The sleeves are done and the bodice is coming along nicely. I guess it's about time I post some pictures : D. The only problem is that this fabric is so difficult to photograp. The green taffeta come out greyish on pics. And the blue shot green silk taffeta only looks really blue. I will try again this weekend.

And here it is:



Now I am considering to make a sash to go with it. Should I or should I not? And what colour would it be? I'm considering black, because I think I will wear my big black feathered hat with it. I'm also considering of making a new hat. I've already ordered the pattern from Nehelenia Patterns. But I don't know if I have the time and I'm also not sure what to make. Should I make it in the same fabric as the gown or the same fabric as the petticoat? I think the lighter fabric will not suit me as I have really light hair. And will it not be too boring if the hat is made in the same colours as the gown? Anyway here's a picture of the gown with some black netting wrapped around it to mimic a sash.



So, what do you think?

1. Black sash, yes or no?
2. Black hat, yes or no?
3. Burgundy hat, yes or no?

Although I've just completed a stash project and thus am allowed to start a new project, I have been working on another stash project. It's a zone-front anglaise for which I'm using the (orangy-browny) burgundy embroidered taffeta. First I was thinking of making a gold coloured petticoat to go with it. But that changed when, by coincidence, I held the dusty pink silk taffeta next to the embroidered taffeta. These fabrics looked so good together, I just had to use it for the petticoat. So I've used 2 stash fabrics for this project. YAY!

Here are the pictures of the fabrics. The first one is with flash and the second one without. The flash one makes the dusty pink look whiter, but the non-flash picture makes it look warmer than it is. So the real colour is somewhere in between.





The petticoat is already finished. Here it is:



The anglaise is also almost finished. I only took a pic when trying to decide how to make the cut-out.



This weekend I've sewn in the sleeves and made the sleeve trimmings. I've made the cut-out and sewn everything in place. I'm thinking of making a button closure on this anglaise. Usually I use hook and eye tape, but I want to do something different this time. Hopefully I can get this gown finished this week, because I really want to work on a new Tudor gown. But I also want to finish some 18th century gowns for our upcoming holiday to the Loire Valley in France. So the Tudor project will probably be on hold (again) untill we have returned.

I'm going to set myself a challenge to get rid of my stash. I need to make a stash project, before I'm allowed to start a new project (this is a project for which I have to buy new stuff). And after completing a new project, I have to start a stash project again. 
 
 
 

A few weeks ago I posted some fabric of my stash and I'm proud to say I've used one! Yeah, finally destashing :D. I've made a polonaise out of the black/white striped fabric. It's not completely trimmed yet, but I do not have enough in my stash and I'm not buying anything new at the moment. So it will have to do for now.

 

( Take a closer look )

My bodice is almost finished (just needs a little more tweeking), so this post is long overdue. And it isn't complete also, because I haven't taken any pictures of the (almost) finished bodice yet. Sorry about that :D. But at least I can show you my design and the beginning of the constructing.

I have been thinking long about what to do with the bodice. Since the fashionplate didn't show the back, I had no clues what it looked like. The first natural form bodice pattern I thought about is the TV422, but I didn't like the square back. After looking through lots of fashion plates I found my inspiration on Tirelli Costumi. I looked at the costumes of Age of Innocence and found my inspiration in this one.



( Back pleats construction )

There's really nothing excited to tell about the process :D, so here are the pics. First the fantail skirt in walking length with 4 rows of pleats (if I have enough lace, I will add another row):



( See the lace overskirts )