HSF 15: #1 Foundations

I hope my sewing this year will fit into one of five goals.  One is to sew things that will make my current Victorian wardrobe more useful.  An example of this is I have an 1870’s mantle that doesn’t really go with anything.  That makes it useless.  I hope to fix that this year.

The second goal is to blast through some of those stashes (fabric and wool). If you sew then you know….

Third goal is  making something for others and I have a few ideas for my son that I’d like to work on.

Fourth goal is the UFO pile which hasn’t gotten out of hand but I’d like to keep it that way.  Okay, okay, I lied.  My sewing pile isn’t too bad but the knitting pile is moving into a hoarding kind of scenario.

The fifth goal is to keep my wardrobe from growing to much…really, there is only so many places I can wear this stuff.  So instead of growing my wardrobe I’d like to enhance the things that I have.  Add some trim, lace, beads…. what have you.  If you look at authentic Victorian clothes…at least the museum pieces…they have trim on their trim.  This goal will also help with the stash busting.

My first submission for Challenge one is going to meet the challenge and my fifth goal.  I took my bustle, which is a foundation garment, and I fixed the broken hook, shortened it because I keep stepping on it when I wear my flatter heeled shoes and I added lace because it was simply a bare bones garment.  Victorians would pretty up even their undies. (Oh that bodice on Trudy is one of those UFOs).

 

The Challenge: #1 Foundations

Fabric: cotton

Pattern: TV 101 wired bustle

Year: 1870-80

Notions: lace and ribbon

How historically accurate is it? The pattern and fabric are fine. The lace is a poly something and I’m not sure they would have put lace there. I’ve seen ruffles. It is plausible enough. So 70%

Hours to complete: As I said the bustle was made previously but it needed a repair on the hook and eye, needed to be shortened and was too plain so I added the lace. That took about 3 hours.

First worn: Can’t remember first time I wore it in its original incarnation. Summer 2013? I haven’t worn it since it has been updated.

Total cost: Can’t remember what original cost was. To do the repair, alteration and update $0. (Unless you count the thread…the lace was all given to me.)

 

So I have some plans similar to this entry where I can meet my goals, participate in the challenges for Historical Sew Fortnightly and not kill myself with deadlines that become less of a motivator and more of a burden. Wish me luck!