Tutorials

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

16 comments:

  1. Hi,
    Sorry 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

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    Replies
    1. I haven't used it, but I've heard the Past Patterns 1860s bodice is very good.

      My 1860s base pattern is based on one in Period Costume for Stage and Screen. Only good if you like working with scaled patterns

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  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. Katherine,
    I 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

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    Replies
    1. 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!

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  4. Hi!
    I 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!

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    Replies
    1. 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.

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  5. Hi 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

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  6. Hi Katherine, I am a new big fan! I have always wanted to sew more historically correct costumes and am currently getting into hand-sewing. :-)
    I 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!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 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!

      I 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!

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    2. Thank you! :-)

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  7. Hi 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

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry--I have received it and will get to you soon! I've been very busy lately.

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  8. I found your blog few days ago and I can't stop reading it! Your knowledge and talent are endless! You create wonderful outfits.

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  9. Can 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.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello,

      I 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!

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