A place to find all of my tutorials!
Thoughts on perfectionism, and why we don't need it. Not really a tutorial, but helpful, I hope!
18th Century
Binding stays--a shorter, binding only, version of my stays tutorial
Stays construction
A Robe a la Piemontaise
Draping a robe a la piemontaise back and skirt
A 1780s Bodice
18th Century Pleated Cuffs
A 1780s Redingote Tutorial
A Short Cloak Tutorial
A robe a l'anglaise, or en fourreau dress
Part One, Getting Started and Skirt Pleats
Part Two, Pleating the Back
Part Three, The Front
Part Four, Robings and Finishing Touches
18c Sleeve Flounces
A Pierrot Jacket, with a cutaway, known as a zone front
Setting 18th Century Sleeves
Mariner's Cuffs
Petticoat tutorial--on my website!
Draping a Sacque, otherwise known as a robe a la francaise--
Part One, The Lining
Part Two, Cutting the fabric
Part Three, The Back
Part Four, The Sides
Part Five, The Robings
Part Six, The Stomacher
Part Seven--The Sleeves
Part Eight--Back Binding
Part Nine--Separate front skirts
A court skirt
Regency
A late 1790s Dress with a Diamond Back
c. 1800 Round Gown and Pleated Overgown Construction
Transitional Stays
A Regency Shortgown Tutorial
Regency Apron Pockets
A Braided Regency Hairpiece
A Sleeveless Spencer
Drop Front Dress Construction
19th Century
1830s Day and Evening Hair
An 1860s dress, An Incomplete Tutorial
An 1840s Wrapper
An 1880s Bustle Skirt Tutorial
An 1880s Bustle Overskirt Tutorial
An 1880s Bodice Tutorial
20th Century
Closures and Construction on a 1913 dress
A 1920s Envelope Chemise
1920s Step-Ins, Teddy, or Combinations--includes a pattern!
A 1920s Hoop
The 1921 Diane Sweater from Fleisher Yarns
Medieval
Cotehardie Construction
Fantasy
Melisandre's Glowing Necklace
Making a Game of Thrones King's Landing/Handmaiden/Shae dress
Game of Thrones, King's Landing Dress Part One--getting started
Game of Thrones, King's Landing Dress, Part Two--finishing the lining and hem
Game of Thrones, King's Landing Dress, Part Three--Sleeves!
Game of Thrones King's Landing Hair Tutorial
Accessories
Decorating shoes--a very tiny tutorial!
A Knitted Muff from 1847--Pattern and construction
A Lined Bag--A Tiny Tutorial
Medieval Hose Construction Information
A 14th Century Frilled Veil, Part One
A 14th Century Frilled Veil, Part Two
An 18c Muff
An 18th Century Muff Base
An 18th Century Muff Cover
A Muff Cover with a Miniature Portrait that you need no artistic ability to do!
An Early 1920s Hat--Tutorial
An Early 1920s Hat--Inspiration
Jane Austen (or any other fluttery paper!) fairy wings
Easy Embroidered Garters, Inspired by history and Game of Thrones
Flowers, Bows, and Trims
Velvet Flowers and Thread Covered Beads
A very cute sort of bow
Triangle Trim
Flowers
Another bow!
Techniques
Altering my Game of Thrones dress
Mantua Makers Seams
Beetle Wing Embroidery
Hemming Without Help
Imitation hand-hemstitching
Some Information on Hand Hemstitching
Not really a tutorial, but a little real machine hemstitching information
Making an Edwardian lace collar and sewing a ruffle into a hem
General Advice on Setting Sleeves
Transferring an embroidery design and beading a bow
Transferring embroidery to a somewhat finished dress
Somewhat Random Tutorials
Lingerie Guards, A Tiny Tutorial
Adding a bird face to a dress (Or how I made my Angry Birds dress!)
Macarons, yes, the ones you eat!
