The original design, named the Turtleneck Dress, pattern #0916, contained the skirt and the blouse. I think it gave the impression to be too complicated to be sewn easily. The fact was that few people were interested in that pattern, although it offered a lot. For some years I was thinking of just dividing the pattern into skirt and top, but I wanted to add something extra and new, especially since the skirt seemed too simple and the back closure of the top was not suitable to be dressed alone. So time flies and at some point, the ideas come by themselves.
The new pattern #0916 now offers the skirt in two variations and the top, now numbered #1016 with an extra option for front closure.
First I´ll just start with the original bodice, closed at the back, the View A as shown in the title picture. I´m sorry to show fewer pictures of the sewing of that bodice as I made the dress back in 2015/16. Maybe I´ll do a remake of the back closing bodice soon, just running out of time as always…
Around 1901, fashions changed with the invention of the straight-front corset, thus a new silhouette developed. They pushed the body into a hollow back or S-bend accentuating the bust and hips. The illustrations of the artist Charles Dana Gibson immortalized the ideal look and can still be seen today.
The S-bend shape often was emphasized with wide belts. The belt pattern comes with the new pattern #0916 or can be downloaded here:
This is another illustrated instruction to supplement my sewing pattern. The belt pattern is available for free on my webshop: klick
(1) Take the belt pieces from the fashion fabric, interlining and lining (same fabric), and cut off the placket of ¾” (2cm) on the left back side only.
(2) Take the pieces for the interlining and mark the stitching line. Cut strips from fabric, twice as wide as the boning plus ¼” (5mm) ease for the bone casings. Turn in the edges the same way you´d prepare bias binding. Alternatively, use any narrow tape from your stock. Sew the casings to the right side of the interlining, where indicated on the pattern. The width of the casing should be as narrow that the boning can´t twist inside the tunnel. Insert the bones and close the casings carefully. Turn the seam allowances of the interlining towards the right side and press. Clip at the curves to lay flat. I decided to make the two belts, straight and the dip waist style.
(3) Line up the interlining with the belt pieces from the fashion fabric, wrong sides together, and baste in place. Sew the side seams, right sides together. Trim back, notch the seam allowances as shown, and press open.
(4) Turn in the seam allowances of the belt from the fashion fabric around the interlining and catch stitch to the latter.
(5) Take the lining, sew the side seams and trim back the seam allowances in the same way as you did with the belt, press open. Turn in a seam allowance of ¾” (2cm) all around and clip at the curves to lay flat. Line up the lining with the belt, wrong sides together, with the edge of the fashion fabric extending past the lining about 1/8” (2mm). Fell stitch the lining to the belt without any stitches showing on the right fabric side.
(6) Sew hooks to the right back edge and make thread bars along the left center back instead of metal eyes.
Unfortunately, at that time, the research center did not have any preserved original garments. Only the medical reports and illustrations commissioned by King Maximilian II in the 1850s were available.
The physikatsberichten and illustrations were created between 1852 and 1858 and vary greatly in their depictions. They do not take into account everyday clothing and the social status of the wearers. With this background, it is challenging to precisely determine the temporal and regional attribution of a specific form of traditional costume to a particular district.
Some of the depictions clearly show the fashionable influence of the Biedermeier period. The contemporary physikatsberichten mention multiple times that rural clothing is increasingly influenced by urban fashion trends.
However, based on the illustrations, we can draw some conclusions about the origin and development of the gentleman’s coat in rural Mittelfranken. In the stylistically simpler illustrations, the influence of the 18th century is evident, with the depicted coats resembling the Juste au Corps style of the 18th century.
The further development of the gentleman’s coat in the early 19th century is traceable through the shape of collars and sleeves. The influence of the Biedermeier period is clearly visible in some illustrations.
Therefore, we agreed to reconstruct a long, tightly-fitted coat based on Illustration No. 55 from the Landgericht Wassertrüdingen (district court Wassertrüdingen).
Quelle: Gillmeister-Geisenhof, Evelyn (1996): Kleidungsweise in Mittelfranken um 1850, 2. Auflage, Bad Wimsheim: Delp Verlag
(3) Vorbereiten der Vorderteile: Optional den Abnäher schließen und Richtung Rücken bügeln.Der Abnäher kann auch aufgeschnitten werden. Das Vorderteil entlang des Hals- und Armausschnitt, und der Schulter etwas mit Hilfe des Bügeleisens dehnen (dressieren), vor den weiteren Schritten auskühlen lassen.
(8) Die Seitennaht rechts auf rechts schließen, exakt von Punkt (3) bis Punkt (4) nähen, die Mehrweite am Rückteil zwischen den Markierungen einhalten, die Einlage des Rückens wird mitgefasst, nicht aber das Vorderteilfutter und – Einlage an der Schulter und der Seitennaht. Auch bei Punkt (3) keine Nahtzugaben mitfassen! Nur die Nahtzugabe des Rückteils schräg Richtung Punkt (4) einschneiden und die Nahtzugaben der Seitennaht auseinander bügeln, ev. locker mit einigen Stichen fixieren.
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