Happy Halloween

To those of you who wish to celebrate it; Happy Halloween.

Here in the Netherlands celebarating Halloween isn't widespread. We've been celebrating it for a few years now thanks to some American friends. For us it has become a tradition to spend the day with friends.

Morticia Addams was the inspiration for my costume and make-up. I finally ended up wearing the dress I had made for it. I couldn't come up with another plan. And after some ironing it didn't look so bad.

Paint it Black

I haven't blogged for a while but doesn't mean I haven't been doing anything. I've been working on several things, some more successful than others.

I've tried to sew a princess seam dress from a black stretch fabric. This was my second attempt ever to sew stretch fabric. And although I followed the instruction manual and asked other skilled seamstresses for advice. The seams still turned out slightly wrinkled. It was meant to be the base of my halloween costume but I won't use it. I'll use clothing items I have in my closet instead.

Testrun of my halloween make-up. Note to self don't try to make a picture while riding a broom ;-)


Another much easier job was making a wizards robe for my son. We didn't buy a pattern but my husband looked at some pictures and cut the fabric directly. I tried to buy a cheap fabric, because it is only a halloween costume. But came home with a black wool fabric. It turned out nice an warm. Which is important as we will be attending an outdoor Halloween event. Pictures will follow ofcourse.

During my autumn break we had a lot of friends coming to visit. One of them brougth me a gift I absolutely love, an black silk and lace victorian bodice/shirtwaist.

Thank you so very much, Mark! x


While browsing Ebay I stumbled upon a pair of black leather victorian reproduction ankleboots. Handmade at
Anello & Davide.

And ofcourse I couldn't resist.

Delightful little item

Sometimes a woman needs to treat herself with a little splendour. When I saw this necklace with cameo I just couldn't resist. Although I love the pendant, I really bought it for the necklace. The cameo and necklace where sold as Edwardian. But the haircut of the lady on the cameo suggests 1920's -1930's to me.

hairarchives.com


Sometimes the Edwardian era is expanded to the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 years after King Edward's death in 1910. So I guess you could still call it Edwardian.

I intend to wear the necklace with my delicate white Edwardian blouse but with a camee that is a little bit older. The necklace is short so it should fit nicely around the high lace collar.

The original color of all these laces was 1970's brown. I was as bold to dye them black in order to make the more useful. On the far right an original colored pieces of lace. Which I did think was lovely but I couldn't use it as it was.

I am thinking about using the black lace for a black Edwardian (Tea?)Gown. Something along the lines of these dresses.

It would be a challange to remain authentic as possible and still make it fancy enough to wear to gothic/fantasy events like Castlefest and the Elf fantasy Fair.

Lace and flower

A friend gave me this whole stack of lace. Which belonged to the shop inventory of her aunt long ago. It had been stored in a damp attic for years. So I will be washing, drying and ironing all this lovely lace for the next couple of weeks...

I never was really statisfied with the decoration on my Edwardian hat. Untill I found this lovely burgundy colored flower. Now it's finally completly finished.

Although I love doing event, I also love the quiet time of the year. Now I have time to do the other things I love so much as well. Writing short stories and poems, doing costume research and ofcourse sewing!

Weekend at the Castletower of IJsselstein.

We had our last weekend long event of this year on the 10th and 11th of September at the Castletower of IJsselstein. The days where mostly dry and sunny. But during the night the weather got so bad that we deciced to go home. This was a first in all the years we are doing Living History. Luck was on our side. Because when we came back Sunday morning nothing was really damaged.

Folker was making candles

Remco was casting pewter.

Ariane was doing sprang and nalebinding.

And I was dyeing with natural dyes. Weld with iron sulfate (green)on Saturday. And walnut husks (brown)on Sunday. Both cloths turned out nicely so I can make new costumes this winter.

More images can be found on our website De Zwarte Zwaan go to tab foto's (pictures) and choose 2011.

Odds and ends

This weekend we attended the international vikingmarket at the Archeon. Two days earlier I finally finished a tunic for a little viking. The son of friends. It had been laying around nearly finished since the beginning of July.

The lovely tapewoven trim was a gift from Arda Sigibertsdottr from Sibbe Girbeson.

My Edwardian blouse is almost finished. I only need to sew the buttonholes and buttons on. I really dislike sewing buttonholes because often they don't turn out as nice as I would like.

Here are some pictures from the Vikingmarket at the Archeon. We had a lot of rain, but still had a great weekend.

Edwardian Bust Support

While thinking about my next project, an Edwardian underbust corset. I once again started wandering what did the Edwardian ladies wear for bust support. (I know I definitely need some.)

The answer is a Bust Bodice or a bust improver!

http://www.vam.ac.uk/images/image/11221-popup.html

Woman's Bust Bodice, 1895

Woman's Bust Bodice, 1902

http://www.flickr.com/photos/historika/5576043389/


More early bra's


French Bust Bodice, ca. 1905

Bridal corset. Silk and satin. Britain, 1905.

Bust bodice, by Spirella Corsets. Cotton batiste trimmed with machine lace trim. Britain, c.1908-14.


Edwardian Bust Bodice, ca 1913

A Turn Toward the Bust: Early Twentieth Century

History of brassieres (Wikipedia)

Flickr - Late Victorian Altered Bust Bodice

Bras and Girdles Fashion History


Next question; How do I make one?


I might try something like this:

"...In 1910, Mary Phelps Jacob (known later in life as Caresse Crosby), a 19-year-old New York socialite, purchased a sheer evening gown for a social event. At that time, the only acceptable undergarment was a corset stiffened with whalebone. Polly had large breasts and found that the whalebone visibly poked out around her plunging neckline and from under the sheer fabric. Dissatisfied with this arrangement, she worked with her maid to fashion two silk handkerchiefs together with some pink ribbon and cord.[40]:7 [41] Her innovation drew immediate attention that evening, and at the request of family and friends, she made more of her new device..." source wikipedia