I'm in the wrong century

[jennylafleur]

When I start a project I usually have a plan, a flexible plan but still a solid idea in my head of what I want to end up with. The Black & White Bustle (TM) however, not so much. I have a vague sort of idea and I have materials and trims to use but beyond that...

I've spent some time this week trying to hone my vision for this project. Going through Demode's index helped immensely (seriously Kendra if you ever take that off your website I'll have to stop costuming!), as did the fashion plates on Festive Attyre. The bustle goodness over on awesomecostume has been helpful as well.


All that to say I've figured out what I want in terms of the skirts and bustle. I love the lines of this wedding gown (found on e-bay) and plate (from Festive Attyre).

The upshot is I've decided I bought the wrong pattern for my bustle skirt. The more I look at TV216, the less I like it for this project. The way the back is constructed is not at all what I had in mind.

This isn't helping my overall feeling of being very stupid and insecure over this whole project.

I think I could puzzle it out, using techniques and pieces from my two TV patterns (TV216, TV201) plus the aid of Hunnisett. My only question is should I make full underskirt/overskirt or seam it all together hiding the join with a false side panel?

*sigh* Or should I just ditch the Victorian thing for another year and use the faille for a robe à la française?

Comments

[joysdaughter.livejournal.com]

There's a similar dress im Arnold - to the front of the wedding dress that is. Also, there is an earlier dress, also in Arnold, that has loads of skirt bits to put together - have a look at that too, before you make any decisions.

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Arnold - duh! I didn't look there. Thanks! :>

[demode.livejournal.com]

First, that is a gorgeous dress! YOu should make whatever you have a yen to make -- so if you have a yen for bustle, go bustle!

I would seam that skirt together like the TV216 -- I think that WOULD work as a base, but you'd need to cut the back in one piece (maybe use TV363 for the back?

You can do it!

And thanks for the shout out on the Real Women's directory :)

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Thanks for all the advice and encouragment! And you are most welcome. Seriously I'll quit costuming! :P

[catherinejs.livejournal.com]

Don't ditch it! It's going to be so pretty and look awesome on you. It's just really intimidating to try a whole new era. I'm a late-victorian girl to the core, but I just made my first 18th century and it was such a mind-blower. But now that it's done I love it! Anyway, back to your project. ;-) I would make that all one skirt with stuff sewn to it. You can probably skip TV216 all together and just use 201. Also, you might want to hop over to the TV message board and post your questions for Heather. She is so incredibly helpful. Bustle looks really hard because it's so busy, but it's really all kind of tied together with strings on the inside.
Catherine

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm really out of my comfort zone on this one. I'm so afriad I'll screw something up! Thanks for the encouragment! :>

Yeah I was looking at TV201 and wondering that myself. I've posted on the board so we'll see what she says! :>

[vanessa-lynne.livejournal.com]

Do you have the option of getting another pattern? This one looks like it could work for the overskirt. You could use it over the skirt base of the 216.

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

I could I suppose. I just don't want to spend another $25 on the pattern, ya know? Ummm, that looks interesting. I've posted on the TV board so I'll see what they come up with... Thanks!

[vanessa-lynne.livejournal.com]

Cool. I'm on there as well. I guess I'm just in the constant frame of mind that more patterns = goodness. :) Can't wait to see the progress.

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

I'm just wierd that way, I can't stand paying for patterns, like I hate spending money on pjs. Shoes and fabric yes, pjs and patterns no. :> This is why I got into draping... I'm just too chicken to drape the bustle stuff.

[bauhausfrau.livejournal.com]

I think it looks lovely and you'll do a stunning job as usual. The idea of getting help from the TV board is good one. They're very willing to lend a hand and probably remember you from Costume College.

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

I just asked, so we'll see! Thanks for the encouragement too - you are fabulous!

[laurenmonkey.livejournal.com]

DON'T QUIT! Bustles=love.
:)
The plus of a seperate underskirt is that you can mix and match it with MORE bustle dresses later, especially if you had enough fabric to do mix and match stuff for day and evening. That's the one thing I really regret about that skirt, that I can't use it as an underskirt for other things after all the work I put into it. But it's still one of my favorites ever.
And that wedding dress is TO DIE FOR.

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

It's one of my favorites too. *drool* If you were anywhere near my size I would have stolen it when I was at your house. hee.

Thanks for your feedback on the underskirt. Versatile is good if fabric sucking - gahhh I just don't know!

[lisotchka.livejournal.com]

OMG! I can't wait to see it finish! Don't quit!!!

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[cracked-code.livejournal.com]

I'm very late weighing in - but would you just make the stupid dress already? You're going to be impossible to live with if you don't do it - and if it doesn't turn out to be what you want you will have a better idea of how to get it right the next time. You know you work best by trial and error anyway.
P

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Dearest P - do tell me what you really think! :> Thanks Luv.