2025 Year in Review

When I start these posts, I always think I didn't get much done.  Then when I add it all up, I realize I did. I guess I'm judging my quantity of work on modern standards involving machine sewing.  There are a few of projects that fall in that category.  The rest are all hand sewn and often involve patterning as well.  This post includes a few non sewing history items that were needed for various impressions.

1. Silk bonnet with taffeta trim 

    This was done using my own pattern that I designed for workshops.  The pattern has 3 brims and 2 

    cauls.  This is the small caul and brim #2.

2.  Black taffeta sack  (self drafted)

     I had actually started this a couple of years ago and it had been languishing on my mannequin ever   

     since until we decided to do a funeral/mourning program which gave me the motivation I needed.

3.  Silk gauze half hankerchief with French Valenciennes lace.

4.  Silk gauze double ruffles with French Valenciennes lace

5.  Tropical weight wool/cashmere stuff English gown (self drafted)

     I love this gown.  It feels like pima cotton.  This, the bonnet and cloak were made for the 250th of  

     Battle Road.

6.  Black broadcloth cloak with mohair trim

     Sue Felshin's pattern which was put on paper by Ruth Hodges.

7.  Shop sign

     I've been going by "Sign of the Yellow Cat" for years for any impression that involves needle trades.  I       finally got around to making a proper sign for Bunker Hill.

8.  Large Milliner's trunk.

     The shape isn't quite right--it should be domed --but this was the only cardboard trunk shape I could           find.  This one is large enough to put bonnets and hats in. I'd like to change the clasp.  

Of course the trunk is lined with the Maryland Gazette --Stamp Act edition!

9.  Summer striped linen gown (self drafted)

     This gown is so cool and comfortable.  I made it for Bunker Hill but ended up wearing it all summer.

     

close up of bodice

10.  1970s short caftan.  Elizabeth Caftan from Charm Patterns Patreon.

       I can't begin to say how much I love this garment.  It's is the most comfortable thing I've had on my           body that I can remember.  Fabric is a Liberty of London retro print from the 1960s. I have some 

       tropical rayon to make a long version next summer.

11.  Mid 1820s summer frock

       This is the last of the LaFayette's Triumphant Tour gowns. 

11.  Mid 1820s summer bonnet. 

       I started with a seagrass capeline for this.  I used the Timely Tresses Sophia bonnet pattern to make a  

       pasteboard form to block the capeline on and it worked out well.  The hardest thing was finding a               capeline large enough to not have to piece.

12.  Half sized mannequin--aka--"Tiny Tabitha"

       I needed a way to demonstrate draping and making a gown in an hour long demonstration.  Tiny   

      Tabitha was the perfect assistant.  I found the pattern on Scribd and the author ended up having an 

      Etsy shop where I ordered the pattern for the arms.  I designed the base.  Fun, but very fiddly, project!  

13.  Shift for Tiny Tabitha (a combination of B&T half size pattern and self drafting)

14.  Stays for Tiny Tabitha (self drafted).

       Worsted, lined with linen and trimmed in leather.

15.  Taffeta English gown for Tiny Taffeta (self drafted)

16.  1950s dress  Charm Patterns Scout dress with 3/4 sleeve extension (Patreon)

       Scout is one of my favorite patterns.  I didn't have enough fabric to make the skirt with the                   pattern so I just cut two lengths of the 45 inch fabric, seamed them then pleated it to the bodice.           The original skirt is substantially fuller.

17.  Red worsted English Gown (self drafted)

       I've been wanting a red wool gown for years!  Finally got some fabric on sale.  Need to finish  

       the petticoat but in the meantime, the silk matelasse one will do.

 

Red Worsted 1770s English gown

 My last project of the year!  I've been wanting a red worsted gown so imagine my delight when Fabric Mart finally had some red worsted on sale for $14 a yard!  The fabric was actually a tricotine which is a double twill with a smooth, plain wrong side.  I didn't care for the right side so the wrong side is what shows!

I decided to use some printed linen I had in my stash for the lining.  I have about 9 yards of this and figured I could save my white linen to line summer weight linens or silk.

There's nothing particularly special about this gown.  It's a very plain early to mid 70s gown made exactly the same way as my blue gown that I made for Battle Road.  I wanted to wear this one to Washington's Crossing but didn't get the petticoat done in time.  I guess that will be my first project for 2026!  I wore it with my gold colored silk matelasse petticoat and a lot of layers!

I'm happy with this gown.   I nice plain gown can be dressed up or down!   On to next year!

Who doesn't need a Halloween frock!

 Just a quick catch up post.  

I have a bunch of printed cottons from Joanns' to make some Gertie frocks so I thought I make one up for Girls Night Out at Savage Mill.  The theme was Cabinet of Curiousity with a Halloween theme and I had the perfect print for that --shown below with the black cat head buttons and tarot card earrings.

