Gallery of Finished Projects

[Kate XXXXXX]

Those slops came out very nicely.  Great idea to use the pleats in stripes!

[Dirtfarmer]

Goody,

Looks like those came out pretty darn good to me.  Good job!

[Lorraine]

Oooh, I love those shorts!! I want a pair now, think I'm going to dig out my breeches pattern heh.

I just finished a bodice for a client, she wanted a reversible with straps and lots of boning for support, so this is what we came up with. 20 spring steel bones total, and the straps have ties sewn on either side so they can easily be flipped over.

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

Very nice, Lorraine.

That's how I have done reversible bodices as well that did not have shoulder or waist treatments.

[Rani Zemirah]

Ooooh, pretty!!! 

[LadyShadow]

Very lovely work.

[LadyVal]

Oooh, I love those shorts!! I want a pair now, think I'm going to dig out my breeches pattern heh.

I just finished a bodice for a client, she wanted a reversible with straps and lots of boning for support, so this is what we came up with. 20 spring steel bones total, and the straps have ties sewn on either side so they can easily be flipped over.







That turned out beautiful!!

[Lorraine]

Thank you so much for all the compliments I think I may have to make a back lacing one for myself like that. I really like how the little bows look, and I've shrunk out of all my old bodices. I've been picturing a yellow silk bodice, with thistles embroidered on the front. I already have the embroidery yarn purchased, just need to find the fabric, and more spare time >.<

[LadySeasan]

Amazing bodice Lorraine!

[Lorraine]

Thank you Lady Seasan
I'm ordering the silk for my next project today, finally going to make myself an outfit heh. I'll put it up in the progress thread once I get started.

[Tixi]

95% Completed: Middle class fashionable gown.

Made with less than 6 yards of fashion fabric ("Crown Blue" linen from fabrics-store.com)

This was my first *successful* attempt at 'draping' a bodice from scratch without using a pattern. I did use a pattern for the sleeve cap bases and puffs because I failed at my first attempt to make the Bronzino sleeves. I did not use a pattern for the skirt (rectangular panels or panes (rectangles) on the sleeve cap panes.

It is heavily boned in reed, so much so that a corset is completely unnecessary.

All natural fabrics (yay comfort!). Below the medium weight IL020 fabrics-store.com linen, it has two layers of cotton drill sandwiching the boning and it is lined in lightweight cotton broadcloth. Definitely a summer gown!

This was my first go at blind hemming on my sewing machine, and it went well. I only had to tear out stitches once!

The entire dress was made in about a week.

It fits so perfectly I'm reluctant to add a modesty panel because it's just more work! I do need to add some kind of hooks or ties to keep the skirt opening in the back center from opening up. Details, details. I have some hand sewing to do to tack down seam allowances, etc, but it's mostly done.

It looks wide on the dress dummy – it fits normally on me. Shown over a bum roll.

Even though I know I should have spiral laced, should have made the front 'flat' instead of the pleats going all the way around (Even though the Bronzino portraits I found showed pleating in the front but it doesn't look good on me), the original plan called for side-back lacing which failed, should have taken more photos along the way, should have done a number of things differently, I'm so proud of myself for making this without a pattern, for using all of my skills including cartridge pleating, boning, and blind hemming, and for not ripping out a billion stitches (only a million!)

I definitely feel like all of my reading and research and failures in the past have paid off with this one. I was able to do things with ease which were once difficult. I was able to think critically before making mistakes. I was able to do things I never thought I could do.

It's not perfect, but I am getting better.

How do I keep the boning from showing through? It seems like no matter what I interline with, the bones always show.


   

 





 

More photos over at my blog:  needlewoman.org

[Kate XXXXXX]

That is really lovely.  The colour is glorious!

[GoodyTombShoes]

I love the solid blue! It looks so comfy too.
Here are my finished slops/trunkhose/venetians/pumpkin pants on a happy guy. Considering the doublet was made in the 80's I think they look quite faboo together.

[Alisoun]

Beautiful projects!

Tixi, I love the sleeves on your gown!

[Lady Rebecca]

Tixi, that looks terrific! The color is gorgeous, and those sleeves are so beautiful! How did you do them?