and link back to the source at the same time. “Only” – not a limitation, but rather a specialisation, akin to your fabric scissors being used <i>only</i> for fabric.</div>
<div>
It took me a while to tease out how best to use Pinterest for my interests. Bránn did, a while ago, write a very nice and detailed <a href="http://matsukazesewing.blogspot.com/2017/10/pinterest-for-researcher.html">post explaining how Pinterest can be used as a highly specialised research tool</a>. Some of those principles are very good for general costuming Pinterest usage. If you use the site more as a creative than academic research tool, like I often do, not all of them may be feasible, but they are still useful things to keep in mind.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3z7_QasYT6Wp6a3qILc5HELvCHDBTjsQ4ynTWpHRUhXQEavtgz9YrKu6xygYMYORejkSzd9WGLDEQKKATS1hE0cwfwnOqVKMcJMqxKbN55j33nAOJZ4R6GLE9wc_l3holV_0CX2_2RYDh/s1600/1560-+knitted+felted+beret+GNM+T3762.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="800" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3z7_QasYT6Wp6a3qILc5HELvCHDBTjsQ4ynTWpHRUhXQEavtgz9YrKu6xygYMYORejkSzd9WGLDEQKKATS1hE0cwfwnOqVKMcJMqxKbN55j33nAOJZ4R6GLE9wc_l3holV_0CX2_2RYDh/s400/1560-+knitted+felted+beret+GNM+T3762.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>c. 1560 knitted and fulled wool beret, <a href="http://objektkatalog.gnm.de/objekt/T3762">Germanishes Nationalmuseum</a>, T3762.</i></div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
Historical costumers usually warn against using Pinterest as a resource <a href="https://threadingthroughtime.wordpress.com/2014/10/28/original-revival-or-costume/">because there is a lot of misattributed or insufficiently attributed images floating about</a>, which can be very misleading. And that’s certainly true, and in your historical costuming research, should be avoided and weeded out as much as possible, by following the links to the original webpages and checking the info – if you want it to function really as research and not just loose crafting inspiration.</div>
<div>
<br />
It’s also true that museum sites often give more info on the object, which often does not fit into the Pinterest description (I should know, I’ve lost count of the times I
tried to fit as much as possible in there and failed...)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFNvhoM6PEqllAQUU8SlqEpIhrWSSVI6PCGt-drIDmLOoy5sdOD8ZWyA5tpcMPnLac7GLc8s_jsovQy0MbxDFy74rJkzFaZhpYhFbwtomcLwK-55LTOHKea8MWh7GnHa-h05IPhIY-RA9/s1600/1935-45+ski+jacket%252C+wool%252C+knit%252C+NM+H8-18383.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1136" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFNvhoM6PEqllAQUU8SlqEpIhrWSSVI6PCGt-drIDmLOoy5sdOD8ZWyA5tpcMPnLac7GLc8s_jsovQy0MbxDFy74rJkzFaZhpYhFbwtomcLwK-55LTOHKea8MWh7GnHa-h05IPhIY-RA9/s400/1935-45+ski+jacket%252C+wool%252C+knit%252C+NM+H8-18383.jpg" width="283" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>1935-45 ski jacket, wool, double knit, Czechoslovakia. <a href="http://www.esbirky.cz/predmet/4913122">Národní muzeum</a>, ID: H8-18383. The Czech description explains it has a practical double placket that prevents snow from getting inside (sadly no detail pictures of that feature).</i></div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
However, thinking about this challenge, and my big museum-site crawls, it occurred to me that the main reason why searching for your extants only on Pinterest may be a bad idea is this:</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><i>You can only find on Pinterest what someone else has put there first.</i></span></b></div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
Pinterest has helped me find online museum collections I never would have known about. But if I had stayed only in Pinterest waters, I probably would never have found
any Czech / Central European items, or would have found them much later. And those of course are of the highest import to me personally, just like you may have a localised interest that won't be covered by the usual suspects... I found most of the Czech items by patiently trawling through various online collections.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9TqhYph31QlWEPiYKIDwUKfIqcLUhwObEAP8qAEui-kQ9F7RjE0Q38Nj-hfe_vPHN7Coz_tPpFZ9-WrWY1v_8SHRn-uxpGhql8CLVeFlmkb84LuS8ujedicSWgzWWTMTAGUQxLsI2ZuD/s1600/1920s+collar+TGM+NM+H8-20161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="1532" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9TqhYph31QlWEPiYKIDwUKfIqcLUhwObEAP8qAEui-kQ9F7RjE0Q38Nj-hfe_vPHN7Coz_tPpFZ9-WrWY1v_8SHRn-uxpGhql8CLVeFlmkb84LuS8ujedicSWgzWWTMTAGUQxLsI2ZuD/s400/1920s+collar+TGM+NM+H8-20161.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>T.G. Masaryk's removable collar, 1920s. <a href="http://www.esbirky.cz/predmet/17453640">Národní muzeum</a>, ID: H8-20161.</i></div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
I would not have come across <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2015/10/deciphering-historical-clothes-cca-1790.html">the fabulous 1790s jacket from the Liberec museum</a>, nor the fascinating <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2015/07/deciphering-1900s-corset.html">cca 1905 corset</a> that corresponds to a corset patent that’s available online – because at the time I found those, no one on Pinterest was probably putting things from Esbirky there yet. (And you can look at those posts and my few other "Deciphering historical clothes" posts to see how I go about figuring out an extant garment.)</div>
