The Portraiture Project

Hello, world. Long time no see? Anyhow, I have been working on a Victorian corset based on Truly Victorian's 1880s corset and is in going wonderfully. I started by altering the pattern and it took only six variations of the back piece to get it to fit, ugh... But, it finally did fit and it was all worth it. Corsets are fiddly and difficult but when you stick with it, it will fit you...eventually! I am using white coutil from http://corsetmaking.com/ for the project. Look at all the back piece variations! I started by inserting the busk and OMFG it took me so long, I think an hour or two. I had never inserted a busk before and I did it wrong the first time and my machine was also bird nesting and going crazy, which was soooooo  much fun. It hates 100% cotton thread for some reason but loves poly thread which makes me so sad as a historical seamstress, pure cotton thread is my jam (but apparently not my sewing machines, anyone had this issue with a brother machine?)  But I

Hello, hello! I find 18th century cosmetics and hygiene history extremely fascinating. To say I was more than excited when I found The Toliet of Flora, a cosmetic recepie book published in 1772 would be an understatement! The full name of the book is quite a mouthful: The Toilet of Flora; Or, A Collection of the Most Simple and Approved Methods of Preparing Baths, Essences, Pomatums, Etc: Improved from the French. Now, I will not bore you with more details! I have linked the free Google e-book to the image below! Enjoy! Comment any recipes or interesting information you discovered:

Long time no see! So, it's been a while. Yeah, I realize that. So, where has my project been going since I last checked in? Well, it has not gone many places since I am in the process of having an independent study where I research the history of undergarments and make some reproductions to go along with my project. It has been very stressful getting the project approved but I am more than excited now that it has been! I will be posting whenever I can on this blog to discuss the steps of my independent study so that you can all benefit from my mistakes and so that I can remember what I did when making future projects! Below is some of my inspiration for the project: Enjoy!

Via PBS' Wolf Hall  Today in 1533, Anne Boylen was crowned Queen of England. Of course, because I am way too obsessed interested in historic fashion, today's post is all about it! The following quote was recorded by Edward Hall. Read the rest of his account  here "Dressed in a kirtle of crimson velvet decorated with ermine, and a robe of purple velvet decorated with ermine over that, and a rich coronet with a cap of pearls and stones on her head; and the old duchess of Norfolk carrying her train in a robe of scarlet with a coronet of gold on her cap, and Lord Burgh, the queen’s Chamberlain, supporting the train in the middle. A fter her followed ten ladies in robes of scarlet trimmed with ermine and round coronets of gold on their heads; and next after them all the queen’s maids in gowns of scarlet edged with white Baltic fur." Still interested? If you are in a very fitting Anne Boylen mood today, here are some more articles to reference if you want to kno

As I was researching 1860s fashion I came across an online archive of Godey's Lady Books and it made my day! It is absolutely wonderful to scroll the editions of the magazine and make observations though the fashion plates. I also love thinking about the recipes and which ones I would make if I was hosting a tea party. Anyway, enough jibber jabber I know you just want to go visit the archives I have been talking about and here it is:   Godey's Lady Book Archive Some of my favorites include:  this one from 1863  and  this one from 1880 And, if you're like me and you don't read the text they have  this  which only shows the fashion plates from one specific edition instead of the text and the plates. I mean, the hairdos, fashion and, embrdoiery patterns are soooooo much more exciting. Enjoy and keep sewing!:)

I promised on my about page that I would post daily updates. I really thought I could do it. It was only six days ago that I was cruising along, making this goal seem easy. Until it wasn't... Yeah, I tried guys but daily updates are not manageable when my school year ends in three weeks and I have projects and essays that I need to do. Even so, don't despair! I have been sewing, okay, I have been trying to sew. My first attempt at an 18th-century shift failed miserably (I blame it on the sleeves!). Shifts, chemises, and smocks are all supposed to be quick and easy projects. Sadly, they aren't' if you add the sleeves the way I did. I tried to put them on in an un-historically accurate way that backfired. I will be doing more research on 18th-century undergarments before I attempt another one. Honestly, the shift is unusable and ugly. The interiors are also a mess and I botched the french seams! I want my undergarments to be perfect. Every good dress needs a good fou