Late 1910s Pattern Drafting

I am following a book published in 1917, Clothing For Women: Selection, Design, Construction, by Laura I. Baldt, which is available online for free. I took a course many years ago in pattern drafting and tailoring, but as historical sewers know, methods change and so do the basic structures of tailoring. The silhouette of the late 1910s is different from that of other periods. Gone is the S-bend, but the slim, boyish figure of the 1920s is not yet in vogue. If I want to get the correct look, I have to cut to the figure of the times.

Here is the measuring guide for this book, which I've made into a page where I can record measurements, and then follow the book's directions for making up a basic pattern or sloper.

Notice the droop of the bustline and the corresponding narrowness at the back. A lot of this is created by the underwear, which is so important to wear when measuring and fitting. Women wore a camisole or camisette (one-piece camisole and drawers) with a corset on top which reached from the thigh to just under the bust. Essentially, the bust was not supported or pulled up as much as we are used to today. If you are really gung-ho about this, there is an excellent free pattern and tutorial from Festive Attyre for a c. 1916 corset. Jen's pattern and directions are clear and as easy as you'll get when making up such a complicated garment.

I'm an older (choke, clear throat) woman, and a good corset would be necessary for me to get this shape. I'm going to work on that for the Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge on Shape and Support, although I need it now! When I was a child in the 60s, I spent a couple of weeks every summer, staying with my grandmother. A few times, I caught a glimpse of her strapping on her girdle, as she called it. I have researched shapes of corsets, and I swear, that woman still wore the late teens model. She wasn't a heavy person, but I suppose once you are used to wearing a thing like that, you feel all out there without it. There's Grandma - 1917. She'd have been 24 years old when she bought that corset. And it must have cost a pretty penny.

HSFC #2: Innovation -- A Ladies' Motoring Coat

When it comes to fashion periods, I really gravitate toward c. 1915-1924. Post-Edwardian/Titanic era and very much pre-Flapper. I like the shorter hemline, wider skirts, pretty blouses, off-the-waist waistlines, and the layers of collars and everything. Mainly, it's something I'd actually wear in real life. Patterns became simpler and less tailored, so sewing is simpler. 

When it comes to choosing an innovation that affected fashion during this time, we have a long list to choose from. New inventions, new fabrics, new media -- how do I choose? I finally settled on the automobile as the innovation, and decided to make a motoring coat or automobile duster. In the early 1900s, owning an automobile was a huge mark of status. Unfortunately for drivers and passengers, autos were open, roofless, windowless vehicles, so a drive could leave one pretty grimy from flying dust. To protect their clothes, they would wear a long, loose coat appropriately called a "duster". Eyes were protected with goggles, and a good snug hat covered the head. Women tied down their hats with veils that could be pulled over the face. Just arriving in a motoring coat told everyone "I own a car!!!" Of course, as the years rolled on and Henry Ford produced a car almost everyone could afford, motoring coats lost their glamour. But not their usefulness. Even with enclosed cars, a good duster came in handy for keeping the clothes tidy.

I'm going with a combination of these styles:

Linen motoring coat, c.1910-15.

I want a straight single-breasted style with a loose fit, with a contrast color on the collar and cuffs.

Linen motoring coat by Worth, pre-1910

I like this higher collar, but the loose fit of the one above. I've thought about making the back with a pleat at the top and made in two separate panels connected with a line of buttons. Lots of buttons! I have a good supply of abalone buttons that would be just right.
















Now take note that dusters are usually dust-colored. I am strictly limited to the fabric I have on hand, being pretty well broke when it comes to stuff besides food and gas for my car (yes, folks, I own an automobile!). I have a great stockpile of fabric from years of stashing, and several good-sized pieces of linen. Linen's the fabric for a duster, but I need a lot of it for a long-sleeved, ankle-length garment. Therefore, my duster is going to be black. I know -- every speck of dust from here to Timbuktu will show up on my black duster. But it will be cool, perhaps even steampunk (Challenge #20 - Alternate Universe).  I just googled steampunk long coat and whuddayaknow?! - they're all black!

