I like false rumps and I cannot lie
Entry Two: Itch for a Stitch
Over the past few months, I have had a historical sewing itch which needed to be satiated. Which resulted in the making of multiple garments and headaches from improper posture. Nonetheless, here are some of the things that I made in the past months.
18th Century Men’s Undershirt
The first article of clothing I began with was supposed to be a challenge. I have already made this garment in the past however I wanted to give another shot. I utilized this opportunity for newer skills and techniques unknown to me when I originally made the shirt. I also wanted it to be as historically accurate as possible, meaning it was sewn entirely by hand. The shirt was sewn predominately over a two-week time period as I had wished to sport it on International Pirate Day (Sept. 19).
To assemble the shirt, I used lightweight white linen, linen thread, beeswax*, a leather thimble, and of course, a needle. To accompany my own 18th century men’s undershirt I also made a miniature shirt for the mole plushie in my chemistry class so the mole was able to partake in the holiday as well.
*Beeswax was often used to strengthen linen thread when hand sewing. The friction caused by pulling the thread through the fabric would cause the thread to eventually break but the wax resolves this problem. Part of the reason why linen thread is not commonly used today as it cannot be used through a sewing machine.
19th Century Regency Short Stays
After I completed the men’s undershirt, I started working on the stays (an earlier form of a corset) for my regency gown. In order to achieve the proper silhouette of historical clothing, it is essential that one makes the proper underpinnings such as shift, petticoat, etc. This can truly make one feel like a character in a period drama. As I had already made a shift, which can be used for 18th century and early 19th century attire, I could already start on the stays.
In the regency era of western fashion, styles were influenced by the return of Greek and Roman ideals. This form of neoclassicism led to less structured garments in comparison to the clothes of the 16th and 17th centuries. Instead of a more enhanced conical figure, women wore stays which pronounced the bust line with an empire waist. Regency stays also did not use heavy boning as seen in centuries prior. Instead, they used cording techniques and a busk to keep the breasts separated and lifted. In making my stays, I used RedThreaded’s pattern on Etsy, a cotton tablecloth, linen, some zip ties for boning, and a painter’s stick for the busk. Personally, short stays are one of the most comfortable garments I have worn in regards to corsets.
19th Century Regency Petticoat
To accommodate for the higher waist lines, I had to make a new petticoat which would tie just below the bust line. For this project, I used a cotton bedsheet and some remnants of linen tape I had. In historical fashion, a petticoat provided more volume to skirts and could have lace trims, ruffles, embroidery, and other embellishments. In the winter time, women would wear quilted petticoats filled with feathers to keep warm. My regency petticoat is quite plain, however. As it will not be seen from under the dress, I decided to keep it plain.
18th Century False Rump
In the 18th century, many women used false rumps to alter their body shape to fit the latest silhouettes. Oftentimes these rumps were filled with corks or feathers and would double the woman’s hip size. I needed my false rump for my late 18th century Robe en Chemise gown, which often uses a bum roll or false rump to create a silhouette softer than most 18th century gown styles. I used linen and parts of a leftover duvet cover to fill my false rump along with some linen tape to tie it around the waist. Let me tell you, wearing a false rump is incredible. It allows you to have a cushion everywhere you sit and has incredible lumbar support.
18th Century Stays
I finally finished binding my 18th century stays by hand. This part of the project I had been dreading, as it was not structurally necessary. These stays are made up of three layers of linen and one layer of cashmere wool. They are fully boned with zip ties, and I used the JP Ryan 1780s stays pattern. I began these stays in August of 2021, and it is so nice to be able to finally see them finished.
Overall, I am looking forward to the completion of more projects over the break, including my 18th century petticoat and my white regency gown. Unfortunately until that is finished I will simply have to dream about promenading with Mr. Darcy at Netherfield Park.