Redoing Some of My Civil War Things HSM #1 Mend, Reshape, Refashion

New books that I am really excitd to memorize where everthing is :) :) :)

Back ont he 11th I got my new books, Cosume in Detail and the American Duchess Guide.

In my previous post I said I needed to redo/fix several things several things. most of this is my civil war items. There are some things that I wll not be fixing like my crinoline for this project. I do want to redo it. I just want to do a lower class impression.

1. Hairnet- I think I need to redo it completley, as I have a huge hole in the net.
2. Petticoat- When I originally created the garment I made the opening so you can get the skirt on to big. So all I need to do is make the gap about 4-6 inches
3. Early 1860s wash Dress- There is to much room in the back of the bodice. I need to make the top 4 inches smaller and the bottom 1/2 inch smaller. Also it might look better it the bodice was at least 1/2 inch shorter.
4. Sunbonnet- add a few tapes inside to gather the back part.
5. I would like a new corset but for now my old one is fine, as long as I close all the boning channel gaps.

I was able to get a majority of the stuff done in about 2 hours, deconstructing the hairnet, emboidering the petticoat, closing the gap in the 2 skirts, and fixing the pockets each took about 10-30 minutes. I did the majority of this on a Saturday. Then Saturday evening I ripped out seams for 3 1/2 hours.I never want to rip out hundreds of tiny stiches in an easy fraying and low thread count fabric ever again. 

Hairnet

Hairnet Parts

I first took out the piece of metal out and took out all the stitches that held the ribbon to the twill tape. I then cut of the net to pretty colse to the twill tape as I wont be able to use it. I then took all of the rest of the stiches out of twill tape and the hairnet. Leaving me with just the ribbon, twill tape and metal piece.

Petticoat

Hard to see but my initails are there

Little whipstichs to make the gap smaller

Very simple I took the gap in so now it is about 6 inches instead of 15 inches. I also, emboidered my intials on the hem at the back.

Dress

Old Fit
See how the bodice looks very saggy and large?
It is also a bit long

I removed all of the hooks and eyes. I made the skirtgap to be 5 inches long. I then removed pockets and handsewn them back in.

Then I removed the dress (skirt & bodice) from the waistband (which took me about 2 1/2 hours to do) and removed the neckband from the bodice (took me about 1 hour). I am never going to usee such tiny stitches again on sewing manchine. I then made darts in the back on both sides and sewed them in place.

Inside at the neckband

I went through my scrap fabric stash looking for a strip of extra white fabric from my bodice lining. I found a piece a little short, but wide enough for me to cut down to 2" wide strip. There was no extra fabric to cut bias binding, but there was a piece long enough to use as a binding for the neck band. I cut the binding strip down to a 1 1/2" wide strip.

Outside at neckband

I set the edge of the strip, right side against the lining and sewed a long the top, I then fliped binding over the top and tucked the raw edges down and sewed.

I only need to sew both waist bands on and the hook and eyes and that should be up soon.

Sunbonnet

Casing that I completley handsewn on :)

Ribbon ties on the back

I finshed sewing the tape in to hid some of the "guts". I also put on some ribbon ties on the back to draw the top portion in. This is going to be a fancy sunbonnet to go with my nicer dresses. That I have planned.

Corset

I simply just handsewed all my gaps closed.

Love,

Paige