White and Black late 18th century jacket - October 'Heroes' HSM Challenge

For October's 'Heroes' challenge I made a white & black silk late 18th century jacket and black silk sash to go with my black silk petticoat. 

One of my costuming acquaintance friends, Merja, made a lovely white with black trim late 18th century gown a few years ago, (I believe inspired by one worn in a drawing of Marie Antoinette), and I was inspired by Merja's exquisite detail and work (she is one of my costuming 'heroes') to make a white late 18th century jacket trimmed in black when I was invited to a costume friend's black and white party! 

October's 'Hero' HSM challenge - a white and black
silk late 1770's jacket and black sash

Historical Sew Monthly OCTOBER challenge:

http://thedreamstress.com/the-historical-sew-monthly-2016/

The Challenge: Heroes - Make a garment inspired by your historical hero, or your historical costuming hero. 

Material: White silk dupioni from the L.A. Fashion District and black silk taffeta from PureSilks.

Pattern: My draped 1770's English gown pattern as the base, and then I scaled it up a bit, added a peplum, etc.

Year: late 1770's-early 1780's

Notions: Hooks and eyes, ridgeline to stiffen the front.

How historically accurate is it? From afar it looks historically accurate, but it is only so-so; the Robe a la Anglaise pattern is accurate, but I did not pleat the back but cut it as a single piece (to save fabric). All inside seams were done by machine, all outside and visible sewing was done by hand. The cuffs are a smaller version of cuffs done on 1750's/1760's Robe a la Francaise gowns, which I'm not sure if they used this size/style in later decades. So it's a bit of a mix.

Hours to complete: I lost track, but a few hours to cut out and sew together, and then a few more to add sleeve cuffs and sleeve binding, add a peplum, add more to the peplum, add the ridgeline (front stiffening), bind the peplum, bind the jacket, and then add hooks and eyes. And later hem (by machine) a black silk taffeta sash to go with it. Probably 12+ hours overall if not twice that. This one took a long while to put together.

First worn: To a costumer friend's birthday masquerade party last weekend.

Total cost: $5.60 a yard for the white silk dupioni (used a 3 yard piece with some left), and $18 a yard for the black silk taffeta, used about two yards. A few dollars for two pieces of ridgeline and hooks and eyes.

The finished jacket - white with black trim
and black silk sash

Regency 'fichu' - October (late) HSM Challenge 'Sewing Secrets'

For October's (late) Sewing Secrets challenge, 

I'm a bit late with October's HSM, because I needed to spend my recent sewing time getting my  house reading for my annual Regency Pumpkin Tea last weekend. It's the 9th annual this year, and since we moved early summer, there was still a LOT to do to get ready in time: organizing, unpacking, building furniture, hanging curtains. For that reason, I finished 90% of my HSM by Oct 31st (including the secret pocket) but the final 2 sides of black marabou trim didn't get completely sewn on until mid Nov, thus a bit late on this one.

HSM 'Sewing Secrets' - Regency fichu with hidden innner pocket

First, the finished early 19th century Regency 'fichu' - it's sewing secret is a small pocket sewn on the inside so that you can hide a love note, a secret, or more.

My 'Sewing Secrets' - Inner silk pocket for hiding a love note

How I put it together: I decided to take my draped Regency pelerine as a basis of this 'fichu', and draft up a new pattern: it took about an hour and quite a bit of trimming and pinning muslin to get the shaping right.

Here is my original inspiration fashion plate that I am basing this Regency fichu on:

Here are a few in-progress pics:

Cutting the silk fabric

Hand sewn silk 'fichu'

Silk fabric & lining - 'fichu'

Historical Sew Monthly OCTOBER challenge:

http://thedreamstress.com/the-historical-sew-monthly-2015/

The Challenge: Sewing Secrets: Hide something in your sewing, whether it is an almost invisible mend, a secret pocket, a false fastening or front, or a concealed message (such as a political or moral allegiance).

For this challenge, I hid a small pocket on the back of an early 19th century Regency silk marabou trimeed 'fichu' for a love note or secret letter! 

Fabric: Rusty red burgundy silk taffeta (fabric), medium blue silk dupioni (lining), burgundy silk dupioni (bias binding)

Pattern: none. Draped/drafted by me, based on my draped Regency pelerine.

Year: early 19th century

Notions: black marabou trim

How historically accurate is it? It's based on an early 19th century fashion plate, hand sewn and made from similar materials available at the time: pretty accurate (but not perfectly accurate).

Hours to complete: 1 hour to drape it, 1 hour to cut the fabric & lining, 2 hours to sew bias binding to finish edges, about 8 hours to sew on marabou trim. Gah, sewing on marabou takes forever!

First worn: not yet!

Total cost: All fabric and trim from the stash - I used very little silk taffeta, silk dupioni & marabou - probably about $15-20 total

It looks a bit bright in this flash picture, the silk is more rust red burgundy.

Next up is November - Silver Screen

Regency silk 'fichu' with marabou by theLadyDetalle