The Victorian Evening Gown phase 2 is completed!!! Thanks to Inoui's (and her very understanding husband's) support the dress is finished! Now of course I'll have to complete phase three (trim) on my own .... we'll see how I manage :) 

Productive weekend!!

Look, I'm twins!

We test the fit of the skirt... and then start fitting the bodice!!

Hammer time!

Here's a pic of my "Genie" costume from Halloween ... I am especially proud of the shockingly purple pants that Inoui and I made in under an hour, without a pattern! Yay for costuming on the fly!

Every girl needs a pair of Hammer Pants...

Silk!!

I almost can't believe we've moved on to the actual dress!! Inoui and I mocked up the bodice yesterday and it seemed to fit quite well, so we moved on to cutting the pattern pieces out of the material. It was so much fun actually getting to work with all of my fabulous material that we cut ALL the pieces (for everything, silk, lining, innerfacing, crinoline, everything).

Yummy yummy fabric* ...

*not that I've actually tasted it or anything ... no-one would be that gullible .... *walks away quickly*

I couldn't resist...

I know I've posted them before, but I had to show the final pictures of the undergarments (pictures taken just before fitting the muslin for the bodice!!)

full undergarments bustle and petticoat only

Completed!!

After much toil on the part of Inoui and myself, the undergarments for the Victorian Evening gown are completed!! The petticoat was finished with a very work-intensive ruffle (not pictured), and as you can see, works quite well with the bustle-pad.

I think I'm giving J-Lo a run for her money...

Project for this weekend: the muslin for the bodice of the actual dress (and, of course, the obligatory run to the fabric store! Hurrah for G-street!!).

VEG Phase One nears completion...

The "Undergarments" phase of the Victorian Evening Gown Project is almost complete ... now if I could just get the darned ruffle attatched to the petticoat ;)

Corset, Chemise* and Bloomers


Close-up view of the Corset (isn't the decoration cute?!?!)

*made by the lovely and tallented Inoui's equally skilled mother.

Victorian Evening Gown Project:

I was inspired to try to create a dress of my own by browsing through vintage victorian evening gowns of the 1860's and 70's. However, since this is my first big project, I decided to use a basic pattern (even if it may not be exactly "period") and then add decorative elements gleaned from real dresses to make it look more "authentic"

Here is the pattern from Simplicity

The Fabric that I will be using is Dupioni Silk - because it is not only beautiful, but cost effective, and easy to work with.

This red will be used for the bodice, apron and bustle:

And this pinky-taupe will be used as the contrast color for the underskirt, as well as for some of the trim:

Does one really need a reason...

To make a victorian costume?? I think not!! This project is already well underway!

Completed:
Corset, Bloomers, and Bustle pad

In progress:
Petticoat
muslin for bodice

Not yet begun:
The dress proper with bodice, underskirt, apron and bustle. However, the fabric and supplies have been obtained, and I hope to make headway, with the help of my friend Inoui, in the next two weeks.