So, looking at the chemise mockup, I was laughing and thinking how it appears made for a giantess's blouse/top....huh, wait a sec... Uh,oh. Oops. I'm not used to really fussing with the whole 'petite length' of my torso.
Mostly, my chest, previously, ate up the front excess fabric. The back just got side darted, or taken in at curved seams. But, being fat now, I guess the pattern companies are hoping the larger size is due to being a really tall built woman with unforeseen (by me) curve room in the pattern (maybe they finally think someone can have a large chest? hehe). When I took out sizes in the sleeves, I didn't bother much with the body. I really should have. For say...a petite height woman's torso.
I pulled out another $.99 pattern from the same company that has a fitted bodice (Simplicity 1818). Cut out the bodice parts, and held them up to me...sure enough, I'd need to 'petite' them. I'm also going to go out on a limb, and say if I'm unlikely to have a ball gown on me, then there is no reason I need to be putting up with chemises falling off my shoulder. Besides, if the strange situation of me in a ball gown should ever need to occur, I can just make a chemise for that!
So, changes to chemise concept will include: less tall giantess, more short round me-ness. Plus, solidly on my flipping shoulders, thank-you-very-much.
Mostly, my chest, previously, ate up the front excess fabric. The back just got side darted, or taken in at curved seams. But, being fat now, I guess the pattern companies are hoping the larger size is due to being a really tall built woman with unforeseen (by me) curve room in the pattern (maybe they finally think someone can have a large chest? hehe). When I took out sizes in the sleeves, I didn't bother much with the body. I really should have. For say...a petite height woman's torso.
I pulled out another $.99 pattern from the same company that has a fitted bodice (Simplicity 1818). Cut out the bodice parts, and held them up to me...sure enough, I'd need to 'petite' them. I'm also going to go out on a limb, and say if I'm unlikely to have a ball gown on me, then there is no reason I need to be putting up with chemises falling off my shoulder. Besides, if the strange situation of me in a ball gown should ever need to occur, I can just make a chemise for that!
So, changes to chemise concept will include: less tall giantess, more short round me-ness. Plus, solidly on my flipping shoulders, thank-you-very-much.
New challenge! This one is by far my favorite of the concepts, this year. Sort of the 'what would happen if', 'what do you think should have happened', 'what do you wish could be'... etc. A very open ended challenge. I really needed it, too. I need something that doesn't feel crushing and cramped. The more I research, with the thought of what other people expect, vs just looking things up that I'm interested in, the angrier I get. Which is not a feeling I'm used to.
I've gone back and forth about this whole historical clothing issue, especially if it's going to make me so angry. Eep! For whatever reason, I just can not abandon the research, but I'm really tired of spending hours searching for things to prove to SOMEONE ELSE that I have the 'right' to wear something remotely close to what I want to make. Ugh. That's just miserable. It was all fun, when I was looking at clothing the same way I always have my whole life. Skipping right over the 'suggested/stated fabrics', and right to the fun details. Now I suddenly hate two words. Wool. Silk. It's crazy.
For instance, I thought... you know, I have all this linen... perhaps I should take more than a passing glance at medieval? Sounds plausible, linen clothing, right? Wrong. It's ALL wool, and more silk. :( I guess people with wool allergies just didn't live before about 1930. So, I started looking up what the deal was, with the blasted wool/silk thing.
Found nothing realistic to me. Statements saying how wool and silk are easier to dye than cotton or linen, so much so that no one wanted the drab shades of cellulose fibers, is ridiculous. Yes, they are easier to dye, but not in a way that you would never bother to do the extra fussing to get it right on cellulose. I've dyed cotton/linen, quite colorfast and quite too bright, unfortunately, by sheer accident, with natural dyes plus circumstances. It's not that hard.
I might could buy the idea that sheep are somewhat easier to keep up, and process, than a crop of flax. Maybe. I can't keep most breeds of sheep, but I hear they can be none too hardy, and downright dumb (deadly so), at times. I also keep reading how wool is warmer, and therefore a better choice. No freaking kidding it's warmer?
I mean, wool isn't that bad, compared to most fabrics, for heat, but I don't understand why everyone wants to be 'warmer' all year long? Winter isn't all that cold, unless you get way up north, and surely all of human history wasn't carried on across a frozen tundra. *Having a little (large) anti-wool clothing rant and tantrum...* Might surprise you to know I do have wool, but it's a backing to a small item that is worn in such a way the wool doesn't touch me, and never has to, even for removal.
