Buttons, buttons, buttons....

Sometimes when make costumes you are faced with tough decisions.
Like what buttons to use... ;-)

The buttons I bought for my long victorian coat, are probably more art nouveau/art deco. As I still have an Edwardian costume planned (somewhere in the future) I'd much rather use them then. I think they are to big and not nearly elegant enough to use for this costume.

This weekend I visited the verzamelaarsbeurs in Utrecht (sort of antiques fair) in search of black glass buttons. I did find some, which are suitable for the cuffs, but none for the front. Next stop was Ebay and Marktplaats, but no luck there either. This morning I went to the market and found some horrible black plastic buttons, nicely faceted, but otherwise horrible and plastic. The coat is no where near being finished. The sleeves still need to be set in, it needs to be hemmed, I'm not quite happy with how the pleats in the back look etc etc. I am obessing about the buttons, if I have to buy them on Ebay
Meanwhile I ought to be busy with other things, like preprations for Sinterklaas and my sons upcoming birthday.

I promised my husband not to stress over this coat, but in all honesty I really would like to have it finished (read wearable) before the Anton Pieck Parade on the 12th of December, sooner preferably

La Mode Illustree, July 1885

I bought this magazine because it was printed on my birthday the 5th of Juli and I am sharing these scans just for fun. The best thing about this magazine is that it came complete with the original patterns!

Boxpleats

To my great hapiness my sewingmachine is back from the workshop. Time to start working on my long black victorian coat. I have traced and cut the pattern and have checked that the length I want, ankle length, is possible with the amount of fabric that I have.
The coat has boxpleats in the back and I have no clue on how to make them. So it is time to search the internet.

http://www.burdastyle.com/techniques/make-box-and-inverted-box-pleats

http://www.ehow.com/how_5003362_make-box-pleat-valance.html

http://www.instructables.com/id/Box-Pleat-Apron/

And my sewing books ofcourse.

First stop is making a mock-up model in cheap fabric to "test drive" the pattern.
I don't like wasting fabric (and time) so it will be a shorter version of the coat.


This is the pattern I am working with:



Truly Victorian 1880's Late Bustle Coat
I am going to make a fitted ankle lenght coat, with normal sleeves and a roll collar with notched lapel.



The black velvet is the fabric for the collar and maybe cuffs. I haven't decided yet if I am going to use the black satin pipingcord.
The black glass buttons have a flat top with a faceted edge. The seller told me that they are a hundred years old, which would make them Edwardian in period.

Victorian Gents Waistcoat Finished !

Yessss!!!! It's finally finished. Being the perfectionist that I am, I am not a 100% satisfied. But it doesn't look half bad. It looks better when he is wearing it, but he was in no mood to model for me.

My sewing machine is in the workshop for maintance. So I won't be able to sew for a week, but I don't really mind. Next stop will be my long black victorian wintercoat and then, finally!, after a few weeks rest, something medieval.

Annoyed; Victorian Gents Waistcoat update

I am getting quite annoyed with myself and the waistcoat that I am working on. I am not satisfied with how it's turning out. I have no choice but to finish it and hope that the end result will be reasonably ok.



I am happy with the Victorian Style Photograph Album that I bought. It is a good place to store our own Victorian style pictures as well as the vintage photo's I own.