My New Winter Project!

Yes, I know... I am crazy. Certifiably insane.  It's not like work, school, two rescue groups, band, the website business, and gaming doesn't keep me busy enough... but I have to have a project to obsess over. God forbid I have a free minute.

I am going to make a Civil-War era gown, complete with underpinnings.  The awesome news is that they make PATTERNS for this!! Can you believe it??? No more draping, making my own patterns, and doing it the hard way!

Before you can ask, no, I don't have a particular reason for making this. I just always thought they looked like fun to make and wear.  Although some of my friends have suggesting doing Civil War Reenactments. We'll see. I want to finish the dress before I get involved with another reenactment group.

I already have the pattern and the material to make the corset.  Unlike the 16th century corsets, which were designed to shape the woman's upper body into a conical shape, the mid-19th century corsets actually give the woman a waist, although they did not reach the exaggerated fainting-spell-inducing wonder of later in the century.

The gown I chose to make is a day gown, featuring the very fashionable jacket of the period, the zouave, which was based on the french military uniforms.  I will not be making the gown in white, however, nor will I be using the bizarre geometric trim they have pictured.

I also like this one:

But I can't get beyond the plaid fabric to take it seriously.  Maybe after the other gown.

Or maybe after a ball gown? How fun would that be??