6 eras September: 1940s

The lovely sunny spring day we're having today must have influenced me, as I've picked a flowery 1940s number. Should be easily accomplished, now that I'm back at work and really only have the weekends.

I do, however have an epic outfit in mind. Very similar in style to the blue wedding dress I made last year, but there'll be more adornments and also a day and evening wear option. I made cute little miniatures to help visualise my concept: 

I'll be using a combination of Burda 7880: 

Simplicity 5457: 

And Truly Victorian patterns TV361 and TV170, which Rebecca graciously let me keep after finishing her dress. 

TV361

TV170

So, the idea is that they'll come out looking somthing like this: 

Hous of Worth, 1880s

And this: 

Mme, D Michaux, 1880s

I imagine this will take months and months, and I'll probably make a practise bodice or two, so this is definitely a long term project. Wish me luck!

6 eras: August

A week late, but ended up so busy last weekend that I couldn't do the finishing touches on the skirt like I wanted to. Many lessons learnt from this outfit - didn't quite get the blouse tie sitting right, but I saw a similar blouse in an op-shop recently and had a lightbulb moment as to how I would do it next time; the lining fabric I used for the skirt is too thick, and makes the seams look massively bulky; got over-zealous and trimmed the hem far too much and made the skirt too short - remember, less is MORE!; don't like how the hem of the pleats are sitting but I know what caused that and will do it differently next time.

I will have a rifle through my pattern stash tomorrow and hopefully come up with an idea for September. Also have an epic idea for some gigantic gold and cream striped curtains I acquired recently. Might treat you to that as well :)

Easy peasy.

So I smooshed together two patterns - one from the 1940s and one from the 1960s - to reach my desired design.

However I didn't alter the yolk properly so the neckline sits a little funny, and the ties aren't quite long enough. Not bad, though. I have a similar texture fabric with cats printed on it that I might use to make another :)

Since I got this made so promptly, I'm going to try and make a skirt to go with it too. The challenge WAS to make an outfit from each era, so a blouse alone isn't quite going to cut it. 

August: 1930s blouse

I have twelve days to complete a project for August, so I've chosen a realistic item for that time - a 1930s blouse with bow-tied neckline a-la Upstairs Downstairs:

Ivy 

Agnes

Persephone

It's going to be made from a chiffon-type maroon fabric, so working with something that flimsy is going to be interesting...

July: Regency-ish, not-quite Victorian

Yes, it's two weeks late, but better late then never, right? Here is my late-Regency/early-Victorian mish-mosh of a dress. As mentioned previously, it's from Butterick 5832, although I took some liberties with it. Love how the match of the contrast fabric worked, and I also refined my piping-construction skills. I have enough of this material to make another dress too. Love when that happens, means you're not putting all your creative eggs in one basket.

Will have to pick a less complicated era for August...I've only got two weeks left...

Getting there...

So I haven't delivered a finished project by the end of July but to be fair this is a very fiddly dress and I have got this far:

In contrast to the piped, pleated, gathered, and bias-bound bodice, the skirt will be relatively easy, so the early-Victorian-ish creation should be finished shortly. August's era may have to be an easy one. 1950s I'm thinking. 

6 eras in 6 months

Yes, yes, I know, my efforts have been pretty rubbish lately. However, to try and spark things up a bit, I've decided to set myself a challenge - 6 eras in 6 months. Each month I will make an outfit from a different era, and that will take me to the end of the year. That's doable, isn't it? And I'll start with a project I didn't quite get round to last year - a not-quite late Regency/early Victorian pattern that I fell in love with. With 9 days into July already I better get a move-on.

Maybe by the end of the 6 months I'll do a more authentic Victorian get-up. One sort of like this: 

We'll see. Have to deliver the first month first! In the meantime, here's my cat in a hoodie: