Bustle gowns!

[madamekat]

Since we're on the subject of bustles, which I love to make and wear, I thought I'd post a link to my website where I have a page filled with images of extant and reproduction bustle gowns from early to late as well as a few understructures

Comments

[accursed_miss_m]

I love bustle-era clothes! My half-done outfit has a definite 1870s bustle in the works.

Have you got a copy of Frances Grimble's Fashions of the Gilded Age? There's an 1879 pannier bustle in there that I'm dying to do plus several overskirts but I haven't rustled up the fabric yet. I've been drafting out the patterns but all that drapery takes so much fabric for it to look right.

[madamekat]

I have about two dozen fashion plate books, but still haven't gotten that one yet. Have you tried Truly Victorian patterns? Love 'em. I don't know how to draft (and am probably too lazy!), so her patterns are great for me.

[accursed_miss_m]

Grimble's books are amazing! Even if I wasn't drawing the patterns out I'd still use them for fabrics and the pretty pretty pictures.

I haven't tried Truly Victorian yet. I've done Past Patterns and now I'm obsessed with Ageless Patterns--when I can afford them! I wind up being forced to draft patterns because I'm too effin' busty for regular sized patterns and wind up altering all my patterns or else they look frumpy.

Random fabric-y question: Where do you get your PVC yardage? I Googled it a couple years ago and got only ready-made PVC clothes or PVC pipes, neither of which were any use to me at the time. :D

[madamekat]

Joann fabrics always has pvc around halloween time, and have a good selection of colors, too. When you google, try also typing "fabric" next to "pvc".

Otherwise, try http://www.mjtrends.com/products.Black,PVC,Fabric

The only problems I have with PP and AP are that the instructions aren't as detailed as I need them to be. There are a few I'm dying to get, but I fear I'll get the pieces and have no idea how to make them look like the cover! I did get the 1887 Sling Sleeved Mantle and after manipulating it in various directions, finally figured sort of how it went. Here's how it turned out:
http://www.neverlight.com/~madame.s/C13%20photos/mantle%20pic.jpg (a little wrinkled from holding it most of the afternoon!

[accursed_miss_m]

I never thought to look for PVC on Joann's! I guess I was Googling during the wrong time of year... I haven't used MJ Trends before but it looks promising for quite a few things.

Ageless Patterns are a real challenge since they use the old instructions. I think people got their sewing instructions by osmosis back then because I've had the same sort of problem with old knitting stuff. "Make in the usual manner." Right. I haven't tried anything that has sleeves (yet!) but I like their corsets. A lot of head-scratching and cursing but they come out looking like corsets and fit me surprisingly well. I'm sure that won't be the case when I attempt to whip up a whole dress. :P