Corsets & How to Wear Them: Advice from 1897 Cats Costumery 2024-10-22 | Corsets & How to Wear Them: Advice from 1897
Sewing an 🍁 Enchanting Autumn Witchy Dress 🍁 | Easy Dark Academia Project! Cats Costumery 2024-10-20 | Check out Mrs. Quilty here 🧵 mrsquilty.com/discount/Cat20?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fmrs-quilty-subscription-box&utm_source=influencer&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=CatsCostumery and use the code Cat20 for 20% off for the first box!Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!Here is, compressed into 23 minutes, an impulse decision based on a 30 second TikTok that spun into a week's worth of sewing! Over all, I'm very pleased with this dress - I draped and drafted it all myself, I used entirely stash materials, I went out of my comfort zone and used modern techniques like overlocking, machine embroidery, and machine shirring, and I ended up with a very comfortable dress, in a very flattering silhouette with pretty good finishing! It hits all the spots: a wider skirt circumference, an expanding waistline, a finished inside, a zipper for ease, a pocket for all important snacks... all in all, a success! I had no make a few alterations from the original dress that inspired mainly for two reasons: first, I prefer fuller skirts as I find them more fun and flattering; second, I don't really work with stretch fabrics (the original seems to have some stretch in it), so it was naturally going to be a more structured dress.The pattern is made of a deep v-neck (surprisingly deep lol), a separate waistband of shirred material, and a six gores skirt with a side pocket and a side zipper. I was able to squeeze this out of 2.5 meters of fabric, 144 cms wide. The pattern will be available to all Patreon tiers soon! The construction, summarised, goes: assemble all bodice seams (leaving a gap for the zipper on your preferred side seam); finish seams in your preferred method (I overlocked everything before sewing); add neckline facing to finish neckline (or finish in preferred way! can just be hemmed too, though harder on a v-neck); shirr waistband panel; attach to bottom edge of bodice, leaving matching gap on a side seam for the zipper; hem bottom edge of sleeves; shirr cuffs; sew up sleeve side seam; gather sleeve head; set in sleeve head; assemble the skirt panels (adding a pocket if wanted) and leaving a side seam gap for the zipper; baste skirt to bodice, try on and adjust if needed; sew waist seam; try on, mark, and hem!A big thank you to @_samanthamartin (tiktok.com/@_samanthamartin) on TikTok for giving me permission to share the TikTok that inspired it all - please check out her incredible videos! Also if you have any more ideas about how to style this let me know down below!-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@gmail.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
I wore historical costume to a concert... it was hard! | 18th century inspired Taylor Swift costume Cats Costumery 2024-09-29 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!Very often, I spend weeks or months making an intricate and complex historical costume - and I generally make them for the sake of making them, I love the researching and sewing process. However, I very rarely have the chance to wear them anywhere. Typically they get packed up and languish in a cupboard. However, I made this costume with the purpose of wearing it to an event - in this case, Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, as it was inspired by one of her stage costumes during the Tortured Poet's Department set - and so I managed to do the whole life cycle of the costume, from designing, to making, and wearing... and also fixing it up!I wanted to share my experience of wearing historical costume to an event like this so that maybe it might be helpful to more people. I think, having actually worn elaborate historical costume so little for longer lengths of time, I often rush through the process of fitting during the making, because the try on is usually five minutes long and seems just fine, though by wearing it for a few hours other issues come to light. So I wanted to review the costume and fix up some of the major fit issues as much as I could, so that the costume could continue to be worn in the future, in a new life as historical undergarments. Part 1 of this project, research and design, is here: youtu.be/gYG8LXNeoyAPart 2 of this project, the making of, is here: youtu.be/XZjudohUGU4-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@gmail.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
I tried doing a British Sewing Bee challenge... and it tested me | sewing a blouse from a tablecloth Cats Costumery 2024-09-08 | 👒🔍 Download June's Journey for free now using my link: https://woo.ga/x196gzx0Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!Have you ever watched a sewing show/video/etc and thought, maybe I could do that? WELL, I am now aware that I cannot lol I've always been fascinated by the amazing sewing and perseverance of the sewers on these shows and now that I've set myself a similar challenge, I admire them even more! I've never really sewn to hourly timed restrictions - typically my deadlines are in days or weeks, so I feel a bit better about my slow sewing, but now I know well that time is precious while sewing.I had a few mishaps with this project: my tablecloth was a bit small, I didn't test out the pattern before hand (which was in the spirit of the challenge), but that meant that the style didn't really suit my body or style. Obviously the point of a pattern challenge on the Sewing Bee is to construction a garment well under a time pressure, not necessarily make something to fit beyond a standard size, so I think that if I wasn't making a wearable piece for myself, I might've gotten away with it! It does make me wonder what happens to all the makes from these shows... I used one tablecloth and four matching napkins which amounted to just a little over a meter of fabric, and I used the Atelier Jupe Zoey Blouse atelierjupe.com/products/zoey-blouse-pdf-pattern. I'm not sure what happened with the sizing, I cut out a UK size 14 that was a bit tight, so I'd recommend double checking the finished measurements before picking a size! Overall, there was still something reassuring about being able to sew a garment in essentially a few hours. If you have any recommendations on how I can fix it up, let me know below! -- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@gmail.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
Making an 18th-Century Taylor Swift Inspired Costume (to wear to the concert!) Cats Costumery 2024-08-25 | The first 1,000 people to click the link will get a full year of Premium membership to Craftsy for only $1.49: go.craftsy.com/catscostumeryHello everyone and welcome to a new video!Following on from my deep dive into historical influences in one of Taylor Swift's costume outfits from the Eras Tour, I tackled making my own version of the Tortured Poet's Department set. As mentioned in the video, I used approximately 3 meters of silk taffeta for this, an under a meter of heavier linen and cotton canvas for the stays, as well as around 8 meters of poly black ribbon, 6 meters of petersham ribbon for the stays binding, and a lot of silk thread. Most of the materials were already from the stash, which is why the stays are technically of a different fabric than the petticoat. For patterns, I used the Ella Stays by Lunneth (etsy.com/uk/listing/1220597813/digital-sewing-pattern-18th-pair-of and you can see her profile here instagram.com/lunneth_/?hl=en)- and I actually cut out a clip where I showed a very similar pattern in Patterns of Fashion 5, showing though some patters may seem only historically inspired, they can have very solid historical roots. As long as the shape seems right to you, don't be put off by labels! Over all, I really enjoyed the pattern, but I would warn to do a mock-up and really spend time on it (I didn't have much time, which I will explain in the next video...). I am pretty pleased with this project, I think the end result looked great and it referenced the original inspiration with historical twists well! However... stay tuned for the next video 👀-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@gmail.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