Transferring embroidery when you're out of ink :)
Advice on Alterations
Hi,
ReplyDeleteSorry I. Know that this not the right place to ask questions but I wanted to make the bodice for the sheer 1860's dress but I didn't know what pattern to use. I am going to Gettysburg this July and need a new top for my dress.
Thank you
Emily
I haven't used it, but I've heard the Past Patterns 1860s bodice is very good.
DeleteMy 1860s base pattern is based on one in Period Costume for Stage and Screen. Only good if you like working with scaled patterns
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteKatherine,
ReplyDeleteI am overly impressed with your work. I loved historical costuming since I was little. I know every little girl dreams of being Cinderella, but you actually get to do it. Unfortunately, I am a novice when it comes to sewing clothes. I've done curtains, pillows, stuffed animals, but never actually something that I'd have to wear. I'm thinking starting simple. What are your thoughts? Thank you in advance. Keep posting and I'll definitely be interested in keeping up with you.
My best
AES
I started with Regency, and because of this, I think that's a good place to start. It has some simpler styles and uses less fabric, which is nice! Good luck!
DeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteI was looking at your pictures on Flickr, and saw that you did paper marbling. I was just wondering if that was done in the 1800's (or before) because I have an old book and I'm wondering how old it is. Thanks!
Paper marbling is very old! It was definitely used in books in the 1700s, and was around before that. I don't know when they started using it in books though.
DeleteHi Katherine. You have a nice website, but no easy way to contact you. Prefer to contact personally where nobody can read my comments, you have a contact me link, but it is not active to click. Anyway I have one specific question about your Edwardian corset by Jean Hunisett in which I also have her book. I am stumped on one particular thing that I cannot get my head round which would be the best way to sew it and as you have not put full step by step instructions, I cannot do it and there is no other info on the internet. If you cold please mail me by e-mail at padmepastel@aol.com I would appreciate some help. Thank you so much from Tracy
ReplyDeleteHi Katherine, I am a new big fan! I have always wanted to sew more historically correct costumes and am currently getting into hand-sewing. :-)
ReplyDeleteI would like to ask your advice please. I have made a Victorian over-bust corset in the past but want to move into making 17th and 18th century dresses, so I will need to make a pair of flat-fronted stays. I have bought a pattern. Only trouble is, due to funnel chest syndrome my ribs poke out a lot. In fact they stick out a little further than my little bust does, so they will rub against the centre of the stays if I make the stays totally flat. What would you suggest? Should I make the vertical line of the stays curved in a convex (outward) shape to fit my ribs? Or should I stuff the stays under and on top of the bust area to fill out my body's concave (inward) curve?
As you can imagine I'd rather stay anonymous here but if you could reply here I'd really appreciate it. Corsetry for asymmetrical bodies is difficult and there isn't much advice out there!
I have a friend who has a similar problem--she's sewn little pillows into her stays under the bust to help out. I'm not really an expert on this, but it works quite well for her!
DeleteI have somewhat large ribs--nothing like you describe--and they do smooth it a bit under the straight fronted stays. I'd be nervous curving the top in.
I wish I had better advice! Since I've only sewn for myself, I'm very familiar with my fitting issues, but not too much about anyone else's. I think if you made a Victorian corset though, you'll be able to get it to work. Victorian styles are fussier. Good luck!
Thank you! :-)
DeleteHi Katherine I got your e-mail and did reply, might be worth checking your spam as when I received yours it went into my spam folder because it was an unknown e-mail address. Have sent pics thank you from TRacy
ReplyDeleteSorry--I have received it and will get to you soon! I've been very busy lately.
DeleteI found your blog few days ago and I can't stop reading it! Your knowledge and talent are endless! You create wonderful outfits.
ReplyDeleteCan you recommend a pattern for a Bib Style regency dress. I think that district 19 has one but can't figure how to make contact with them.
ReplyDeleteHello,
DeleteI haven't used it, but I've heard good things about the Laughing Moon pattern. http://www.lafnmoon.com/product_p/p126-download.htm
Good luck!