antique men's cravat / ascot neckwear

Interesting find in the gold country last weekend. Completely handsewn with dip for the chin and hole for wrapping around. One side 3" longer than the other to allow for tying.

smocked 1815 gown 2

Wanted this one to be wearable without regency stays so i'd be more likely to get out to events.

smocked 1815 gown

Inspired by cast off curtain fabric of my mom's and page 46 of Nineteenth Century Fashion In Detail. Decided to smock it in green since had some green stuff for a spencer jacket.

mid century dress 1

Gown made entirely from materials I had on hand ~ pics of piping going on, and the usual flat-lining with extra fabric in the side seam for easy alteration.

mid century dress 2

To keep myself interested, i'm playing with shapes at the bottom. In the 1850s there was a fashion for bodices with vest points but the back tail is found on 1870s+ gowns and isn't what I think of for the era i'm going for here.

mid century dress 3

Finished enough for first wearing in 10ish hours. Vintage trim basted on along with fairly rotted lace doubled in half and stitched together so doesn't show damaged areas much at sleeve and collar. The fabric is an odd drapey raw silk/cotton/rayon leftover from the tie manufacturing industry and sold at $1.50/yd and 25" wide.

cheap hat to bonnet

Cheap art store straw hat turns into 19th century bonnet to cover up my short bob haircut. 1) chopped off part of brim. 2) used straw hat making yardage (you can find this online) and machine stitched it to cut edges. 3) sewed ribbon to points so that i could steam the hat into shape. you can put the whole hat in a pot of hot water and let it dry with the ribbon tied to give it the right shape. it holds the shape it dries with if you don't have a steamer. 4) decided wasn't long enough on sides, added straw pieces and hid seam with ribbon 5) added trim.