Taylor Swift but make it Historical | Tortured Poets Dept costume analysis and dress history Cats Costumery 2024-07-28 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!Technically, I've been thinking about this project since July 2023, when the tickets went on sale for the international dates in the UK of the Eras Tour. It's been a long time coming. I hope you enjoy this quick dive into 18th century fashion and how it can relate to Taylor Swift's stage costume for the Tortured Poet's Department set on the Eras Tour. As I mentioned in the video, the costume was designed by Vivienne Westwood, and there's a cool post about it on the Vivienne Westwood website (linked below) that shows a couple of behind the scenes photos. As soon as I saw it on a shaky live stream of the Nanterre/Paris shows, I knew this was the costume for me!Initially, I had been toying with the idea of re-creating one of her folklore dresses, as they appealed to me the most aesthetically - but I held off on the idea, as I was uneasy about the wearability of it (particularly, it's re-wearability) and having to get so much new fabric. Once I saw the TTPD dress, I immediately associated with 18th century style lines and as I've been meaning to dip my toe back into it, it seemed perfect (not to mention I have what can only be called a toxic relationship with stays - I love them, they hate me, I'll keep making them). So stay tuned for a making of costume video!P.S. I had to remove the audio from my footage of the TTPD set in the Eras tour at the end due to copyright :(-- RELATED CONTENT --18th century Stays Mock-ups youtu.be/rz6eEVC5mZoHandsewn 18th century Stays youtu.be/5lbRfnrEnNA18th century Stays in a Day youtu.be/FZWiwRerLgE-- REFERENCES --Bendall, Sarah A. ‘“Take Measure of Your Wide and Flaunting Garments”: The Farthingale, Gender and the Consumption of Space in Elizabethan and Jacobean England’. *Renaissance Studies* 33, no. 5 (2019): 712–37. Benhamou, R. (2001). Who Controls This Private Space?: The Offense and Defense of the Hoop in Early Eighteenth-Century France and England. Dress, 28(1), 13–22.Carter, Alison. Underwear, the Fashion History. Drama Book Publishers, 1992.Cunnington, C. Willett, Phillis Cunnington. The History of Underclothes. S.l: Joseph, 1951. (1992 edition available online: archive.org/details/historyofundercl00cunn)Ewing, Elizabeth. Dress and Undress: A History of Women’s Underwear. London: Bibliophile, 1981.Lynn, Eleri, Richard Davis, and Leonie Davis. Underwear: Fashion in Detail. London: V&A Publishing, 2010.Serena Dyer, Labour of the Stitch: The Making and Remaking of Fashionable Georgian Dress. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2024.North, Susan, Henrietta Clare, and Richard Davis. 2022. 18th Century : Fashion in Detail. London: Thames & Hudson : V&A PublishingWaugh, Norah, and Judith Dolan. Corsets and Crinolines. Taylor & Francis Group, 2017.Westwood, Vivienne. Westwood Heritage: Corsets (2023) viviennewestwood.com/en-gb/westwood-world/heritage/westwood-heritage--corsets and Taylor Swift, The Eras Tour (2024)viviennewestwood.com/en-gb/westwood-world/news-and-projects/taylor-swift-the-eras-tour-- IMAGES --All images retain their original copyright. Eras Tour images sourced from media news outlets and social media and are not the author’s own. Woman's Hoop Petticoat, England, 1750-1780, LACMA, collections.lacma.org/node/214714Corset, ca.1876, MET metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/157582Corset (but technically closer to stays or even bodies), 18th century, MET metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/90398Corset, ca.1885-1887, MET metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/158440Stays, late 1760s, MET metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/82434Woman's Dress, ca. 1760s, LACMA collections.lacma.org/node/232990Robe à l'anglaise, ca. 1780, MET metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/84611Court dress ca.1750, MET, metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/82426Panniers, ca.1750, MET, metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/83186Panniers ca.1750-1770, MET, metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/139668Hoops, 18th century, MET metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/90837The Bum Shop, 1785, MET metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/39285900:00 Introduction01:12 TTPD Costume Breakdown04:33 18th Century Fashion05:22 Panniers or Hoops07:32 Rumps09:28 Taylor Swift, the 18th Century, and Me! -- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@gmail.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
Victorian Crafts: Making a Needle-Book | beginner friendly scrap busting sewing project Cats Costumery 2024-07-14 | The first 500 people to use my link will receive a one month free trial of Skillshare! https://skl.sh/catscostumery07241 ✨ Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!All of my favourite things came together in this project: quick, easy, stash-busting, highly functional, with a little side of Pride and Prejudice. I typically have just kept my needles as I showed, threaded through a scrap of felt and left open in my drawer. Similarly, my machine needles are just in their bought packets, so I need to go through all the little boxes to find the right one.But no more!This project is for a little Victorian inspired needle-book. I provide my main references for this project below. It's a great way to use scraps, as you only need small rectangles of everything and some embroidery floss. For the fastenings, I used a small length of ribbon, but I may change this to a little buttonhole as it's technically more practical and will be faster to do and undo. The pattern for this, including the embroidery, is a public/free post on my Patreon, check it out here: patreon.com/catscostumeryAnd if you do make one, please tag me over on Instagram, I'd love to see it!-- REFERENCES --Images:MET, Needle-book, 19th century metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/193739V&A, Needle Case, late 19th century collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O63695/needle-caseText:Harper’s Bazaar March 14, 1868, p.308Harper’s Bazaar April 4, 1868, p.357Harper’s Bazaar June 24, 1871Harper’s Bazaar October 9, 1897Harper’s Bazaar December 11, 1897-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
A Day in Pride & Prejudice: Visiting Pemberley! (aka Chatsworth House) Cats Costumery 2024-06-02 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!Once I had decided to make the Pemberley dress, I knew it would be an absolute dream to wear it at Chatsworth, the location used in the Pride & Prejudice (2005) film as Pemberley. I've been a fan of Austen ever since I could read in English (in fact, Pride and Prejudice was one of the first few books I read in English!), and the 2005 adaptation is my favourite (controversial I know!) so this felt so full circle for me, and I wanted to share it with you! Apologies for the shakiness of some of the clips, I'm still working on not being awkward filming in public so I will do better in the future! If you'd like to see more Elizabeth Bennet content, I've made two of the dresses from the film:The Brown dress part I youtu.be/Mq-sI9qq3JkThe Brown dress part II youtu.be/6cmB3z-JlGEThe Pemberley dress youtu.be/qflX07K6pi0Lastly, a tremendous thank you to the bestest of friends, Emily and Jess, for this wonderful weekend and their endless patience in filming!-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
