Category Sewing

Documenting my attempts at sewing my own wardrobe

Victorian Dress Update

Octojelly Crochet Studio Leave a comment

So back in April 2020, I announced that I would be making a Victorian Era day dress circa 1880s.

I’ve finally begun to make some decisions with this project.

I have 10 yards of a burgundy pongee (yes this is a historically accurate fabric choice) currently on order. I’ll still need to get an accent fabric for the overskirt and to use with the bodice. I also still need to get trimmings and other odds and ends.

I also picked up 8 yards of a grey plaid fabric. I plan on making an 1886 walking skirt with it as practice before I start the actual dress. I have a bustle pad already from a dress I mad some years ago, but I do have a new one on order.

Given that my 1971 Industrial Janome is in desperate need of repair, and I have yet to find a dealer locally who can repair it, I will most likely be doing the bulk of the sewing by hand. I will be starting the skirt next week. I’ll be post updates here and on my Instagram (octojellycrochet) for those who would like to follow along.

Sewing Project : Victorian Dress

Octojelly Crochet Studio Leave a comment

So, over the weekend I went and ordered some patterns. I still need to get 2 more, but I have the 4 main ones that I will need.

I ordered them from TruelyVictorian.info. (I am in no way reimbursed for this plug)

I will, probably for the next few years, be attempting to make a Victorian Day Dress circa 1880s. The tail bodice is circa 1883, the overskirt is circa 1886, the underskirt is circa 1885, and I’ll be using a corset pattern from 1880.

I still need to get a chemise pattern and a bustle pattern. I just need to do some more research on the types of bustles and chemises from that era to decide which route I want to go.

I have no idea what colors will be in this dress, nor what types of accents I’ll be using.

I’m waiting on the patterns to get here so I can see what materials are recommended. After that, once I decide materials, I’ll decide on colors.

As previously mentioned, this is a multi year project, and that’s for a number of reasons. The first being that I do not currently own a dress form. The second being space. I don’t have space for a sewing machine, which is fine, because if I stay period true to this dress, I’ll be doing a lot of hand sewing.

I’ll post more on this project at a later date.

Back to the crochet work for the time being.