Civil War Wool Petticoat

A solid wool petticoat is a warm and useful addition to any lady's wardrobe. Wool petticoats of the mid-nineteenth-century were generally made of cotton for the first six inches, presumably to reduce bulk at the waist (can you imagine gathering 120"+ of thick, heavy wool into a waistband?!).

I found my wool at Goodwill--it was a long, extra-wide, solid strip with a slit 2/3 of the way through the middle. I can't imagine what someone was using it for. But it worked for me--I continued the slit and sewed the two strips together to make a very long piece of wool, which was then sewn to the 6" piece of cotton, which was then gathered to a waistband and finished nicely with an ivory button. :)

Generally they were worn as an innermost layer, under the majority of the petticoats, but mine is so large I wear it on top of all my petticoats, and it acts almost like a cage crinoline! Very heavy of course, but very warm, and one quickly gets used to the weight.  I agonized for ages on what to make from this wool; it's rather coarse and isn't dress weight so it wouldn't really be suitable for anything but undergarments (which, hopefully, no one will see!) or blankets...and I already have a wool blanket. ;) So finally, the evening before a rather chilly reenactment, I had inspiration and was able to whip this up!

You can read more about the construction of wool petticoats here.

Matching Girl-and-Doll Flannel Slips

A smaller version of the flannel slip for little girls! This one is gathered to a comfy elastic waistband and trimmed with pretty pink and cream lace.

It can be worn under skirts and dresses or as a skirt-and-legging combo itself, as the flannel is quite thick. And of course, no young lady's ensemble would be complete without the matching doll version!

A Manteau de Lit, c. 1750-1770

In honor of George Washington's birthday, something colonial for you all!

Due to health problems and concerns for overall comfort, the lady I created this outfit for is unable to wear stays (the 18th c. corset) and so I had to find a viable middle-class option for her to wear to living history events.

Enter the shortgown. (Also known as the bedgown or manteau de lit.) Shortgowns consist of a tied-on skirt and a separate, loose jacket-like garment worn over top. The jacket can be crossed over the front and pinned, held fast by an apron tied around the waist, or tied with ribbons.

Worn with an apron and fichu (neckerchief), for work in the home.

Shortgowns were worn mostly by the lower classes, as it was hard to do work in stays, but they were also found on upper- and middle-class ladies--made of nicer fabrics, of course. A wealthy lady might wear a shortgown in the morning, to breakfast, or before getting properly dressed. The loose fit of the gown provided ample room for expectant mothers, and middle-class ladies enjoyed wearing them as housecoat-type garments.

Without the apron, shortgowns make excellent maternity wear.

 The fabric I used is a cotton sheet set I found at the thrift store for a few dollars (from the print I gather it's from the 1970s!). I did some research and found an extant middle-class shortgown made from a floral cotton print and based this lady's outfit off of that.

The skirt is made simply, like all colonial petticoats, with the fabric pleated to a two-part waistband. I think it took me about two hours, start to finish. :)

The shortgown is a simple T-tunic shape, lined with unbleached muslin.

The actual shortgown itself was made using the lady's measurements, rather than a pattern. The shortgown site provided ample explanation of fit and measurement, as did the Manteau de Lit page at La Couturiere Parisienne. Actually I found those instructions confusing and rather daunting in their complexity, and instead opted to use the Civil War infant sacque pattern (via A Day in 1862) to help, as the designs are extremely similar. (As you can see, I had to do quite a lot of research!)

Fastened with ribbons & a close-up of the collar.

The shortgown is very simple, with a turned-back pointed collar--an unusual feature for the time--and cuffs rather than engageantes (ruffles). I lined it with an unbleached muslin from the stash and attached two sets of ribbons at the top for fastening, as per the original. The shortgown can be worn with a simple white apron and fichu for a day of work in the home.

Other Helpful Resources:
Shortgown Drawing/Diagram
Katherine's Shortgown

Lacy Bed Canopy

This isn't exactly a sewing project (although I did use an embroidery hoop! ;) but it was fun to make and I wanted to share the tutorial with you all. :) It's super simple; just thread a large embroidery hoop through the rod pocket on a set of curtains and hang from the ceiling! It's provided a very cozy atmosphere to my room and lovely place to read. Surprising how much better I sleep under a protective canopy. ;) Plus, the curtains I used are leftover sheers which match the ones hanging from my windows!

Pink Tulip Print Dress

My first Civil War dress for a little girl! Made from a thrifted cotton print which is very similar to this extant dress.

I based the style on a very typical little girl's dress: wide open neckline, short gathered sleeves, gathered bodice, back buttons, and full (90") skirt. Unfortunately there was a limited amount of fabric so there isn't a lot of room for growth in this dress.

The piping on top of the waistband is really wonky; you are looking at the first seam I ever piped!

I used self-bias binding to gather the neckline and piped the waistband and sleeve hems. It works well as a spring or summer everyday dress.

Back buttons, made of china. The fabric was already faded when I bought it. I thought it added a nice well-worn touch. ;)

Red Print Civil War Dress

The first Civil War dress I ever made. ;)

About two years ago, I bought six yards of red print cotton from JoAnn's and, armed with my copy of Practical Prinkery, set to work.

The black velvet belt & bow spruce up the dress a little.

 I decided to make the front bodice yoked, a transitional style in teens' dresses. The bottom of the yoke is neatly pleated. The neckline turned out a little too wide but I'm ignoring it. ;) I was having a tough time getting the hooks & eyes to align so nixed those and the dress fastens with invisible buttons instead. Not exactly period correct, but hopefully no one can tell. ;) I did pipe all of the bodice seams, including the armscyes and waistband, and I think it turned out quite nicely. Piping adds such a finish to garments.

Nice full-top bishop sleeves gathered to a buttoned cuff.

The skirt is 150" in circumference, gauged and has a white cotton hem facing.

A mock-three-piece back.

 I think this dress took me about four days of steady work, and out of all my dresses I put the most detail into this one, going quite by the book. ;) As I now have a more extensive Civil War wardrobe, this dress has been relegated to a working outfit. Not exactly my favorite to wear now, but it does hold special memories. :)

Regency Lady and Gentleman--Doll Outfits

 
I made these for a client a couple of years ago. She wanted a set of outfits for her daughters' dolls to mimic Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy from their favorite movie, BBC's Pride and Prejudice. Pictures and screencaps from the Costumer's Guide were an immense help in getting this order done.

I chose to remake Lizzie's gold-striped gown. The fabric is actually a curtain set from Wal-Mart. Underneath her dress she wears a tucked, bodiced petticoat; split-legged drawers, and stays. Her dress comes with a matching drawstring bag. I wanted to make opera gloves but hadn't time.

Mr. Darcy is appropriately attired in breeches, a shirt and tailcoat. I drafted all of his garments and I think they turned out pretty well, considering I've never done men's clothing of any kind (or any size!) although his outfit does look rather like a bullfighter's costume from far away! I don't remember where the wool and lining came from; probably a thrifted skirt or something.

Thanks to Ruthie for modeling and Rosemary for her willingness to assume gentleman's attire. ;)