Join me in my adventures as I write romance novels and sew vintage and contemporary fashion.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Really Retro

I planned to write a blog or two about sewing Victorian costumes closer to the time of The Great Dickens Christmas Fair, (counting the days!) however, my husband did a photo shoot with two members of our Dicken's team in historic Virginia City and Gold Hill, Nevada, this past weekend, so I thought I'd share photos.
I'm pleased so say that I made everything worn in these photos with the exception of the gentleman's puffer tie and the hats. It was a lot of work, but it was also a lot of fun. I spent quite a few hours in my sewing lair watching reruns of Simon and Simon as I sewed last fall.

I like making gentlemen's clothing. The coat and vest are from Simplicity 2895. I employed some techniques not included in the instructions, and when I make my third coat this fall, I'll blog about how I stray from pattern instructions.The shirt is Laughing Moon #107 and the pants are Laughing Moon #106. Both are historically accurate garments.
The Sherlock cape is Simplicity 2517 .


The lady's dress is Simplicity 1818. It was a lot easier to make than the frock coats. 

Here are some more Virginia City shots:

This one is  my favorite:

And, this is what happens when your models grow weary of  wearing layers of brocade and wool and taffeta in 90 degree weather...




I hope you enjoyed the photos. I'm looking forward to blogging about Victorian costumes this fall.
Posted by at
Labels: , ,

5 comments:

  1. TraceySeptember 9, 2015 at 9:29 PM

    These costumes look amazing. Much better than the pattern picture. Any tips on making the mans jacket and waistcoat? I am just about to embark on one for my husband and am a little daunted.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jeannie WattSeptember 12, 2015 at 7:38 PM

    Hi Tracey,
    My number one tip is to get a copy of Simplicity's 1970s book Sewing for Men and Boys. I used it when I didn't know how to sew well and I use it now. It's a gold mine of information. Here's an Amazon link http://www.amazon.com/Sewing-Boys-Simplicity-Pattern-Inc/dp/B000O7TQF4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442111756&sr=8-1&keywords=sewing+for+men+and+boys I've learned so much from this little booklet. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jeannie WattSeptember 12, 2015 at 7:41 PM

    Here's a shorter link to the book http://amzn.to/1O8gK2J

    ReplyDelete
  4. TraceySeptember 18, 2015 at 10:08 AM

    Many thanks, just ordered it. I'm considering lengthening the coat so it's mid calf rather than knee high but I'm concerned about how it will hang. Do you think I am letting myself in for a world of pain?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jeannie WattSeptember 22, 2015 at 8:04 PM

    I do not think lengthening the coat to mid calf will have that great of an effect on it. The brown coat in this post was supposed to be mid calf and I shortened it. If you're concerned, then I suggest buying cheap fabric and making a practice coat. I always do that now. It might take more time, but it saves a lot of heartache--especially when the "good" fabric is expensive. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)