Pour La Victoire

I've been wanting the trendy bias-cut midi skirt for a while, but the clingy bias cut and thin fabrics made me skeptical.

Nearly ten years ago, I used a beautiful pink worsted wool from Burnley & Trowbridge to make a generic 16th century kirtle.

If you've seen me at a New York Historical Costumer Society event, there's a strong chance I was wearing my trusty Simplicity 8162 18th century stays - whether underneath an outfit or as a focal point in a witchy or hobbit ensemble.

I've been working on a lot of late 19th century and early 20th century sewing projects, so pivoting to handsewing this 1775-1785 gown for an 18th century dinner party was a refreshing change.

In between my recent late 19th century sewing projects, I squeezed in a 1780s robe a l'Anglaise with inverted back pleats - stay tuned for a detailed post about it.

I had just enough plaid cotton fabric left over from my recent Edwardian shirtwaist project that I was able to squeeze out a cute apron from the scraps.

I was looking through the August 1892 Delineator magazine when I found this adorable apron.

Below is the description of an early spring outfit from the March 1897 issue of the Delineator magazine.

As I build out my 1890s wardrobe, it became clear that the threadbare early 1800s chemise I had been using wasn't sufficient.

I'm excited to share with you my tutorial for sewing a cartridge pleated skirt, suitable for historybounding, hobbitcore, cottagecore, and some folk costumes.

Below is the description of a winter outfit from the February 1897 issue of the Delineator magazine.

After making a few different types of shirtwaists, my 1890s wardrobe was in desperate need of cold weather wear and the distinct, interesting bodices that were so prevalent.

My favorite sewing projects are often those spur-of-the-moment ideas that end up becoming very useful pieces in my wardrobe.

I needed a "quick win" type project in the middle of some more challenging makes, and decided that an Edwardian shirtwaist with pintucks, bias details, and lots of pattern modifications would be relaxing.

Once I had the mockup sorted out for my 1880s bodice - I used the Laughing Moon 1890s pattern as my starting point - I could move on to construction.

The Simplicity 2890 corset was the first corset I ever made, nearly 10 years ago.

I recently finished McCalls 7974, a popular pattern for a button-front dress with a midriff, pockets, length variations, and sleeve variations (including a super cute keyhole sleeve).

I've added a lot of handmade garments to my wardrobe in the past year, but cozy outerwear type pieces were still sorely needed - especially to wear in cold trains and offices.

I flipped through the September 2018 edition of Burdastyle many times, ignoring #118 viscose shirtdress with a pleated skirt.

For my 1880s bustle ensemble, I started with the most complex and time-consuming garment: the bodice.

I finally had a proper outing of my silk Edwardian shirtwaist, combined with this silk belt I made several years ago and a skirt I started last year and finished this weekend for a tea party at a local historical house museum.

In the spring of 2022 I made my first bustle ensemble for a Gilded Age themed picnic at Central Park organized by the NY Historical Costumer Society.

As I started making more garments for my work wardrobe in 2022, I discovered my first tried-and-true (TNT) pattern: McCalls 7973, a pattern for a loose-fitting dress which includes 4 sleeve options, 4 length options, and 4 skirt options.

Do you ever find the sewing pattern sample photos so captivating that you're inspired to recreate them?

I have a few Portuguese editions of Burdastyle magazine, which I purchased early on in my sewing journey.