pink and dotty lingering.

This is the poor remnant of the original blog - picture troubles. A more coherent edition is under the pink and dotty page tab at the top of this post.


The pelisse is nearly there. As expected all my time has gone into work and yarn-bombing preparation. The thought of doing intensive stitching has put me to sleep more than once this week, and when that didn't work, reading editions of  "La Belle Assemblee" for fashion tips from the early 1800s did the trick nicely.

The couple of hours I've spent on it  this afternoon have been great. Sat by the window, flower garden buzzing with bees, birdsong, ignoring a week's worth of housework, weeding and lawn mowing.....  wonderful.
 The lining is in but one or two snags, not quite lying right, so will have to clip the seams closer and maybe adjust a little- not massive problems. Did a little decoration to the cuffs to finish the sleeve off. And the collar! This is first go, it seems fine  - this I am not used to at all. A bit more clipping at the back seam allowance, then top stitching, and it will do.

So the current task list -

adjust lining.
top stitch collar and cuffs.
couching for belt - option 2 is flat ribbon.
construct and attach belt
hem - coat and lining.
remove stay stitching on sleeveheads
hook and eye fastenings to front
wash. Press.

To be honest it doesn't look any shorter than last week. More than a snowball's chance to finish before next blog?
 Doubt it.

Never mind, it is not as if either of us is going anywhere.

Light relief. I shall set myself the task of another portrait wearing this pelisse now the shapes are sorted out.








Also found this as a close-ish match to the Museum of London original- from the Met Museum- same basic silhouette, emphasis in the same places even if the details differ. Am still hunting for a fashion plate match- it would be fun to see how it was meant to look.

pink and dotty distractions... but lots of excuses.

My life is definitely not my own at the moment.

Scrabbling around, trying to keep up with work demands, weeds and hedge growing at triffid speed, making things for the yarn bombing, painting. Hamsters in wheels have it so easy.

Not upto date yet with anything!!

Pink and dotty pelisse has the lining cut and partially assembled though the collar is being stubborn. I tried with the main fabric top and bottom and it just would not sit right, now trying with a lining underneath to reduce the bulk. Still not quite right – will try it on the cross and look at the centre back lie, maybe make a slight angle in the centre back fold rather than have it perpendicular. Good job it's small!

 

This is with collar 4 pinned on, it is sitting better but imagine the 4mm seam allowance at the neck and the points pressed out properly. Have a matching thin satin ribbon to edge it with- another decision to waver at. The back point almost looks too long... ummm

Found a light weight lining in the stash – described as “synthetic silk : vile berry.” So now officially I'm making a miniature 1823 pelisse to scale in inbetweeny-pinky-browny-slightly-purpley-maybe-with-a- hint-of-grey-kind-of-dusky-pink and dotty, with vile berry lining and tinkerbell pointy bits.

Inspite of this I still really like it. Can't believe I did the couching work – I think it looks so much better than the rouleau work on the purple spencer. - wearing the glasses is an excellent idea!

Apart from these minor advances I learnt how to crochet (more) properly on Tuesday- thank you Youtube! We needed squares for the yarnbombing in July – knitting was just knotting my hands up so crochet was advised. I've dabbled over the years but this time sat down with different tutorials running on the computers and now it's making sense. 8 granny squares later I now have 2 large flowers and a half starved snake ready to go.

The craft group has been blogged about on http://hippystitch.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/craft-group-at-explore-acomb-york.html.......

We are getting quite excited about this now – still making lots of squares and plans. What's the betting that it will rain? - there is a very nice cafe in the park so all won't be lost.

 

And nearly forgot - it seems so long ago - on Monday had a guest tutor Rachel McNaughton at the watercolour group -  very effective techniques and pretty straightforward. Seems daft - the painting was about an hour of effort, each granny square about the same, the pelisse -lots. No wonder full time work seems to get in the way ! 

 

Pink and Dotty Progress.

 The pink and dotty progresses. Managed to find a matching embroidery thread so could get on with the decoration - not exact but in the same vein as the original. Haven't decided whether to add the second colour and extra details - may just become fussy.  The blue marks are the vanishing marker pen - they will disappear when I wash it.

Next steps - collar, facings and lining, belt, cuffs.  Did quite enjoy doing the decoration so don't if I  should get on and do the belt and cuffs first or leave them til last as a reward.

Not sure about the length of  the sleeve - found an image of a surviving coat dress http://pinterest.com/pin/313492824032104614/ the cuff  is over halfway down the dress length. I could add a cuff onto the end of the sleeve - it will need a little reshaping but is do-able. The lining I wanted to do with coloured fine cotton but will settle for white - but I will try the collar with pink and dotty top and bottom, it is quite a stiff poplin so may not enjoy the small points and sharp angles.

Still like the b/w photos the best!

 Advance warning - progress will be slow - work demands (boo)and  imminent yarn bombing....(hooray)...

pinky and dotty fights back.

1823 pelisse - Museum of London.

