Diary of a Costumer

The gala gown is done! I finished the last 10 mins of hand-sewing yesterday morning. It's been so "almost done" for so long now that I never worried it would be finished - it was just the tedium of that last little bit of hand-sewing left to do that was driving me crazy. Once I finished it, I also made a matching reticule, that just needs some bows and the ribbon ties. And now the dress form can be used for my 1840s dress!

I got a ton done on the 1840s dress over the weekend. In fact, the bodice is completed, other than that I want to add narrow lace onto the bottoms of the sleeves and the neckline. Since this is a brand new pattern (McCalls 7988), and probably no one else has sewn it yet, here's my notes/warnings:

• This pattern has enough ease in it that although I originally added more width to the pattern to get to my normal pattern size, I wound up taking most of that off (though to be fair, I always forget that my 1860s corset makes my waist a ton smaller than my 1870s corset).
• The side front seam needs way more curve if you're at all busty.
• The boning in the CF is the stupidest idea. Don't do it. I did it, and then wound up taking it away, because it literally made the bodice pull away from me, and it poked up weirdly above the apex of the bust.
• I should have dropped the shoulder down more. I forgot about it in the mockup stage, so I wound up cutting and assembling the silk before I remembered. It makes this pattern less accurate for the 1840s. 
• The sleeves in this pattern are weird. Like, it calls for two sleeves, each with their own ruffle, one shorter than the other, instead of putting both ruffles on one sleeve. The sleeve is a weird shape that didn't fit nicely in the armseye, so my finished sleeve is a very different shape. Also, those ruffles are huge. I know she based this off the one orange dress in the Met, but that is the only one I could find with such huge ruffles. Most dresses of this era have 1-2 much narrower ruffles. I wound up completely doing a different sleeve. 
• The bodice has no side seam (the side front and side back are the same piece). I wound up making it work, but I should have just cut it with a side seam, because getting it to fit would have been easier. 
• For some reason, this bodice is bag lined instead of flat lined. I really have no idea why. 

That said, it does make up into a very cute pattern, and it was very simple to assemble, other than the sleeves (but again, I did not use the pattern or instructions for the sleeves). Here's what mine looks like: www.instagram.com/p/Bz7PH8rgV-q/

Of course, when my pattern arrived on Thurs night, I realized that I was out of organdy to line the skirt, so I placed a rush order from Vogue fabrics that should hopefully get here today. *fingers crossed!* Once I've washed that, I can cut out the skirts. I'm hoping that I may be able to have the dress completed by the end of tonight, or at least close!


This is my CoCo to-do list, at this point. I'm honestly feeling pretty comfortable right now, which I really hope I don't regret saying...

• Make evening chemise
• Put bows on gala reticule
• 1840s dress needs skirt, lace at neckline and sleeves
• Add a tier to my Victorian child ruffled petticoat, so that it will work for the 1840s dress
• Make a balayeuse for the gala gown?
• Figure out a smaller hat option for the Edwardian dress
• Add lace to the dining scarf I ordered?
• Starch my corded petticoat and organdy bustle petticoat
• Pack
• Check hairpieces with current hair color next weekend. Buy more options if necessary.