Mock Tunics for 12th night.

Me in my vast wisdom ended up really crunched for time to make my children clothes for 12th night this January.
I ended up making my boys a very quick and dirty tunic. so quick and dirty that they were made in 1 day from 1 yard of 60" fabric, fits the boys who are wearing size 3-5 and I actually expect them to last for another year!

Here is a diagram of how they were cut out.

How to cut out:
Fold fabric across the width, so the selvage is at the hem of the tunic. yes this means the shoulder is on the fold.
Put a yard stick on the corner, angle it so that it reaches a point 7" in along the fold. Now take a square and place it along the fold and move it 1" out wards from the angled yard stick. this will make the sleeve set into a square seam, rather than an angled one. Cut this as a slight curve, not an angle.
for other side seam, put the hem point at 28" and the shoulder at 21", then angle it out 1" again.
This is the body piece.

The sleeves are 14" long and about 7" at the cuff. the easiest way to make them is to fold the fabric in half along the fold after cutting out the body.
The gusset is about 4" square.

The neckline is cut 5" wide, 1" deep in back and 4" deep in front.

This includes 1/2" seam allowance.

For making up in the quick and easy way, French seam by machine, use the selvage as a hem. Finish neckline by making a narrow hem by hand, I also like to do the cuff and hems by hand as it makes them less obviously machine made.

Right side out, (wrong sides together)first sew 1 side of the guset to the sleeve using just under 1/4", make sure to stop on the corner, do not go to the end of the gusset.
Then sew the other side of the gusset to the sleeve, then sew the sleeve seam.
Turn inside out and french the seams in the same order using a 1/4" seam allowance.
Then mark the shoulder point on the sleeve and the body. Right side out, (wrong sides together) sew from the gusset point around the sleeve, then the side seams.
Turn inside out and french the seams in the same order using a 1/4" seam allowance.

If you would rather flat fell the seams, the method would be similar to that I showed on my regency chemise, but without the sleeve being gathered at the shoulder.

TUTORIAL How to make 4 styles of Childrens aprons from 1910's

This is a tutorial, that unlike others I have made does not require MATH! yes we will be using measurements, but there will not be multiplying, dividing, subtracting or even adding to make the patterns.

What you will need is: The child you wish to make the apron for, and a T shirt that fits the child. (plain shape, short sleeves is best.)
Tools include: Measuring tape, large sheet of paper, pencil and ruler. I like to use a square and a clear ruler. Also scissors for cutting the paper.

Overview of the FOUR styles

Left to right:

1. No. 4615 Advertised in Home Needlework Magazine, August/September 1910, Page 316 "Children's and Girls one Piece Apron. 4615 Five sizes 4 to 1 2 years. The 8 year size requires 1 4 yards 27 inches wide 14 yard contrasting material 27 inches wide."
2.  Farm Journal Patterns 4850 Advertised in Farm Journal, October 1912, page 550 Girls and Misses One-piece Aprons in 6 sizes; 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 years. "A useful apron, cut in one piece, but prettily shaped, is shown, in No. 4850. Girls do not object to wearing aprons if they are pretty, and this one can be made exceedingly so. While white crossbar muslin, madras, or cambric can be used, very pretty ones are made of pink or blue chambray, hemmed or faced with the old fashioned rick-rack braid sewed along the under edge, so that a row of points extends beyond." This one is different from the first in that it meets at center back, likely closing with buttons.
3. Advertised in Woman's Home Companion, February 1913, page 75 "No. 1439 One Piece Apron. 4 to 8 year sizes. Quantity of material required for medium size, or 6 years, eight yards of twenty seven inch material. The ease with which this attractive little school apron, which is suitable for any wash fabric, can be laundered is one of its practical features which will strongly appeal to every mother It is particularly attractive if made of a plain toned wash fabric with the edges scalloped in a darker shade or in a contrasting color."
4. No. 1230 Play Apron  was also advertised in Woman's Home Companion, February 1913, page 75, "Play Apron with Pocket 2 to 4 year sizes. Quantity of material required for 2 years three fourths of a yard of twenty two inch material. The large pocket is a special feature of this apron."