<div>
<br />
And that - unearthing hidden treasures, whether hidden just to you, or to the whole costuming community at large - is why searching online collections themselves can be so much fun, so exciting, and so very informative and inspiring!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcD3q4Z3mPxI-nDE0zlj0TJjxbhITuFIX3K0i6NA-ZZ_ygL4LzncJOCZEpdLGNozgwLfDqNFweWyKUls_tIRo3lfmxvTPQEvbOy2cGz4ywIszUvcEe81dffTZei2655QW9aS1HA74BsAt/s1600/16-17th+c+gloves+Hungarian+Museum+of+Applied+Arts+15418_a-b_FBA4193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="947" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcD3q4Z3mPxI-nDE0zlj0TJjxbhITuFIX3K0i6NA-ZZ_ygL4LzncJOCZEpdLGNozgwLfDqNFweWyKUls_tIRo3lfmxvTPQEvbOy2cGz4ywIszUvcEe81dffTZei2655QW9aS1HA74BsAt/s400/16-17th+c+gloves+Hungarian+Museum+of+Applied+Arts+15418_a-b_FBA4193.jpg" width="368" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>16th-17th century mitts, velvet, probably France. <a href="http://collections.imm.hu/gyujtemeny/kesztyu-egy-par/25175?ds=eyJkcEYiOjE0NTAsImRwVCI6MTU1MCwiYyI6IjExZDMwNDYwLTczOTctMTFlNy1hNjRhLWYwMWZhZjZmMWJlMyJ9&i=51">Hungarian Museum of Applied Arts</a>, ID: 15418.a-b</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The Renaissance Tailor has <a href="http://www.renaissancetailor.com/demos_gloves.htm">a tutorial for gloves</a> - the same process, but easier for only involving the thumb, should work for mitts, too. </i></div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
So dig in yourself, find an item that inspires you and that seems feasible to you, or find a pattern that fits the same criteria and an item to go with it, and re-create some historical fashion.</div>
<div>
Good luck!</div>
Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-82708369950649125602018-07-01T12:36:00.000+02:002018-07-01T12:36:48.523+02:00A historical costumer's progressIt's not going to be an overview for beginners's education / advanced amusement type of post.<br />
<br />
It's just a fun little thing I noticed which marks my own progress.<br />
<br />
Back in 2011 (whoa), <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2011/02/ive-finished-chemise.html">I wrote about watching the Czech TV series F.L. Věk</a>. I wrote also - how could I not - about the costumes.<br />
<br />
What I did not mention in the post was that I had looked at the picture I shared there, of the character Márinka in a printed dress, and that I had gone: "Points for trying but that's a roller print and this is too early for that." (Early 1790s, I believe.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghSEfuNn0ZhlDZQLiFybmkIrKExXJsDC9H3xgZd9GzyCHnOt5XgPi5V5ARlZUZ50IIarxqC4zNUuutQOhkhKtcss9B1sKoEmSSVlGaFKCT0RgQPOZhWgHQnyh2jeDR1k-ui63lMTIwIvmH/s1600/06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="800" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghSEfuNn0ZhlDZQLiFybmkIrKExXJsDC9H3xgZd9GzyCHnOt5XgPi5V5ARlZUZ50IIarxqC4zNUuutQOhkhKtcss9B1sKoEmSSVlGaFKCT0RgQPOZhWgHQnyh2jeDR1k-ui63lMTIwIvmH/s400/06.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The aforementioned progress is like this:<br />
<br />
In 2018, I look at the picture and go: "That's modrotisk!"<br />
<br />
Traditional indigo resist print. It's not roller print; it's block print. Even those that look like roller prints.<br />
<br />
I still think this particular pattern is probably anachronistic for early 1790s, but now I actually know the technique isn't. :D<br />
<br />
Bonus: <a href="http://www.modrotisk-danzinger.cz/metraz-sire-80-cm-c-3691.html">I can get</a> <a href="https://www.straznicky-modrotisk.cz/products/metraz-sire-132-cm-vzor-17/">very similar fabric</a> (or is it really the same?) if I were inclined to recreate the costume and put that kind of money into it (which I'm not, but I do badly want to make a historical modrotisk dress one day). I think the one in the costume got more indigo bath dips than the one the Danzingers are selling now, so I'd probably go with the version from Strážnice... also, how come they have the same printing block?!<br />
<br />... unless, of course, Márinka's dress was a cheaper modern knockoff of the fabric style. Entirely plausible with a TV costume.<br />
<br />
(Further bonus: I can show you part of how it's done. If I get my act together and finally finish the post on the workshop in Strážnice I started last August.)Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-20126430553549681972018-02-11T22:08:00.001+01:002018-02-11T22:13:46.136+01:00HSM Favourites for #1: Mend, Reshape, Refashion<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">When <a href="http://thedreamstress.com/the-historical-sew-monthly-2018/">the Historical Sew Monthly</a> started as a Fortnightly,
and for several years after, Leimomi would choose her favourite entries for the
challenges, picking not just personal favourites but also things that in her
