Goals and Wishlists - 2014 Sewing

I was inspired by a post made over on A Girl Anachronism of her plan for HSF 2014. To keep herself on track, she listed a couple goal outfits and a couple wishlist outfits including what she already has in her wardrobe and what she would need. I decided this was a brilliant idea! Even though most of this is already scattered across my blog, I figured it'd be nice to get it all in one place. So without further ado:

First up, projects I'd like to finish:

Grey / silver, red and black bustle gown: What I have: Bodice vest (probably not that historically accurate, but it's one of my steampunk outfits so...) and an underskirt.
What I need: Wash overskirt.
Long term: New bodice. A parasol would be nice.

Sari Bustle Gown:
What I have: A cut out overskirt. Black underskirt I can use in a pinch. Lobster tail bustle.
What I need: Bodice. A better underskirt. 

Now for my 2014 goals:

Regency Ballgown
 What I have: Chemise. Partially finished stays.
What I need: Petticoat with straps. Ballgown. Open robe. Reticule.
Long term: A spencer or pelisse and chemisette so I can wear the dress as a day dress as well.

Eighteenth Century Jacket and Petticoat

What I have: Pretty much nothing. Stays are in progress, and I can always use my Regency chemise in a pinch.
What I need: Chemise. Bum pad (I'm going for more of a late 1780s-early 1790s look). Under petticoat. Jacket using a pattern from Nehelenia (I think, not 100% sure). Petticoat. Hat, probably a bergére

First on the list: Finishing the stays. Making the bum pad. Making the under petticoat.

Civil War Day Dress

What I have: Nothing.
What I need: Chemise (can use Regency one if I need to). Drawers. Corset. Hoops. Petticoat. Skirt and bodice, or a dress. Maybe a Swiss waist.

And my Wishlist projects

1890s Gown based on a photograph of my great great grandmother
What I have: nothing

What I need: Corset. Chemise and drawers. Petticoat. Bodice and skirt.

Civil War Ballgown
What I have: Well, as long as I finish the above Civil War goal, I'll have all the undergarments.
What I need: A ballgown. Or maybe just a ballgown bodice to wear with my day dress skirt. And probably a head dress of some sort.

Edwardian underthings
What I have: nothing
What I need: Chemise and drawers or combinations. Corset.

Planning my Historical Sew Fortnightly Sewing

Previously announced challenges and my plans:

• #1: Make Do & Mend – due Wed 15 Jan. Regency spencer using fabric from another, unfinished project. Status: partially completed, needs lining, closures, hemmed, etc.
• #2: Innovation - due Sat 1 Feb. No plan.
• #3: Pink - due Sat 15 Feb.  Pink 18th century petticoat (aka skirt) to go with the 18th century stays I have in progress. I'd like to do linen if possible, either purchased in the right shade of pink to match my stays or dyed.
• #4: Under it All – due Sat 1 March. Regency underthings. The chemise is already completed, and the short stays are coming along nicely I think. I'm also going to make a petticoat with straps, necessary since my planned ballgown will be rather sheer.
• #5: Bodice - due Sat 15 March. Regency sleeveless spencer out of teal silk, hopefully handstitched.
• #6: Fairytale – due Tue 1 April: Regency Cinderella.
• #7: Tops & Toes – due Tue 15 April.  Bergere hat for my planned 18th century outfit. 

Newly announced challenges and my current thoughts on what to make:

• #8: UFOs & PHDs – due Thur 1 May.  Use this opportunity to finish off something that’s never quite gotten done, or stalled halfway through.  Check out the post from last year for more information on how to interpret this challenge. This might be finishing the Regency spencer. Or any of the other above challenges. Or my green sari asymmetrical overskirt that's been laying around for months.
• #9: Black and White – due Thur 15 May.  Draw on the opposite ends of the shade spectrum to create something in black and white, or black or white. Black linen 18th century petticoat.
• #10: Art – due Sun 1 June.  Make your own masterpiece based on a work of art. No idea.
• #11: The Politics of Fashion – due Sun 15 June.  World affairs have both affected, and been affected by, fashions.  Craft something that demonstrates the interactions between dress and political history. No idea here either.
• #12: Shape & Support – due Tue 1 July.  Make a garment that changes the silhouette of the human form through shaping and support. Hmmmm, maybe a Civil War corset? Or hoop? Or both?
• #13: Under $10 – due Tue 14 July.  Whip up a fabulous item for under $10 (we’ll use US$ as the de-facto standard) This one will definitely take some major planning to stay under $10!
• #14: Paisley & Plaid – due Fri 1 August.  Plaid is the most universal pattern, found in the textiles of almost all cultures and periods.  Paisley is more unique and recent, but has had a lasting impact on design.  Make something that utilises one or both of these patterns. No real idea yet, but there is some lovely plaid taffeta at the fabric store that I've been eyeing for months...I will probably try to make a plaid overskirt for my bustle gown wardrobe...
• #15: The Great Outdoors – due Fri 15 August.  Get out into the weather and dirt with an item for outdoor pursuits. No firm ideas, but a friend suggested swimwear. Another thought I just had is a better Regency spencer than the one I'm working on, or a Regency pelisse.
• #16: Terminology – due Mon 1 September.  Explore the etymology of fashion by make something defined in the Great Historical Fashion & Textile Glossary (new terminology posts and items will be added throughout the year). No real plan, but some ideas: balmoral petticoat, corselet / swiss waist, chemisette, pierrot jacket...leaning towards either a Swiss waist for Civil War dress or a pierrot jacket since a similar jacket is already on my to do list and it'd just be a matter of altering the pattern a little.
• #17: Yellow - due Mon 15 September.  Embrace the sunny side with something in any shade of yellow. No real idea, but maybe something for the Civil War...
• #18: Poetry in Motion - due Wed 1 October  Find inspiration for a garment in poetry and song.   No idea.
• #19: HSF Inspiration - due Wed 15 October.  One of the best things about the HSF is seeing what everyone else creates, and using it to spark your own creativity.  Be inspired by one of the challengers item from HSF ’13 or HSF challenges 1-18 to make your own fabulous item. Another one that will have to wait, until I'm inspired by someone's work!
• #20: Alternative Universe – due Sat 1 November.  Create a garment from an alternative universe: fantasy, steampunk, dieselpunk, etc.  Your item can be perfectly historically accurate within our own universe as well. A steampunk outfit, of course. Or maybe rococopunk. Or maybe I'll just wait to make my new black and gold corset and do it for this challenge.
• #21: Re-do – due Sat 15 November.  Pick any previous challenge and re-do it (or do it for the first time).  It could be one that you didn’t finish, one that you wish you’d had more time for, or any time for, or one where you loved the theme so much you want to do it again. Probably more underthings, for either 18th century or Civil War.
• #22: Fort-nightliers Choice – due Mon 1 December.  This one is up to you!  In June I’ll ask for suggestions for a theme, and we’ll vote to pick the one you most want to do as our 22nd Challenge of the year. Obviously, planning for this one will have to wait until we pick the challenge!
• #23: Modern History – due Mon 15 December.  Make something historical or historically inspired that is wearable in an everyday context. Hmmm, maybe a 1940s dress or skirt...
• #24: All that Glitters – due Thur 1 January.  Celebrate your completion of HSF ’14, and the New Year, with a glittery, glitzy, sparkly, shiny, something. Civil War ballgown. Maybe. 

Projects that I'd like to fit in somewhere:

• 18th century jacket out of flocked cream and black taffeta 
• Wash overskirt, grey and trimmed in black and red 
• If I finish the asymmetrical overskirt, I'll need to make a bodice to match. 

 

Historical Sew Fortnightly and Other Historical Sewing Plans

So far, The Dreamstress has posted seven challenges for this year:

1. Make Do and Mend - I've been working on a Regency spencer made from an old project, but it's not turning out very well. I'm going to finish it, but doubt I'll post in on HSF

2. Innovation

3. Pink - I have a couple ideas rolling around in my head right now, mainly because I need something to wear to a party on Feb 14, the day before this is due. lol  Idea #1: 1920s dress, either the Vionnet 20 minute dress on Reconstructing History or the Magic Dance Frock from Dressmaking Research. Idea #2: A pink 18th century petticoat that would match my stays I'm working on. I'm leaning toward this idea, but I worry that I don't have time to finish the stays before the event, let along the hip pads or pocket hoops I'd need as well. And probably a little pink shrug or something as well. (Will work as a rococopunk outfit that way!)

4. Under it All - Still going to be my Regency underthings, which are coming along well.

5. Bodice - Still planning on the teal silk sleeveless spencer.

6. Fairytale - White Regency ballgown with some type of blue open robe for my version of Cinderella.

7. Tops and Toes - Probably a bergère hat

Other Historical Sewing, that I can hopefully work into a yet unannounced HSF challenge:

1. 18th century jacket out of cream and black flocked taffeta with a black petticoat. This is what I'd wear the
bergère with. I'll also need to finishe my stays and make the chemise and underpetticoat as well, plus hip pads or pocket hoops if I haven't already made them. I'll need this by July, my historical costuming group is planning a Bastille Day picnic.

2. I'd love to get some more accurate bustle era things done as well, because said group will also be doing Bustling Through the Park events, probably in the spring and the fall. Maybe my wash overskirt...

3. Civil War, with all the appropriate underthings. Maybe by the fall, my mother and I will be going on vacation to see some Civil War sites, it'd be fun to go in dress.

Sewing Goals for the First Couple Months of 2014

Regency spencer using fabric from another project before January 15 for the HSF2014 Make Do and Mend challenge. Should probably work on this actually...

