adjective:old fashioned, out of style, unfashionable [from French, the past participle of démoder "to go out of fashion," from mode "fashion"].
the concept
the fabric
the pattern
the deadline
the result
useful links
bibliographyGalerie des Modes. Ribeiro, Aileen. Dress in Eighteenth-Century Europe, 1715-1789. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2002. |
Friday, May 8, 2009Finished... but I'm not happy with it. The bodice fit ended up giving me problems (gappy neckline which I solved by taking a big tuck on each side) and I STILL had to yank to pin it shut. So whenever I can stomach it, I will recut and remake the bodice fronts. Hey, I like the back! So for now, here's where it is:
posted by démodé 12:33 PM 9 comments
Tuesday, April 7, 2009Life has been busy, and altho I've been finding time to sew, it's been slower going than I'd like. But the end is in sight, so that's a good thing.
I needed to switch gears after too much swearing at that petticoat flounce, so I've been working on the trim. It's all cut from the petticoat fabric, which frays like there is NO TOMORROW. I tested out some fray block (on the petticoat top edge, which gets folded under so no one sees it) and unfortunately it shows (which makes it a no-go in my eyes). I went ahead with the pinked edges, ending up with ten million little threads on me as I sewed (it took me about 4 yards of masking tape it get it off my pants). SO... I may just ignore it - the plan is to stitch the faux-fly-fringe braid down on top of where the fabric is sewn down, but I COULD sew the fly fring right on the edge and hope that finishes it a bit? But it probably won't. So I think I'll just have to live with fray.
It's all done, except for the other skirt front edge. I also want to experiment with using trim to create a zone effect, but I want to actually try the sucker on for that (oh the laziness!), as it's not exactly the most slimming effect and since I have to have it with the turque, I don't want to add it here if it's not flattering. Then it's on to fly fringe, and ribbons, and lace, and maybe figuring out how I'm going to polonaise this sucker would be good too... posted by démodé 10:36 AM 7 comments
Monday, March 23, 2009Getting there! I fixed the fitting problems on this one by letting out the center back a touch, and then letting out the CF edges (ie smaller seam allowances). Then it was just a matter of finishing up the various bits & pieces (straps, lots of handsewing because I am crazy). As with my turque, I bag lined the sleeve and attached it by machine - I figured, I'm never going to enter these dresses in ANY sort of competition, why do I care? I need to get OVER this handsewing thing (or at least save it for when it I've got the time and energy).
Now, this sucker will be trimmed to high heaven... it's all about the FROOF, baby! Here's a shot of the petticoat fabric, which will also be ruches on the gown itself (note the color isn't great - the green is less olive-y in real life). Haven't yet figured out exactly what those ruches will look like - need to look through my image files for inspiration. I also found some ribbon in my stash that will work well for a CF neckline bow, and enough fly fringe (that I got in a workshop with Sally Queen at Costume College!) to do something fancy around the neckline (but not enough to do anything else - anyone seen this stuff for sale anywhere?). And then lace for the neckline -- I'm either going to use this antique lace (left) or modern lace I found in the garment district (right). I know, you immediately think, "Use the antique, dork!" But is THIS the project that gets the antique lace? I always try to pick up antique lace because finding GOOD, non-cheesy modern lace is so hard to do... but I still have to hoard it. So I need to ponder that a while. So picture lots of ruches, ribbons, fly fringe, and lace, and you'll get an idea of what's going to happen here!
posted by démodé 11:13 AM 6 comments
Friday, March 13, 2009So this is my other Williamsburg/Costume Con project -- a 1770s robe à la polonaise with en fourreau back. I've wanted to make an en forreau-back gown for a long time now, but just haven't had the opportunity.
What I do specifically will be dictated by what I find this weekend in the LA Garment District. I'm thinking a solid, slightly darker green petticoat -- need to pick up the taffeta for that. In terms of trimming, the solid green trimmings/bows on the V&A gown were added in the 19th century (and probably the dress was altered in other ways), but I do like the look. Alternatively, I might do the covered-in-white-gauze look that you see in a lot of the fashion plates, like this 1780 polonaise from Galerie des Modes:
So I've been working on this at the same time as my turque, with the same issues in terms of trying to do things fast but obviously needing therapy given the amount of hand sewing I'm doing. It's coming together well:
All would be lovely, except that last night I decided to try on both dresses... I'm used to my dress form being slightly larger than me so didn't worry about the fact that I couldn't pin the gown closed on the form (see pic above). Except when I put them both on, neither fits. ARGH! I'm so irritated! I used the pattern from my indienne gown, which is too big on me these days. So I tried that on, figured I needed to take out 2" total, adjusted the pattern, and yes, MADE A MOCKUP. Which fit. And now the dresses don't. razzarazaradasdnfkadsnlfkasdnfklasdnfk. Luckily I can let out the center back seams and adjust the en fourreau pleats, to let out the dress the required amount... But I'm really irritated at having to rework things, especially when I ALWAYS make sure things fit (I'm not one of those crazy "Oh I'll just cinch my corset extra tight and be miserable!" types -- I'm all about things fitting well, without pulling, and being comfortable). Le sigh! posted by démodé 12:41 PM 5 comments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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