One of my favorite 18th Century costume references is a portrait by Sir Nathanial Dance-Tolland. I love the puffy blue stomacher bows. I love the enormous pearls worn high on her neck. I love her pet squirrel. But mostly I love the lace mantelet that she is wearing over the top of all of it. While less heavily textured, this embroidered silk gauze from FabricGuru has such a similar scale and vibe to the fabric in the portrait that I reckoned it was MEANT. I would make the blonde silk gauze mantelet from the portrait!
A Midnight Silk Sultana
Last spring at a workshop, I came across a silk sultana hanging on a peg. I tried it on – and I wanted it. I didn’t NEED one, so of course I immediately went fabric shopping and found a piece of suitable-enough silk shantung – just enough of it for a midnight purple silk sultana.
A Regency Card Party in Virginia
My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen! I had been visiting with a Miss W– (lately removed to Virginia from the newly declared Republic of Chile) and together we attended a small – and very select – card party!
18th Century Stomacher Brooch: Tutorial
In the collection of the Victoria & Albert museum in London, there is a stunning antique Portuguese brooch. Thanks to an aliexpress seller who likes the piece as much as I do, today we’re going to make our very own 18th Century Stomacher Brooch!
The Fitting and Proper Chintz Banyan
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it another wrapping gown? It’s the Fitting and Proper Chintz Banyan! Let’s talk about how to put it together.
The Giant Christmas Squid
It began with fiberfill – fiberfill and a dream. Mr Tabubil was getting one serious Christmas present – the biggest, most giant-est Christmas Squid ever seen in Santiago.
An 18th Century Short Gown
An 18th Century short-gown is the same sort of garment as a bed gown, except, well… shorter.
Sort of. Mostly. Sometimes.
A 1790s Printed Cotton Round Gown: Doing it Properly this Time!
In which I take my 1790s printed cotton round gown, and this time, I finally get it all right!
A 1790s Printed Cotton Round Gown: Part 1
In which I sew a 1790s printed cotton round gown, and make some really REALLY dumb technical decisions.
An Accidental Sewing Renaissance
Sewing something large on holidays takes determination and the ability to iron in VERY low-light conditions.