Challenge #1: Make Do and Mend - Old-Fashioned Nightgown

Before...

Such a simple project, but it's taken me a long time. The hand-sewing is slow with my finger problem (lack of finger) but I'm happy with the embroidery. The flannel-lined yoke is a nice, cozy touch, good for those cold winter nights. I've had this hanging in the dining room and my 90-year-old dad, with whom I live, calls it my Mother Hubbard. For those who don't know, that's the old-time name for a loose long gown of nightgown construction, worn as a nightgown or by pregnant women in the past. I tell him it's a fancy nightie for a farm lady, a garment that would make the old farmer think, "Hubba, hubba! The wife's wearing the embroidered nightgown tonight!". With the cap, it'll be a hot time on the old farm tonight!

I read long ago that the traditional Hawaiian muu-muu gown is based on the nightgowns the early missionary women wore. Before that, Hawaiian women wore much less, and since they were large Polynesian people, the nightgown pattern was just the thing to cover up a sizeable woman.

Bird's Eye embroidery

Flannel hand-stitched into yoke

Completed yoke

The Challenge: Nightgown and Nightcap for late 19th c. woman

I took a ready-made nightgown of traditional design and fabric and altered it to be more typical of the period. I lined the yoke with unbleached cotton flannel and hand-stitched it to cover all seams in the yoke.  I embroidered in matching thread along the outer edge of the front yoke. 

I made a nightcap in similar fabric with a front trim of ruffled eyelet.

Fabric: Unbleached muslin.

Pattern: Nightgown bought ready-made from Vermont Country Store, a business that specializes in old-time products. Embroidery pattern from Peterson's Magazine, 1859.

Nightcap: Pattern from Peterson's Magazine, 1859. Made of unbleached cotton muslin  fabric. Machine and hand-sewn.

Year: 1860s - 20th century

Notions: four buttons, beige embroidery thread, cotton eyelet ruffled lace, beige sewing thread.

How historically accurate is it? The nightgown design and fabric are typical of a working class/farm woman's wardrobe. The new buttons are accurate in appearance. The hand embroidery is authentic.

The machine overcast stitching on the seams is not accurate.

Hours to complete: 5 hours, mainly because of hand-sewing.

First worn: By me? It no longer fits, so it goes in the costume trunk.

Total cost: $2 for nightgown at thrift store (new return item from VCS), $.45 for embroidery thread, all other items on hand.  Total: $2.24.

Mrs Hurst Dancing!

My Christmas present to myself was a copy of this wonderful book, Mrs Hurst Dancing, a collection of 70 absolutely charming watercolor sketches painted by Diana Sperling between 1812 and 1823. The book has been out of print for some years and I was able to get a very good hardbound copy for very little.

What marvelous pictures! I don't think there is any better collection of Regency daily life than this. Diana was from a well-to-do family, but they certainly didn't pamper themselves. Most of the scenes are of exuberant outdoor adventures involving stubborn donkeys, ankle-deep mud, wayward chickens, and sister Isabella falling off something.

I've spent a bit of time browsing for background information, and found an interesting book excerpt on the career of architect Benjamin Latrobe, who designed the U.S. Capitol building. An American, he was trained in England, and his first independent commission was for Hammerwood Park, Grinstead, Sussex, for Diana Sperling's father John. What an interesting connection! In this ebook, the transaction is described by Rudolph Ackermann.   A totally cool bit of info: the property was owned by Led Zeppelin during the 1970s, but sadly, it was rarely used and left to deteriorate until a recent fortuitous restoration.

Here's my book, with some of my Ackermann ladies celebrating! Why not check out another of my blogs, Ephemeral Adventures, where I record the lives of Dolly and Minerva within the confines of Ackermann's Respository.