I posted that I need help with a bustle on the advice forum and that still stands but I thought I may show my pattern so far for my dress and the progress I make when Im on with something... If thats okay with the mod's on here...? If so then It would be fabulous if some of you guys could give me some pointers, ideas (to incorperate in these designs), constructive critisism, help and/or some kind of motivation (as I often get pissed after a while and give up but I really don't want to on this because I have my heart set on it.)

Theres no forum for this is there? This type of stuff doesn't seem to fit in anywhere but if it does then erm... Move it... Heh. I do think that dress making is an art, especially periodical dress making because they take alot of work and time.

So here goes....

Okay. So far I have been working on patterns for a 6 piece bustle dress (3 part bustle dress, the other 3 parts are for the underclothes.) and a Brenton jacket

This is all periodical victorian by the way. (Between 1870 and 1877)

The underclothes are a little easier to make as they consist of a chemise, bloomers and a corset.

The actual dress is made up of 3 pieces. I dunno why its called a dress because it consists of 3 seperate items of clothing. The bodice, the Bustle underskirt and the tunic overskirt. (I was not going to bother having a bustle underskirt and just ribbon up the back to ruffle as a lawn bustle dress but its more difficult than you think and that style dates back further than the period I want to go.)

So far I have the corset pattern and the bodice pattern but they're basic patterns, I will be adding on once I get the correct material. (It was all stripes in the 1800's so I'm looking for some nice striped material.)

Below you will see both basic patterns. The corset has 'below the waist' flaps for a better fit but you can't see that yet. You may get the jist of it if I just point out how the bottom of the corset flairs out a little. I will be putting some metal boning into the flaps so emphisize the waist. (The corset is the one with no straps and is just one piece of paper.) I am (once I get the material) going to line the back with a strong linin so it is more of a snug fit rather than feeling the metal boning lined on the inside. With both the corset and the bodice, I will be hand sewing the eyelet holes instead of using a nasty eyelet machine as in the 1800's they didn't have the metal eyelet thingies and also for my own benifit as the metal eyelets punch holes through the material and if I make a mistake then theres no going back from that. (I hate eyelet machines with a passion, I can't work them anyway.) Sewing eyelet holes by hand is time consuming but I would rather do it that way than with a machine.

The bodice Is just basic at the moment too but I have made a softer front curve at the bottom and mesured the arm holes just right.... (At least I think I have anyway.) I will be adding sleaves soon but I seem to be having problems chosing the way I would like to do it. I am stuck between large ruffles and small ruffles.

Anyway, I will seriously consider any input at all from you guys as long as its not all 'Put the gawthic sleaves in there! Make it gawth!' Mainly because I am attempting to make it as accurate to the 1800's as I possibly can.

Here are some pictures so you all can get an idea of what Im trying to do. The coloured one is 1875 and the black and white one is from 1877.





Well thats me done for now... Check out my patterns so far....