1790s short stays (and a petticoat)

In January I made a decision to begin a 1790's ensemble. I originally wrote the majority of this post in February and have only just got round to editing it.

 I have wanted to make one of these costumes for some time, the craziness of the transitional period from Eighteenth Century to Regency styles as well as the surrounding history fascinates me. In the 1790's partly due to the influence of Neo-classicism which idolised the styles of the ancient Greeks and Romans and also due to the effects of the French Revolution clothing began to become much simpler and less structured. The executions of the French aristocracy in the late 1780's had led to the casting off off the previous rococo styles in order to avoid being targeted for being sympathetic to the monarchy and to show allegiance to the new republic. (This is despite the fact that Marie Antoinette was instrumental in the adoption of the classical style but I'm hoping to cover that in a future post).

tirical Print Ah! Quelle antiquité!!! Oh! Quelle folie que la nouveauté … by Alexis Chataignier (1797)

This shows the dramatic change in fashionable dress

My Lacemaking Journey

Whenever people ask me how I learned to sew the answer is generally begins with: "I went to a Lace making Class..."

I can't remember a time when I didn't want to know how to sew, or craft or do something arty. My Mum had tried to teach me the basic stitches (I still have the unfinished doll blanket that was, technically my first ever sewing attempt). However she really doesn't like sewing so the lessons tended to be few and far between (She was much happier teaching me how to make Plum Tortes and Apple Crumbles).

The (as yet still unfinished) doll blanket

When I was about eight my mum took me to look around a craft fair that was being held in my village's Community Centre. We wandered around the main hall and then, in the side room, I found some of the girls that I knew from school who were there with their Lace Making Class. They were all sat around a table with their cushions and folders of work to show to the visitors. I remember my mum talking to Mrs. Ives, who was the teacher, and then pointing to some of the work and asking me if I would be interested in learning, the rest as they say is history...

1770s Stays: Part 2

The Stays are finally complete!

Part One is here

I began the finishing touches by strengthening the seams, covering them with some cotton tape on the inside and some ribbon on the outside.

Norwich Cathedral-Elizabethan Kirtle costume

Way back in April Imogen, Abby and I met up in Norfolk, were Abby lives, for a weekend holiday.

 Abby volunteers at a sewing group at Norwich Cathedral as so arranged to take some photos of her amazing Italian Renaissance dress (that Imogen modelled) in the cloisters. I asked if I could tag along in my Elizabethan kirtle as I felt that a shift and cap with a forehead cloth was achievable in the time I had. In case anyone needs a reminder here is what the kirtle looks like:

1770s bum pad

I decided that, for my new 1770's ensemble I required a new bum pad. This was a very quick project that I made by following the instructions from 'The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Dressmaking'. 

1770s Stays Part One

I realised today that this blog has been neglected for a while, so it's time to catch up and hopefully get a few posts written up this weekend!

I decided a while ago that I wanted to make some 18th century clothing for myself. As the 1770s is a very versatile period with lots of  new fashions and changing styles I felt it would be the best place to start. I've covered a little of the history behind 1770s stays as well as how I made my first pair here

The Pattern I used was the 1770s stays from Corsets and Crinolines

Antique Sampler-who was Edith Annie Wild?

Exciting news! I have recently acquired this 19th century cross stitch sampler (I found it in a local charity shop window) and am planning on re-framing it to display in my flat.

I did some googling on how best to conserve it and have ordered a new frame with acid-free and lignin-free mount card as well as a window mount to stop the sampler from touching the glazing. 

Whilst I was shopping online for the new frame I began to wonder about who Edith Annie Wild had been. What had her life been like, and how had her sampler ended up in a Charity Shop in Scarborough? I did some searching online and this is what I discovered...