Pajama pants for my cousin before January 16. Should probably work on that too...

Aprons for my father and brother. Sooner rather than later, but no real deadline.

I've been thinking about things I could do for HSF2014 Innovations and Pink challenges (both due in February), but don't have anything firm yet.

Finish my Regency underthings before March 1 for the HSF2014 Underthings challenge


Teal silk sleeveless spencer before March 15 for the HSF2014 Bodice challenge

Regency ballgown before March 22 for the Regency ball I want to attend. I'm letting ideas brew of what Cinderella would wear to a Regency ball so it also fits the HSF2014 Fairytale challenge due on April 1st.


18th century stays. No deadline yet, but they might take a while so sooner rather than later is better I think. I've contemplated doing Cinderella in this style instead, but I don't know that I'll have the time. Or come up with a rococopunk outfit using the stays by April 25th for Pandoracon.

Black and gold corset by April 25th for Pandoracon to complete my airship 'uniform'

And my hand quilting of course.

2013 Finished Projects

• Finished Suicide Squad Harley Quinn for Ohayocon
• Embroidery portion of my embroidered quilt
• Keeper of the Keys corset
• Baby quilt for my cousin's little girl
• Quickie zebra print, elastic waist skirt
• Pink and white steampunk underwear ensemble.
• Green and gold corset and bustle.
• Green cotton lobster tail bustle.
• Comic print pants
• Striped corduroy skirt
• Teal pintucked taffeta underskirt 
• A new nursing cover for my sister in law in Dutch themed cotton prints.
• Red and black gingham shorts with matching bodice, sleeveless jacket and black circle skirt trimmed in the gingham. I finished the skirt sometime towards the end of July. I bought the fabric, but used a stash pattern and thread.
• Red pique pencil skirt.
• Pink and black plaid pencil skirt.
• Star Trek wrap circle skirt.
• White striped sateen wrap blouse.
• Paris printed cotton bodice.
• 60s shift dress in pink scroll cotton.
• Dotted swiss sundress and matching reversible jacket.
• Green knit shrug.
• Measuring tape printed cotton circle skirt.
• Brown capris.
• Commissioned Mad Moxxi costume!  
• Denim high waisted shorts
• Pink high waisted shorts
• Blue embroidered linen dress and cropped pullover.
• Converted a pair of capris into a skirt for my mother. 
• White eyelet 60s shift lined and trimmed in lilac cotton.
• Lolita commission for a friend: I made her three skirts for Teslacon.
• Jacket commission for my friend TerAnn that I started earlier this year.
• Black satin jacket and skirt, natural-form-esque for Pandoracon, trimmed in vintage gold satin.
• Turquoise corduroy 60s jumper from another vintage pattern.
• Striped pencil skirt, from the Echino fabric I bought in New Hampshire.
• Cream corduroy pencil skirt.
• Navy corduroy pencil skirt.
• Disney villains wrap skirt.
• I finished the quilt I started like a decade ago! 
• Purple corduroy skirt.  Purchased fabric and zipper, stash thread and pattern. This actually came out too big somehow, so it needs taken in. Finished by November 13.
• Christmas circle skirt. Purchased fabric and zipper, stash everything else. Finished by November 13.
• Christmas sewing: Scrub top for  mom, finished November 17.
• Pajama pants for my brother and nephew, out of matching Where The Wild Things Are cotton. Finished mid-December
• Pajama pants for my cousin's two boys, out of Veggie Tales fleece she was gifted. Finished mid-December
• Travel sized pillowcases for the boys as well, one of train printed cotton, the other out of dinosaur flannel. Finished mid-December
• Baby quilt and nursing cover for my friend Anna. Stash pattern for the nursing cover and stash batting for the quilt; purchased fabric, thread and D rings. Finished before December 15.
• Regency chemise. Machine sewn seams, hand sewn seam finishes, hems and drawstring casing. Purchased fabric (I bought an entire bolt of muslin, it was half off!), and pattern; stash cotton thread leftover from a quilting project. Finished December 29.

Full steam ahead for 2014 sewing plans!

Current Projects - December 2013

Just a few pictures of projects I've started recently:

Cut out my first pair of 18th century stays a couple weeks ago. It took a while: There's eight of each piece. The outside is a green and pink home decor print in heavy cotton, interlining is black target, and lining is green cotton.

Regency shift, using Sense and Sensibility's Regency Underthings pattern. Once the basic construction's done, I'm going to start on the short stays.

Regency spencer, from a coat I made for my former beau. I drafted my own collar piece while looking at pictures of a spencer I liked online.

And my quilt that I'm hand quilting. Definitely a long term project.

Christmas Sewing #2 - Almost Finished

Almost finished Veggie Tales fleece pajama pants for my cousin's two boys

Finished travel size pillowcases for my cousin's two boys

Finished Where The Wild Things Are pajama pants for my brother and almost finished matching pajama pants for my nephew