Bring back the Milkmaid dresses! | the perfect summer dress using a free pattern Cats Costumery 2024-05-19 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!Instead of letting these projects languish in videos files and my wardrobe, I thought I would finally take the time to share them with you through what I'm calling the Archive initiative! (lol) I find it hard to motivate myself to care about projects once they're completed and they enter my normal wardrobe, and I move on to the next project, which means if I don't share them immediately it most likely will never be shared! But this was a great project, using a free pattern that had great results, so I really wanted to share it in case you, too, want to make a wonderful summer dress.The pattern I used was the Anthea Milkmaid Pattern by Mood Fabrics on their Mood Sewciety blog: moodfabrics.com/blog/the-anthea-milkmaid-dress-free-sewing-pattern I used under three meters of lightweight crepe fabric for this, with the same quantity out of polycotton sheeting as an interlining, and a small length of ribbon for the neckline and bias tape for the them (as well as a zipper and some elastic thread for my shirred back panel addition). If you want more information on shirred panels, I go into a little more detail on my Reformation inspired dress video: youtu.be/dTxFid3M0Rk?si=T-LEmMdEzrHVi2dt-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
The *easiest* adjustable skirt (18th century style ✨) Cats Costumery 2024-04-28 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!After the cliff hanger in the previous video, here is the conclusion to this project. I set out to make two historically inspired skirts, where they main goals were to use fabrics from my stash, and make adjustable skirts that had historical silhouettes that I could comfortably wear for every day life. My body fluctuates a lot, even within the same day, so I wanted some more garments that could accompany its changes. I always think clothes should fit us, never the way around!The first project covered a 1900s skirt, much mure autumnal tones and dark academia vibes, and you can find it here: youtu.be/dBN8fy75i0E For this project, I used three meters of mustard yellow linen, about a meter of linen tape, and under a meter of firmer linen that I used for the hem interfacing (optional for sure!). The skirt is made up of two rectangles, one for the back and one for the front, that are 1.5 meters in width and the desired skirt length in length (mine was around 32'' with a deep hem). Overall, the project, like all 18th century plain petticoats, was very simple and rewarding to put together, since it goes by very quickly but the result is great! There also lots of potential, as you can do tiered skirts, or skirts with trimmings, flounces, etc. The skirt can be gathered instead of pleated if you prefer as well!I think this sort of style has a lot of styling potentials, from #cottagecore to #piratecore (for that #pirate style).-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
Can Historical Skirts be Adjustable? Attempt 1: 1900s Cats Costumery 2024-04-14 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!Following on from the ethos behind my 1890s cape coat (you can find that video here: youtu.be/BFrLsHzM4_8 and the ethos is that we can still be cute historybounding potatoes), I wanted to make some adjustable historically inspired skirts. My most used or favoured silhouette is typically the 1890s/1900s skirts, because they mesh well with other more modern pieces in my wardrobe, and you can comfortably adapt them to more historybounding styles. However often their design doesn't mesh well with modern undergarments (ie. the thin waistbands and weight of the skirts can create some discomfort without the proper foundations, like a corset). Therefore, I thought I could frankenstein some of the closures to still have a historical silhouette but also provide comfort and adjustability, for when my body changes from 9 am to 9 pm. That *is* what I set out to do in this video, but as you can see from the (super long sorry) intro, the plan changed.I used just under 3 meters of a wool blend in autumnal tones for this skirt, alongside some linen for the hem facing. Overall, I think the idea works, and by limiting the interlinings, etc, the resulting skirt is still very cute but light and comfortable too. I can also add an additional petticoat if I'd like, which according to 'Authentic Victorian Sewing Techniques' was in fashion by the turn of the century instead of the traditional interlinings and linings (you can find out more about this type of construction in my 1890s skirt video here tinyurl.com/yckxdk26 and the other video about the skirts here youtu.be/Xzzu-boz2Yc). Stay tuned for the yellow skirt, coming soon!-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
The Victorian Morning Corset: Testing a 19th-Century Corset Pattern Cats Costumery 2024-02-25 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!Ever since I saw the illustration for this pattern a few months ago, it's stayed in my head, so I was so happy to finally give it a go! This corset dates to 1893, from an issue of La Mode Illustree, a popular Victorian magazine. I got it from Repeated Originals on Etsy (etsy.com/uk/listing/246200088/morning-corset-victorian-reproduction). I made it from under a meter of cotton coutil, herringbone tape, synthetic whalebone, some flat steel boning, and a bit of lace. I was so intrigued by the concept of this closure - the really innovative bit about it, though technically it's so reminiscent of fan lacing that it could be considered vintage for its time lol. I found the concept of a tab closure, without eyelets and lacing, very convenient and practical, but ultimately found that it didn't work for me!More corset content?youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXxaja7Ldgi11wYBCq6ZnyPlyJL6Ii9Qq-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
Comfortable 1890s: A Coat for Lazy Days (but you still wanna look cute!) Cats Costumery 2024-01-28 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!This project was prompted by a peak potato day. I had some materials in my stash, I found a pattern, I had a couple of days off over the holidays and a dream: a coat that could convert from being loose for potato days, to fitted for more effort days, to historybounding and historical clothing. And so I give you... the 1890s cape coat thing! I used a pattern from La Mode Illustree, circa 1895, digitised by Repeated Originals (etsy.com/uk/listing/1203723181/half-coat-with-cape-detail-victorian). This pattern is one-size, has no seam allowances, and very minimal instructions - just like the originals in 19th century magazines! I found the pattern was fairly straightforward with some mysteries to resolve. I don't mean to say this is 100% how this coat is meant to be assembled - but it's definitely an option that worked out well! I used three meters of a peach wool blend, 3 meters of a mystery synthetic sand colour lining, about a meter of fusible canvas, and under a quarter of a meter of horsehair canvas, as well as a few meters of velvet trim. I also added a belt to the coat which is removable, so can be worn with or without, and I think it worked out great! Overall, I'm very pleased with this project. The result is a warm and comfortable coat... cape... thing, that is versatile while still elegant and full allows for potato and dress-up days. I'm looking forward to wearing it more!-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
