Read part 1 and part 3. The blue underskirt is the basic skirt from Simplicity 1728, gathered all around instead of pleating the front. The aubergine overskirt is 6.5 yards of chiffon with three deep tucks in the bottom third. I calculated the tucks so …
For my 1855 ball gown I chose a royal blue cotton percale with an aubergine chiffon for the overlay, which turned out to have the most wonderful iridescent, colour-shifting effect. I used the same base pattern as my 1860s ball gown: Simplicity 1728. I shortened …
Since I had some white lining fabric left over from my second Victorian petticoat, I decided to make some modern ones as well. I used my ancient store-bought petticoat as a pattern, making one the same length, one three inches shorter and one three inches …
For my first petticoat I used the free instructions from Truly Victorian, and 8 yards of white cotton broderie anglaise. It went together very easily, though I deviated from the instructions a bit. Instead of sewing each strip into a loop before gathering, I gathered …
Dying the dress was a long process, but easy. I started by dying some scraps, experimenting with different fade times and combinations. I settled on 10 seconds per inch for the first 8 inches, then 1 minute per inch thereafter. To keep the bottom half …
For my wings, I chose to use full birds wings rather than individual feathers, because I prefer the more dramatic look. I settled on crows’ wings and got them from a reputable Etsy seller. They are about 12 inches long and quite heavy for wings, …
In 2016 I went to my very first company holiday party, so naturally I needed a new dress. The pattern is Butterick 5748, a retro sixties design which I’d had my eye on for a while. The bodice fabric is a remnant of cream taffeta …
This is the George & Ginger Lovesick Bralette, which is a free PDF pattern. I made size 0, with C cup, and used a bit of white swimsuit fabric that I had left over from making my dress form cover. I did not make any …
This dress incorporated so many new things! My first George & Ginger Pattern, first sew-along online and first time doing lace insert panels. I am delighted with how it came out. The pattern is the George & Ginger Mood Dress, with pockets added. The fabric …
My Saturday night outfit for the 2016 Labyrinth of Jareth Masquerade Ball was Daybreak, using my yellow 1910s dress as a base. I lit up the skirt, added a cloak, jewellery and a crown. The cloak is Simplicity 1582, view D, which is actually the …