2024 Projects in Review

2024 ended up being a pretty quiet year for new historical sewing projects. Instead, it was the year of mending (historic and modern garments), writing historical clothing programs for the museum, starting too many knitting projects, and of sewing projects that didn't quite fit the theme of this blog.

I did mostly end up sticking with the resolution to complete projects early: only one event this year saw me sewing late into the night before. My draft folder is, shamefully, back up to 114entries (including all the book reviews I put off from 2023). As for the Works-In-Progress basket:

• Summer-weight 1850s dress (green plaid). I did complete this dress and wear it to an event. And, after a great deal of difficulty in pinning it neatly closed, discovered I somehow made half of the bodice 1/2" longer than the other half. Currently back in the basket, partially dissembled.
  
• Two 1850s chemises. I completed one and found all the pieces for several others.
  
• Another pair of 1850s drawers Done!.
  
• Dotted Swiss undersleeves. I found and ironed all the pieces, and worked a couple seams, but didn't complete the project.
  
• 1912 wrap cape. No progress. I did, however, put the lining and fasteners onto the 18th century cloak I'd started in 2023.
  
• Wool and linen skirts/dresses for modern wear. I do need to replace my linen split skirt, but mostly focused on repairing it this summer rather than making a new one.
  
• Tudor wool gown. No progress.
  

Other projects this year: I finally made the guimpe for my 1909 travelling suit; also an early 19th century separate pocket (to go along with a program for work); knit some tudor garters; and finally re-made my favorite rolled sewing kit.

Guimpe, 1909

One project which did get finished this year was the proper guimpe or blouse for my suffrage train traveling suit.

I ended up using this diagram for a "tailor-made blouse" from The Elements of Dress Pattern-Making (1913) for the basic shape, including the open sides, three-piece construction, straight band collar, and use a waist-tie (fixed at center back) to hold the garment in place. The style inspiration was this illustration from the September 1908 issue of Good Housekeeping:  

 

I switched the sample pattern to a back-closure, giving a solid front for the vertical tucks. Estimating from the portions, I took the illustration tucks for ~1/4"-1/2", with one tuck width between each. Unfortunately, in the execution, I discovered that 1/2" tucks did not given the same fine effect, and I would have done better to use 1/4" tucks. The collar has three 3/8" tucks, backed with a flat piece of the same fabric.

Finished and newly-ironed guimpe.

My only other regret was not photographing the completed blouse before wearing it. Except for the twill tape tie, the blouse is fully made of a semi-sheer cotton batiste. It's lovely and light, and wears nicely, but it requires extensive ironing, and (even immediately after ironing it) photographs with all sorts of tiny wrinkles not evident to the unaided eye.

Merry Christmas

From Christmas with the Poets (1851)

 

Original: Black Crepe Bonnet, c.1880s

Bonnet, 1880s, from LACMA.

 

I selected this bonnet because I like how the crepe photographed, with its diagonal stripes coming through clearly. The bonnet's plain aesthetic is suited to the purported use as a mourning garment, which is further supported by the extensive (exclusive) use of black crepe as a material.

November Mending

 No new historic projects finished this month: there are a few in progress that I hope to complete in December, but otherwise most of my sewing time went into repairing modern clothing. Most recently, this involved patching my winter woolen tights, though I did get another round of mending my 16th century linen hose before putting them away for the season.

Less daunting than I feared to patch these tights, and they're wearing just fine.

Sewing Kit Refresh

Backdating this one, as it was actually finished in early October. My rolled sewing kit got hit by a bad rainstorm back in '18 or thereabouts which deformed the cardboard components. It still functioned just fine, however, until this year when the fabric over most of the hard edges finally broke down.

Exhibit A: The sewing roll, a bit worse for wear.

Be that as it may, I really like this sewing kit, and wanted to change it as little as possible. I started by removing the box and lid, from which I separated the pin-cushion. I took the opportunity to repair a small worn spot along the edge of the main piece where the box joins it, and ironed the whole piece while it was flat. I then cut and covered a new box and lid. I re-used the blue and red coral print for the pin cushion, but added more wool roving to the cushion itself. Then it was time to join the box back onto the body. I'd forgotten just how much I dislike sewing hard-sided 3D objects together...

Kit with new box.

I'm happy with the new box, though I miss the old fabric a bit still. I just didn't have any of the purple feather for the new lid, nor the foulard for covering the box (though I liked how it looked with the diamonds when closed). I did manage to get the old foulard into the lid, piecing it twice to make it fit. I also realized upon finishing that the original ties are badly fading and starting to fray along the folds, so I may need to replace them in the near future as well.

And closed. The green print looks better with the interior, in my opinon.

Original: Print Dress, c.1825

I like the stripes on this one: the contrast between the vertical stripes on the bodice and skirt, the horizontal stripe on the skirt, and diagonal of the bias-cut sleeves. The maker even made the effort to align the stripes on the cape and bodice at the center front.

Dress, cotton, c.1825. From LACMA.