Everything I made in 2023 | sewing, knitting, crochet, oh my! Cats Costumery 2024-01-14 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!In a conscious effort to fight my forgetful brain, I've yet again sat down and done a round up of all my crafty projects from this year. They range from historical costume sewing, particularly Edwardian and Victorian things, to forays into knitting and crochet that I've found really rewarding this year. I ended up making 23 projects (including some smaller crochet-y things), and yet, every time I sat down to reflect on 2023, I found it hard to name things I'd made 🤦♀️ I think altogether I am very happy with the projects of this year, which included using many things from the stash, finishing two large projects that were years in the making alongside other smaller WIPS that were crowding both my physical and mental space.I am looking forward to 2024 and I am a bit stumped about where to go - any suggestions on cool projects?!If you want to find out more about these projects, here are the videos for those that were documented:Edwardian 3-Layer Cape youtu.be/rkuTMAGiFQw1905 Travel Suit Part 1 youtu.be/LkCJagKOyeMTypical Tudor Blue Kirtle youtu.be/jskbb1vWjpQBreathe Dress Part 2 youtu.be/dJcF__TC8NI and Part 3 youtu.be/ZquNpoNIWKACottagecore Victorian Apron youtu.be/ToR1t54KTiw1860s Blouse and Skirt youtu.be/773HwT3EvUcThe Swiss Waist youtu.be/fTMoZSFS1t4Victorian Undergarments youtu.be/go85UEU5p1k1860s Corset youtu.be/0uocHPYVO0gMorris Quilt youtu.be/HUBS6e4oeP0-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
Stitching Through Time: Making a 19th-Century Inspired Quilt with Morris Fabric Cats Costumery 2023-12-17 | This video is kindly sponsored by Serious Readers, the makers of Serious Lights! You can use the link below and the code SR494 for £100 off High Definition (HD) Lights + free delivery try.seriousreaders.com/pages/sr494Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!I really think I need to get 'jack of all trades, master of none' on a t-shirt at this point. There's just something incredibly exciting about learning all about the history and the techniques of a new craft, and sewing and textile crafts have such endless possibilities. I already knew a little about quilting, as I quilted a few bits of garments and costumes in the past, but I hadn't had the chance to make a full quilt before. I had read a bit about it during my Master's programme in Dress & Textile Histories, mostly about its role in the home and the types of fancy work and plain work that women did as part of domestic work. This quilt took a huge amount of effort, even with sewing the quilting portion itself by machine, so I can only glimpse the amount of pride and accomplishment women through history must have felt at these incredible pieces of work. Many people used them as expressions of their life and creative thought, and also as a memento of their time, almost like a diary. I am absolutely delighted with the result, and I hope it serves in my house for a long time!Sources about quilting:vam.ac.uk/articles/an-introduction-to-quilting-and-patchworkhttp://www.womenfolk.com/quilting_history/crazy.htmvam.ac.uk/blog/caring-for-our-collections/unsung-artists-may-morris-1862-1938?gclid=CjwKCAjw79iaBhAJEiwAPYwoCBwpE-CXT7oK3_xicb6xPynfXnpsObbrFX3pkChcuyPS7jcQR8SwcxoCL2MQAvD_BwEarchive.org/details/GodeysLadysBookJanuary1864/page/n85/mode/2up?view=theaterplainstitch.co.uk/2020/12/23/a-scant-history-of-patchwork-quilting-in-the-british-islesselvedge.org/blogs/selvedge/textile-traces-english-paper-piecingpieceworkmagazine.com/the-legacy-of-may-morrismoda-japan.com/wp-content/uploads/fcc_may-morris-studioarchive.org/details/janemaymorrisbio00mars/page/n17/mode/2uparchive.org/details/lessonsinfancywo00sandFeatured images:C.1840s Crib Quilt from the MET Museum (collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18615625)C. 1820s-1840s Unfinished Hexagons from The Quilter’s Guild Collection (quiltmuseum.org.uk/collections/heritage/all/1700-1890/hexagons-unfinished-top.html)C. 1830-1840s Patchwork Pocket from The Quilter’s Guild Collection (quiltmuseum.org.uk/collections/heritage/19th-century-patchwork-pocket.html)C. 1877 Crazy Quilt from the MET Museum (metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/13907)Photograph of May Morris from the Library of Congress (lccn.loc.gov/2014683895)Jane Morris: Study for ‘Mariana’ by Rosetti from the MET Museum (metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/355628)C. 1898-1902 May Morris Embroidery from the National Museums of Scotland (nms.ac.uk/explore-our-collections/collection-search-results/?item_id=717440) They’ve got a super cool blog post on the acquisition of these embroideries, check it out: nms.ac.uk/explore-our-collections/stories/global-arts-cultures-and-design/may-morris-embroideriesMay Morris Designs from the Cooper Hewitt Museum (Horn Poppy collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18492541 and Honeysuckle collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18615625)-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
Making A Supportive and Comfortable Corset: the 1860s Style Cats Costumery 2023-11-19 | This video is kindly sponsored by Serious Readers, the makers of Serious Lights! You can use the link below and the code SR493 for £100 off High Definition (HD) Lights + free delivery try.seriousreaders.com/pages/SR493I am starting a new adventure - though you might have noticed that here on the channel there have been a handful of 1860s clothing being made, which, to be honest, was a coincidence, but probably the realisation I needed to start working on this bigger costume. As is typical with historical costume, the best place to start is inside out, and so I decided to tackle making an 1860s corset. This particular extant from the Victoria & Albert Museum in London (collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O15546/corset-unknown) has been on my mind for years - and so I thought it was finally time to attempt something inspired by it. I used half a meter of blue silk taffeta and half a meter of white cotton twill (in a lightweight but dense weave). As I mentioned, the pattern I used is by Redthreaded (payhip.com/b/1eU2r) and I altered it to fit me better and added some boning to resemble the extant a little better. For the top stitching, I used silk twist thread from Devere Yarns. Overall, I'm very happy with this corset! I think the style of it is along the lines of what I imagine the perfect corset to be, for my body and lifestyle. I quite like the fact that the boning doesn't extent beyond the waist, but still continues along the back, giving good support. Keeping the metal boning minimal and using only two layers of very lightweight fabrics keeps this corset lightweight and malleable, but sill well structured.-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
A Day in the Life at a Convention | MCM London Comic Con October 2023 vlog ft. Critical Role day! Cats Costumery 2023-11-05 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!It's that time of the year - October MCM London just happened last weekend, and as is my tradition on this channel, I went along and vlogged the day for you! MCM London is the UK's biggest convention which spans over three days, two weekends in the year, and it has all sorts, from celebrity guests and panels, to merchandise, artists, guest authors, and more - it's kind of nerd heaven. In this video, I also show a little bit of the behind the scenes of cosplaying at a convention (and this was a pretty low-key cosplay that only required minimal make-up and hair). I decided to cosplay as Veth/Nott the Brave from Critical Role because I deemed Sunday the Critical Role day, as the cast were guesting at the convention and had a panel scheduled for 11 am. There is a sneak peek of it here. It was an absolute great day, and I wanted to show you some of the highlights of the con floor with some great artists and merchandise. Overall it was kind of the perfect day, I came home feeling really inspired and my heart was very full. I'm looking forward to the next one in May and I would like to make a costume for it - let me know down below if you have any suggestions, particularly for any historical mash-ups!-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
