2021 Costuming Year in Review

Another year done, another group of additions to my costuming wardrobe.  For some reason, I feel like I didn't accomplish as much this year.  I think that is because I seemed to make more accessories than large garments this year.  Needless to say, some accessories are every bit as time consuming as an 18th century gown and some are even more so.  I also spend a good portion of the year researching a new era--the 1920s.  So without further ado, here are my costuming accomplishments:

The first projects were samples for our February workshop which had to be moved online.  We had a quilted pockets class.  After studying a number of extants, I decided on 2 techniques for the pocket construction.  Both were quilted.

1.  Quilted linen pockets, bound with linen tape.  The hippogryphs were taken from from a 1740s quilted petticoat.

2.  Quilted silk pockets based on an extant pair.  These pockets are not bound but have the edges turned in and stitched with running stitch.

3. Another sample for our Feb. workshop which was on making muff covers.  The beading /embroidery design was copied from an extant muff in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.  The image is printed on      silk.   Detailed post of the muff and pockets here.

4.  1920s underpinnings were a big part of this year. As is typical for me, I worked from the skin out--starting with an envelope chemise from a reprinted antique pattern from Silk and Thimbles on Etsy.

5.  1920's Corselette.  I used a pattern as a foundation for this but ended up totally redesigning it.  I don't like how this one works on me.

6.  1920s silk crepe de chine slip.  I used an image from an antique pattern.  The pieces looked like a 1 hour dress so I just drafted my own pattern for this.

7.  1920s Brassiere.  I started with the Wearing History pattern and changed it to match a brassiere in a 1922 store catalog.   Detailed post of these 4 undergarments here.

8.  One hour dress--self drafted.  This was made as a toile.  I will probably not wear it but I'm glad I made it.  It was enough to show me that this particular 20s shape doesn't work on me.  Detailed post here.

9. 18th century lined silk satin mitts.  These were a copy of a pair in the Bostom Museum of Fine Arts.    Detailed post here.

10.  18th century unlined silk taffeta mitts.  The embroidery was copied from a pair in the Amsterdam Museum.  These were one of 2 pairs I made as class samples for the summer mitts class I taught.

11.  Unlined silk satin fancy mitts.  This was my 2nd sample for the summer mitts class.  

12. 1778 silk taffeta English gown with pleated and ruched trim. Detailed post here.

Here's the gown as worn at the French Occupation at Newport, RI.

13.  2 Masquerades masks for our 18th century masquerade gift swap--paper mache covered with silk velvet, lined with linen and silk taffeta ruffle.

14. Silk mantelette based on Garsault pattern.  Silk taffeta, self lined, interlined with wool, trimmed with rabbit fur.  Detailed post here.

Here's the matelette as worn.

15.   1920s French corset based on several extants.  Detailed post here.

16.  1803 silk workbag with silk embroidery and spangles, copy of extant in the National Trust.  Detailed post here.

17. Annabelle cap: Pattern test for Virgil's Fine Goods new cap pattern!  Be sure to check it out!

19.  French blue lambskin mitts--class sample for leather mitts class.  

I was hoping to have one more outfit to show but it won't be finished today so it will have to be my first completed project for 2022!

It's easy for me to discount my accomplishment because so many of them are small.  Some of the small projects require the same time commitment as a full sized garment though.

Anyway--here's to a productive 2022!  Happy New Year!

1760s-70s Mantelet based on Garsault

As fall weather approaches and events line up, it became apparent that I needed an appropriate outer garment for warmth to be worn with my upper sort 18th century wardrobe.  I had made a black silk velvet short cloak trimmed with fur for my mid century-1760s garments so I decided to go with a mantelet.  Let's have a look at some:

1747

1750s

no date but looks to be 1760s to me

1772

1775-76

1778

1780s

I liked the fact that this shape seems to be popular through several decades. I noted that the hood size changes to accommodate the changes in hairstyles.   Since time was of the essence, I decided to go stash diving and I was not disappointed.  I found some stuff that I had put aside for a different style of winter garment.  I had about 5 yards of light weight yellow woolen that my friend Barbara had given me at least 15 years ago along with 5 yards of yellow shot taffeta with matching ribbon and white fur trim!  The colors aren't so true in the photo as the wool and the taffeta are almost exactly the same shade.