Now lets start making the patterns!

1910 Corset, First mock-up

Today I made the first mock up of my corset.
I used an old pair of pants from my husband as the mock up. I knew this would stretch, but that was okay for me. I was mainly interested in checking the length, and flap position.

I could not find my lacing strip. (I think a small child misplaced it for me) so I sewed the back closed and pined the front shut.

As I guess it stretched, as I was not very exact in cutting and sewing. I pined it all the way closed and my waist measurement was 27", which is normal for me.

But I did learn a thing or two about the pattern.
1. my guess on the waist was spot on! I know this because I put it on and tied a string around my waist and marked it.
2. It is way to high in the bust!
3. it is too large in the bust, as I guessed. I do not have that ratio.
4. the hips may be a bit large for me once I make it out of a non stretchy material.
5. I think the bust flaps are too big!

But all in all it was good enough for me to alter the pattern and put up a more usable one on the blog.

But anyways you want to see pictures don't you?! well then click ahead and see the ugly mirror shots of the mock up!

1910 Corset pattern

I thought others might like to have a better image of the 1910 corset pattern.

Once again this is a pattern from July 1910 "Corset for a slim Woman (easy to wash)

(If those links fail, try this one for the illustration, and this one for the pattern sheet)

The waist is 24 1/2"
The hip is maybe 36"
The bust is about  36"
Wasit to top of corset at front is 7.5"
Waist to bottom of front is also 7.5"
(click on image to view full size)

I found it to be rather high in the bust, but the bottom length looks about right for the period.

To use this pattern, print out so that the squares are 1"

No seam allowances have been given.

Waist and grain-lines are given. Also are small red lines to indicate where a seam intersects that panel.

Making the corset pattern

Well I went through my books and links, didn't find a corset pattern I thought would work for modifying into nursing.

So I went to DeGracieuse and looked through 1908-1912 for corset patterns.
Settled on a pattern from July 1910 "Corset for a slim Woman (easy to wash)

(If those links fail, try this one for the illustration, and this one for the pattern sheet)

I saved the image and pulled it into Rhino CAD, I have an approximation of the sheet size deciphered from an older page that had a scale on it. I traced around the pattern pieces.

Then moved the pieces (thus removing the confusing background)and aligned them with the grain markings (little arrows)

Then I cut them apart to make a nursing opening. Added 1/2" seam allowance, and printed that sucker out!

At this point I have printed the pattern out and cut out my mock up from an old pair of my husband's pants!
I expect I will have lots of alterations to make, but I want to check out where it hits me as waist line and such.
Supposedly it has a 24" waist, I am normally about a 27" waist, so that is a reasonable size, but then I expect the bust and hips to be larger than my measurements. I also need to check the flap position.

The CADing of the pattern was done in one day, I have gotten fairly quick at it!

UPDATE, I have put up a more usable image of the pattern

Teens era Nursing clothing

So like many costumers I will be embarking on a journey into the early 20th century for the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. A bit morbid? Sure, but also fun. I have never entered into this era.

I will need to make a nursing friendly outfit, just like all the ones I have made in the past 5 years....

I am quite pleased to be using Pintrest as well as some Facebook and Livejournal groups

First order of research was corsets, because let's face it they are my favorite!

My pintrest board for Maternity and Nursing Corsets through the ages  has helped me to organize things a bit.
But I decided to make a separate one for the maternity/nursing clothing, and I also found another board for historical maternity clothing. that readers may find of interest.

But back to what I plan on making.

First inspiration is the H&W maternity corset, that I have found advertised from 1909-16

In fact the name Marmo was trademarked in April 1909

Ladies Home Journal October 1910 on New York Public Library
An H&W booklet c. 1914 shows the Marmo

There are TWO surviving examples that I know of.
Antique Corset Gallery has the buttonfront version with what looks like a higher front

The Met's (formerly Brooklyn) 2009.300.2759a–g has a busk and nursing flaps. the front is lower. also it appears that the lacing only goes to the waist. (too bad there aren't more pictures!)

