Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Dickens Festijn, Deventer

These days there are a lot of Dickensian themed Christmas events but the biggest is still Dickens festijn at the old town centre of Deventer.

This event is for me the start of my Christmas season. The pictures were made after closing time when most visitors had left. 

Every visitor had could have there picture taken with the headline Best Act of the Days. 

Full Circle (part 4)

2006

2017

This year I not only decided to make a new version of my first Victorian dress but also updated the old version. 

I used Simplicity #4400, Misses Civil War Costume by Martha McCain The Fashion Historian. 

Both have the sleeves from the larger picture but in the first version I left out the poufs. The biggest difference in both outfits are not in the bodice and skirt but in the crinoline beneath it. I re-made my old Truly Victorian # 141, 1858 Round Cage Crinoline into a Truly Victorian #142, 1856 Walking Cage Crinoline and because I am quite short I made it an even smaller size than the 110" inch circumference from the pattern.

The first time around making this pattern I left out the bust padding and boning because of time and money constraints and not understanding how important these elements are for the period correct silhouet. As my old costume is still worn by me and a friend I not only added bust padding to the new costume but also to the old. As well as a internal waist band in to the bodice and skirt hooks and eyes. The latter keeps the bodice in place and the chemise out of skirt while moving your arms. 

Sewing in the boning

Making the bust pads.

Ofcourse nothing would even be done without the invaluable 

help of my cat!

Working on three projects since September, no wonder I didn't have time

to blog! The Victorian brimless hat was finished only three days before the event!

 The yellow vest is my son his first real sewing project. 

More on that and the hat later... 

To read more about my husbands Chesterfield Top Coat read my back(b)log here.

To read more about my son his Fantastic beast vest read my back(b)log here and to see the entire costume here.

To read more about the Victorian Brimless hat read my back(b)log here.

The Street of Queen Emma ('t Straatje van Emma), A Christmas in the 19th century.

Wow, it has been a very long time since I have been able to write a blog. Time really flies when you're having fun (or extremely busy).

I saw that my last blog post was in September this year. A lot has happend since then and a lot has been made by me since then but first let me share pictures of last Saturday Victorian themed event.

In the garden of the house we called "home" for the day.

Our favourite couple drinking tea. 

Our artist

Two fine gentlemen having a chat.

(And look the Chesterfield coat got finished in time!)

One of the other artists entertaining the childeren.

Doing some sewing and having a nice chat.

Christmas gifts

Bringing around the Christmas gifts.

The hat was made in the week before the event!

It's a brimless victorian hat aka a pillbox or pork pie hat 

made with this pattern by Lynn McMasters

This is all I have time for right now. Hopefully I'll have to time again, to tell you all the other things I have done in the last months, soon. 

Back(b)log; Victorian brimless hat

As I am not a big fan bonnet I currently have I decided it was easier to make a new Victorian style hat than updating the bonnet. Starting fresh in my opinion is always easier and quicker than correcting a mistake or updating a project.

source: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2003654030/

As the coat I am planning to wear on Saturday is inspired by this Winter image dating to 1874. The choice for a brimless hat aka pork pie or pillbox was easy. Especially when I found Lynn McMasters pattern on https://outofaportrait.com/.

I had been meaning to make this hat for a while, so I had already purchased the pattern. I had also some scraps red wool fabric and some fake fur from the coat left. And a piece of buckram from another hat project some years ago. So I was good to go! I traced the pattern, cut the pieces of fabric, lining etc. but found out that I didn't have enough strength in my hands to sew the buckram. Luckily enough my husband was sweet enough to help me out.

The buckram hat frame taking shape.

the buckram frame covered with mull and fabric.

Gathering my stuff. 

The finished hat with (most) of the costume.

Now where is my corset!

The choice for the brimless hat wasn't just inspired by the image from 1874. This style of hat was actually quite popular a little earlier in the Victorian era and had a very famous fan, Empress Elisabeth of Austria aka Sissi or Sisi.