opinion best represented the spirit of the HSM and the particular challenge.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Then the group got even bigger,
life got even busier and that practice fell by the wayside in favour of more
pressing things to do. But for this year, we decided to bring the favourites posts
back, because they’re a nice way to wrap up the challenges and motivate the
participants. This time around, each moderator would choose one item, write a
little blurb about why they like it, and the person doing the inspiration post
for a given challenge will post all the favourites on their blog.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So obviously it falls on me
to post about our favourites for Nr. 1, <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.cz/2018/01/hsm-18-inspiration-1.html"><b>Mend, Reshape, Refashion</b></a>.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Just like before, for our
favourites we will always try to select items that really represent the spirit
of the challenge: in this case, to remake a costume to be wearable again (just
like our ancestors did), or to look at historical clothing and things around
you with an open mind to see what could be used for a project; generally, to
research, stretch yourself, learn more, sew better, and get something made.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXo6gHKUPClRAriA40x74JY-oNs2X6cgLypn0I7yxLS6MBGe2sIASDCXGMluIei6qct01AujjV8zzvKump352HWseuZXEAYBF0yEgN5qrnCQwvmegrKXStj8cTHEwdpqNZUkeqqY-Gv7XY/s1600/1803-+Passer+Payez%252C+a+painting+by+Louis-Leopold+Boilly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="1178" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXo6gHKUPClRAriA40x74JY-oNs2X6cgLypn0I7yxLS6MBGe2sIASDCXGMluIei6qct01AujjV8zzvKump352HWseuZXEAYBF0yEgN5qrnCQwvmegrKXStj8cTHEwdpqNZUkeqqY-Gv7XY/s400/1803-+Passer+Payez%252C+a+painting+by+Louis-Leopold+Boilly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> (<i>Header image from the original post so that you would not get a premature peek at our choices, hehe.)</i></span></div>
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There will always be amazing
things that we won’t show you (because there are only so many of us and so many
of you!). So we recommend you always check out the comments under the inspiration
blog posts, the photos in the Facebook albums and the hashtags on Instagram to
see the rest of the fabulous things that were (ever!) made. (Yep, you do have
to be a member of the Facebook group to see it, yep, if you ask to be a member
we’re going to ask you some questions, and yep, it might take us a few days to let
you in, but if you are really interested in the HSM, as a participant or active
cheerleader, we’d LOVE to have you!)</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And now without further ado,
the favourites! Just like Leimomi used to do it, entries with photos link
to FB, entries without a photo link to the blog post of the maker.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://makingmakesmylife.blogspot.co.nz/">Kura</a>: </span></b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156942930279688&set=oa.950638611753475&type=3&theater"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sigrun’s 1497 dress remake</span></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhIHNJ-As5eJiAe1SfahNtMW0ZxH7P61Zsd4RwbOHaZCc_-zKv1vxbI7vpHUpT9bQjHt0Y0ZGOZWbDFry2rg-udKbCFInxnpInWKC2pjcUAAaVNmDCy9s0sfpRf1oH6ONQU0P4fMl1GFt/s1600/Sigrun%2527s+1497+gown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1328" data-original-width="747" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhIHNJ-As5eJiAe1SfahNtMW0ZxH7P61Zsd4RwbOHaZCc_-zKv1vxbI7vpHUpT9bQjHt0Y0ZGOZWbDFry2rg-udKbCFInxnpInWKC2pjcUAAaVNmDCy9s0sfpRf1oH6ONQU0P4fMl1GFt/s640/Sigrun%2527s+1497+gown.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Okay, so nominally this is Kura’s pick, but really it was a common
favourite! We all liked the historical accuracy / impressive amount of research
into an earlier, less documented period. Kura has been too busy to devote much time to moderating recently, so
she agreed to at least have this presented under her name. :D</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://matsukazesewing.blogspot.co.nz/">Bránn</a>:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10215114151117168&set=oa.950638611753475&type=3&theater">Dana’s chemise repair</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPzUkHEeu63gsv7n99S1iKmxD-nEOpA-SnntnYYCx0DXojkMUrUqpRhUzEBkX_UTlQcEC904UW6jX9R-xxncNUWqLDyjd3YVW-MrJiSmC1Qdc0YUVrv6GY37xYFkNrSRb8SSC6PGVhPk6/s1600/Dana%2527s+chemise+repair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="1200" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPzUkHEeu63gsv7n99S1iKmxD-nEOpA-SnntnYYCx0DXojkMUrUqpRhUzEBkX_UTlQcEC904UW6jX9R-xxncNUWqLDyjd3YVW-MrJiSmC1Qdc0YUVrv6GY37xYFkNrSRb8SSC6PGVhPk6/s400/Dana%2527s+chemise+repair.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When you wear historical clothing regularly, and actually do physical
activities in it, repairs are a fact of life, whether patching a knee or elbow,
splitting a seam, repairing a hem, or just re-attaching popped buttons. And
quite often, it is a task we procrastinate over *looks guiltily at my own pile
