1780's Style Garters

I've always wanted to make garters.  I never wanted to just use a piece of ribbon or string for fear of red welts and lack of circulation.  And elastic in the 1860's, though period, never had too much of an appeal to me.  Merji made a lovely pair of silk garters which I was looking at the other day, and when reading one of the comments (in Finnish....I couldn't understand it) there was a link, so I pasted it in my search bar and boom!  Hey, look what I found! Aren't they so pretty?

embroidered silk with silver thread and silk ribbons

1780's ladies garters

These garters combined the tie method with something pretty and a little less painful looking.  They are silk, with embroidery, silk ribbons, and pleated silk trim.  They were made in the 1780's, but I figure 10 years difference to 1770's won't be too bad, and neither would wearing them for regency.  Bascha and I both have the period correct knitted stockings that come way up your legs, and Bascha's stockings give her a headache by being rebellious and not staying there.  Mine are getting pretty annoying as well, I am going to make me some knitted ones here in a sec.  Caroline's are a mess, and she uses rubber bands (owwie) as garters.  But back to the point, we needed garters.

Bascha just turned 18 this month, and so I decided to make these for her birthday :).  Happy Birthday Bascha!!!

If you remember the silk trimmings on my Straw Bonnet, I had just enough left over from that project to make up a pair of garters. I don't know how these artifact garters were made.  But here is how I made mine.  And I tried to make them as similar as I could.

I wasn't sure about exact measurements, but I guessed that the decoration part probably went halfway around the leg...that part being the front.  So I held the paper around my leg, a little above my knee. Yup, that worked.

I was also guessing how wide the garter should be.  I went with around 1.5".  Using these measurements, I drew out a shape like the original pair onto a scrap of fabric.  I added seam allowances, and cut out 4 of these (two per garter).

my paper pattern/guide and the silk

I printed out the picture of the artifact garters and traced the design over onto a piece of paper. This was to get the hang of drawing it.

I drew over my pencil markings with sharpie so I could literally "trace" the design to my silk.  I wanted to be able to see it through the fabric.

Then I ever so carefully transferred this onto my silk.

I took the embroidery floss and separated it so I was only using two strands.  When I looked at the original embroidery it looked "thin".  So that's what I tried to do.

squeals!! look at all that embroidery! I just love how embroidery looks, but man I hate doing it :P (also, if you are wondering why it's on a plate, I love eating garters of dinner...(I couldn't get the focus/light right))

I tried to analyze how the garters were sewn together.  I couldn't really tell, but this was how I did it.  I put the fabric right sides together and stitched around the edge leaving a small gap on one end. Then I in-sided them out.  About the little hole on the end...it was where the ribbon ties were attaching anyway, so I just tucked the seam allowance in and sewed it down when attaching the ties.

For the ties-I did not have silk ribbon.  I wanted silk ribbon, but I was scared that if I ordered it it wouldn't come in the same color as my silk.  So I...used *whisper* polyester ribbons (which was also a lot easier), that matched.  I pinked the edges how they did though, and then sealed it off with clear nail polish.

I sewed them down to the garters, re-enforcing where they attached with lots of back stitches.  I did gather them slightly before attaching.

Tie attachment

Moving on to the trim.  I cut out several little strips of silk on the bias so they wouldn't fray.  Then I box pleated them to make the trim like pictured in the original.  But-I just really didn't like the way it looked on the garters.  It seemed to take away from the embroidery, add bulk, and just not flow prettily.  So I opted out on that step :(.  I guess now I can't really say I replicated the original garters can I? But at least I tried.

I'm done!

mama modeling for me :D Bascha's legs aren't available at the moment :P

the ribbons are very long right now, I wasn't sure how long to make them

I had meant to use navy instead of that vibrant blue for the ribbon embroidery...but it didn't work out.  I can't remember why though

One of them says "UNIS A JAMAIS" which is supposed to mean "United forever" The other one says "JE MEURS OU JE M'ATTACHE" which the site says means "I die where I cling" or "I must love or I die".  If I had thought about it, I would have put something lovely and poetic, about love and friendship....but I didn't think about it until it was too late.  Sorry Bascha!!!!

 Wee!  Aren't they so cute?  What do you think of these?  Do you wear garters?  Have you ever made some?

~Theresa

The Blog Petticoat

The blog petticoat is finished!! :)  I've called it the blog petticoat because the fabric it's made of is the same as our blog background. :)  First off is a little scoop on the petti, and then some pictures from a quick photoshoot :). (And just so you don't get confused, this is the petticoat and stomacher I made for Caroline to wear with her RevWar gown.)

I sewed the petticoat using a mixture of machine and hand-sewing.  My original plan was to hand sew the entire thing, but I've run out of time.  The back is pieced linen, and the front is the patterned fabric.  It is pleated and then sewed to a piece of cotton twill tape which  makes the waistband/ties.  

The stomacher is pink linen, re-purposed from a large shirt.  I did two layers of the pink linen, and then one layer of tan linen since the pink was so lightweight. It's hand-sewn.

the back of the stomacher

I tried a poof hair-do today...and I think it turned out pretty nice! 

Hand-sewn neckerchief with white embroidery (I didn't do the embroidery) 

close up of the stomacher

~Theresa

Thrift Store Finds!!

Today was 1/2 off day at Value Village (the last Wednesday of every month) and we usually hit other thrift stores while we are out and about. Theresa told me about Value Village (VV) 1/2 off day and I do not believe we have missed the day since she told us.  We usually meet up there and shop together, searching for PC shoes, dresses, skirts, and sheets for material. Fun times!  I had to get photos of the things I bought at the different thrift stores and show the whole world!! :D

So first of all I found this crotchet reticule at the Salvation Army, cost $1.  I'm thinking Regency or Civil War? :D  There are such tiny stitches. ;P

Close ups of the crotchet flower in the middle and the trim.

At the checkout line in Value Village I found these two pearl necklaces, cost $0.40 each!  Rev War and Regency.  They are almost the same, except for the middle jewel and pearl. :P

Necklace #1

Necklace #2

Now this necklace I found at Value Village the last time I was there, cost $1.  Regency and Rev War for formal wear.

A wooden bowl to use while cooking at Latta, cost $1.75.  It is a little ruff on the inside, I am going to ask Abe if he will sand it down a bit for me. :P 

 

And last but not least I found this hat at Goodwill, cost c. $1.00. I love it!!!! :D  Look familiar Theresa? 

There is just a little tear in the top right though, I'm just going to sew it together and I think it will be just fine.. (crossed fingers) :P  I have so many ideas flying in my head for it I just don't know what I am going to do! :D

 It is 100% straw, so I can reshape it if I need to.

I am so excited with all my finds!! 

I had better get going LOTS of sewing and things to be done! ;)  I'll keep you posted!

~Bascha