My original plan, when I bought the silk and fur trim, was to make a plisse like that in this image based on the instructions in Garsault. I had originally planned to make it wool lined in silk.  I decided to look at that once again as I remembered that there was also a pattern for a mantelet.  I also looked at the scale mantelet patterns in Fitting and Proper and Costume Close up.  I liked the pattern shape in Garsault best for this project.  I also wanted this garment to had added warmth so I decided to use the wool for interlining between two layers of silk since I had enough silk.  I would've liked to line it in white but didn't have enough on hand so self fabric lining is fine.

This website had the translation of the original text, clarification of measurements, pattern diagrams and annotation which was very helpful.  I printed it out and noted the measurements on the drawings.

My next quandary was whether or not to attempt to manually draw the pattern full size based on the measurements.  I've done this before with gridded patterns and it takes forever.  This one wasn't gridded and it seemed like a pain so I decided to let technology work for me.

First--the measurements were given in centimeters from point b at the top to point c at the bottom of the diagram so I cropped the picture so that point b was at the top edge and point c at the bottom edge--basically eliminating any border.

Using photoshop elements (I would expect most photo editing software has these functions), I used the Resize image function and chose to resize the height of the image to 90 cm which is the measurement given for the full size pattern.

I saved the image as a pdf file and opened it in Acrobat Reader.

I selected print, chose poster and tile size 100% which automatically tiled the layout in my print dialog box as shown. 

I followed the same procedures above for the hood piece.

Added step--I took a screen shot of the tiled layout so I would know how to arrange the individual pages.

I taped all my pages together--Acrobat did allow for a little overlap which you can see on the pages.

I traced the pattern with pattern tracing cloth on the fold so I could fit the full size pattern.  Note the different dotted lines on the pattern.  The upper one is the short version on the original pattern.  It was too short and the longer view was too long.  I played around with the pattern by pinning it at various lengths to get the hip length that I wanted.  I also played around with the neck pleats using the original pattern as a guide.  I ended up with  five 1/2 inch deep pleats spaced about an inch apart on each side of the center back.   I marked these pleats on my pattern.

I cut my pieces out --2 of each for the silk (outer and lining) and 1 of each for the wool for interlining.  First I basted the wool to the wrong side of the silk then I marked pleats at the neck edge of the mantelet using the pattern as my guide  

Pleats were pinned then stitched in place.

Checking the length/fit so far:

I stitched the lower back seam of the hood and did the cartridge pleats in the opening at the top and checked the neckline pleats.  I had marked the same pleats as those on the body neck.  The original instructions do not indicate that the neck is pleated.  Not pleating it brought the hood way to far to the front.  I decided to go ahead and pleat the hood lower edge.  The hood was stitched to the body and the seam was pressed open.

The hem around the edge of the mantelet was pressed under (about 1/2 inch)

Fur trim was pinned to the wrong side.  This particular fur trim is like a little tube with cotton tape.  The tape will be concealed in the seam between the outer fabric and the lining.

Trim pinned in place:

The outer edge of the mantelet was whip stitched in place over the fur trim.

The hood lining was constructed as the outer hood was and stitched to the inside of the mantelet--whipstitched to the fur trim around the edge and the neck seam allowance stitched to the seam allowance of the mantelet.

Body lining was pleated at the neck, hem was turned in, pinned in place and whip stitched around the perimeter. Note:  when stitching anything to fur, always pull the fur "nap" out of the way so the thread doesn't catch it.  Frequently check and pull any fur out of any stitches it gets caught in.

Ribbon was stitched to the fronts at the neck seam.

Note: The original instructions said to stitch ribbon inside at the neck seam to create a channel for your ribbon tie.  I was delighted to note that construction in the period image of the blue mantelet in the beginning section of this post.

Final test fit:

I'm very happy with this project.  It was pretty quick and I know that I will get a lot of use out of it since both my silk day gowns are typically accessorized with yellow.  I have leftover fabric and trim and will make a matching muff cover to go with it.  I was also delighted to figure out how to resize and print using technology.  Here is the mantelet being worn--you can see which one I am!  

If you would like a quick little project, a mantelet makes a fun and practical one!