Sleeve Flounces--A Tiny Tutorial!

Sleeve flounces became popular in the mid 18th century and remained popular as long as elbow length sleeves were worn. These, of course, are a style suited to your fancier gowns, as they can get in the way. They're also best suited to lightweight fabrics that can hold a cut edge, though at least one gown in the Victoria and Albert (I believe--I think I saw it in person, but I can't find a picture, either in my own or the V&A site) has hemmed sleeve flounces. The technique I used for my flounces is illustrated in Costume Close-Up. I used the sleeve flounces in Patterns of Fashion for the shape, but as my silk was extremely thick and stiff (I think it may have been overstock rain coat fabric), I altered it so the lower two flounces were half flounces.


First, gather your first sleeve flounce and sew it to the back 2/3 or so of the sleeve. This is your longest sleeve flounce. Next, gather your second flounce and attach right over it. The second flounce should be shorter than the first.


Then gather the bottom of your third ruffle and fit it to the bottom of the sleeve. This one goes around the entire sleeve, forming a cuff. It's the shortest of the three ruffles so the others show. Then, gather near the top, and pull to fit. I would recommend finer gathers than I made here, but I was doing the best I could with the fabric I had. This yellow, while gorgeous, was extremely stiff and difficult to work with. See raincoat comment above!


Sew the flounce down, and add any trim! Baste your sleeve ruffles inside. My dress could've used slightly larger ones, and I probably will make larger ones if I get another opportunity to wear this dress.

The Screaming Yellow Sacque--A Robe a la Francaise!

Now that the Epic Williamsburg vacation is over (sigh), I have many updates! For now, they are of the 'look at me' variety, but each and every costume has a tutorial of some sort forthcoming. For this dress, it's sleeve ruffles and the blue silk cloak. Enough of that though, on to the dress!



I wore the dress twice. First to the theatre to see The Walking Statue, or The Devil in the Wine Cellar, and then to dinner at the King's Arms.



On the agenda for next time--bigger sleeve flounces. I hit The Wall before the trip and finished a pinball and started a knitted pineapple instead :)



I was very happy that it was cool enough to wear it with accessories! The hotel costuming I usually do just doesn't lend itself to that! The cloak is silk taffeta lined with China silk and interlined with not period but inexpensive and not overly warm the way wool would have been cotton flannel. It's trimmed with marabou leftover from my pink and green court dress. The tutorial for the muff is here and the muff cover is here.



My hair is really quite simple. It thankfully teased, which it often refuses to do. I just set it in sponge rollers, teased most of the middle section, pulled up the back, stuck in a rat made of fake hair, and smoothed the front over it, then had a friend stick things in the back to cover any wonkiness.


I'm glad that after having the fabric for I think about 10 years (I bought it after my first or second Costume College!), I finally made it! I'm also glad that I didn't make it so long ago, as it is a better dress than I would've been capable of then :)

Here's my Live Journal tag about the dress. It includes a few construction pictures. I essentially made this dress in four days. Counting the lining, it was five; however, if you consider that I made the lining for my Virginia cloth anglaise the day I started this and it's essentially the same lining...