1886 Skirt progress

[wataya]

Box-pleating is a method weirdly placed between pain and fun. To resume, I would point how fascinating it is to watch oneself sweat blood and water to press correct mathematical idiot box-pleats. Speaking of someone allergic to anything related to numbers, it's surrealist. I count : it needs 30 minutes to make two good box-pleats. A least, I making large ones.

This pleats are for the underskirt by the way : my insipration is this KCI dress. It's maybe not obvious (nothing is obvious with moire), but I think the underskirt has large box-pleats.

Foundation is cut and half sewn. The last seams are to be made with the silk taffetas parts. The apron of the skirt is half sewn. And the good news is that my taffetas is of middle quality. Having bought silk taffetas on sale, I was afraid to have real bad quality silk, but it could have been worse. It could also have been a lot better !! The problem being that the color is very clear, an almond green, and the defects are then more obvious. Anyway. It's silk. Shut up. Enjoy. You're not going to be able to have cheap silk for a long time now.


More randomn, I realise I have made plans too have a green dress for every period. I mean, I love green, it is not a secret, but will looking trough my books, I realise I have mentally mark absolutly all the green gowns with a "I'm going to make something similar". Nearly one dress, or costume, for each period. The only period for wich I just can't see dress in green is Regency. It just dont work for me. But pine forest green redingote like the one in the movie Monsieur N ? Mmmh yummy !

Comments

[green-martha.livejournal.com]

Ow... box-pleats... It's something I've tried to avoid as much as possible. I have horrible memories of my pleated satin decoration onmy 1895 ballgown. I hate ironing... Though I must say it's hard to avoid big pleats in 1886/1887 :)

[anomilygrace.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I don't know - what about a celadon green for Regency wear? That could be just gorgeous!

It's sounds like your box pleating adventures are fun, fun, fun...I can't wait to see some pictures!

[wataya]

A 1886 dress without a pleated underskirt is not period !!!!

Well, pleats are funnier than I thought they would be, but the experience is still very difficult and painful, especially when you consider that my ironing table is only 70 cm long... ewww!

[wataya]

Actually celadon is the color of my silk taffetas : almond green is the more common french name for that kind of green.

I don't know for a regency dress : it would look like a candy dress, and this is something that too often happen with regency dress, and I find it difficult to bear.

As for pictures, you will have to wait for the meeting this dress is being made for : I think green_martha will have her numeric camera. I will bring my argentic camera too, but I will not count on those pictures soon, if I were you : I still have 4 films waiting to be developped (do you use this term in english ?) of pictures of the 18th century costumes collection of Lillian Williams' exhibit. But it is sooooooo expensive.

[de-ravenne.livejournal.com]

I do the same thing, I think I have marked all the dresses that are in red and black or red or black. ALL of them. Too bad that the fabrics today are never as beautiful as the old ones. But the dress you are using as influence looks wonderful. Can't wait to see your dress!

[johannaelisabet.livejournal.com]

Green is beautiful. As for green Regency dresses I have my eye on some that look just lovely.

Morning walking dress from 1808


M. Walewska by Gérard


Countess Regnault by Gérard


Anne Elliots concert gown from the movie Persuasion 1995

Johanna

[green-martha.livejournal.com]

*not* period ? Hmmm ... I wouldn't be that categoric ! Pleated underskirts seem to be the vast majority in that period, but I found a few examples of non-pleated underskirts in my beloved fashion plates books ;) So I'm skipping the pleating part :D (yeah, lazy me)

[green-martha.livejournal.com]

PS : since I'll be using green fake fur, I guess I'm not trying to be 100% period, am I ? ;)

Paris planning

[green-martha.livejournal.com]

J'ai commence a tenter de planifier la fin de l'annee. Je serai sur Paris au moins du decembre au soir au janvier au matin, au moins. La question est : est-ce que tu es sur Paname entre Nawel et le 1er de l'an ? Sinon, je suis en vacances a partir du 17, donc je peux monter un peu avant... ? (je n'ai pas ton mail sous la main, vu que je suis chez mon cher et tendre, je te refile le mien : marthe.maupin(at)free.fr )

[wataya]

For me the green walking dress of the fashion plate is weird. I have no explanation, because, I mean, green is perfection itself, isn't ? I don't understand.

I did'nt know the Mme Waleska painting, but in it I see a 1820's green velvet. I know it's a regency dress, but I would rather like it as a 1820s dress.

The countess Regnault gownd is black, not green. I've seen the true painting, and it is an extraordinary black dress. It would be a shame to make it in green when black is so perfect.

But the Anne Elliots' dress... Mmmh... This dress could convince me there is some hope for green regency : it's really wonderful.

[wataya]

koshka_the_cat's apparently done it with all dresses pink. I think it's a quite common pathology among costumers :)))

In fact, I use the dress as a comparison for the underskirt only. My dress is going to look more and more like the 1880s dress in Pattern of Fashion II. (can't rememmber the exact date of the dress : 1887 ?)

Re: Paris planning

[wataya]

Tu as un petit peu oublier de me mettre les chiffres des dates :) Du décembre au soir au janvier au matin, c'est relativement vaste...

Disons qu'entre Nawel et la saint Sylvester, il y a peu de chance que je sois sur Paris : je ferais mes vacances chez mes parents. Bon, faudra voir quand j'aurais un stage (croisons les doigts touchons du bois) ce que fera la maison d'édition concernée, mais elles ferment en général toutes pour la dernière semaine de l'année.

A priori, je devrais donc rester à Paris jusqu'au 22 ou 23. Donc le mieux serait de faire ça entre le 17 et le 22. Ce qui me laisse moins d'un mois pour terminer. La jupe n'est pas terminé. La toile du corsage n'est pas faite. Le patron du corsage n'est pas encore au point. Je crois que pour la visite et le chapeau, c'est rapé. J'aurais jamais fini! Je vais faire une crise d'angoisse !!

[wataya]

green fake fur ? What make you think you're not going to be period ? Not me, certainly :))

Re: Paris planning

[green-martha.livejournal.com]

(pour les chiffes : foutu clavier qwerty d emon chéri où y a jamais le pavé numérique vérouillé ! et ça m'apprendra à pas relire) Je disais : du 23 au 2.

Je peux monter un peu avant par contre, autour du 21 ça devrait pas poser de pb.
... t'inquiète, j'en suis juste à la toile du corsage, et il faut reprendre *toutes* les coutures, y a rien qui va ! ^^

[johannaelisabet.livejournal.com]

Countess Regnault is black but there is a sheer green top that looks just wonderful. Sometimes all it needs is a bit of accent.

The fashion plate was the only green dress I could find. Love the bonnet though :)

M. Walewska could be a twenties dress but the waist looks high enough to be earlier. I don't remember the dates for it. I love that dark green velvet.

Annes dress gives the light regency feeling and spring green. Love that movie.

Green is a lovely colour but you have to find the exact right shade for the project. I'm not sure which colour I would like to make my colour in all periods. Maybe blue in various shades.

Glad I could tempt you with something.

Johanna