Found a very easy solution to shoulder seam crisis - put it onto a body!  These seams don't work like modern construction - lying flat, folding in half seem to be awkward- they work better on a 3D  form. And I have mini-body-on-a-stick!!  Nice smooth lines and beautifully contoured. Until I take it  off again.


The other crisis is the decoration - I couldn't find an exact enough match in satin ribbon or embroidery thread - This is an awkward inbetweeny pinky-browny-slightly purpley-maybe with a hint of grey kind of dusky pink. So came out with some organza ribbon, not quite right, too wide, but sheer. I have tried to do a line of ornament down the front several times now- never precise enough. Version below is coming off asap. I need to change ideas - contrast not same colour? What will go with inbetweeny pinky-browny-slightly purpley-maybe with a hint of grey kind of dusky pink?  Antique cream? or thinking back to ancient history projects -slightly soggy coffee or tea stain? I still want the same feel of intricate and delicate (don't laugh) - major compromise coming up.......                       

Including the b/w shot just because I like it. So there. It was a tester for different ways of wriggling the organza  (Does look upside down.)

 

 Task list remains much the same - decorate, collar, line. Not a positively productive week in sewing world.

Must try harder.

Or go to a bigger haberdashery.... Ummm

pink and dotty

Recut the spencer front and pulled the back  to make a false seam just to check the fit - it is better but I won't declare success until the sleeve is fitted. Obviously  I haven't managed to magically shrink to fit this or the dinky pelisse. My faith in pasta is destroyed. Has anyone come up with a cake diet yet?

• Unfortunately no photo as the camera has just hit the floor and didn't bounce that well.

The dinky pelisse.
Still don't believe that fabric is mine, but it sews up so nicely.   Whoever it belonged to, it is mine now!
 I emailed the Museum of London about the insides and lining of the original but they weren't able to give too much more information at the moment -it is on display  " From memory, but I might be wrong, I think the pelisse was fully lined with a light, off-white silk. I also think that there were no exposed seams. I’ve just checked the conservation records which definitely mention skirt and underarm lining, and the dying of habotai silk to make patches (not the technical term!)." 

 ( love this place, so accessible, and friendly! They emailed back so promptly and have taken alot of  trouble for someone making a dinky dotty pink version for fun! and to think on some museum sites all I found was the opening times and admission fee.... what a difference in attitude. )

 While this was happening I've added a skirt and put in the other sleeve so at least it looks like a garment now. Lack of brain think and I forgot to keep pattern pieces for the skirt - measured them out on the dotty and then sewed up.

Now I will have to do all that again for the lining! Paper copies I will do and then keep. I will. Promise.
Not yet happy with the back shoulder seams - there seems to be too much fabric there. - wrong angle? Still to decide on the/any decoration. Do quite like the thought of couching but not of trying to making micro rouleau- ribbon or embroidery threads to the rescue. Trip into haberdash required to see what is available ( dangerous I know, usually come out with all sorts- a fitted kitchen once)
Collar is to be done - will prob line with white cotton like the vandykes or with dotty if I can make it fine enough at this scale.
Hopefully I will do most making this week end but ....

 


Scissors are behaving well at present, the sun is still shining, things are growing happily- does anyone have a cure for marestails and goosegrass?

 

pelisse hiccups

Best laid plans and all that 

.
This new mission is proving to be a pain. I bought an 'historically accurate'  spencer pattern as a base thinking that this would speed some things up. Oops.

 

Could tell almost imediately I tried the toile on that having overlapping neck and gaping waist line was not a good look for me. So am still in the middle of  trying to adjust- smaller overall size and then cutting and splicing to give the fullness required.   On the far side is the adjustment - still pinned at present -  this side is as was, looks neater but the edge of the fabric is the centre front! 

 I would normally pop a side dart in to sort the flabbiness under the arm and to realign things but there isn't a side seam to work to. I think the back is still a bit too large,  so  still serious fiddling to be done.  oh well.

When this is right I will make it up as a spencer just to check it out properly.

What this really means is a very large delay in this project. Of course plan b is to find someone the same shape as the pattern- no problems then! or surgery.

This could not be allowed to put me off tooo much - so started a dinky one. I do not remember seeing or buying the fabric, I am not a dotty buyer, but there it was, all, fresh and ironed saying 'me'. Couldn't resist. Perhaps it is a magic fabric stash..... I wish!

 Only started redrafting from the facing trial version yesterday morning!  Cheating again - haven't bound the edges of the vandykes - these are lined. The sleeves don't look long enough now - on the informal image of the pelisse they are gorilla-length. I've gone with the same dimensions skirt as in the trial but added in an extra couple of cm width to the  hem of the centre back panel.
I wasn't intending to do this properly-properly but its coming together so sweetly that it is tempting to put more into it. Narrow ribbon couched on to give a suggestion of the decoration might be smart. Need to see how the skirt, collar and belt work - I don't think there will be much space for fancy things. 

 Even though it is giving grief I still adore the coat, I keep going back to the website and drooling.....

Scissor update - in full control of all major pairs.  Found a spare snippy pair under the front passenger seat in the car. Left them there so at least one pair can always be accounted for.  Thinking ahead.

I know just how she feels.