The Flappy TV-Stealer

 Aaand actual sewing content :-)

As I said, I spent the first half of the year in a rut, wanting to sew, trying to sew, but never really getting much of it actually done...

And the push that helped me to get out of the rut was my friend, Anna, who asked for my help, to put together an 18th century Francaise gown, to do a "historically accurate Belle" cosplay. 

This is the type f dress, which, when I need to narrow down to Norbert just which style of dress I am talking about, I endearingly call "The Flappy TV stealer" referencing the meme (and the flappy back, for zhose big cape like folds, these dresses are known for):

You might remember, I made a dress in this style already, two years ago, when I made my Maria Theresa gown, so I was familiar with its construction. Reading blogs, and watching youtube videos, I feel that the generally thought 18th century clothes are the most difficult of the historical clothes, but I do not think so. Nor the stays are more difficult to make than an 19th century corset, nor the gowns. They do have their own peculiarities, they are diffucult in a different way, but not more.

Unfortunately, (as usual) I forgot to take pictures of the cutting and sewing process, but here are a few, in-between state, as Anna tried on the dress.

Since the yellow taffeta she bought was rather thin, we decided to line the whole thing, with the flatlining method, spending hours and hourst to tacking the layers together (you can see all the big stitches.

We made most of the gown together, which -also as usual- incolved a ton of handsewing:

but it was in a wearable state Anna wanted to wear it for. 

I got these pictures from her from the finished dress:

Having someone here for the cutting and sewing (for most of the time at least), and not having to do all the decisions myself did help, and I did enjoy the work.