This week I have mostly been using Blue Thread...

Here is Angela's blue dress all finished! Doesn't she look a treat in it? Look out for her at events across the UK this summer, and don't forget to say hello!

Mucking about with that V&A frock.....

This week I have mostly been unpacking parcels....but am getting on with Angela's outfit for getting out and about. Here you can see it pinned and tacked on the dummy. It's becoming less and less like the original with every day that passes! The peplum that's been added is because Angela has an unusually long back measure, and I'd already cut the bodice, using that time honoured technique of 'reckoning you're about my size'. Naughty dressmaker. I really like it though, so it was a happy accident.

The cut of the bodice was transferred to a block of (sort-of) the right measurements, following the diagram in The Cut of Women's Clothes. It goes together pretty easily, and is comfortable to wear. The collar was made using our new machines, which have a scallop stitch and a feather stitch. Stitching it took a few minutes, cutting it out using tiny embroidery scissors took forever. It's really pretty though.
The skirt was cut using the 1909 petticoat pattern near the back of whichever one of the Francis Grimble books covers 1909 - I'm always getting The Edwardian Modiste and The Voice of Fashion muddled up. It's become a bit of a go-to pattern at the museum, and I've adapted it by putting a deep inverted box pleat at the back. It's a nice shape and doesn't take a lot of fabric - economy being forever our watchword! With nearly 200 people needing costume, it helps if we can stretch our resources.

Hopefully, sometime next week, I will be able to show you the finished outfit.

Today at the museum.

Day dress | Mascotte | V&A Search the Collections

Today at the museum - the day job - I began work on a new dress for our marketing officer, Angela. This dress in the collection at the V&A, (a much grander establishment than ours) caught my eye because we have yards and yards of striped cotton fabric on the shelves that I can use, and the cut of this dress can be found in The Cut of Women's Clothes by Norah Waugh.

I'm not sure I'll copy it slavishly.....a slightly wider skirt would be more practicable, and elbow length sleeves for hot days, but this lovely and simple dress is a great jumping off point for me! I've already altered the width of the front bodice pieces slightly, just to avoid a slightly awkward line on the bust. I'm also thinking of making it a two piece dress so I can supply a second bodice or blouse to match the skirt.....and instead of lavender, it'll be in navy blue - Angela's favorite colour!