More pattern issues

So, as it turns out, I do not have the right TV cage crinoline pattern. I have the elliptical hoop, not the dome hoop. Oh well. Looking at the elliptical pattern and Jean Hunniset, I think I'm going to just following the directions in Hunniset. It can't possibly be that complicated. The medium size cage she has is 115" around the bottom, which sounds about right to me for a smaller hoop (I'm tallish, anything under 100" will look sad and anemic on me). I need to get more hoop boning. My project for tomorrow is to work out exactly how much more hoop boning I need and to run up to Discount Fabric and see if I can find some, check out black fabric options, and also pick up some poplin for corset lining while I'm there. I'm just going to use twill tape for the tapes and sew channels into it to hold to hoops, which should work out but will involve lots of pinning.

Unrelated to the mourning dress project, I need to make a new short corset to wear under the Madame X dress. I'm going to try making one that comes just up to the nipple line, so I'll get a little support but still won't have to worry about the corset showing under the rather low décolletage of the dress. Most of the period corset patterns that I've looked at hit at about that point anyway, so it should work out ok. I suppose I could always bring it down more in the center front and up a bit more over the cup area if I'm worried about popping out. I have a pretty good base pattern that I used for End of Trail this year, so I'll start with that and make whatever adjustments I need to at the top.

The research carries on

I think I have finally decided how I am going to do the sleeves. According to Costume in Detail the bishop sleeve came in around 1855. So, I will either do that, or work with the little cap-sleeve thing on the original picture, depending on what sort of fabric I end up getting for this. I really like the idea of a little stand-up Mandarin style collar for this, so I'll do that and wear a simple white collar and cuffs underneath to keep things clean.

As far as fabrics go, what I really want is a silk and linen blend flat lined with gray cotton. That would be lovely. Silk and linen blends are not so easy to find at a price I want to pay, so I may have to settle for something else. But I do want a natural fiber and a weave with an even but fairly mate finish. Things were so insanely hot out at Dickens this year that there is just no way a poly or acetate fabric is going to work for me.

Anyway, while the fabric search commences, I'm going to make myself a small cage crinoline, using the 1858 Cage Crinoline pattern from Truly Victorian. A 126' circumference might be a tad big but I'm tall, and I can always take it down some. The crinoline I have now is from a Simplicity pattern and is just huge, far too big for a 50's dress, and very unwieldy around fair. I could always give up on the cage and do a series of petticoats, but that again gets very hot out at fair (not that this will necessarily get worn there, but I might as well be prepared, stranger things have happened). I'll wear a petticoat over the cage trimmed somehow in black.

Once I get back from Christmas, I will begin on the cage! It should be an interesting project, and all I need as far as supplies is more hoop wire. Not too bad.

More ideas

Well, I have to go fabric shop. There isn't enough of the duchess satin left to make another dress. Oh well. Maybe I can find a nice silk blend to do this out of, that would be lovely.

I have found a few more pictres for inspiration!



I really like this bodice. It's nice and simple, and without the fringe should be a good mourning look.



This is also an interesting idea. Some simple black braid migh be just enough trim to give the bodice a bit of visual iterest and create a more fashionable looking sleeve.

I still like the idea of a biship sleeve though, like the one below. It just seems to be a slightly latter look than I was going for.

Inspiration

I have wanted to make a mid-Victorian mourning dress since I was in college and made a mourning bonnet as part of a class project. Years latter, I still have the bonnet, but never have made the dress. Since I'm relatively project free, I've decided now would be a great time to do this.

Why 1858? I like the mid-Victorian period, my hoop is the right shape for this year, and the wool gown I am wearing at Dickens is an 1858 dress, so I might as well continue on with the same year. Also, the existing bonnet works for the late 50's.



I found this mourning dress in the museum section of Karen Augusta's site. She dates it at 1863. Making a few changes in the way the skirt is put together and the sleeves should get me to the 1858 date, but I do like the simplicity of the bodice and the overall line. If I decide I want to bother with proper undersleeves, I'll do a narrow pagoda sleeve, otherwise I'll just make a bishop sleeve and small white cuffs.

For fabric, I plan to use a simple black duchess satin left over from my Madame X dress. I have some lovely black carved buttons I picked up at Costume College several years ago to use a mourning dress. Apart from the buttons, there will be no other trim. If I get carried away, I may put a band of black braid on the skirt, but I want something fairly simple and plain.