Making Victorian Underwear Essentials: *All the Lace* Corset Covers & Petticoat Cats Costumery 2023-10-15 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!I was feeling a little overwhelmed with all my options for projects, and so I asked my friends over on Patreon and making some new Victorian underwear won the poll! I'm so grateful to have been steered towards this project because it was a real joy to work on it. The goal was to make frilly, lace-y items that would be passable for historical underclothing for more *historically adequate* costumes, but also that I could rotate into my wardrobe if I wanted some Victorian undress, ephemeral vibes for the summer (though tragically I only finished these items towards the end of summer, as always my timing is... questionable).For these, I used plain lightweight linen from my stash - around 1 meter or so for each corset cover, and then two or so meters for the petticoat, since it's more calf-length than full length. For the patterns, I drafted two patterns from the 1880s for the corset covers from Fashions of the Gilded Age by Francis Grimble, which is based on original historical drafting instructions. I will be scanning these patterns and putting them up on my Patreon, if you're interested comment below so I know to prioritise them! For the petticoat, I used my Keystone skirt draft (more about that in my walking skirt video, I'll link it below), which I shortened and added two ruffles too, one as a long rectangle of linen, and one of lace. I then added some decorations such as lace insertion and applique, threaded ribbon, and tucks. I'm so pleased with the overall look and the petticoat has such as wonderful shape, I'm sure it'll be incredibly useful for all my skirts! -- OTHER VIDEOS --The Keystone Walking Skirt youtu.be/bIE-1seJapsEdwardian corset cover youtu.be/Naz37pSE2MY (I prefer these two new ones to be honest!)Late Victorian corset youtu.be/Pvm_oo4oVfkCorset content playlist youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXxaja7Ldgi11wYBCq6ZnyPlyJL6Ii9Qq-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
The Swiss Waist: the Easy Way to a Victorian Silhouette (without a corset!) Cats Costumery 2023-09-24 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!After a little bit of a disappointment with my 1860s skirt, I widened the skirt band to fix it, and though it made it better, it still wasn't ideal. So I decided to explore period appropriate solutions: belts! In this case, a Swiss waist, or belt, or however you'd like to name it. It seems definitions were inconsistent across magazines and outfit descriptions, but you can trace these belts/waists through museum extants and photographs. They definitely existed and were definitely popular for a handful of years in the 1860s, most likely because they suited the new fashionable style of separates.I used the free online pattern made by koshka-the-cat (http://www.koshka-the-cat.com/swiss_pattern.html) based on an extant from their collection. I had to add significantly to the sides to make it my waist measurement (and it accidentally ended up a little wider when I messed up my seam allowance). I used around a half meter of cotton coutil and black velvet, as well as thread, bias tape, synthetic whalebone, and a handful of metal eyelets. Overall, I think this project took only a handful of hours, even with all the hand finishing, and I'm so happy with it! I think it's a great addition to historically inspired outfits and provides some support and silhouette shaping without the full need for a corset, especially when paired with historically drafted skirts (that hem to waist is the real trick at the end of the day!). Have you heard of Swiss waists? If so, where, and what were they called? I'm so curious to know how they became known in our modern times!You can see the making of the 1860s inspired ensemble here: youtu.be/773HwT3EvUc-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
I tried dyeing fabric with ✨elderberries✨ | Will It Dye? Ep.4 Cats Costumery 2023-09-03 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!It's been a little while since I've done one of these, but I'm still so interested in natural dyeing that when I spotted these berries at the back of the garden, I had to give it a go. In this episode, I go through the basic steps of natural dyeing and how I've tweaked them slightly to this project since I didn't have a berry specific recipe. In this case, I used some elderberries from an elderberry tree in my garden. As always, please do your due diligence if you're looking to forage and use foraged goods: make sure it's legal to forage what and where you're foraging, ensure you don't take so much there is not enough left for the wildlife, and that what you're using is not toxic for its intended purpose. I used the berries to dye four meters of lightweight linen for a dress.If it wasn't for the spider infestation (why are spiders in trees?!), I would be trying this again on a smaller quantity of fabric and for less time to achieve different results. I also wanted to add that in the future, I probably won't machine rinse the fabric straight after dyeing, and instead I'll manually rinse it and just use the spin and drain function on the machine (I was sure I wouldn't be able to drain the fabric properly by hand because there were four meters of it!). I'll keep an eye out for other things around that I can use for dyeing and please, leave any recommendations of dyestuffs you'd like me to try down below!The book I mentioned can be found here: amzn.to/3qVhjsD-- OTHER EPISODES --Episode 1: Mexican Mint youtu.be/o22ipzwRq0kEpisode 2: Pine Cones youtu.be/pk1mhiEyOpQEpisode 3: Rowan Berries youtu.be/654bWCS6M4cPlaylist youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXxaja7Ldgi2h8EndI8KUh6m_olzV25Vx-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
A Little Women Dress: Crafting a Romantic 1860s Cottagecore Outfit Cats Costumery 2023-08-13 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!When I saw this fabric in a random store in Edinburgh, it immediately formed into a romantic, sloped shoulders, full circle dress in my mind. Upon further reflection, I decided to make it into separates for further versatility in my wardrobe, and though much of the 19th century is into the sloped shoulders romantic look, once it was a shirtwaist and a skirt the 1860s came to mind. My only real contact with this silhouette has been through portraits and Little Women, so in my head it was that sort of aesthetic feeling I was trying to pursue in this, although the green plaid and the fact that I bought it in the Scotland has made this a nostalgic Scottish dress for me, and I'd love to photograph there sometime.I drafted a basic blouse from a sloper and a panelled 1860s inspired pattern for a pleated skirt, following some examples across a few different books. I shortened the skirt to my preferred length, which is a couple of inches above the ankle, as this outfit is only 1860s, and I am always ready to compromise on the pesky 'historical accuracy' for my own needs: at the the end of the day, these clothes are for me and not for Victorians. I used 3 meters of lightweight cotton, which was £12 p/m. I had just enough! So I would recommend a little more for comfort, as I had to dramatically shorten the sleeves in the end. I wanted to make this into an informal day dress, nothing fancy, that an average woman could have worn everyday, and this was mainly seen on the choice of fabric and lack of decoration. Over all, I think it came out really cute and I am looking forward to wearing these two pieces and seeing how many outfits I can put together with the other me-made pieces of my wardrobe :)-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