I decided to do the Scout dress from Gertie.  I had just under 4 yards of fabric and to do the nice full skirt that the pattern has, it requires almost 6 yards of fabric.  I figured I'd just cut two lengths of fabric, seam them together center back and call it a day.  I'd done this before with a gathered skirt but I decided to pleat this one.

This pattern has a short puffy sleeve which isn't very flattering on me but a 3/4 length sleeve pattern was released later which I really like so I went with that.

Here's the finished frock on my dress form:

And of course some fun pics of me in the dress.  I love this pattern but would've really liked the skirt to be much fuller since the crinoline pretty much fills it out with no room to spare.  

I love this dress--as I tend to love all of Gertie's patterns.  I'd love it even more had I had enough fabric to make the fuller skirt but this works well enough for something so seasonal.  I have a few more prints for this pattern that I need to get to at some point.

Tiny Tabitha gets dressed!

I've gotten behind!  This project was completed in August!

We last left Tiny Tabitha as pictured below with her stays and shift.  Since her job is to be a model for a mantua making demo, she obviously needed a gown!  Here's a pic from the last post for reference.  Jordie is pictured with her for scale.

To finish her underpinnings, we added hip pads

And an underpetticoat 

Next up --I had to drape an English gown.  I draped the back and front using pattern tracing cloth and stitched the pieces together to fit.

After a couple of small tweaks, I set about constructing the gown like I would a gown for myself.

First fitting

Setting the length of the shoulder straps

The petticoat was easy!

Finished gown front.  Sleeves are a little snug so I'll adjust the pattern accordingly.

Finished gown back.

Tabitha makes a cooperative model while being draped for a mantua making demo.

(photo by Lynn Bassett)

Part of the demo was a demo of how an earlier gown would be refashioned into a center front closing gown.  This was much easier for participants to understand having seen the entire process of draping a gown from start to finish.  My original intent was to rip out half the gown but I couldn't bring myself to do that so I made another bodice front and pined it at the side seam.  The extra bodice had the dart and robing ripped out so I could chalk a new neckline and explain how a shoulder strap would be made along with other alterations that would be made.

(photo by Lynne Bassett)

I'm really glad I made this project.  I do a lot of demos and this has proven to be an efficient method for doing so in a museum setting.  The print gown that I was draping had each step completed in advance.  I showed how to drape the lining, then had the completed pieces ready for the next step.  They were able to see the process and the order of construction all the way through.  I will also use Tiny Tabitha to make some patterns for myself.  She is almost exactly 1/2 my measurements so sizing up after making a pattern for her will be pretty easy.

Who would've thought a half size mannequin would end up being so handy!

Introducing Tiny Tabitha!

 Let me introduce you to Tiny Tabitha!  I've never been one to name my dress forms but I decided she needed an identity.  She's a half size form.  I found the pattern for her in an article on Scribd.  If you do not have a subscription to Scribd, the creator does have a downloadable pattern available on Etsy.  The pattern included 1/4, 1/3 and 1/2 scale versions.  I went with the half size scale.  Since I planned on using her with teaching demos, I chose to make her out of plain osnaburg linen.  I also decided to change the base a bit, choosing to use a wood plaque in lieu of the weighted cardboard base shown in the pattern.  She was a bit fiddly to sew but the process was interesting.  Here is the finished product:

I discovered that the pattern creator also had a pattern for arms on her Etsy site so I added them and painted the base:

Next up:  Under pinnings.  

I ordered the half sized shift and under petticoat pattern from B&T.  I modified the sleeves and a few other details on the shift as I wanted the shift to have sleeve buttons and an open cuff.

Note the laundry mark!

I didn't have any buttons small enough to use so I cut off the legs from some paper brads and curved them into button shanks.  The size was just right!

Here she is in her shift (Jordie for scale):

Next up--stays!  I wanted strapless fully boned stays.  There's a lovely line drawing on the JP Ryan stays pattern which my stays are made from so I used that line drawing and sized the width of the stays laying flat to the measurement I computed would fit Tiny Tabitha.  I then cut a fitting muslin from heavy interfacing, all in one piece with no seams.

I found this mock up to be fairly close though it was clearly too short.  I made the adjustments then cut it out of pink worsted and linen canvas, sewing the boning channels by hand.  I also added 1/8 inch tape to where the seamlines would be to give the illusion that the stays were made in sections.  Here they are before the boning channels are finished.

After boning them, the top was bound with white lambskin.  The tabs were split and the bottom portion of the stays were lined with the same lambskin, stitched right sides together with the fashion fabric which was much less tedious then attempting to bind the tabs.  A pink and white checked linen lining was added last.

Now to work on getting her dressed!

This has been an enjoyable project so far and she will come in handy for mantua making demonstrations.  The best thing is that I can make a garment for her using remnants from my own gowns!  I'll post her wardrobe as it develops.