A Few More Photos...

Slowly cleaning up the mess left after the Dickens Fair madness. My sewing area looks as though a bomb hit it, as it does every year at this time. The plan is to start on the 18th century projects again, before some other event rears its ugly head, and requires a new rushed costume.

Since I can't resist sharing more photos, here are some extras. Many thanks to my friend Anders for the photographic assistance.
This isn't so much because they are pics of me and my outfit, but more for the simple reason that the location is so lovely! I still can't get over the fact that this is just 15 minutes from my front door...

A few Progress Photos...Almost There.

 

 Placing the templates for the passementerie detail on the sleeves.

Endless pins to attach a seemingly endless amount of mohair braid on the skirt of the coat.

Also; I am going to need to lint brush the hell out of this thing when I'm done.

The Velvet Hussar: Nearly Complete!

I'm proud to say that as of tonight (or tomorrow evening), my reproduction of Empress Elisabeth's velvet and fur winter ensemble will be done!
Saturday will be its debut as I will be presented to HRH Queen Victoria, at Dickens Fair for Royals Day.
Of course I have no real photos of anything yet since I've been so busy finishing it up, but here is a photo of the matching hat I finished this afternoon during my lunch hour (sorry for the poor image quality):

In the original photograph of 'Sisi' wearing this outfit, her hat was a similar shape and style, with what looks like a little mink fur decoration at one side (away from the camera). Hers had more of an upturned close brim. Frustratingly, I didn't have the time or ability to replicate her hat this year, but was able to make one in the same vein. Instead of at the side, I put a looped velvet bow tipped with little mink pom poms at the center back. The rest of the hat is black sinmay covered with the same black velveteen as the gown in a softly gathered toque style with a little Hungarian flair.

Below is one of the 8 appliques I hand beaded to go on the front of the coat. These are a base for the covered toggles that the cord loops across the front attach to.

From the original set of photographs. You can see the little sprout of fur to the right on her hat:

'Sisi' with Shadow.

The lace collar on the blouse I wore last year will work perfectly for underneath, and I've added some lace frill to the cuffs as well.

In this image, it's easier to make out the daisy-shaped & beaded motifs under the toggles on her bodice.

 My skirt will not be trained long in back. You have no idea how much I wish it could be. But I needed to make it shorter because well, it's the Cow Palace/Dickens Fair. While the ground isn't atrociously dirty with mud etc. (but still pretty heinous) the risk of having my hem accidentally stepped on by patrons and players alike is too risky.

Oh and by the way; I went so far as to *DYE MY HAIR* for this.
Maybe not just for this Sisi project alone, but for fun too. I had to bite the bullet and did it on Tuesday evening before I allowed myself to chicken out. My own blonde locks will be in hiding, gradually making their way back out over the next few months, as I slowly and gently get the darker semi-permanent shade of chestnut out.

Check it!:

Just a little update,,,

I'm chugging along on the 1850s bodice for Dickens.
The fabric I'm using is an ivory silk taffeta, and is a dream to work with. I've missed using this fabric, it's been a while!
Before you get worried about ivory silk at Dickens fair; not to worry. I'm careful, and I have a shawl.  I can also drape it across me in a bohemian manner while at tea, if I need to ;-)

I'm using the Simplicity mid 1850s pattern #9761 as a guide, but will be doing something else for the sleeves and front.
I may even round out the points of the peplum in front and in back.
As far as commercial patterns go, this one is going together fairly easily, I just wish I'd taken some photos yesterday. I'll post some here when I'm further along on it.

I'm having the hardest time deciding on what sleeve style to do, as there were so many lovely options during the 1850s. I'd love to get away from the typical pagoda style I see everywhere, but still need something that isn't too time consuming.
The bodice front will have faux revers, and little covered buttons all down the front. I'm hoping to use some of the burgundy stripe in the fabric I'll use for the skirt to cover the buttons with. That way I'll have a nice pop of color on top, and it won't look too bridal.
I have some beautiful net lace trim on the way, too, for both the bodice and somewhere on/in the sleeves.

But yes, sleeves.
What style?! The good part is that the sleeves that come with the pattern can easily be tweaked to create any of the following, so at least I have a template that fits the bodice armscye already. The less futzing, the better!
Here are a few concepts rattling around my head as options:

 The tiered sleeves on the gal in blue.

And this plate again, either one of these would be great; puffed or with multiple little cap sleeves.

 And this green dress is just 'effing amazing. Again; puffed sleeves seem to be all the rage, and visually make the waist smaller by contrast.

With the puffed sleeve option, it all depends on how it will look on my frame, so I'll definitely do a quick mock-up first. With the large skirt it could either look fine and balance out, or make me look like a Stay-Puft marshmallow girl.

