The Anonymous Garden: YWU SPP Project 2009

SPP - Final Pictures

The next few posts will just be old entries from livejournal that I am bringing over to this blog

I finally finished the dress, I wasn't sure if I was going to make it.
We went out today and took a ton of pictures. It was very sunny out, but they turned out pretty good. Someday I would love to go to a historical mansion and get some period style pictures.

Making this dress has been so much fun I hope I took enough pictures to show you all everything.
Here they are, Enjoy!!!

Click on the pictures to see the full sized version.

SPP Corset contest

The next few posts will just be old entries from livejournal that I am bringing over to this blog

Vena Cava sponsored a corset contest in conjuction with Your Wardrobe Unlocked, and here is what I came up with.
I have always loved the look of the "ventilator" corsets like this one below.

I wanted the shape of the 1860's with the fun details of this type of corset. Here is what I came up with. I used black twill tape for the body, and black satin ribbon for the binding. It is only boned in plastic because that is all I had on hand. I really, really love this corset so much so that I have started another in cream, satin ribbons and I intend to do it up in steel.

SPP More inspiration and starting my dress pt 2

The next few posts will just be old entries from livejournal that I am bringing over to this blog

While toying with the whole decorating idea, I found that I really love peplums and little overskirts. Like these.

And of course my favorite Worth dress of all time has a peplumed over bodice, and it became my main inspiration

Here is my first mock up of the overbodice. On the final one I ended up making the bottom much fuller. But all in all I really liked the look of it.

SPP - More inspiration, and starting my dress.

The next few posts will just be old entries from livejournal that I am bringing over to this blog

Now that my undies and my mock up were done, I kept trying to figure out how to make my dress. I had found the most beautiful black shot copper taffeta, and a corresponding heavy, gold satin, and I just couldn't figure out what to do. I started out with the idea of a fall inspired dress with embroidered leaves and I went so far as to embroider some of the leaves. I also made several yards of bias tubing out of the gold fabric to try making branches out of. When it came time however to start decorating the skirt, I started pinning the tubing around and found a completely new idea that I just fell in love with....... So with out further ado here is my test that I fell in love with.

Of course I couldn't leave it that simple!!

SPP Undergarments - All Finished

The next few posts will just be old entries from livejournal that I am bringing over to this blog

All my undies got done eventually, here are some grouped shots and a few more details. All in all I am very pleased with the finished products, and I love the ivory, I am very glad I went the less traditional way.
Now it is onto the Corset, and the Dress!!!!!

I ran out of models so the modesty slip is missing.

Bottom edges
Clockwise from top: Modesty slip, Pantalets, Petticoat, Chemise.

SPP Undergarments - Petticoat part 2

The next few posts will just be old entries from livejournal that I am bringing over to this blog

I finished amazingly enough without out too much damage to my brain cells, but what ever I did damage was so worth it.

SPP Undergarments - Petticoat part 1

The next few posts will just be old entries from livejournal that I am bringing over to this blog

I knew right from the moment I started this project that I had to have a fully ruffled petticoat over my hoop. Why? Either I have drooled over Gone With The Wind too many times or because I am a sucker for punishment. What started out as a simple task, soon turned into 75 yards of pintucked ruffles that had me wondering what was I thinking. I almost stopped at two ruffles, but I am glad I didn't, because I love my frilly petticoat. I wish I could just wear it by itself.

Here was the inspiration

I started out with 55 yards of cut out ruffles, and ended up using 75 (two trips to the store) and a whole lot of thread!

My floor is getting eatin by ruffles!!

More later.

SPP Undergarments - Hoop Skirt

The next few posts will just be old entries from livejournal that I am bringing over to this blog

Hoop skirts, especially the "cage" crinolines are something I make on a regular basis, but I had never made an eliptical one. I didn't want to make one to different in size from the ones I already make, but I wanted to give the hoop that little kick in the back. Here are the results.

It has the bell shape that I love, but kicks the back out perfectly.

SPP Undergarments - Modesty slip

The next few posts will just be old entries from livejournal that I am bringing over to this blog

The modesty slip which is worn over the chemise, pantalets and corset to prevent any embarrassing situations should my hoop skirt fly up. :-)

I wanted to make this piece just for fun, I don't really need it since my chemise is so long, but I couldn't resist.
I wanted to make something inspired by this

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll129/cinderellascloset/10%20-%20VICTORIAN%20COSTUME/Real%20Gowns/Undergarments/xa3566p0.jpg

Here are the embroidered panels. I cut apart one of my trims to get just the sheer section and used it to connect the panels

And here is the finished product........

Yay, it turned out even prettier than I had imagined :-)

SPP Undergarments, Pantalets are Finished

The next few posts will just be old entries from livejournal that I am bringing over to this blog

I forgot to take pictures of the process of making them, but I love the way they turned out. It wasn't what I had originally planned, but I love them.