However, that wool is all fancy and organically raised, then processed in the organic equivalent method. It doesn't bother my hands when I'm putting it in the wash. Kind of makes me want to go chat up a sheep farmer about letting me pet his sheep some. Hahaha, wouldn't he think I was nuts? :) I'd be served right though if he just cocked an eye at me and said, "ya, sure, if you can get your hands on one...". while walking off laughing in his chest...
I've always just avoided the wool part of those animals near my skin when I was around sheep, due to the fabric already encountered in army blankets, dress coats, and gloves. It's possible the internet articles are right, and it's some chemical processing thing I'm allergic to. I have my doubts, seeing how old some of the wool items I've felt were, and correspondingly, how often they had been washed.
I've gone back and forth about this whole historical clothing issue, especially if it's going to make me so angry. Eep! For whatever reason, I just can not abandon the research, but I'm really tired of spending hours searching for things to prove to SOMEONE ELSE that I have the 'right' to wear something remotely close to what I want to make. Ugh. That's just miserable. It was all fun, when I was looking at clothing the same way I always have my whole life. Skipping right over the 'suggested/stated fabrics', and right to the fun details. Now I suddenly hate two words. Wool. Silk. It's crazy.
For instance, I thought... you know, I have all this linen... perhaps I should take more than a passing glance at medieval? Sounds plausible, linen clothing, right? Wrong. It's ALL wool, and more silk. :( I guess people with wool allergies just didn't live before about 1930. So, I started looking up what the deal was, with the blasted wool/silk thing.
Found nothing realistic to me. Statements saying how wool and silk are easier to dye than cotton or linen, so much so that no one wanted the drab shades of cellulose fibers, is ridiculous. Yes, they are easier to dye, but not in a way that you would never bother to do the extra fussing to get it right on cellulose. I've dyed cotton/linen, quite colorfast and quite too bright, unfortunately, by sheer accident, with natural dyes plus circumstances. It's not that hard.
I might could buy the idea that sheep are somewhat easier to keep up, and process, than a crop of flax. Maybe. I can't keep most breeds of sheep, but I hear they can be none too hardy, and downright dumb (deadly so), at times. I also keep reading how wool is warmer, and therefore a better choice. No freaking kidding it's warmer?
I mean, wool isn't that bad, compared to most fabrics, for heat, but I don't understand why everyone wants to be 'warmer' all year long? Winter isn't all that cold, unless you get way up north, and surely all of human history wasn't carried on across a frozen tundra. *Having a little (large) anti-wool clothing rant and tantrum...* Might surprise you to know I do have wool, but it's a backing to a small item that is worn in such a way the wool doesn't touch me, and never has to, even for removal.
However, that wool is all fancy and organically raised, then processed in the organic equivalent method. It doesn't bother my hands when I'm putting it in the wash. Kind of makes me want to go chat up a sheep farmer about letting me pet his sheep some. Hahaha, wouldn't he think I was nuts? :) I'd be served right though if he just cocked an eye at me and said, "ya, sure, if you can get your hands on one...". while walking off laughing in his chest...
I've always just avoided the wool part of those animals near my skin when I was around sheep, due to the fabric already encountered in army blankets, dress coats, and gloves. It's possible the internet articles are right, and it's some chemical processing thing I'm allergic to. I have my doubts, seeing how old some of the wool items I've felt were, and correspondingly, how often they had been washed.
Anyway! On to the fun bit! :) So, what I really wanted to do for this challenge would take me a year or so, maybe, with all the applique and embroidery. Plus it's pretty much a frivolous decoration, to a dressy dress (white or cream dress), so that will have to wait until I have the needed practical things, first. And, it really can't hurt to get a bit more sewing done before I tackle something like that!
When I was in my teens, I built an apron that was supposed to help with the issue of coming home from church, and needing to get right on the cooking, because people were on their way. My mother usually managed to change clothes, but for whatever reason I only made complicated dishes, and didn't have time. So I needed something sort of dressy, and very full coverage.
