Andrea Schewe Design
  • Home
  • Costumes
    • Reader's Gallery
    • Fantasy Costumes
    • Theatrical
    • Historic >
      • Easier to make
    • International
    • Costumes for Kid's and Babies
  • Crafts
    • Home Decor >
      • Pillows
    • Fashion Accessories
    • Doll Clothes
    • For Kids and Babies
  • Blog
    • Past Blogs by subject >
      • My patterns by number
      • Sewing basics
      • Personal sewing Projects
      • Fashion History
      • Fun and funny stuff
      • Guest Bloggers
      • Crafts and Home Dec
  • Links
  • Contact

New pattern #1517 - Edwardian dinner dresses -  Research

10/2/2013

10 Comments

 
Just found out this pattern won't be in the store for about a week!!

I miss understood the shipping date ... oops!  Hope I don't get into trouble, but it's not bad having a sneak peak ... right?
Picture
I'm always a happy designer when Simplicity asks me to make a pattern for a period dress.  I've done this period before, but the last time I used modern patterning and sewing techniques.  This time I wanted to make it as correct as possible within the Simplicity format.
Picture
This previous pattern from the basically the same period, had no boned under bodice and closed with a ZIPPER!!! in the back.  But, you know ... it sold well.  

It's always hard to know what the Simplicity customer wants ... authenticity or easy construction.

The silhouette for this period is high waisted, but that doesn't mean the dresses were unboned and ladies were going without corsets.  These drapey dresses were mounted on inner bodices that had boning that extended a couple inches below the natural waist, which allowed the back of the waistline to be set higher than the front. 
Picture
I've always thought that was a very pretty silhouette AND I always wondered how it was done!
When I finally figured out these dresses had the boned under bodices, it made sense.  The construction is very similar to the draped bodices from the decade before this. I have become familiar with the dresses from the first decade of the 20th century because I was asked to make a muslin sample of a dress that will soon be on display at the Smithsonian American History Museum.  The dress in question is so fragile they wanted a muslin copy as a stand in, so they wouldn't have to handle the real dress while the display manikin was being constructed.

Evening dresses from this period frequently had outer bodices that were artfully draped over a tight form fitting boned foundation bodice.
Picture
This is the dress I got to spend a day with, examine and take copious measurement of.
Picture
Here is the inside of the bodice.
Picture
And, here is the back, with a very cleaver flap that covers the hook and eye closure.
But, I digress! ... 
Back to 1913 ... It was so hard to find out how these dresses were constructed. Janet Arnold has a pattern from the period and I am always grateful to the illustrations in "Costume in Detail" by Nancy Bradfield. But, for sewing, I looked in magazines, pattern catalogs and even sewing books from the period and nothing was said about the boned inner bodice I knew should be there until I found a scanned ebook at the Google Books site.  "The American System of Dressmaking" by Miss Pearl Merwin, published by The American College of Dressmaking in 1909 and copyright in 1912, 
finally had some information about this.  They have a small paragraph saying to mount the dress onto the foundation bodice.  I think at that time, this was the standard way to construct a formal gown.  OF COURSE ... everyone knew that!

Below I will show you some of the images I used for my 3 dress designs.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Next time I will show you some photos of my draping and muslins for these dresses. And in future blogs I have photos I took while sewing these dresses and  I will have suggestions for variations.

There is a very nice blog post about fashions from this period at the "Making Changes in Life, Health, Crafting and Sewing" blog (long name!).  I recommend it.
10 Comments
Ashley Smith
10/6/2013 05:48:58 pm

Hi Andrea, I was wondering if you were going to come out with an Edwardian corset pattern and undergarments to go underneath the Edwardian dresses, or maybe perhaps an Edwardian walking dress pattern? I was also wondering if you planned on coming out with or designing anymore Regency patterns? I would love to see you come out with a pattern for a Regency Spencer Jacket or long coat. Your patterns are always great and I always have a fun time putting them together. Thank you, Ashley S.

