The 1912 Evening Gown- Finished!

Choosing the trims was fun.

Two trims were applied to the neckline, as well as a narrow velvet ribbon around the bottom edge of the georgette skirt. Last of all, I hand stitched the center back lining along the zipper opening.

Looking at it on the dress form, I noted that the two layers really gave it the feel of a period dress. One night while watching Downton Abbey, I realized that I had a couple items in my Etsy shop- a choker and a black lace cardigan shrug- that would go very nicely with the dress. The choker isn’t as elaborate as some of them were, but it has a similar feel, and the lace shrug has the right shoulder lines for the period. I could hardly wait for my model to arrive!

The finished dress fit Katie perfectly. It is not floor length on her when made according to the pattern (she is @ 5’ 6”) but she really liked the length. 

We tried both it with and without the shrug. 

I think some of the most beautiful and classiest clothing is made from vintage patterns with a modern twist, and this is a great example. 

I am happy with the finished product, and have added the gown to my Etsy Shop.  I have obtained permission from Janyce Hill of VPLL to sell garments made from this pattern, and I think it will be a great way to plug her Titanic Sewing Project.  Maybe the dress will get to attend a Titanic event!

Speaking of Titanic events, there are Titanic Memorial events, balls, and dinners all over the United States, Canada, and England this year, many of them in April. I have posted links to a few of them below. If you know of more, please feel free to post the links as comments. 

http://www.titanic1.org/events/index.asp

http://www.titanictheexperience.com/titanic-dinner-event.html

http://www.novascotia.com/en/home/thingstoseeanddo/festivalsandevents/titanicevents.aspx

http://dinetitanic.com/submit/

http://www.thirteen.org/metrofocus/culture/qa-with-a-culinary-adventurer-recreating-the-last-supper-on-the-titanic/?gclid=CM699faK4K4CFcRM4AodW0iRVw

http://www.1912theevent.com/#/Home-01-00/

Up next time.... a Steampunk Fascinator.

The 1912 Evening Gown- Putting it All Together

When I cut out the pattern pieces, I eliminated the back overlap as I intended to install a zipper. I rolled the edges of the georgette before installing the zipper, the entredeux lace, and assembling the garment. The pattern pieces went together easily. 

Once the body of the lining was done, I made the pleated flounce. Using a gridded ruler and rotary cutter, I cut a piece twice as wide as the directions instructed, then folded and pressed it in half before pleating to give the bottom of the dress some weight.  

I do not own a pleater, so gave it a try with my ruffler foot, as it actually makes small pleats, which I then pressed in place. This method worked reasonably well, but it was tedious.

Once the lining and outer dress were assembled, I pinned them together as you would a lined vest, leaving the shoulder seams open for turning. I clipped and trimmed the seams, then turned and pressed the dress. 

Another change I made from the pattern is the armhole seam allowance. Sewing a fat 5/8” seam widened the formerly tight arm openings enough to make them comfortable for the modern wearer. 

next time- the finished dress. 

The VPLL Titanic Sewing Project

Along with about 400 others, I am a test sewer for the Vintage Patterns Lending Library’s 1912 Titanic Sewing Project- http://vpll1912project.org/.  The idea is to test the patterns transcribed from the 1912 La Mode Illustree by Janyce Hill of VPLL by making a muslin to see if the pieces fit together properly and work as a garment. My first test pattern is the Princess Slip.

Many of the sewers are making costumes for their own use, as they do reenactments or attend Titanic memorial events. I design and make costumes all the time for theatrical productions, but I am not inclined to wear them myself. I would never make a detailed garment like this slip unless someone, such as the audience, got to see it. I am also a big fan of (potentially) wearable muslins. As I studied the pattern, I realized that with a few small changes it might yield a rather nice evening gown. I dug through my stash and found a leftover piece of my favorite black silk georgette that looked large enough.  My decision was made.

My grandmother was a professional seamstress back in the days when every hem and seam finish was done by hand. She owned what then was a top of the line sewing machine. If she’d had the tools at her disposal that I have, I am certain she would have used them.  I feel no guilt in allowing my Berninas to do so much work that was once done by hand.

The biggest problem was actually assembling the pattern pieces. I have downloaded and assembled a number of other e-patterns. Assembly generally requires 5 minutes or less. Some of these pieces have little or no markings on them, and if you get them out of order(which I did!) you’re sunk. The corner markings didn’t print on my printer, either. Page numbers and/or piece ID on each page would fix this problem.

I opted to make the lining and pleated flounce in black taffeta. It was not available locally (by local I mean the JoAnn’s that is 50 miles from my house). Fabric.com informed me four days after I ordered that they didn’t have the quantity I needed.  

Thankfully, http://www.fashionfabricsclub.com/ did. It is excellent quality, wider, and as a bonus was less expensive than my first order. I could not find black insertion or edging lace locally that was even remotely appropriate, either. I bought a piece of black overall lace and cut it into strips.

 I chose this lace because I thought it had a tight enough weave to be stable when used this way. 

It required careful handling, but it worked.  I cut up the lace while my Bernina did a spot of embroidery on the front of the gown. Then I sat down to sew.