Hi,
Though I've been sewing for many years (55 to be precise!), I'm not very knowledgeable about making garb. I hope you lovely ladies and gallant gentlemen would be so kind as to assist me with my questions.
I'm currently making my grown DD a pretty gown based on a costume from the 1957 movie, Diane. http://pjbtv.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/lanaturner1.jpg (http://pjbtv.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/lanaturner1.jpg) I was lucky enough to find pure silk in the same emerald green as the inspiration gown, marked down from $20 to just $1 per yard! I've hand-sewn all the gold trim & jewels on the bodice & skirt, and added the faux mink to the sleeves.
My first question is: my DD wants the gown to lace up the back, but without exposing her skin. She doesn't want the back edges to meet, though. She will not be wearing a chemise, as the gown is not HA. So I will probably be making a "modesty panel" (don't know what to call it!) of self-fabric to be worn behind the lacings, with interfacing & lining so it won't wilt during wearing. Has anyone done this? How do you go about it? How wide should it be? My DD is very slim.
Any help would be very much appreciated! Thank you so much!
Hi,
I took this from the Finished garb thread and made it into it's own thread -as it deserves.
The inspiration gown is beautiful! I adore it!
Is there a reason she doesn't want it to meet in the back? Does she want a v-back like this http://www.uvm.edu/~hag/sca/tudor/backsketch.jpg (http://www.uvm.edu/~hag/sca/tudor/backsketch.jpg)?
Or this http://www.fashion-era.com/images/calthrop/1485-1603-tudors/c1500-early-tudor-women.jpg (http://www.fashion-era.com/images/calthrop/1485-1603-tudors/c1500-early-tudor-women.jpg)?
Yes, you can add a modesty panel, but it would actually use more fabric (albeit, slightly) than just making it so the back would close.
I always put a faced modesty panel behind everything that laces both for size variance (I grow and shrink a lot) as well as for the comfort of not having that lacing rubbing your skin when you lean back to sit. Mine are usually about 4" wide and run up to about 1/2 inch from the top of the gown and end with a loose facing flap at the bottom that lays well below the bottom of the lacing. Depending on the pattern I usually just cut a rectangle piece, finish it completely and whip stitch it into place so that a seam doesn't show on the outside fashion fabric.
That picture of the green gown is divine. I do so hope you post pictures of her in the finished dress!
Thank you both for your responses! I'm so glad that you like the inspiration gown. Lana Turner was gorgeous in it & my DD has wanted one like it for ages! This is a birthday gift. She wore the last garb I made her for 24 years, so I know she'll cherish this, too!
Thank you, isabelladangelo, for moving my post & for your suggestions. I think that DD just wants to have the beauty of the lacing show. She wants it to be even all the way up, rather than in a V. She's commented that lacing is prettier when you can see the row of X's up the back, rather than having the edges of the fabric meet.
Amy, thank you for your response. I was wondering how big to make it, & how to attach it. Also, your suggestion to end it well below the bottom of the lacing is invaluable. I'd forgotten about that, & you've saved me from making a potentially embarrassing mistake! She'd hate to be over-exposed! I will post a picture of the finished gown.
I'm going to have to ask her very soon how wide she wants the X's to be. I'm just finishing up the jewels on the bodice now. Next we'll have to make some firm decisions on the back of the gown. My guess is that she'll want the lacing to be about one to two inches wide. Fortunately I bought out all the green silk fabric in the store-- 11 yards for $11--and I have plenty left over for the panel. In fact, I'll probably make her a short modern sheath dress from the extra silk.
I have some gowns with modesty panels. I have found that if you make them less than 4" wide they are next to useless because you don't have enough grip to make sure that it stay in position.
Mine are attached inside the gown on one side and pulled into position before the final tightening of the laces.
Has she looked at spiral laced gowns?
These are more attractive in my opinion that the X laced ones.
