Monthly Archives: June 2015

Indian Beaded Choli Top In Pink And Gold

Indian Beaded Choli Top In Pink And Gold

Inspired by the green beaded and sequined choli in the movie Jodhaa Akbar, I sewn a pink and gold beaded choli. A choli is a cropped blouse worn by Indian women. Some cholis are long cholis which aren’t cropped, like mine. It’s laced up the back as choli often are. Continue reading Indian Beaded Choli Top In Pink And Gold

Black, Purple, And Rust-Colored Dye Samples

Common bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) natural dye
Common bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)

Here are some more dye samples I’ve made. The first is common bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) on cotton fabric and silk fabric. To get this dark purple color, it’s necessary to use common bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) with dark red flesh; blueberries (Vaccinium cyanococcus) with white flesh don’t work. The fabrics aren’t mordanted. Continue reading Black, Purple, And Rust-Colored Dye Samples

How To Sew Cartridge Pleats – A Tutorial

How To Sew Cartridge Pleats Victorian Historical Sewing Tutorial Step By Step

Learn how to sew cartridge pleats like in the Victorian era! In the Victorian era, skirts were often attached with cartridge pleats – or gauging – to the waistband. Cartridge pleats help to give the skirt a dome shape which was fashionable between the 1840s and 1860s. Here’s a picture of an 1850s petticoat and of an 1850s dress with cartridge pleating. Continue reading How To Sew Cartridge Pleats – A Tutorial