Victorian Dress

The Silk Organza Dress

This was my very first time working with silk organza. I found some for about half the price on a facebook destash, and thought it was a good opportunity to give it a try. I wasn’t sure if I would like the color. Yellow and bright pink certainly make a statement. But, if it wasn’t love… I would sell the dress and buy organza I did like. Or, at least that is what I thought.

Truth be told, I’m not crazy about working with silk organza for a few reasons

  • It is hotter than you think. It should be a nice gauzy breathable fabric, and it sure looks the part. But, it doesn’t feel the part. My cotton sheer dress is cooler.
  • I don’t like the feel of the fabric. Silk taffeta is nice because it is smooth and crisp. This is crisp and crisp. It isn’t crazy itchy, but pleasant wouldn’t be a description for silk organza.
  • It is super sheer, and I discovered that I like the look of semi sheer better. 
  • I don’t really like sewing with it. It is crazy full and fluffy fabric. Getting it into the waist band, was a pain in the rear. I had to take a whole panel out of the skirt cause if fluffed and looked ridiculous. On the bonus side, that is a whole yard of fabric saved. But, still silk organza isn’t cheap, so it isn’t a dress to make if you are being thrifty anyway.

I just put it up for sale. Hopefully, it will be love for someone else!

 

I Made Stuff

Hi Sis,

It has been about a million years (okay, maybe a year) since I last did a blog post. But, I am a little excited about my latest crafting. I haven’t had much time to craft. However, the kids are getting to a stage where I can actually do things again. Grant naps and Evelyn plays on her own, it is fantastic.

When we went to Spring Gove Cemetery, I wore a tropical weight dress. It was perfect for the weather, but with most living history events out your way and in the summer, I knew I wanted a sheer. I once had a sheer dress. Remember this beauty? It may have been one of my favorite dresses ever. Sadly, I outgrew (gained weight) since I was twenty-one. lol 

I really wanted to make a dress that I liked just as much as this pink sheer. But, first I had to find the fabric. Finding sheer fabric was difficult. Would you like a solid? Maybe a plaid? Prints aren’t always the easiest to find, or at least ones that look passable for reproduction. 

I decided, on an Indian Border print. So, I checked out cotton saree fabric. There are a few sellers on Etsy… if anyone else is looking. I purchased 7 yards from RaajMa.

After, picking my fabric I looked for some inspiration. 

Going to be honest, this is probably more 1850 than 1860 sheer. But, oh the flounces and those sleeves!!! I really wanted those sleeves. Naturally, I didn’t have any pattern remotely like that, but heck I would figure it out. 

And I did. I just modified a progada sleeve about six times and got it. The rest of the dress was pretty easy, as I already had a dress that fit me and a decent pattern. But, I already see areas on the bodice to improve next time around.

That is it! I still have a little tweaking to do to the bodice to get it to lay completely flat at the closure. I think a few more hook and eyes will solve that problem. 

I also had a lot of fun with the accessories.

  • I made the belt from silk taffeta, and threaded a buckle from Ensembles of the Past through it.
  • The bonnet… I did NOT make. Making one bonnet was enough for me, and I have since then decided millenary isn’t a strong point. The bonnet is from Timely Tresses and is a Marie Stewart Style. 
  • The miser purse was handmade by me. After all the silk reticules I have made, sold and given away I actually didn’t have one for myself. So, I decided I was going to make one. Hopefully, I will get the pattern up sometime. 

 The originals/inspiration

I was pretty proud of this little reticule. It was my first time doing really getting into the beading on the edges. I have made plenty of tassels, but I never managed to get the beads on the top. (wrap them around with one strand, and sew them on with another piece of thread and a needle).

That’s it! More crafty to come… I can’t wait.

Jamiegoof