Ah, okay. I know you aren't going for Historically Accurate (often abbreviated H/A on these boards) but Xing laces isn't period for the Renaissance or Middle Ages. What is period correct is called "Ladder" Lacing is or the other period option is a simple spiral lacing. You can learn a lot more about both here: http://www.festiveattyre.com/research/lacing/lacing.html (http://www.festiveattyre.com/research/lacing/lacing.html)
However, if she wants crossing lacing, what you can do is something like this:
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/C.I.39.13.211 (http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/C.I.39.13.211) This pair of stays is from the 18th Century. What they did is have a stomacher under the lacing. You'd be doing something similar -just to the back of the dress rather than the front.
You'll want to make it so that the edges of the back of the dress over lap the modesty panel slightly. You can either sew the modesty panel to one side, near the lacing holes, or you can make it a separate piece. I've found as a separate piece, it tends to be a bit easier to adjust and doesn't wrinkle as much.
Is she set on the gorgeous green dress? There are several wonderful styles that show off the lacing in the 16th century such as the very lovely Venetian:
http://realmofvenus.renaissanceitaly.net/wardrobe/TitianLaviniaC1560-65.jpg (http://realmofvenus.renaissanceitaly.net/wardrobe/TitianLaviniaC1560-65.jpg)
or the practical Flemish:
http://www.elizabethancostume.net/lowerclass/flemish-dress.html (http://www.elizabethancostume.net/lowerclass/flemish-dress.html)
If her concern is the lacing showing, I'd use the silk to make a Venetian where the lacing very much shows.
Hi DonaCatalina, Thanks for the very helpful suggestions, especially about the width of the panel. I'll be sure to make it wide enough! I do think DD has her heart set on the X lacing for the back of her gown though.
isabelladangelo, actually I made DD a Venetian gown of deep red satin which had front lacing, with slashed black velvet sleeves, when she was just 14! She's been wearing the same gown for the past 24 years! Understandably, she wanted something entirely different from her old gown.
I'm almost finished with her green gown now. The lacing in back of the new gown is just to fasten her into it.
Nothing constructive to add, except I just wanted to say...
Does anyone else wish Pynquerose was *their* mom? :D
(I actually bid on the French hood from "Diane" in the recent Debbie Reynolds auction, but it went for over $800, which was out of my range!)
How sweet of you, gem! Actually, I'm everybody's Mom! I've been lurking for quite a while & have always admired your work.
How exciting that you bid on a French hood from "Diane"! It's a shame you didn't win it. I can imagine how disappointed you must have been when the bids went so high. But then, beautiful things always belong to those of us who admire & appreciate them, whether they're actually physically in our collections or not, don't they?
I found a bit of the movie which shows Lana Turner wearing the gown I'm making: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qrZnNrtqtc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qrZnNrtqtc)
I'm not making the velvet cape, though.
If you are still looking for ways to make the lacing work - I would suggest that you takea look at some bridal patterns - I know that when I tried dresses on, several of them had lacing that did not close the gown completely. That was but 3 years ago, and I imagine that there could be wedding gown patterns that would give you any extra insight - thought I doubt you need it!
And... if you should come across more silk for $1, think of me!
Thank you, Orphena. That's a great idea-- I hadn't thought of it at all!
I got the silk 6 weeks ago. They also had two shades of gold silk for $1 per yard at the time, but it would be pretty surprising if any of it remained. The sales staff actually was marking it down from $20 to $1 as we walked through the store. My DD had coveted the green silk for years, so it was a nice little miracle for us when it worked out!
O_O
o
$1 a yard SILK!!!
Talk about a fabric score!
Its going to be a beautiful gown please share your progress pictures!
Thank you, Adriana Rose! Talk about lucky! I still can't believe that bargain! The silk has a depth of luster which is incredible. It's a joy to work with. It'll be hard getting used to "regular" fabrics after this project is finished.
Incidentally, I just posted a picture of my (still incomplete) bodice on the Works in Progress MB.