Swiss waists are versatile little accessories from the mid-nineteenth century.
An 1860s Swiss Waist from My Personal Collection
Category: pattern
Hyde Hall Planning: 1830s Chemises
The chemise is the first thing you put on, so it's the first garment I'll be discussing. As in other eras, the chemise was used as an underlayer to soak up the wearer's oils and sweat and protect the rest of the clothing. Throughout history, they have tended to be pretty shapeless, but there are … Continue reading Hyde Hall Planning: 1830s Chemises
Transitional Stays Pattern
Hello, strangers! I'm back to post again about those underbust stays from the pre-Regency, in preparation for the Short Stays Sew-Along. I saw these, as the label suggests, at Historic Cherry Hill in Albany, NY. (I don't believe there was any definite provenance, but the house was owned by the Van Rensselaers and most if … Continue reading Transitional Stays Pattern
Mimic of Modes Historic Patterns
At last, Julie and I have basically wrapped up all of the rewards for that Kickstarter campaign we ran some time ago! But whatever the roadblocks, all of the sewn rewards have been distributed, all of the digital patterns have been sent out, and I have passed on all of the ones meant to be … Continue reading Mimic of Modes Historic Patterns
Fabulous Full-Slip (and the Haslam System)
When I posted about my half-slip, I linked to some information about the Haslam System of Dresscutting but didn't really get into it. Let me rectify that now! The Haslam System is a method of creating patterns for anyone, at any size within a particular range. Where a paper pattern comes at full size in … Continue reading Fabulous Full-Slip (and the Haslam System)
Mimic of Modes 