Standard mail order company advertisement of 1912? lower left shows a matternity and nursing corset like the H&W

Lara Corsets has a nursing corset that looks very similar to one advertised in 1915-16 Simpson's Catalogue as seen in Robert Doyle's Waisted Efforts, page 195

Spring Summer 1911 Macys catalog No. 16

Eatons of Canada 1913

But what about what goes over the corset?
Well a petticoat could have slits like this 1900-6 one from Bustledress.com

As for the dress itself, well there are two patents that show us what could be done
US patent 907,290  from 1908

and  US Patent 1,013,778 from 1912 

Model building

This weekend, while in the hobby store, picking up parts for my Husband's RC airplane, I was struck with the desire to build a plastic model kit. I haven't built a plastic model in about a decade! Of course being me I would have to choose to kitbash something for the first time too!

This is the kit I choose

Revell's minikit of the Hindenburg. It is a painted snap together kit. No I am not a weenie, I just wanted a small Zeppelin. The kit does not have a scale marked on it, and for my uses, it doesn't really need one. You see I decided to Steampunk it!

First step was research, so off I went to my Husband's bookshelf where I pulled out his Hindenburg book. Inside I found a very nice drawing showing the relative scale between the Hindenburg and the Titanic.

Why is this important? Well because my Zeppelin is going to have steam smoke stacks of course!

Now as you can see the drawing was smaller than my model, so I had to enlarge it. Not wanting to turn my computer and do it all accurately in CAD. (Because this is supposed to be fun and fictional.) I just traced the illustrations on some velum and then used my proportional dividers (LOVE them!) to scale the titanic up to be the approximate size of my Hindenburg model.

The the fun designing began. (notice the "help" I got from my children?)

Decided on the top design.
Part of the design was for a propellar to be coming out of the tail. My Husband assured me he had some in a 1:700 scale battelship model that had a full hull and waterline option. He was going to build the waterline option so had no need to the propellars. I think it was the Tirptiz, though it could have been the Yamoto, I know it wasn't the Missouri or Prinz Eugan, any ways it doesn't really matter which kit, now does it.
So I had to find the box. All the kits were in boxes in the garage, the first two boxes I opened were packed just before my eldest was born 5 years ago. They were not the right boxes. Of course the model I was looking for was the last box I opened. I then spent the rest of the day cataloging my Husband's model stash of 70+ kits. Okay okay, I have two kits in there too.
But the good point is I found the bits I needed!
 I decided to take all 4 propellars and the two propshafts (the battelship onmy needed two, but the trees were duplicated) I will only be using three.

I put the pieces in a small plastic bag and started with the scratchbuilding.
First up was the side sails, since they go into the side seam it seemed like a logical easy place to start.. These started life as square stock syrene that I rounded and tapered to the shape I wanted.

I then marked the locarions and filed in the holes for their placement at the side seam.

This is where the model stands today, I have marked the locations for the smokestacks and the front sails. Next is drilling the homes for them.

Golden Peacock Dress for Charity!

Cathy Hay who runs Your Wardrobe Unlock'd and Foundations Revealed, who made a recreation of the fabulous Oak Leaf dress by Worth 1903  for Costume College in 2009 (read the whole story here!) is embarking on a whole new adventure for Charity!

She will be making the Peacock dress also worn by Lady Curzon and made by Worth in 1903 to rais money to help Haiti.
I know there have been other natural disasters since Haiti's eathquake, but they still need help. Most of us can not go an help, Cathy is trying to raise money to go and help.

The way this is working is for each step, an additional part of the complete outfit will be funded. Currently she will be making the combinations, first petticoat and corset. there are still many layers to go for the complete dress! Her most recent post.
When you donate, give your Livejournal user name and you are added to the filter, this is how you will be able to watch the outfit come together in a dress diary.

If you do not have a Live Journal account, they are free, then you can Friend my sewing journal (tell me how you found me, I may not friend back otherwise.)

