Patterns

Once I have decided on a gown, then there are a few considerations that are super important.  I can't fabricate a gown out of nowhere, I need a pattern.  Honestly, most of the time I augment the patterns so that they are only vaguely recognizable as the original, but I need a starting point none the less.  Finding a pattern for a Victorian gown is not as difficult as you would assume, but it is more difficult than driving down to JoAnn's, looking through their books, and walking away with a suitable pattern instantly.  I do a lot of online shopping, and here are my favorite sites:

1.  Truly Victorian (www.trulyvictorian.com)-  These patterns are EPIC.  They are hand drawn, and their sizing fits me very well.  Also, they come on nice paper, not the usual tissue stuff that rips the second you pin it.  They have multiple patterns per Victorian style, starting in the Romantic Era (1840s) straight through Edwardian (early 1900s).  AWESOME site.  Usually, if I can't find it here, I seriously consider how badly I want to make the gown.  Downside- not many men's patterns.

2.  Past Patterns (www.pastpatterns.com)- I haven't used these too much, but they are great for men's patterns.  

3.  Mantua Maker (http://www.mantua-maker.com/catalog.html)-  These guys do clothing for all eras, but I am not wild about their patterns.  The only thing they do REALLY well is corset patterns. 

4.  There are a bunch more sites but these are my go-tos for the most part.

To piece this project together, let's use my current gown idea as an example:

Once I find the gown, I try to piece it together as closely as possible.  For example, my current project has a few details that would have to be patterned.  The first detail- that lovely train is usually called a butterfly train.  The bow looks a bit like a butterfly's wings.  I know that T.V. has a pattern for that detail. Good.

I also know the gown is natural form, meaning the bodice will be cut differently because it doesn't have to accommodate a huge wire bustle underneath the back of it. T.V. has a pattern for an 1879 Curiass bodice.  This is smack in the middle of the natural form era, and so it is not designed to fit over a bustle.  Perfect!

Now we are getting a little deeper into the gown, and I have to start doing some research or making guesses.  From looking at a LOT of historical fashion, I can usually piece together what is going on underneath all of that fabric.  I know that Fantail Skirts were very popular during the natural form era- the hint of ruffling in the rear of the skirt harkens back to the early bustle era, but you can tell that there is no architecture supporting it.  Luckily, T.V. has an 1878 Fantail Skirt pattern that is perfect.

Lastly, if you look closely at the fashion plate, you see some horizontally ruffled fabric that appears to come around hips from the front and tuck under the butterfly train.  Again, from my research, I know that overskirts that were designed to look like panniers were popular during this time.  It must be my lucky day because T.V. also has a pattern for that!

So, once I have assembled my wish list for patterns, I go ahead and order them.  Yes, they are expensive but totally worth it.  I wouldn't be able to create such beautiful pieces without them!!!