of garments needing repairs*simply because it’s work; it is generally not
creative, but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> tedious.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Only a few people chose to actually do repairs--either because it felt like
something too simple to enter, or because they had other plans--and this one
stands out to me because of the fabrics involved.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dana decided to...with her self-confessed limited handsewing skills...t o
patch a rather large tear in a silk chemise. Not a task I envy her doing. As
near as I can tell, she cleaned up the edges, resewed them together, then
applied a narrow patch over the top in order to spread the strain over a larger
area.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="http://morrigna.xaint.net/index-en.html"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Klára</span></b></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">: <a href="http://www.romantichistory.com/2018/01/a-remade-knitted-hood-knitted-sontag.html">Sarah’s remade knitted hood</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sarah remade a knitted mid-19th century hood her daughter would not like to
wear into hood for herself. I like this project because it not only reuses material,
but utilizes hours spend on knitting too. Besides, it is not just minor
alternation, but the original hood is completely redyed and reshaped. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.thedreamstress.com/">Leimomi</a>:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10215114211598680&set=oa.950638611753475&type=3&theater">Dana’s 1860s hood</a> (<b>H</b>oods and headwear in general were a rather popular entry both for the participants and the moderators, it seems! - certainly not anything I foresaw when writing the inspiration post...)</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vWj_knecv3BlhisKq199M60ZYa6Ex4lan30Xd60lsC0Ku2FVgTIK2XaP85udsJhPio4NjJzEaNdg1wcda37M5AMe8BskUkRbnRPiBrAC06SLItx5VoIqv2eUV5ddBghs6nQIbZC7xp9a/s1600/Dana%2527s+hood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="1200" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vWj_knecv3BlhisKq199M60ZYa6Ex4lan30Xd60lsC0Ku2FVgTIK2XaP85udsJhPio4NjJzEaNdg1wcda37M5AMe8BskUkRbnRPiBrAC06SLItx5VoIqv2eUV5ddBghs6nQIbZC7xp9a/s400/Dana%2527s+hood.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I love Dana’s 1860s hood made from a cut-apart sweater. Historical
costuming is challenging because we often ask ourselves to have more skills
than the vast majority of clothes-creators would have had in the past:
drafting, draping, sewing, knitting, hatmaking, hat-trimming, lacemaking - even
shoemaking. And we ask ourselves to have these skills across multiple eras. As
someone else who doesn’t knit, I really enjoy the way costumers use ingenuity
create knit garments without actually knitting. Dana used a photo of a Civil
War laundress as inspiration, and created a garment that will look and act just
like a knitted hood - without knitting. So clever!</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hana (i.e.
me)</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">: <a href="https://thesewinggoatherd.blogspot.cz/2018/01/an-1890s-re-made-plaid-wool-skirt.html">Alyssa’s 1890s Plaid Skirt</a> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Because it's pretty, simple as that. I love the fall of the pleats and how
Alyssa managed to make the plaid work for her despite not having enough fabric
for a planned plaid-matching. And I also like that it’s one of the entries that
fit into one of the further possible interpretations of the challenge I
originally suggested: that of changing a garment to a different figure.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So hopefully you can see you don't necessarily have to do a big project to wow us. :-) </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Next time, over to someone else... see you in August! (Well, hopefully
there will be other HSM-related things to post in the meantime. ;-) )</span></div>
Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1569751889486479823.post-7448076120985814292018-01-07T22:01:00.000+01:002018-01-07T22:19:35.648+01:00HSM 18 Inspiration: #1 Mend, Reshape, RefashionWelcome to the Historical Sew Monthly 2018! If you are new to this year-long event, you can read all about it on The Dreamstress’s website
<a href="http://thedreamstress.com/the-historical-sew-monthly-2018/">here</a>. I've volunteered to write the inspiration post for the first challenge of the year, which is:<br />
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<i>Mend, Reshape, Refashion: Mend or re-shape one of your previously made historical clothing items, or refashion a new one out of something not originally intended as sewing fabric</i>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggpuimbmfZiVspKARwoVQRgawa4c05xr4n6mCoJ_NNJUo90tHIBGRBxl1tRe6YPFx425pyb3G0161NtwBB8EHPOOXtqz-P5Z-QnOE_eP43beNX-ynHHzQabdIcGnBoJjF30GkpUmdat8HC/s1600/1803-+Passer+Payez%252C+a+painting+by+Louis-Leopold+Boilly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="1178" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggpuimbmfZiVspKARwoVQRgawa4c05xr4n6mCoJ_NNJUo90tHIBGRBxl1tRe6YPFx425pyb3G0161NtwBB8EHPOOXtqz-P5Z-QnOE_eP43beNX-ynHHzQabdIcGnBoJjF30GkpUmdat8HC/s400/1803-+Passer+Payez%252C+a+painting+by+Louis-Leopold+Boilly.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div>
