January 7, 2008

My first complete victorian ensemble of the new year. Last year I bought a beautiful purple taffeta with black velvet roses. I have about 10 metres of this fabric and am going to make an underskirt, overskirt, corset and bodice. The underskirt, overskirt and corset have to be finished before january 26, because I want to wear these to the Gala Nocturna in Antwerp.

Fabric:

Patterns used:

TV208 1870 trained skirt ensemble

TV305 bustled apron

Butterick B4254 Corset right top:

I've started with cutting out the TV208 underskirt view B without the apron. The front, sidefront and sideback panels are all cut out shorter (length about 80 cm), because I'm going to add a large ruffle of black velvet. I thought it might be too much taffeta if everything was made of taffeta and am using the velvet to break this up.

Front, side fronts and side backs sewn together:

Black velvet ruffle attached to front and sides:

Back (double width):

Pleats in the back pinned...

...and sewn into place:

January 8, 2008

I have made no futher pictures, but the the front and back of the TV208 are now sewn together and the waistband is attached. I've hemmed the bottom and it's ready for trims or pleats. Since I haven't decided yet what I will do (probably pleats of the purple taffeta, because I don't have enough trims in my stash and no money to buy new ones), I will continue with the overskirt.

January 9, 2008

For the overskirt I will use the TV305 pattern.

Tonight I've only cut out the pattern pieces. Will continue tomorrow.

January 10, 2008

Pleats in front panel of TV305:

January 11, 2008

The overskirt is almost finished. Front and back are sewn together and attached to waistband. I've added a pleated trim in purple taffeta.

The only thing left to do is attaching the ties for making the poufs. Unfortunately I have nothing left in my stash, so the finishing will have to wait till next week when I have to time to get some.

Here is the overskirt hanging over the mirror, waiting to be finished. The skirt isn't "poufed" yet, but you can see that the taffeta is very stiff and will hold the poufs perfectly.

Since I can't finish the skirts, tonight I've cut out the pattern pieces for the corset.

January 12, 2008

Today I'm working on the corset. The two front panels and the two back panels will be made of purple taffeta, the two middle panels of black velvet. Here are some pictures:

January 13, 2008

Not much done today, just the front busk and the eyelets in the back:

January 15, 2008

I finished the overskirt today. Put in the ties, "poufed" the back and made a velvet ribbon on the pleats.

Poufs:

Velvet trim:

Front of overskirt:

January 16, 2008

Today I finished the corset. It only needed the velvet trimming and the boning. Here's the finished corset:

January 17, 2008

Overskirt is finished! Today I made a ruffle and attached it to the back.

Of course I tried it on (looks perfect!) and tried to make pictures. Unfortunately the mirror was so dirty, you can't really see the outfit. So pictures of me wearing this combi will have to wait till the Gala Nocturna.

January 21, 2008

I have some taffeta left, so I am also going to make a bodice. The front and back will be made out of taffeta, the sides and sleeves of black velvet. Here are the first pictures:

January 27, 2008

Here are the pictures before leaving for the ball.

January 28, 2008

More pictures of the bodice.

Sleeves attached and sleeve detail:

Back of bodice:

February 28, 2008

Finally I have bought velvet ribbons for the trimming and I can now finish the bocice. Here are pictures of the finished bodice: