A while ago I bought this antique Victorian or Edwardian 100% linen chemise. The chemise is light grey, really heavy and soft – probably because of the washing and mangling. The fabric might be hand-woven, and is very dense (unlike modern linen fabric). Continue reading Antique Victorian/ Edwardian Linen Chemise
In the Victorian era, women usually wore a woven wool scarf or a knitted sontag, but sometimes they wore a crocheted scarf. I’ve used a rather scratchy grey wool blend yarn (mostly wool and just some other fibers). The yarn had blue and red wool dots which I’ve removed. This took the most time! 😉 Here are three CDV of women wearing similar scarfs: two colored scarf, light colored scarf, and dark scarf with flowers.
In the Victorian era, petticoats were starched to stiffen them to create the fashionable bell-shaped skirt silhouette. Homemade fabric starch was also used to make petticoats resistant to dirt so they’d need to be washed less often. Continue reading How To Starch A Victorian Cotton Petticoat
My late 1850s or early 1860s brown taffeta day dress is inspired by this beautiful 1855-7 brown silk day dress which is trimmed with black velvet bands and fringe. Continue reading 1850s/ 1860s Copper-Colored Taffeta Day Dress
Victorian working women often wore black wool stays instead of corsets. A while ago, I sewed black wool stays for a Victorian working woman outfit but I didn’t like the shape of the stays anymore. Continue reading Victorian Working Woman Black Wool Stays
This is the first corset I’ve sewn a long time ago: a boned 1840s corset. I didn’t use any pattern; I’ve just used pictures as reference. I based it on antique 1830s and 1840s corsets, such as this 1830s corset, this 1840s corset and this 1840s corset – all at the MET museum. And here’s a 1846 fashion plate of a corset.
As you can see, 1830s and 1840s corsets didn’t have a front-opening busk. They were reinforced at the center front with a wooden busk. And the shape of the corsets was rather angular.
My 1840s corset has some flaws. But for a first corset it isn’t too bad and it actually fits. 😉 It’s made from one layer of cotton twill and is heavily boned with German plastic boning which makes it so stiff that it can stand on its own! I’m not holding the corset, and there’s no cushion inside. 😉 German plastic boning is really stiff – not like other plastic boning – it’s rather like whalebone.
That’s my mid-Victorian ruffled petticoat which is made from yards of white cotton fabric. Continue reading Victorian Ruffled Petticoat
The invention of the steel cage crinoline changed the underwear of Victorian women. Since 1856, steel crinolines were sold. The cage crinoline soon replaced the many petticoats which were formerly necessary for the fashionable bell-shaped skirt silhouette. Now just one or two petticoats were needed apart from the crinoline. A crinoline is lighter, but more difficult to wear and sometimes it’s even dangerous. Continue reading 1860s Underwear – Dressing The Victorian Lady
For challenge 6 of the Historical Sew Monthly, I’ve made a Victorian corded corset. It’s the first corded corset I’ve made. Continue reading Victorian (1860s) Corded Corset
Pockets in the 18th century and the 1840s-60s were worn over the petticoats and under the skirt. The skirt had openings in the side seam to access the pockets. Continue reading 18th Century/ Victorian Cotton Pockets