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<i><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Passer-payez-Boilly-ca1803.jpg">Louis- Léopold Boilly: Passer Payez, c. 1803. Wikimedia Commons.</a> Notice the patch on the man in the very left.</i></div>
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Now, if you’ve been making and wearing historical costumes for a while, chances are you do have something that needs mending, or updating to match your current skill set and knowledge, or re-shaping to fit your current figure (or somene else's) better.<br />
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Like I did for the November challenge of 2017 (which I haven’t yet blogged about, typical for 2017). I had never
been satisfied (and finished) with the inside bodice flaps of <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.cz/2017/08/coblowrimo-29-ensemble-1802-ish-navy.html">my sleeveless 1800s dress</a>, and one of them finally tore, and possibly also my
bust has increased a little since I made the dress. So I finally replaced the unnecessarily fussy drafted shape of the original flaps with simpler, more historically accurate (and slightly wider) rectangles.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLZFUzffDMM9GN-irVWcchgtEaRI1-ZovMHC_7s6p61e_cXlqNQt-XB_jtt_hH4pNUEJLPunen8R7qofgB4J-NJ9rxj7eaoygnILl4K1W2rbVl8eSrnxYbEJdzq1uZuyG7LOhImvQSSKg/s1600/IMG_8193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1500" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLZFUzffDMM9GN-irVWcchgtEaRI1-ZovMHC_7s6p61e_cXlqNQt-XB_jtt_hH4pNUEJLPunen8R7qofgB4J-NJ9rxj7eaoygnILl4K1W2rbVl8eSrnxYbEJdzq1uZuyG7LOhImvQSSKg/s400/IMG_8193.JPG" width="400" /></a>
<i> </i><br />
<i>On the right, fussy flap shape drafted with modern drafting sensibilities (notice the neckline curve); on the left, the new rectangle</i></div>
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Mending is something that undoubtedly happened with clothes all throughout history because for most of history fabric was quite valuable; although conservation bias often leaves us with the special, lightly worn clothes rather than those that were worn within an inch of their clothing life.<br />
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While searching for things to showcase here, I came across <a href="http://matsukazesewing.blogspot.cz/p/repairs-on-extant-medieval-garments.html">Bránn's</a> and <a href="http://costumehistorian.blogspot.cz/2012/09/make-do-and-mend-early-modern-style.html">Pat Poppy of Costume Historian's</a> posts - they have already done some of the research into repaired extant clothes in the earlier periods I don’t habitually look into. So thanks to them, I came across extant clothes like <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Mann_von_Bernuthsfeld">the Bernuthsfeld tunic</a> and these heavily patched sailor's clothes:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJvwl8Gi-YXyVFfNF9p7HFy04oZq2YDD9Dw3BkHn-6WPFb3Lr0WsrrmwItf-wpfUrh29FR_n9xDpgszIa-1fh3HP-M8FV3YBCOpqg4hwkVB5w7oa0GVoj3h6yzB5J6savk3Be5o-RXHmu/s1600/1600-1700+sailor+shirt+and+breeches+MuL+53-101-1b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJvwl8Gi-YXyVFfNF9p7HFy04oZq2YDD9Dw3BkHn-6WPFb3Lr0WsrrmwItf-wpfUrh29FR_n9xDpgszIa-1fh3HP-M8FV3YBCOpqg4hwkVB5w7oa0GVoj3h6yzB5J6savk3Be5o-RXHmu/s400/1600-1700+sailor+shirt+and+breeches+MuL+53-101-1b.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>Shirt and breeches, linen and cotton, 1600-1700. Museum of London, 53.101/1a,b.</i></div>
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These are indeed clothes worn to within an inch of their life, probably by people of lower classes who had no other choice. But mending is not just like that...<br />
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<a href="https://www.rajce.net/f519402902" target="_blank"><img src="//www.rajce.idnes.cz/f519402902/450px" /></a>
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<a href="https://www.rajce.net/f519402282" target="_blank"><img src="//www.rajce.idnes.cz/f519402282/450px" /></a>
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<i>Wedding dress of Maria Theresia Countess Czernin, née Orsini-Rosenberg, 1817, from the collections of the chateau Jindřichův Hradec (photos mine from an exhibition in chateau Dačice).</i><br />
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There is a patch here underneath the raised waistline. (I was so excited the photo came out blurry...)<i> </i>To tell the truth, I do not really know whether the patch was added during the countess’s life or during the ages since; what I like about it is the fact it proves that yes, these fine fabrics do tear and did tear. If they tore for Mrs Allen in <i>Northanger Abbey</i> and for Countess Czernin, it’s par for the course with them; go ahead and try mending them as neatly as too make Mrs Allen proud.<br />
