HSM Sep/Dec ’22: Folkwear 203 Edwardian Underthings

Photo by author. I have had this copy of Folkwear 203, which is the original early 1980s print run, for years and years. I pulled it out a few weeks ago because I need it for my outfit I am working on the annual Victorian Stroll. I had originally planned to do a bustle era…

Completed: Laughing Moon 115 Chemise/HSM May ’22

For the May Historical Sew Monthly challenge the theme was "Protection." I decided to tackle this theme literally and make a new chemise (mostly because I really needed a new one and it was the only challenge that seemed to fit when I made up my list!) Chemises/shifts protected the body from chafing from the…

Completed: Black Snail 0119 Regency Gown for HSM June ’22

Photo by author. June Challenge Theme "At the Museum: Be inspired by the items and research available in museums and archives." Fabric from extant gown. Image from Augusta Auctions. My object of inspiration was the textile in this gown, which was previously part of the Suddon-Cleaver Costume Collection. Below you can see the gown in…

HSM July ’22: Regency Bodiced Petticoat Research

For the Historical Sew Monthly July challenge I am making a bodiced petticoat. The challenge's theme is "geometry." I had already started this garment as part of my ongoing thesis research, but I will need it for an event later this month to go under my newest regency gown. Having this type of deadline is…

Black Snail 0119 WIP Update 2

Amazingly, it will have only taken me just over a month to nearly complete this project! I'm pretty slow at sewing, even by machine, so I wasn't feeling too positive about hand-sewing this. Fortunately I'd already made my mock-up last year, but I did have to do another fitting. What I didn't anticipate was that…

Progress on Black Snail 0119 Regency Dress

In my last post I introduced my newest project for the Historical Sew Monthly's June challenge. (It doesn't actually matter in what order you do the challenges.) The cutting out, as usual was the most difficult and time consuming step. I did cut one sleeve wrong, and I accidentally cut the skirt with the train,…

HSM June ’22: At the Museum

I've just begun my entry for the June HSM challenge and thought I'd go ahead and give some background on how this project came to be. My plan is to finish it by mid-August to wear at my JASNA region's annual retreat. I've splurged and will be staying over for the retreat along with some…

2022/23 Historical Sewing Plans

Since I didn't do a plan at the beginning of the year, being in the throes of my final semester of grad school, I figured I could play catch up now! I am not sure how realistic I am being, as I still have to finish my thesis by the end of summer, and also…

Completed: LM 115 Regency Long Stays (HSM ’22 #1)

This post is a summary of my more long-winded, narrative-style posts about these stays as a work-in-progress: toile, #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5. Progress photos from these posts have not been re-posted here. These stays were sewn in preparation for my thesis work, for which I am recreating a ca. 1810-1815 dress in order…

WIP: LM Regency Long Stays Part 5

Photo by author. Slowly but surely I have come to the end of my stays making project! Starting it in August of 2021, I have finished it in February of 2022. How naive I was to think it would take but a month or two to complete! I will have a "completed project" post up…