1915-1917 House Dress

I'm attempting a copy of this dress from "The Modern Priscilla" needlework magazine that was on the cover of February 1917. 

I'm pretty sure it's a house dress and I've found a couple of original patterns that look like they were elasticized at the waist? 

via CoPA

My main inspiration is this 1914 "Ladies house Dress with sleeve in wrist or elbow length" Syndicate Pattern #47978. Unfortunately it doesn't have the diagram of pattern pieces to go off of. But it has the elbow length sleeves and collar I want. 

via CoPA

There is also this 1916 Bungalow Apron (apron and house dresses seemed to have been similar? interchangeable?), which does show the pattern pieces and has that same type of waist, and the way the pattern pieces are, it must be elasticized. 

Here are two others that have the shorter sleeves and similar collars. They also have what looks to be a similar waistband. No pattern pieces but, some information about house dresses. Both pictures and info found at Witness 2 Fashion Blog

1908 Transitional Corset

I finally completed my first corset and it's nowhere near perfect, the inside is a little bit of a mess and I I don't really have any desire to make another one anytime soon but I think I remember saying that about the first pair of stays I made too! I have to say though... for me at least, 18th century stays are SO much easier than making a corset!

1908 Transitional Corset

 It's a single layer of white cotton fabric that has a design in it but you would have to be up close to see it. I bound it with blue for a pop of color.

Since I've never made a corset before I actually used the front closing from an old 1860 one of mine I don't use anymore.

I may have also used the back lacing part of that corset because I don't have an eyelet puncher (or whatever those things are called!) which doesn't help improve the looks of it... but.. I couldn't justify buying one because I just don't ever have the need to punch metal eyelets.

So overall... I'm not exactly pleased with this, I'm almost a little embarrassed by it but I keep reminding myself it was the first corset I've ever made so it's okay if its slightly wrinkly and a little wonky in places. It does look better on though, and I think if I can get around to making some sort of chemise or whatever would typically go under it, it will look even better! 

Pattern is from this website. It's the second to last pattern on the list.

1908 Corset Mockup

I decided to make something for the 2014 Foundations Revealed competition. 

I don't really have any ideas for the geometry theme but the 1908 Transitional Corset I thought would be a great thing to make. I've never actually made a corset, the closest was making my 18th century stays.  Early 1900's is also an era I haven't looked at before. 

I got the pattern and found a lot of helpful information from this article. I think you have to have a subscription to see it though. 

It did not have seam allowance and I decided not to add any because the measurements the original came out to be were a bit bigger than me and I'm not great with math so I figured I'd just go with this. 

As far as I can tell, I think the mock up size worked well and except for taking out one of the gusset pieces, it works. So next I'll cut out the actual fabric, when I decide on it!