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Reshaping clothes is another option. And because this often happened with clothes that were of better quality (so that one would get more wear out of the expensive and still nice fabric), you can, I think, find many more surviving examples of unpicked seams and other alterations than there are of patches, if you only peer more closely at museum garments and their online photos.<br />
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You can just adapt a garment to a changing figure, or perhaps you can make something for a smaller figure than the original garment was intended for...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7rwOkeOoOlAWERg5G1JRJeIr41c7GMA32G_Rhdt6Oof-k2_Alf2WwE9jpS-12WnP6L2D0b04PRxB9PLXEqHqVbel0cEhCriwU2V5ZEb4gaqcyoKhxAE7yc4YBPbjU-k2MUg9LWOYTMJhE/s1600/1933+Handarbeit-W%25C3%25A4sche-Wohnung+undervest.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="1041" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7rwOkeOoOlAWERg5G1JRJeIr41c7GMA32G_Rhdt6Oof-k2_Alf2WwE9jpS-12WnP6L2D0b04PRxB9PLXEqHqVbel0cEhCriwU2V5ZEb4gaqcyoKhxAE7yc4YBPbjU-k2MUg9LWOYTMJhE/s400/1933+Handarbeit-W%25C3%25A4sche-Wohnung+undervest.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Instructions for cutting a boy's undervest out of old lady's drawers in the Handarbeit-Wäsche-Wohnung magazine, 1933, Otto Beyer Verlag, Leipzig-Berlin</i></div>
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Or, what you could also do is reshape a garment to match new fashions (or new costuming interests). There is, for example, a number of 1790s-1800s dresses re-made from earlier ones; the huge amount of fabric in rococo dresses allowed the update to the more streamlined high-waisted fashions fairly easily. One of my favourite examples is <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/86875">this 1790s dress in the Met</a>, in a fabric very unusual for the era; if you zoom in, you can even see the seam running above the hem where fabric was added to accommodate for the longer skirt of the raised waist – the join is nearly lost in the busy pattern but in the side view, you can clearly see there are non-matching vertical seams towards the front...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj210SonmFeXusNXyBNZHBA1I9AyEpnQS77uNhAZbBnXZhvX54wp8QQXHYLo1Z521uCVMLCE7zq8LxdjFlNEMeyQ07H66d8sFDp0kwhvskNV6hvvZZn-0HlVCnKcoX5W1hnmFrUGZZMOTFs/s1600/1790s+silk+MET.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="534" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj210SonmFeXusNXyBNZHBA1I9AyEpnQS77uNhAZbBnXZhvX54wp8QQXHYLo1Z521uCVMLCE7zq8LxdjFlNEMeyQ07H66d8sFDp0kwhvskNV6hvvZZn-0HlVCnKcoX5W1hnmFrUGZZMOTFs/s640/1790s+silk+MET.jpg" width="344" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQr4bQa9O4NDg10USbGbasDVaFJQo7ng6dSLQsIORJvVdCrwgdwd78ZyahxDlqD5juq1SO0KVgrTvf82VurltzVhwx_KpXTMxVXe34YT_vHrZA0rApFn6G7VXXHa4Vx3ZX4epaLtwbKPO/s1600/1790s+silk+French+MET+C.I.64.32.2_S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="864" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQr4bQa9O4NDg10USbGbasDVaFJQo7ng6dSLQsIORJvVdCrwgdwd78ZyahxDlqD5juq1SO0KVgrTvf82VurltzVhwx_KpXTMxVXe34YT_vHrZA0rApFn6G7VXXHa4Vx3ZX4epaLtwbKPO/s400/1790s+silk+French+MET+C.I.64.32.2_S.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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(Preferrably, though, don't do this to garments that are already antiques.)<br />
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Piecing was common historically, both for re-made dresses and just to get more out of the narrower fabric goods available in the past. So it can also be used with aplomb to get more out of something not originally meant to be sewing fabric: in HSF 2013 (back when it started and was still the Historical Sew Fortnightly), Sarah awed everyone with <a href="http://amostpeculiarmademoiselle.blogspot.cz/2013/05/swedish-mid-1800s-commoners-dress.html">a pieced 1840s dress squeezed out of a tablecloth</a>.<br />
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And there are many other fabric items one could do something with! Curtains and bed linen are popular with costumers (not just characters on film), because home furnishings these days often revive patterns that passed out of fashion for clothes
decades and centuries ago. Perhaps somewhat less creative, but a perfectly good choice for this challenge.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0qTloUUwI-gIolyd7MmhDnF9IJRN6nbh4OOic6m42Nb0esHtNzLCQ6jHdVnK74CMDzZ6cAEGghHy8G6B7zZrKBoSsyYx07Xzuvj0wgT0TMTGDMTvM-dRs_tEiWdFc2nGxCj1753rA_VQ/s1600/IMG_7579.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0qTloUUwI-gIolyd7MmhDnF9IJRN6nbh4OOic6m42Nb0esHtNzLCQ6jHdVnK74CMDzZ6cAEGghHy8G6B7zZrKBoSsyYx07Xzuvj0wgT0TMTGDMTvM-dRs_tEiWdFc2nGxCj1753rA_VQ/s400/IMG_7579.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><i>Part of my fabric stash, with 18th-century-patterned IKEA duvet covers in the forefront - the same ones Magpie Tidings made <a href="http://magpietidings.blogspot.cz/2015/07/1780s-kelvingrove-dress.html">a lovely reproduction of a 1780s dress</a>
out of in 2015. My plans for it are currently for a 1790s one.<br />The flowered golden stripes in the background are another
clearly historically-inspired print - but unsuitable for this challenge
