Muslin vs lining.
Muslin is really handy for mockups because it's cheap and easy to work with - the butcher paper of the sewing world.
But it lies. It doesn't drape well. It wrinkles in weird ways. It bunches. It tries to tell me the draft isn't right even when I've triple checked all my numbers and can feel the fit for myself.
Trusting my math and experience enough to actually cut the fashion fabric is always a leap of faith.
Sleeves need another ironing, but they're basted in place and fit is still good. I'll extend the dart points a little cause they're a bit pointy right now.
I'll ease the sleeves in as much as I can when I stitch them, but it doesn't matter a ton for the lining. For the wool, I will try to steam them into shape before I do the final stitches.
Peplum is in place and lining is attached at center front. Still to do: sleeves and collar, and whip stitching the lining over the peplum seam. Then it's over to @maco for finishing (buttonholes and stitching sleeve lining to sleeve facing) while I work on Maco's saque. We still have hopes of being done by Saturday.
#18thcentury #18thCenturyCostume #HistoricalDress #RidingHabit
This morning's progress was thread-tracing the stitch lines on the inner collar while I had my morning tea.
Because of the assembly order, the inner collar will need to be hand-stitched to the lining. @maco is probably going to do that for me because my hand-stitching is not great. The thread tracing makes it easier to see where to line it up for stitching.
#Sewing #Tailoring #18thcentury #HistoricDress #FortFrederickMarket #Food
Thread-tracing is primarily a tailoring and couture technique-most home sewists use chalk or marking pencil, and standardized seam allowances instead of tracing stitch lines (off the rack garment manufacture uses precise seam allowances almost exclusively; tailoring and couture often intentionally use large seam allowances to allow for later alterations).
I used standard seam allowances for this garment because I am short on time and it's way faster (which is why garment manufacturers do it). But it works because you can line up the edge of the fabric with guide lines on the sewing machine. For hand stitching, it's easier to have the stitch line marked.
And the nice thing about thread tracing is you don't have to worry about it disappearing from handling or ironing (if you look closely, you'll see transfer paper lines between the stitches).
When I get home tonight, I'll attach the outer collar (which is machine stitched) and then stitch the inner collar to it along the top and fronts, so it's ready for hand work. I've also got the sleeve caps to ease in place (annoying and fiddly; steam will help but I'll probably do pretty short basting stitches). And I have to decide if I'm adding the pockets. On the one hand, time is short. On the other hand... Pockets.
And here's the "finished" outfits (buttonholes still to come and I still need to fix the darts, and we've got a lot left on @maco's saque but it looks good so we're not going to look too closely).
Annalee
Sisuile Butler