Striped Split Skirt

There was one thing behind building many sets from the same few items, that made it easier: I did not plan to use new patterns, but tried and true ones.

Ones I already used with succes, I don't have to buy them now, I don't even have to print and glue/tape them together, because I've kept what I used before. However, almost all of them needed some modification, either to resize them, or change something in them.

I considered for a while the striped bottom on the advertisement drawing I showed yesterday, trying to figure out, whether it is a skirt, a pair of bloomers, or what? At the end, I decided on a split skirt, because a), on the drawing there isn't much that would point toward it being some kind of pants/trousers/breeches... however b) it is a bycycle garment, it should be bifurbicated, besides, then I can talk about the changes sports (and biking) brought into the fashion. 

I knew where to go for the fabric (this time not to I Love Textil), because I've already made a pair of prisoner's striped pants (for a Xmas funny scene), and all I needed to check if the store still has some. It is somewhat thicker, more massive than a plain cotton, it has twill weave, but still soft enough for a skirt. It was not cheap, so I had to be very careful and creative with cutting it.

My problem with the first one I made was that it did not have any pockets, and though I thought about it a lot since, I could not really figure out how/where to include them. 

The split skirt is closing on its two sides with a buttoned panel, that made it impossible to put those pockets into the side seam. I though about making a sewn on (patch) pocket, but I thought it would ruin the lines of the striped fabric. At the end, I desided to make a welt-pocket, that runs paralell with the buttonband. 

With bycycling getting popular from the 1890-ies, women needed clothes that adapted better to the more active lifestyle. Of course, these attempts constantly met with strong opposition, like many place (restaurants, cafes, etc) did not let in women, if not "properly" dressed (ie: not in proper skirts). That is why they started to figure out clothes that looked like tranditional clothes (skirts), but still allowed more movements.

The pattern is the Reconstructing History pattern, from which I wrote longer when I first used it. 

A bee in my bonnet (starting with a new set of bicycle clothing)

I started this post about five times, but either because of the intense heat, or simply being tired, I cannot properly phrase my thoughts...LOL.

Then I decided to put this into the "Bee in my bonnet" column, just to see, how my brain works, how it comes up with things, and how it combines those thoughts.

There was a sentence about how I love(d) the white linen biker set, but it is kind of hanging on me now. Another was about no matter how much I love the set, still getting bored wearing the same thing for more than two years, even if it is only for a couple of times, yet another start was about researching the late Victorian / early Edwardian sports and sportswear, and bumping into some adwertisements and thinking, how fun it would be to bring those ads into life.

The thing is, that all of those thing had a part in my decision to make a new set for this year. 

But then, since my adhd brain started rolling, there was no stopping there, and the (possible) combinations started to pile up: 

Like... If I'll make the red jacket, and then I make a taffeta or velvet skirt, and a white waistcoat and shirt, I can bring life to another fashion plate. 

Then, if I make another bodice to that skirt, I can make a ballgown... 

All the while, if I'll make another jacket, there could be another bycycle ad brought to life... 

Now, you can understand, why Norbert, or my friends get pale, when I say... "I had and idea, and I was thinking..."

However, all seemed like a good combo, and plan, so I decided to make it step by step... which, of course, does not mean, that I make it slowly, and comfortably, not rushing to meet deadlines - even if I am the one who sets those deadines. 

Let's start with the first item, and see, what can I build up from this tetris until the end of the year.

Weekly SO

This week's strong opinion is on Vinted shopping (or other similar sites, as I had the same experience on a Hungarian auction site as well).

I hate when the seller messes up, and then s/he is acting like s/he is above anything/reproach/etc. 

I mean, mistakes happen, that is okay. But if the seller messes up something s/he should not attack the buyer for... asking his/her money back, getting impatient after a number of pushing deadlines, or even just being dissapointed. 

Once the seller mixed up the packages, and I tried all my best to help her out, sending back the wrong package, pushing out the deadline etc, and then, when, even after many weeks of trying to work out the shipping, still have not received the thing I actually bought, she gave me a negative review for being impatient... 

Now, the seller asked for the deadline be pushed back, because she is moving and the thing I bought is packed up. Okay, I pushed the right buttons and agreed to the later deadline. When the seller sent me a note that she still cannot find it, my reply was, okay, then just cancel the deal from your site, so I will get back the money... to wich she sent me a note, commenting on how little I paid for the thing, and I should not worry about such a small amount... 

Yes, I did bargained, but the site makes it possible, it is part of the deal, that you can ask if the seller would accept a lower price. I usually offer that when a) the item is up on the site for a longer period of time, possibly months, b) there are more than one similar items. The seller can decide to accept the offered price or not. 