because it's fabric meterage. Neither would the green sari work: it's also basically just meterage. (Leimomi says that a used sari is acceptable, but a new one isn't.)</i></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><i>In the lower left corner, a peek of embroidered panels & chain of an old frame bag I took apart to clean and remake, back when I did not have the good sense to realise how old the original probably was and take pictures. It's a project stalled for many many years by a lack of matching materials and bag-sewing confidence; maybe I could finally finish it now...</i></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><i><br /></i></span>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Even thrifted clothes can be used: I like them as a cheap source of smaller quantities of really nice materials I could not afford otherwise (like silk); which can then be used for example to make pretty accessories.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGlQum_0ToOPAoWBjFxl8uE2Nzs9xl-Qcvh_AF6MjXIEuCKZraEjGGpT2NtyDbNYiJ68X_FGwVEAFLl4qQOjZx4MYHVtfM5UrxFY77v-IT-P6QgjUZlsQlPHfCb9eQMBtMOm_kQ4jJfnc/s1600/1675-1725+n%25C3%25A1prsn%25C3%25AD+ta%25C5%25A1ka-+hedv%25C3%25A1b%25C3%25AD+It%25C3%25A1lie+MFA+44-617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1231" data-original-width="1600" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGlQum_0ToOPAoWBjFxl8uE2Nzs9xl-Qcvh_AF6MjXIEuCKZraEjGGpT2NtyDbNYiJ68X_FGwVEAFLl4qQOjZx4MYHVtfM5UrxFY77v-IT-P6QgjUZlsQlPHfCb9eQMBtMOm_kQ4jJfnc/s400/1675-1725+n%25C3%25A1prsn%25C3%25AD+ta%25C5%25A1ka-+hedv%25C3%25A1b%25C3%25AD+It%25C3%25A1lie+MFA+44-617.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Pocketbook, silk, embroidered with silk and metallic yarns, Italy, 1675–1725. Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Accession Number: 44.617</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJKihDh2oodUb94UTrs4KaKExNeC3sWKVN92eEyf5TZ-QYXsHVRPVrmMnHY8ruSgb0fRESp-8RKRDOfbIiZSff0ovvhdWtFAvkmP3IR_8OGbbrxt8J204UVmxds7fCHvFQGBhUwmfc4SP/s1600/1645-46+V%25C3%25A1clav+Hollar+-+Ruk%25C3%25A1vn%25C3%25ADk+MET+17-3-1477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="1600" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJKihDh2oodUb94UTrs4KaKExNeC3sWKVN92eEyf5TZ-QYXsHVRPVrmMnHY8ruSgb0fRESp-8RKRDOfbIiZSff0ovvhdWtFAvkmP3IR_8OGbbrxt8J204UVmxds7fCHvFQGBhUwmfc4SP/s400/1645-46+V%25C3%25A1clav+Hollar+-+Ruk%25C3%25A1vn%25C3%25ADk+MET+17-3-1477.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/360621"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Václav Hollar: A Muff in Five Views, etching, 1645–46. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accession Number: 17.3.1477</span></i></a></div>
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<i>Positions on fur differ; personally, I think re-using them when they are already out there is more respectful to the animal than just throwing them away. And faux fur is always an option, of course.</i></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Or you could even <a href="http://thedreamstress.com/2015/01/tutorial-pattern-making-your-own-seamed-stockings/">sew</a> <a href="http://www.orbitals.com/self/history/stocking.pdf">stockings</a> out of thrifted knit garments. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3uy5gwpiUtK6v7rk-bgPLpdxiQpToN_WIzV_ERxzUPVpOdvRYkCExCCZ6rpP5AaojHlO32mDIqYy0ZIfU5r-2ygrAOHPUHN9V9f2v8VkZmgjKRPHhEP4INvkJyfEJkBfQb6sdYC8jFVi/s1600/1700-1725+silk%252C+metallic+stockings+LACMA+M-2007-211-134a-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="560" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3uy5gwpiUtK6v7rk-bgPLpdxiQpToN_WIzV_ERxzUPVpOdvRYkCExCCZ6rpP5AaojHlO32mDIqYy0ZIfU5r-2ygrAOHPUHN9V9f2v8VkZmgjKRPHhEP4INvkJyfEJkBfQb6sdYC8jFVi/s640/1700-1725+silk%252C+metallic+stockings+LACMA+M-2007-211-134a-b.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
<a href="https://collections.lacma.org/node/213920"><i>Pair of Woman's Stockings, silk knit with metallic-thread embroidery, Europe, 1700-1725. LACMA, ID: M.2007.211.134a-b</i></a><br />
<i>Silk knit garments will probably be hard to find, so one may have to compromise on accuracy there. I have seen a couple of early 18th century stockings with such horizontal stripes at the top, which, if you're lucky in your thrift shop finds, could allow you to piece them out of several garments.</i><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Or you can alter existing accessories, like reshaping hats into historical headwear, and trimming them.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiadqcUWNlcNAhJoqerF20cQ45OY7vElOrjmAwkfR198SbhTrAgYNrsybEts7wsirb3YSfN62xVKAW1V5B55eefe91u-ZKy43wl28H1adbkkFwn5r4B2ltgUr6_wt78sru1l8Mqfm-Eidj0/s1600/1828+Journal+des+Dames+et+des+Modes+RIJKS+BI-1938-0115B-32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1047" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiadqcUWNlcNAhJoqerF20cQ45OY7vElOrjmAwkfR198SbhTrAgYNrsybEts7wsirb3YSfN62xVKAW1V5B55eefe91u-ZKy43wl28H1adbkkFwn5r4B2ltgUr6_wt78sru1l8Mqfm-Eidj0/s640/1828+Journal+des+Dames+et+des+Modes+RIJKS+BI-1938-0115B-32.jpg" width="417" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><i>Journal Des Dames et des Modes </i>/ <i>Costume Parisien, 1828, Rijksmuseum</i></span></div>