What I made got in my way, so much. LOL It had these big shoulder ruffles. They were meant to protect my rolled-up sleeves, but they didn't do a good job at that, and fluttered annoyingly. I also made it from a very bright white something-thick, that stained. (Even back then, I couldn't use bleach on my clothes, so I was stuck with some stain removal methods that left stain shadows.) Tiny stains, but I wasn't happy with it.
One of my disappointments about the 1840-65 time periods, is the fussy shawl/pinner apron combination, that was meant to be the protective garment for women. Looks like it would work... if you didn't move the shoulders much. Plus didn't wipe your hands on your sides. Nor could anything fly there, from your surroundings.
Seeing how I had ruffles flying in my face, I guess the no shoulder moving thing won't work. Besides I really want a functional apron style for housework, weeding and cooking. I'd need something that had a fastening skirt bottom, on the back of the apron, for heavy work. However, being chronically ill, I don't get to do heavy work much anymore. :( But, that means I don't have to work out a fastening system that wouldn't look insane.
So, going with the 'they should have been using this instead' idea, I tried to think of something that would cover everything, have at least 3 pockets, and stay out of my way. Bonus annoying modification, I will be able to completely remove the top, and use it visually as one of those useless half apron. (What on earth do those protect against that isn't already dusted/smeared/worse, across the chest?)
This is what I came up with:
When I was in my teens, I built an apron that was supposed to help with the issue of coming home from church, and needing to get right on the cooking, because people were on their way. My mother usually managed to change clothes, but for whatever reason I only made complicated dishes, and didn't have time. So I needed something sort of dressy, and very full coverage.
What I made got in my way, so much. LOL It had these big shoulder ruffles. They were meant to protect my rolled-up sleeves, but they didn't do a good job at that, and fluttered annoyingly. I also made it from a very bright white something-thick, that stained. (Even back then, I couldn't use bleach on my clothes, so I was stuck with some stain removal methods that left stain shadows.) Tiny stains, but I wasn't happy with it.
One of my disappointments about the 1840-65 time periods, is the fussy shawl/pinner apron combination, that was meant to be the protective garment for women. Looks like it would work... if you didn't move the shoulders much. Plus didn't wipe your hands on your sides. Nor could anything fly there, from your surroundings.
Seeing how I had ruffles flying in my face, I guess the no shoulder moving thing won't work. Besides I really want a functional apron style for housework, weeding and cooking. I'd need something that had a fastening skirt bottom, on the back of the apron, for heavy work. However, being chronically ill, I don't get to do heavy work much anymore. :( But, that means I don't have to work out a fastening system that wouldn't look insane.
So, going with the 'they should have been using this instead' idea, I tried to think of something that would cover everything, have at least 3 pockets, and stay out of my way. Bonus annoying modification, I will be able to completely remove the top, and use it visually as one of those useless half apron. (What on earth do those protect against that isn't already dusted/smeared/worse, across the chest?)
This is what I came up with:
I'm also making a sweat mopping rag, from handkerchief linen. To keep folded over the apron strings, wherever it would stay the cleanest. Front, side, or back. Depending on my task. (Drawn in the book as being right in front of the apron.) Intended to use the weft threads from straightening the linen edges.
However, those seem to be very prone to breaking. They were hard to use, because I had no idea at what point it was going to simply break. However, when I yanked hard on the seam, it held firm. Together we stand, divided we fall, I suppose. (Weft threads, I found out, are what you call those threads going from one selvedge, to the other selvedge. How you would decide which was which without selvedge, I don't know.)
It was nice to have a break from the machines. Besides, my hand stitching needs some work. It's very wobbly.
I'm not sure if I really need to order linen thread, for this, or not. The cotton doubled thread doesn't look any less conspicuous, to my eye, than the threads from the fabric.
However, those seem to be very prone to breaking. They were hard to use, because I had no idea at what point it was going to simply break. However, when I yanked hard on the seam, it held firm. Together we stand, divided we fall, I suppose. (Weft threads, I found out, are what you call those threads going from one selvedge, to the other selvedge. How you would decide which was which without selvedge, I don't know.)
It was nice to have a break from the machines. Besides, my hand stitching needs some work. It's very wobbly.
I'm not sure if I really need to order linen thread, for this, or not. The cotton doubled thread doesn't look any less conspicuous, to my eye, than the threads from the fabric.
Weft thread stitch line...
Cotton thread stitch line...