This time she did accept...

I know, I know, we have the saying "the best defense is to attack" but still...

Weekly patternmuster (sewing)

 I've already seen this pattern, and tried to remember it, because, after making those training pants, I also needed some tops, and these seemed interesting enough. I had the page open for ages (now, wonder, why do I have literally hundreds of tabs open at any given time on my computer), only to loose it with one careless restart. 

Of course, now, months later, looking for something totally different, I bumped into it again, but this time, I am not saving it, but putting it into this column, so I would find later again.

The Mile End Sweatshirt pattern, by Closetcore patterns.

The accessories of the widowed Mrs Ráth

 Now, our widow already had the proper underwear (like chemise, drawers, corset, corsetcover and petticoats) before the start of this project (in other words, I used the pieces I already had), but she still needed some smaller stuff to make the ensemble whole. 

There was a belt, which I made from Ora Lin's free pattern. (BTW, she also has a video on YouTube about how to make it, though, instead of handstitching, I made the belt mostly with a sewing machine.) A few years ago, I also made her waspie corset, but with my short waist, I always felt my body way too disproportionate in it, and I thought a belt that is only dips downward ould suit me better (which it did).

An antique french silk umbrella, I bought for my birthday on Vinted.

A hat, for which the base, an original Girardi hat came from Vinted, I steamed it over, to make it just a little but flatter, and decorated it with feathers and silk-flowers. 

I also bought the lace glove from Vinted. 

Finally, there was that little bolero/cape she wore. I made that from a pattern I bought from Etsy.

I bought the embossed black printed gray fabric from Vinted. I fell in love with the fabric, and I was wondering what to make of it, and this cape looked really cool... but I only used a small bit of the fabric.

The dark gray, almost black pure wool came from I Love Textil. This was one of those lucky days, when I was wondering in, asking the guy there, if he has something that would complement the printed fabric, and he pulled the perfect roll of the shelf. 

So, this is the whole ensemble. 

Oh, I need to tell you about the earrings. I knew I should have bought some simple black pearl earrings, but I was ill, I was busy, I was... whatever, I forgot. When I was dressing up for the event, I was pottering around my boxes, looking for something suitable. I could not very well wore the spider earrings I usually wear with my late Victorian/Edwardian stuff (which was al the rage of the fashion at that time) as a sad widow, now could I? So, as I was pottering around my stuff, when I found these very dark gray, almostblack pieces. When I saw it, I remembered, I got it from one of my teammates, but I could not (and still do not) remember from whom. I kept it for years, but now the earrings found their purpouse.

The shirtwaist of the vidowed Mrs Ráth (Nina blouse)

I've already told you about the caracter, whose wardrobe I had to build, and I also showed her skirt. 

The next item on the list was a shirtwaist. 

Ever since Leimomi of Scroop patterns came out with the Nina Blouse pattern, I knew I wanted to make it. Also, ever since I saw Eva Green in Penny Dreadful, in head-to-to late Victorian/Edwardian black finery, it fascinated me, even though I was not about dress myself in black.

But then, it all changed, I decided to make a set of clothes to Mrs Ráth, and from the first moment I was sure that the blouse of the set will be made from the Nina Blouse pattern. I already worked with Scroop patterns (made about 4 English gowns from her Aidah pattern for starters), and I knew I could count on the pattern. 

This time I did not left the fabric to chance (getting the right fabric from I Love Textil -as much as I love that chain- does require a huge amount of good luck - or a gigantic stash, and storage space, not to mention money), so I ordered the shirt weight linen from Bubulákovo, went over to the haberdashery wholesaler, and got more of the cotton lace - this time I did find a very special one, that was much finer than the others. 

I started with the yoke of the front, and added the lace inserts in a V shape. 

It was not in the pattern, but I added lae inserts to the sleeves. made the cuffs a bit wider, but -to not as an insert, I simply sewn on a few lines of the lace. 

Since I always planned to use the shirtwaist tucked into the skirt, I did not make the peplum, or even the gathering at the waistline. 

Pattern: Nina Blouse, Scroop patterns

Fabric: Bublákovo

Photo: Bodeszphoto

Ps: Tomorrow I will show you the whole ensemble, with all the accessories.

Weekend program: Historic dance workshop on Saturday

This is more for the locals, but we will have a historic dance workshop on Saturday.

The weather promises to be incredibly hot, but the place is airconditioned.

Come, lets dance historic English Country dances, you know, the types 

that you see in Jane Austen films :-)

HERE is the FB event, If you are in Budapest, but only speak English, don't worry, a lot of us speaks English, we will help you out.

Come and dance with us.