The *Cutest* Cottage Core Apron | beginner friendly sewing project + pattern review! Cats Costumery 2023-07-30 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!Here is a quick, straightforward, and beginner friendly sewing project for your historical or cottagecore inspired wardrobe. I really fancied a romantic apron that I could wear practically around the house, but that also would look nice for photos and my more aesthetic inclinations. For this, I purchased three meters of this thicker and hardier linen and cotton blend fabric. Three meters was *just* enough, so if you are doing this pattern with a hem ruffle like I did, I would recommend getting a little more just so you worry a little less. My fabric was £12 p/m, and so I hesitated to get more as I thought I could get away with three meters (and I did, but only just!). The pattern I used was the Pansy pattern by Stitchmaiden ( stitchmaiden.net/products/pansy ). I had seen my friend @deartally use it on her Instagram, so when the brand reach out to gift me the pattern to test out, I was happy to give it a go. Overall, I thought it was a beautiful pattern that creates an adorable and flattering apron. The instructions were comprehensive, with all sorts of details about seam finishes and pressing tips which would be really helpful for beginners - but they also have a list of quick fire instructions at the end for more experience sewers. My only comment would be on the size range which, in my opinion, could be expanded. I am typically a UK 12/14 and my size was I think the second largest available. Overall, a very cute project, and stay tuned for a video about the cute green plaid romantic dress I made to go with the apron, which you can glimpse at the end of the video! -- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
The Great Purge: Costume & Wardrobe Declutter Cats Costumery 2023-07-16 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!I have delayed and postponed long enough. After the Breathe dress hanging on my wardrobe for over a month, and boxes of costumes living on my dining table for three weeks, only with the accountability of filming it and sharing it with you here was I able to tackle this task. As a maker, I end up very emotionally attached to the things I made, especially my first few costumes, which I've never worn as I don't attend costumed events or really even do photoshoots, and also which don't fit me anymore. In the hopes of finding these costumes and clothes new homes, I'm listing them all on Depop (not Vinted, sorry! I know I mention Vinted in the video and corrected it to Depop but I'm moving everything to Vinted due to outrageous fees!. The link to my Vinted profile is here: vinted.co.uk/member/151906283-catscostumery All the listings will be live with this video.If you have any questions about any sizes, etc, just let me know! I really want them to find happy homes with people who will appreciate them and wear them 🥹 Let me know down below what your favourite item was and if I made a huge mistake in letting it go!-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
How I made THE Princess Dress from Ever After | Breathe Dress part III, a thousand trims Cats Costumery 2023-07-02 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!I'm so happy to finally share with you the last bit of the making of the Breathe dress from the 1998 film Ever After. The dress is worn by Danielle de Barbarac to the ball in her big Cinderella moment, and it's a beautiful Italian Renaissance inspired dress in a myriad of silver trim, embroidery, and beading. If you'd like to know more about the project, make sure you check out the other videos in this series and Instagram for more images and videos of the finished dress!Part 1 of Making the Breathe Dress youtu.be/33b7vs3iJQ4Part 2 of Making the Breathe Dress youtu.be/dJcF__TC8NIThe Ever After Costumes youtu.be/oYTiIIGC7zgHistorical Influences in the Ever After Costumes youtu.be/p4x7bsuM7s8-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
We tackle a GIANT: making the Ever After Breathe Dress, part 2 Cats Costumery 2023-06-18 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!FINALLY part 2 is here! I was hoping this might've all fit in one video, but alas, that was foolish of me, considering the work I put into this dress and how long it took. For more information on research and materials, please see part 1 (youtu.be/33b7vs3iJQ4). This video cover making the bodice and basic skirt underneath, how I patterned, cut, and sewed them together (I'll be putting my scanned pattern on Patreon in a few months when all the videos are out!). The next video will cover the sleeves, the overskirt, and the trims - undoubtedly the best part of this project.I can confirm, as the dress is finished and I've worn it twice already, that I am absolutely in love with how this turned out and I can't wait to share the rest of the process with you!-- THINGS MENTIONED --Part 1 of Making the Breathe Dress youtu.be/33b7vs3iJQ4The Ever After Costumes youtu.be/oYTiIIGC7zgHistorical Influences in the Ever After Costumes youtu.be/p4x7bsuM7s8-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
Lets Go to Con! MCM Comic Con London vlog Cats Costumery 2023-06-04 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!As always, I am atrociously bad at vlogging, but I love sharing these events with you, so I still tried to get some glimpses of this convention and put it together here. I explain a little about what MCM Comic Con London is in the beginning, how it works, and you might expect from it. I also go through how the three days went for me, and what I got from it (spoilers: some cute stuff). On the Friday, I wore my closet cosplay of Jude Duarte from Holly Black's Cruel Prince book series. I was really happy with this look, crooked horns and dodgy leggings aside. I did not cosplay on the Saturday, I just wore my hobbity clothes, videos for all of these handmade items are available here on the channel. And lastly on the Sunday, I debuted my Breathe dress from the film, Ever After. There is a little more on the making of this on Instagram, and there will be a video on here soon!All in all, I had a great weekend. This is truly one of the very few occasions where I get to wear the things I make, so I love it for that. There is also a get ready with me video on Patreon for the Breathe look if you're interested in supporting me over there :) Thanks for watching!-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
A Typical Tudor | sewing a 16th-century kirtle the easy way Cats Costumery 2023-05-07 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!👒🔍 Download June’s Journey for free now using my link: https://woo.ga/xuen86This new adventure was a spur of the moment break from my long term projects. My friend mentioned a cool May day event at Kentwell Hall (my first even with living history and I loved it!) and I thought I should whip up a quick dress, but of course, it should be a 16th century Tudor style kirtle. Plus, I had this blue fabric in my stash and I had recently acquired the wonderful book 'Typical Tudor', so I was really excited to make something from it! It was so useful to have such thoughtful and helpful research at my fingertips, I really loved this book and all the attention and detail that went into it. Now that I've discovered lacing rings, I may never go back.-- THINGS --I Made a Modern Medieval Dress! (and it made me feel like the main character) youtu.be/dMGaReHCgMkMaking a Medieval Kirtle | holiday + EnglandMedFest vlog youtu.be/8vQGxhDQldQThe Typical Tudor book etsy.com/uk/listing/1351741932/the-typical-tudor-reconstructing (this is super pricey though as it was a small publication and more recent, one of their older books is more affordable and has some similar research though for the gentry amzn.to/3M0VxLy)-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