Reply
Andrea
2/23/2014 01:11:53 am

Well, I am behind things! Just saw this message. Oh boy, wouldn't that be fun to do Edwardian undies. I don't see that happening, but Regency is a possibility. I would really love to do a pretty Spencer with the cool armhole that cuts way into the back.
Thanks for the comments and I will talk to the powers that be.
Andrea

Reply
Karen Hunter
2/22/2014 12:47:34 am

I am in need of dresses for a mature lady (50s) from the 1920s. I can't find even pictures of what the ladies wore then. Thought I would put a request in!

Reply
Andrea
2/23/2014 01:17:44 am

I am a mature lady, so appreciate this question. Do you watch Downton Abbie on PBS? The new series, which is airing right now is set in the 20s and there are many older women characters. So that is a good place to start. And the website "Fashion Era" is a great place to start researching almost any period.
http://www.fashion-era.com/Weddings/1920_old_wedding_photos.htm You might have to cut and past this web address. This link will take you to their page on the 20s. Read that and I think their are links to other useful pages.
Let me know how you make out!
Andrea

Reply
Shannon link
2/23/2014 01:12:45 pm

I made 8399 back in 2000 for my (now) husband's prom. I altered the skirt to a more narrow waist, hand beaded the bodice and added boning to the underlining, and used hook-and-eye tape in place of the zipper. It worked out beautifully and was a great pattern to use, but I'm excited to see the new one - I'll have to add it to my stash!

Reply
Andrea
2/23/2014 11:29:05 pm

I love it when people "improve" my patterns. I kept that pattern with fairly simple construction, so I'm glad you boned it and replaced the zipper.
This new pattern was put on models that are a little too thin. It should fit tighter, so keep that in mind if you make it.
Thanks for the comments

Reply
Elizabeth link
10/21/2014 01:21:28 am

I'm pulling together some reference pictures before I go fabric shopping for my project, and I cannot tell you how excited I am to see that the exact dress that I am trying to make for one of my cosplays was used as reference for the pattern I will be using! Lady Mary's red dress as shown in the 5th inspiration picture!

Reply
Susan
9/28/2015 01:05:57 pm

I've just ordered this pattern for a Downton Abbey party I am going to in mid-November. But I'm going to be out of the country from Oct 1-19. I am planning to make the one in rose color. Can you tell me about which types of material and how much of each i'll need to order to make a size 16? I'd love to go ahead and get the fabric as soon as possible. Thanks for your help!

Reply
Andrea
9/29/2015 10:54:04 am

Susan, You can read the back of the envelope on line at the Simplicity website. Look for a tab just above the photo of the models. Click on it. It also can be enlarged to read the small print.
Use this link http://www.simplicity.com/p-11267-misses-edwardian-style-dresses.aspx
But I can tell you the 16 need 2 1/2 Yd. for the main fabric 60" wide, 2 1/4 of the lacey stuff 58" wide and 2 1/4 for the in-between skirt with the train. This dress works best with soft fabrics. The solid pink I used is really too stiff. But, I recommend looking at the back of the envelope on the website. good luck.

Reply
Andrea
9/29/2015 10:57:24 am

WAIT! after I wrote that last response I noticed you can down load a PDF of the envelope back and it is much easier to read. I got the numbers wrong. It's 2 1/2 pink, 2 1/8 lace, 2 3/4 skirt with train.
Here is the link to the easy to read PDF
http://www.simplicity.com/images/product/PDF/1517_envelope.pdf

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    From Andrea 

    I am a commercial pattern maker who is now "sewing over 50"!
    I love to sew and hope to encourage others to come back to sewing.
    The water is fine!!

    Archives

    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013

    Archives by Subject

    To search for blog posts in specific categories, use the drop down menu above by hovering over the word "Blog"

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    RSS Feed

    Andrea Schewe participates in Amazon's associates program.