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But if you are at the beginning of your historical costuming journey, making undergarments is a very good place to start your wardrobe, and the plain cotton fabric of something like bedsheets can work quite well for that purpose! (Especially since cca late 18th century – before that time, cotton was a more expensive option than it is nowadays, and linen would be used originally.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfIUoCKzDcsIHPDmLkFxQMENaeafkSMZN4B5ZUO1wsPBD4-9B6Et_C8hsbVzUNhuQ6fVSupS8d-Bz2zPwONKt5LBWvZ-KGbPqIw7yX2PCRk7Hisl27HsMpvJ332zQosbL8geNHJFSJeU2/s1600/1875-1900+petticoat+cotton+MET+2010-487-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1397" data-original-width="738" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfIUoCKzDcsIHPDmLkFxQMENaeafkSMZN4B5ZUO1wsPBD4-9B6Et_C8hsbVzUNhuQ6fVSupS8d-Bz2zPwONKt5LBWvZ-KGbPqIw7yX2PCRk7Hisl27HsMpvJ332zQosbL8geNHJFSJeU2/s640/1875-1900+petticoat+cotton+MET+2010-487-7.jpg" width="338" /></a></div>
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<i>Petticoat, cotton, American or European, third quarter 19th century. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accession Number: 2010.487.7</i></div>
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On the other hand, if you're feeling confident and adventurous, you could take the idea of the challenge even further and do as the maker of this bag did: they stringed cloves like beads. (Isn’t it wonderful that it survived to this day? There's also <a href="http://www.esbirky.cz/predmet/6143295">a cloves necklace from the first half of the 19th century</a>...)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBLmmU_MhI00mmnI_YTmJhE8Pn4yWV1NudGKEeEXCa1HASamFa041-YLok4YCoTBab6qYuQFtuc6b9oP0M2lBhyphenhyphenincg0FI3EEixhGDsetdV2TTdF0P3gN0d56pRqEmxJtSI-HdYAL_F_B/s1600/1850-+kabelka+s+h%25C5%2599eb%25C3%25AD%25C4%258Dkem+H2-142568+N%25C3%25A1rMuz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="679" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBLmmU_MhI00mmnI_YTmJhE8Pn4yWV1NudGKEeEXCa1HASamFa041-YLok4YCoTBab6qYuQFtuc6b9oP0M2lBhyphenhyphenincg0FI3EEixhGDsetdV2TTdF0P3gN0d56pRqEmxJtSI-HdYAL_F_B/s400/1850-+kabelka+s+h%25C5%2599eb%25C3%25AD%25C4%258Dkem+H2-142568+N%25C3%25A1rMuz.jpg" width="277" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.esbirky.cz/predmet/3528173"><i>Purse, satin, glass beads, leather, cloves, Czech lands, mid-19th century. The historical collections of Národní muzeum, ID: H2-14256. </i></a></div>
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While for the sake of expediency we speak of fabric in the challenge description, you can use other techniques and unusual materials (as long as they form a substantial part of your challenge item). Seeds could also be used for jewellery: simple rosaries are traditionally made of bladdernut seeds in Europe, and Adam Mickewicz’s heroine Zosia in <i>Pan Tadeusz</i> (depicting events in Lithuania in 1811-1812) has a set of earrings made of cherry pits that she got from a childhood admirer. For those of you in the southern hemisphere, this might be a chance to enjoy the summer in brand new ways! :-)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLlVmgmYDJRsSzgHpSYdyde_RVcQssVfLYAh4WTshRCB9DOj_doJDAb9_5-A482ryh4LRDAkxGCWYdIf1JxQUAPxV0WsNBV6omUQjjVlKS28U-GnA_RGrgY6HhmqKR76fHlWJF37Y6V_J/s1600/1850-+r%25C5%25AF%25C5%25BEenec+kloko%25C4%258D%25C3%25AD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLlVmgmYDJRsSzgHpSYdyde_RVcQssVfLYAh4WTshRCB9DOj_doJDAb9_5-A482ryh4LRDAkxGCWYdIf1JxQUAPxV0WsNBV6omUQjjVlKS28U-GnA_RGrgY6HhmqKR76fHlWJF37Y6V_J/s400/1850-+r%25C5%25AF%25C5%25BEenec+kloko%25C4%258D%25C3%25AD.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.esbirky.cz/predmet/6146344">Rosary, bladdernut seeds and brass, Bohemia, second half of the 19th century. The ethnographic collections of Národní muzeum, ID: H4-5045/Etnografické oddělení. Photo Monika Tauberová. </a></i></div>
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And those of us in the grey grip of winter could perhaps unravel a few thrifted items and knit ourselves <a href="http://marmota-b.blogspot.cz/2016/03/deciphering-historical-clothes-wristwarmers.html">something warm and colourful</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jfFWNpR4h2vX8bcIsYJ2FPoojrNQRFZiRn2bC6aqrZ7aoVkXTOyp9dNwoBjQoxgJ-Kildy8V0tM7TndemWhzCBpXG4SDpUn2PU7AsORfUfIgvM2IxYNe8bfq8dAHJzXVzAXICxtRCdCs/s1600/1880s+n%25C3%25A1tepn%25C3%25AD%25C4%258Dky+vlna%252C+st%25C5%2599%25C3%25ADbrn%25C3%25A1+ni%25C5%25A5+N%25C3%25A1rMuz+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jfFWNpR4h2vX8bcIsYJ2FPoojrNQRFZiRn2bC6aqrZ7aoVkXTOyp9dNwoBjQoxgJ-Kildy8V0tM7TndemWhzCBpXG4SDpUn2PU7AsORfUfIgvM2IxYNe8bfq8dAHJzXVzAXICxtRCdCs/s400/1880s+n%25C3%25A1tepn%25C3%25AD%25C4%258Dky+vlna%252C+st%25C5%2599%25C3%25ADbrn%25C3%25A1+ni%25C5%25A5+N%25C3%25A1rMuz+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.esbirky.cz/predmet/4049993"><i>Knitted wristwarmers, wool and silver metalic thread, Czech lands, 1880s. The ethnographic collections of Národní muzeum, ID: H4-5999ab</i></a></div>
Hana - Marmotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03532515160608083460noreply@blogger.com2