A Different Edwardian Lace Blouse | The 1905 Berry Travel Suit Project Part 1 Cats Costumery 2023-04-09 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!I'm so glad to FINALLY be able to share this project with you! The folks over on Patreon voted for this costume make back in 2021, and I started in earnest only to fizzle out like a candle at the end of its wick. I managed to get some of it done over the winter of 2021 into 2022, but once the winter was over I lost all motivation. But I decided this was the year to finish it! So back in December, I picked the project back up and I am finally at a point where I can share the beginnings since I am confident in the ending. This project is inspired by an extant costume at the Hillwood Museum in the USA (hillwoodmuseum.org/collection/item/48.11.1-3?r=c%3D25&p=14). It was made in 1905 by B. Altman (with shops in New York and Paris), so it was a fairly expensive and important ensemble. I think it really shows the fashion lines of the mid 1900s in all of its peak Edwardian-ness. It really captured my eye when I first saw it on Pinterest! At the time that I started making it, there was little information about it, but since then the museum has added a written description with further details (showing I've made some incorrect assumptions along the way, but oh well!).The blouse took about 2 meters of plain cotton for the lining, and around 10 meters of different laces for the overlay, as well as some berry satin for the details. I don't have a pattern up for this on my Patreon, but I think Black Snail's #0816 Edwardian Blouse (blacksnailpatterns.com/en/products/0816-edwardianische-bluse-schnittmuster-grosse-eu-34-56-papierschnittmuster?pr_prod_strat=collection_fallback&pr_rec_id=e1dc7c2bf&pr_rec_pid=7830879109371&pr_ref_pid=7674228244731&pr_seq=uniform) could be adapted for something like this. There is an exclusive video over on Patreon that includes a discussion on materials and project planning, as well as links to some of the lace and materials.-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
I went to PARIS! feat. fabric & vintage shopping Cats Costumery 2023-03-19 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!I wanted to share with you my recent trip to Paris. I had such a great time! I did a spot of fabric shopping at Marché St Pierre (marchesaintpierre.com) and some vintage shopping at Le Cygne Rose (facebook.com/Atelier1900) and Pompon (https://pompon-marais.fr/). I visited some highlights like the Saint Chapelle, Notre Dame, Marais, Carette, Le Ciel de Paris... and I ate a lot of good food. I can't wait to put some of this Parisian haul to use, starting with that lace!-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
Corsets Have Their Uses And Abuses Cats Costumery 2023-03-07 | When I saw the recent article going around about how awful corsets were again, the first thing that came to mind was this short essay written for Bow Bells magazine in 1895. 'Corsets have their uses and abuses.' (the audio in this video is part of the essay)I'm now into the full swing of working on my PhD project regarding mass-manufactured corsets in the 19th century, and usually the first reaction people have is a negative one, due to the corset's long lasting bad reputation. I have never thought that the debate is one sided or simple, and it's important to hear from both sides: just as there is written evidence of women who liked corsets, there is of those who detested them. I think a lived experience of making them and wearing them can help in understanding the past. Here I am putting on my 1890s handmade corset, from which I have grown in knowledge (this is no longer a well fitting corset, as you can see the gap has grown larger over the years, but it still provides a lot of support).
Making an Edwardian Cape | beginner friendly historical clothing project! Cats Costumery 2023-02-12 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!I had such fun making this cape! It was an easy make, from pattern drafting to construction. The hardest bit was finding a way to cutely finish the top edges of the capes altogether, because of the bulk there. Otherwise, it was smooth sailing! I also wanted to show, in this video, the slow process of making things, so I've left in some of the sounds of sewing and I didn't speed up any of the sewing clips. I hope to wear this with the two matching skirts and other bits - I also had a thought of maybe making a matching coat from the leftover fabric, and then I could wear it over the coat as well!I think in total I used approximately 1.5 meters of the mixed suiting and the same for the lining, but because these are cut as circles, they're pretty inefficiently cut, so if you're willing to do a seam or two and some piecing, this can be squeezed out of less fabric for sure! I also used under a meter of some black tape I had in my stash, to finish the top. As mentioned, the pattern was from the November 1904 issue of the Edwardian magazine, The Voice of Fashion, reproduced in Frances Grimble's book (linked below). The information from the magazine even adds, 'Make of any desired material', which really shows the versatility of this pattern! You could make this out of a lightweight cotton, or linen, or even lace for a summer version (I might just do that!). I also think that if it was less bulky (the wool made it very bulky, heavy, but also warm), it could work very easily for a historybounding project. I don't think any of the construction I did was anachronistic, as sewing machine usage was wide spread by this point in time - and I ended up doing most of it by hand haha. Other construction methods, like the right sides together and turned out, will work better for lightweight fabrics, and you can always understitch those seams to hide the lining!I didn't go over the adding a piece of cording to the hem idea, but I've done to a couple of skirt hems in the past and I really liked the effect. It adds a little stiffness and structure to the hem. Maybe I can cover that in another video!-- THINGS MENTIONED --The Voice of Fashion: 79 Turn-of-the-Century Patterns with Instructions and Fashion Plates by Frances Grimble amzn.to/3HNEHNb-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
I tried to make a Reformation dress... and it was chaos. Cats Costumery 2023-01-29 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!Does something every just grab your attention and you can't quite explain why? That's how I felt about this dress. I saw it in one TikTok and couldn't stop thinking about it for months. It's so simple, the style lines and construction are nothing extraordinary, but something about it just absolutely captivated me. After a disappointing trip to the Reformation shop and a successful one to a fabric store, I bought a few supplies and decided to attempt it. I bought four meters of lightweight green textured chiffon for £4 p/m, and 3 meters of stretch grey cotton sateen for £8 p/m. I also got some thread, a zipper, and two patterns from Etsy which I'll link below.Over all, I think it was a good attempt! It was interesting to try and come to terms with modern techniques and construction (and I've still got a long way to do), but I also really enjoyed it. The dress is not exactly what I was hoping for, but it is still a cute dress, and I've learned so much that in my head I'm categorising it as a wearable mock-up, and maybe one day, with a better skirt, I can attempt it again!-- THINGS MENTIONED --The bustier pattern I used for the bodice etsy.com/uk/listing/1009054781/bustier-pattern7sizes-xxs-xxl-bustierThe skirt pattern that I altered etsy.com/uk/listing/886075159/high-waist-midi-skirt-sewing-pattern-nhI also used some of the techniques in this wonderful book, 'Couture Sewing Techniques' amzn.to/3HboUar-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
How the Victorians Mended Their Clothes: A Lesson in Darning Cats Costumery 2023-01-15 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!This video is very kindly sponsored by Serious Readers and their Serious Lights. You can use the offer code SR212 to receive a free Compact Light and free international shipping with the with any purchase in the Serious Lights range (High Definition, Alex Light, Classic Light). try.seriousreaders.com/pages/sr212My interest in mending and darning really took off when I purchased a beautiful Victorian shawl online. It was greatly discounted because it had some severe moth damage, the extent of which I had not realised until I saw it in person! It's pretty bad. However, the quality of wool fabric, the fine embroidery and beading I think make it a worthwhile long term project to slowly fix it, so that hopefully I may one day wear it with my historical costume. It's a great length, I think approximately two meters, which makes me think it might be mid-to-late Victorian (perhaps 1860s, as shawls were cut long to drape over crinolined skirts?). I did, however, want to learn the proper way to darn, so that I could treat this relic with all due respect, and so here we are! The book 'Needlework for Student Teachers' has been in my collection for a while, and it has good comprehensive instructions which I talk through in this video of how to do plain darning for reinforcing and mending purposes, as well as how to darn over a hole, and how to mend or darn a cut or tear. The other book, Make Do and Mend, is a really cute and interesting book, but it includes mostly general tips from the 1940s rather than detailed instructions.00:00:00 What is Darning?00:06:42 Materials00:07:41 Hand Position00:08:08 Plain Darning00:14:01 Darning over a Hole00:18:26 Darning an Three-Cornered Tear, Hedge Tear or "Catch Tear" (an L cut)-- THINGS MENTIONED --Make Do and Mend by the Ministry of Information amzn.to/3CPpSrQNeedlework for Student Teachers by Amy K. Smith amzn.to/3XdtBHL (this is a re-print, you can find old copies online)This video has some more on the shawl as I unboxed it youtu.be/NsbCy64sb2Q-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
