Garments in the pictures below are made from a combination of existing patterns and my own designs.  I will be happy to sew from patterns by other designers if you purchase and send the patterns with your order.  

Copyright is a sacred trust among designers, and patterns are inexpensive.

 

This is a variation on the Laughing Moon Silverado corset.  Happy 4th of July!

 

 

Laughing Moon Victorian corset and chemise (altered) and Truly Victorian ball gown skirt with side drape overskirt, no bustle.  I highly recommend any of the Truly Victorian patterns, they are beautiful and a joy to work with.  The hoop petticoat is one of my designs, this one is a 120" at the bottom, smooth on the hips then flairs out at the legs.  I used this style to create a smooth waist and hip area, and to reduce bulk for the overskirt.

 

Altered Laughing Moon chemise and corset.

My ruffled hoop skirt pattern.  This skirt has 5 gores and a dropped waist that flairs from the hips, 140" at the bottom.  There are 4 hoops.

 

 

A 19th century inspired bridal party.  Due to the alterations and re-combinations of garments, the outfits pictured here are not historically accurate, but everyone was very pleased with the final results.

All the ladies are wearing TV 240 ballgown skirts. 

From left to right:

Altered TV 460 curiass bodice to showcase the tattoos, no corset. 

Altered TV 422 dinner bodice and altered TV 363 summer overskirt. 

Silk, lace & flowered "Little Bo Peep Hat" of my own design, TV 440 pagoda bodice. 

TV 460 Curiass bodice, TV 303 side drape overskirt altered to fit over a hoop skirt instead of a bustle.

 

 

Embroidered petticoat, loosely based on a mid 18th century design. 

Wool floss on a linsey-woolsey fabric.

 

 

 

Matching pockets and stomacher.  Hand emboridered cotton-linen fabric in a tan/green color with cotton floss.  The fern motif is very traditional, the 'not perfectly symmetrical' design is a little more modern. 

Both were inspired by the ferns that grow along the creek bed of my parent's farm.  See my blog for more information on these garments.

 

 

 

1440's blue linen cotehardie.  This cotehardie is side-lacing and is sligltly above the floor in front, and floor-length in back.  It is trimmed with gold silk.  Sleeves are open to the elbow and button with a single self-fabric button. 

The shift is a mid 16th century (1550's) style and should not be worn with this gown; the artist I was posing for wanted more white. 

The spinning wheel is an 18th or 19th century design... spinners in the mid 1400's would have used a distaff or drop-spindle for most of their threads and yarns.  The spinning wheel did exist, just not in this form.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1790's Chemise Dress

This gown is made from a very lightweight cotton and the pattern came out of Cut of Women's Clothes.  I've altered it a little to fit my short self.  Rather than wear a corded petticoat I've pushed the bulk of the drawstring petticoat to the back of the gown, thereby making the back stand out just a bit more.

This is a simple, elegant pattern that has great potential for easy alterations.  One could add a ruffle at the neck, longer or shorter sleeves, a satin sash, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Toes the cat was in the bushes, he thought playing dress-up and taking pictures was great fun.  He also thought this gown complemented his fur perfectly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1720-60 French Working Class Outfit

(This could also be English)

A cap, red linen bedgown, apron and petticoat over a shift, stays and pockets.  The bedgown is a wrap jacket that is belted at the waist with the apron.  It falls perfectly over the stays, but doesn't look right without that all-important undergarment.  A fichu or tucker should be worn with ths, but it got quite hot and I gave up trying to wear one more thing in the 90 degree heat.

 

The cuffs should be gathered into 3 pleats to the elbow, but I just haven't gotten to that yet.  I will eventually remember to finish the sleeves and it will look perfect.

 

Pattern for the bedgown was taken from M. Gerasault's original engravings.  The inspiration for this outfit is from The Fisherman & his Wife.  To really get this look, I will have to add more volume to the bedgown and taper the apron.  The petticoat I usually wear with this is much shorter, but was very dirty from the last camp.  Ankle length petticoats are practical for working class women, as they stay up out of the mud and the hems last longer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1776 Colonial / American woman's outfit.

Short jacket with side gores and cut-away cuffs, bones in front to keep it straight.  It is a bit big on me.  Brown linen-cotton blend that is very durable and comfortable.

Cap, modesty cloth (fichu / tucker) apron and petticoat.  All cotton, though the cap and tucker should be linen.

 

At the time, linen was the least expensive fabric, as flax was grown, spun, woven and dyed at home.  Striped fabric was very popular with the working and lower classes, and petticoats often had the lower edge finished or replaced with a strip of contrasting fabric.