I have already donated, and will do so again, with each paycheck. come watch with me as a sure to be stunning dress is made, and help out Haiti!

Where Corsetra came from

No I am not talking about the story of my birth.

I have used the name Corsetra for almost a decade. I intend to use it for a long time for not only is it more private, but it is more recognizable than my legal name.

Back in 2002-3 I was in a pattern-making and fashion designing course at a local college. We had a few high school aged students in the class along with college aged and adults.
One day three of the high school aged girls came up with a superhero theme for themselves, basing their powers of of their physical traits. The girl with the flat belly's powers were based out of her belly button and she mesmerized with belly dance. The girl with the large derriere had the power to cause earthquakes when she shook her booty. The girl who later got a breast reduction had the power to blind with her "headlights."
Now I was feeling left out and decided to come up with my own super powers, but I wanted to be the villainess not a hero.
So I came up with the character Corsetra whose super power was in her corset strings. when the lacings are pulled, the heros contort as if being tied up.

My now husband drew this up

Of course her outfit is red and black with a corset. This is a half size costume that I made shortly after the creation of the character. The home made dress form was never truly finished and isn't very curvy at all, so the dress is not displayed to it's full advantage.

 The shoulder points are made from pleater, the bust portion is a black and silver knit, the sleeves and collar are from another stretch lacy knit. The red satin of the corset was scraps left over from my first real corset that has now passed away,

The back of the skirt features a corset applique that I made. I think it is the best part of the whole dress.

I hope you have enjoyed this little story.

Why I write for Foundations Revealed and Your Wardrobe Unlock'd

I have written 1.5 articles for Foundations Revealed and one for Your Wardrobe Unlock'd. These two companion sites host a wealth of information on Corset Making and Historic Costume by subscription.

The first article I wrote was for Wardrobe about Making costumes for dolls this was spurred by my entry to the Single Pattern Project of 2009. This article was the only one that was specifically requested by the editors.

The two other articles were projects that I was planing to do anyways. Though admittedly the fact that I would be paid for the Skeleton Corset article did help me convince my husband that purchasing it was a good idea.

Why did I choose to put my work on a by subscription web-page instead of publishing it for free?
1. Payment. Yeah, lets be honest and get this one out of the way. The rate that I got for my articles was $100. Now let's put this in perspective. The price I paid for the Skeleton corset was more than twice that. I also had to purchase a few materials to make a good study of it, and reproduce the busk. I spent more than $100 on materials for the 18th century maternity and nursing stays I made. So you can see I didn't really make any money off those articles.
2. There is something about having your little research projects published (and receiving payment for it) that makes you think that you really are doing something important and thus makes you want to do your best. Or at least I have found that to be the case with me.I probably wouldn't have done as good of a job on those articles if I had intended to post them to my live journal. Also I am one of those who tends to work best towards the end of a deadline.
3. Giving back to the community. By subscribing I financially show my support, but by writing, I show I care about the content. Since I am at a point where I feel I have something that is worth sharing, I should share. A certain paper magazine I subscribe too was having a lot of subscribers write in and say "I want to see an article on X, I don't care for all the Y and Z you have been publishing" they printed these letters and replied with "If you want to see and article on X, why don't you write one? We can only print what we receive and we have been getting a lot of Y and Z submitted to us." So if you want to see it, you just might need to write it!
4. Readership levels on this blog, and my own Live Journal are quite lower than the readership levels of Foundations and Wardrobe. True I could cross-post to all sorts of LJ communities, but honestly I get tired of seeing the same post multiple times on my f-list. Now this might seem boastful that I want a larger number of readers, but honestly I always secretly hope that someone has a piece of information on the topic that I missed, or a correction, so that I can learn more. I want feedback from the community.

Now let me be clear. No one has told me to write this, not even suggested it. I am not writing it because I get "goodies" for doing so, or to raise Google ratings. I just want you to know why I choose to have my articles published where in order to read them you have to subscribe, instead of for free. I enjoyed writing for Wardrobe andFoundations and may do so again in the future.