XOXO

The Velvet Hussar Gown: Part III

 So the sleeves are on and I decided to start in on some of the fur trim. At least to salvage and size up the long shawl collar front piece. Armed with a felt marker and an exacto knife, I began the surgery that is re-purposing a vintage mink fur coat. 

If you have ever seen the inside of a fur coat without its lining, it is insanity:

Here is the front shawl collar just draped and pinned onto the front of the coat for an idea of what I'm going for. The bottom edge of the coat will also be trimmed in this mink, and the sleeves will have mink cuffs (please excuse the creepy mannequin head in the bottom right corner):

 

The monogram that was embroidered onto the lining of the fur coat I used is stunning. The Initials read ONM, and every time I find a vintage monogrammed item, I like to imagine what the owner's name may have been. Olivia, Olive, Ophelia, Olga, Octavia, Odette?

Perhaps I'll make a little cushion from the silk, with this at its center:

The Velvet Hussar Gown: Part II

I made a lot of progress on Sisi's velvet ensemble today.
There was only one near tragedy; I had accidentally cut one of the princess coat panels with the nap of the velvet going up instead of down. So I had to re-cut it and use up more fabric than I had wanted to.
Still, I think I have plenty to go into the lower panels of the skirt. I ordered an extra yard though, just in case.
The bodice to about hip level is flat-lined in a black cotton twill.

Here she is shown over my new hoop petticoat, again with no sleeves yet and not much to look at. I will wrangle the sleeves on tomorrow:

The Velvet Hussar

So I had decided on the fur and velvet Hussar-inspired promenade gown.
I have all my velvet, my fur material in the form of an old mink coat, linings, all the mohair braid and fittings for closures and details. While I may not be able to replicate this ensemble exactly, given the time, I think I will come pretty close.

 Sisi with her beloved dog, Shadow.

As guides, I am using Truly Victorian patterns TV446 and the free petticoat diagram for the skirt.
I have extended the lines of the bodice into a princess 'coat'.
The upper half of the underskirt will be black cotton, with the velvet material attached just under where the hem of the coat ends. There is no way I want to make the entire skirt of velvet, let alone try to pleat it into a waistband! The stuff wasn't cheap either. This was also a typical way people used to save on expensive fabrics, even the wealthy.
I may even build this over my already existing elliptical hoop, since that is what she is wearing in this 1864 photograph. For Dickens I need a regular circular hoop, but should I ever want to do an accurate portrayal of Sisi for a future photo shoot later, I can have the other option of an elliptical.
I have my muslin cut and ready to go, wish me luck.

Sewing ADD Or A Full Plate

'Tis the season.
Dickens Fair is just around the corner, and while I thought I'd bow out of any official presence in character, this year, it looks like I will be after all. At least part-time.
My mind was made up as soon as it was known to me that the character I had suggested presenting, was OK'd.
Empress Elisabeth of Austria. Also affectionately known as Sisi.

I'm ecstatic, yet a bit intimidated.
I have a good chunk of *more* sewing to do, but I can breathe a little easier knowing that Ander's will be doing the lion's share of his own costuming/sewing this year. I just want to finish a tailcoat I had started for him last year.

So, I am Sisi.

Being Bavarian/Austrian myself, I have a lot of source material and was practically raised on stories and images of Sisi. I may need to brush up on details of her travels and those she regularly 'hung out' with, but I have a pretty good head-start.

Hair: I'll need to go a bit darker than my current shade, but her dark blond is very close to my natural color.
I'm considering a temporary color, so I don't kill my tresses with a high lift developer trying to remove it after the the holidays.
I'll be investing in hair pieces too, to get that bountiful braided look she was so famous for. hopefully I can use human hair for the majority of it, since I can't stand the overly shininess of synthetic hair.

The outfit(s?):
Oh lordy. Where do I begin?
I already have an idea of what I want to make, but it has to be seasonally appropriate too. No Worth star gown for me (not that I'd want to tackle that project right now. I have, actually and it's been on the back burner).
Skirt, blouse and Swiss waist?
Or an ocean of midnight velveteen?
Do I make one or both given the time I have?
Additionally; it can get stuffy and downright warm at Dickens. Do I want to be wearing 15 pounds of velvet?
Incorporating the two outfits and making it 'convertible' to the blouse underneath the velvet ensemble, might be a good option when the temperature rises.

Images that are currently inspiring me:

The velveteen options:

Excuse the colorized photo below, but this is the skirt blouse combo in question. The level of actual detail on the blouse in this image is lost, but it gives a general idea:

A Must Watch...

How on earth did I miss this?!

A trip back in time for a glimpse into life in England, during the reign of King George III.

At Home with the Georgians, Prof. Amanda Vickery from Matchlight on Vimeo.

I'll post links to the full episodes when I find them...