The Black & White Petticoat

We all know that a wardrobe begins with a good foundation, which is why I chose to start this blog with the Waugh's corset girdle (soon to be completed and I'll post about that soon).   I recently obtained a period petticat, or underskirt to what was listed as an "Edwardian Ballgown".  I'm not too certain about the "ball gown" part of that statement.  The silk itself is pretty- a grey-ish with black stripes.  But the underside looks as if it was hand-overcast in a real hurry by someone learning the process.  Look:

Then again, it could just be me being hyper-critical as this light-weight silk couldn't have been easy to work on.  I've been dismantling the piece and turning it into flowers:

But I'm torn about leaving it just as it is, trimming off the rough edge, giving it a new waistband, and wearing it as-is.  There really isn't a pattern to speak of, it's just two rectangles gathered in a bunch and given a wide hem.  I'm also thinking of using it to make a skirt or for a pair of bloomers.  If I make it a skirt, it will need an under-lining of some sort.  Perhaps a cotton flannel.  What do you think?

New Year, New Goals

Apparently, I started this blog with every intent to complete the goals.  And then, I moved in the middle of it, uprooting my entire sewing room.  After that, I became so obsessed with The Sew Weekly, that I completely forgot that I had my own life before The Sew Weekly.  And that is where I have been.
I still obsess over clothing.  So, where were we?

Oh, yes.  Completing Edwardian underpinnings in order to build my own wardrobe.  Which brings me to the fantastic, black & grey striped ball gown petticoat.  More on that in a later post.

I've sewn a lot this year, and come to some conclusions about my weight.  Without going on and on about it, let's say the best thing that could happen to my sewing at this point isn't learning how to keep increasing my bust size by blowing huge holes thru my bodices, nor is it learning tailoring or how to hand-work a buttonhole.  It is absolutely about obtaining a better silhouette and a more satisfying completed garment by taking control of my eating and exercise habits.  So, there you go.

Sewing Goals for 2013:

1.) Complete Stratford Career Institute's Sewing & Dressmaking Course.  (I'm about half-way through)

2.) Complete every project in Stitch By Stitch by Deborah Moebes (I'm about 1/2 way through this too.  I've made the bag twice, and recommended to my boss that we order copies for the store.  Yay!)
                 
                                                                           

3.) Complete my first line of corsets.  Status: Designed, first fabric arrived today.  Well under way.

4.) To Not Forget that I have a life, aside from sewing.  And to not disappear from my own blog.

5.) Take control over my eating/exercise habits.  It's feeling very now or never.  I don't know why.

I spent the best part of today teaching a 7-year-old how to sew for the first time.  We made a pillowcase with stars and puppies on it.  She liked to go fast on the machine, and she was brutal with an iron.  The other good part of today was meeting a lady who had her version of Vogue 1136 published by Vogue Patterns Magazine.