Plans are starting to come together!

A huge thank you goes out to Sarah Parr Nucci who has given me a wealth of resources to borrow!

It looks like I'll be using the patterns from Truly Victorian (TV 105) to make the combination underwear, and TV101 to make a petticoat with wire bustle (and optional ruffled overlay).  I am looking at a lovely curved spoon busk corset from Corsets and Crinolines (pg. 81).

Once I manage to construct all the undergarments and foundation pieces, then I can get a new set of measurements to begin drafting a pattern for the dress!  This will be the first time I ever go through the effort of making a toile first.  I am feeling a bit overwhelmed, but am anxious to get started!  I'm glad I went through the effort of making a body block so I can figure out how to make the patterns fit better.

Decisions!

And thus it is decided:  I have narrowed down to one inspiration dress for construction and another for colors.  I have decided to adjust my original plans to make an 1890s gown in favor of this late 1880s gown.  It's just so exquisite!  Here are the originals (photos from the Metropolitan Museum of Art):

House of Worth  (French, 1858–1956)

Designer:

Jean-Philippe Worth (French, 1856–1926)

Date:

1887–89

Culture:

French

Medium:

silk

Dimensions:

Length at CB (a): 9 1/4 in. (23.5 cm) Length at CB (b): 60 in. (152.4 cm)

Credit Line:

Gift of Orme Wilson and R. Thornton Wilson, in memory of their mother, Mrs. Caroline Schermerhorn Astor Wilson, 1949

Accession Number:

49.3.24a–e

The pink color is nice, but I would prefer blue to go with the gold lace:  

Getting side-tracked easily...

I keep wanting to work on other things at the moment.  I feel like the demands of my timeline outfits are taking priority over sewing on 'the big project'.  It's just so much easier to fiddle with smaller projects.  Here is last night's work-avoidance behavior:

Capote made from recycled materials--a trashed children's straw hat and some scraps from other dress projects.