✨ Everything I Made in 2022 ✨ | sewing year review Cats Costumery 2023-01-01 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!I did one of these end of year reviews last year, and I personally found it really helpful to see everything I had sewed, embroidered, crocheted, knitted, etc, all together. I have a terrible memory and so I often end up thinking I have done nothing this year at all (exactly how I started when I sat down to fill out the spreadsheet), but having looked at some of the things I made this year, I feel a bit more accomplished! I think there was a good balance this year between big costumes that very rarely see the light of day and things I can wear now and then as part of my wardrobe.Something I definitely want to work on for next year is to sew more from my stash, since I've collected several cuts of fabrics over the year for which I have projects in my head, but never get around to. I sew a lot on a whim, but now I want to steer those whims towards my stash. I am well excited for 2023 and more sewing adventures!Most of the things mentioned in the video have their own videos here on YouTube, so if you'd like to know a bit more about the projects, feel free to browse! I can't find exactly the pattern I used for the crochet blanket, but this one is super similar: easycrochet.com/the-wonders-chevron-crochet-blanket-pattern/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_tribes&utm_content=tribes-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
5 Free Patterns for Historical Sewing Cats Costumery 2022-12-18 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!I have been planning some more projects for the new year, and I came across some free patterns online which I wanted to share with you. Historical sewing can seem pretty intimidating, especially if you try starting with complicated period drafts. So I thought I'd suggest some simple looking (and one more advanced, in case you're feeling adventurous) free patterns that I found online.A word of warning: some of these patterns have few instructions (or none) and are untested. This means you may run into issues like seams not matching or having no notches to match on patterns. I think these issues are surmountable, and worth the advantage of having a starting point. I often struggled with the blank page when I'm attempting to flat draft, but I find it easier to have a starting point, make a mock-up, and then fix it as I need to. When you make a mock-up, you can draw new style lines, new necklines, lengths, everything, and adapt the pattern to the end result you're looking for.Let me know if you've tried any of these patterns below or if you know of more patterns! I'd love to make a few more of these videos on the channel so that we could have a little free pattern library.Disclaimer: all rights to these patterns and associated images (as well as historical images) remain with their original creators/owners. I've given credit below with links for all images I was able to trace.-- PATTERNS --The Bridgerton Dress (for a Regency dress) moodfabrics.com/blog/the-bridgerton-dress-free-sewing-patternThe Yarrow Dress (for the Edwwardian blouse) moodfabrics.com/blog/the-yarrow-dress-free-sewing-patternThe Birch Dress (for the sleeves) moodfabrics.com/blog/the-birch-dress-free-sewing-patternThe Snapdragon Skirt (for a 1930s skirt) moodfabrics.com/blog/the-snapdragon-skirt-free-sewing-patternAranea Black’s Tulip Corset araneablack.com/antique-edwardian-corset-pattern-tulipMarmota’s Dress Diaries 1848 Jacket http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2014/04/an-easter-gift-for-you-free-pattern-for.html)-- RESOURCES --Edwardian Corset Making video youtu.be/7cqP3qbG9G8Ye Olde Boob Pad youtu.be/leW0dItyCzII've also just found that Aranea Black has a YouTube channel so please check it out! youtube.com/@UCvhIeyRjoKl_EF3cjVE8PrQ moodfabrics.com/blog/category/free-sewing-patternsrbkclocalstudies.wordpress.com/2012/03/29/street-style-1906-edward-linley-sambournes-fashion-blogMET Regency dress 1810 metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/98097MET Regency evening dress 1810 metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/157639MET Regency dress 1809-1810 metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/157538Met Regency dress 1800-1805 metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/158252MET 1885-1890 Dressing jacket metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/155900MET 1870-1880 Bed jacket metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/109057MET dress 1880 metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/83894Hana’s Discussion of Czech National Costume http://marmota-b.blogspot.com/2014/03/politics-of-fashion-broad-summary-on.html-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
Making a super ✨ QUICK & EASY ✨ pinafore Cats Costumery 2022-12-04 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!In my effort to keep making things for my wardrobe, but also to make quicker projects that I do not agonise or stress over, I got this really cute little pinafore dress together! The skirt is from Butterick's B5970, adapted to be shorter and so that the back two panels are actually just the front two again, but with added seam allowance. I used 3.5 meters of burn orange polyester corduroy, and I had just over 0.5 m left which can be used to either make a hem facing, or a decorative ruffle for the bottom of the dress. The closure is at the centre back, with a skirt placket, a button and buttonhole, and snaps. The straps cross over the back, and they attach to the waistband with buttons and buttonholes for a bit more versatility. Overall, I think it's a very practical dress, very comfortable, and just on the perfect edge of simple, where it can be dressed up but I can wear it on the day to day and across all seasons! -- THINGS MENTIONED --Butterick B5970 amzn.to/3gP4cEbThe thing I used to turn the straps amzn.to/3iuz1ymSkirt placket tutorial youtu.be/Lx_FtdXvKM4-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
I went to Londons biggest convention! | MCM London October 2022 vlog Cats Costumery 2022-11-13 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!I hadn't realised how much I'd missed conventions until I went again! The last convention I went to was MCM London October 2019 (with the exception of one day back in May), and I've been going to MCM since 2011. It's a really great experience, with lots of cosplay, meet-ups, panels, celebrities, and booths with merch. I was a little concerned, since I have become even more of an introvert in the past few years, and though the convention was exceptionally busy for the last two days, I still had a really great time (also don't dismiss leaving early if you're feeling overwhelmed! Knowing I could still see things the next day made me much more comfortable leaving early).But the thing I treasured the most was that I walked away from his weekend exhausted but thoroughly inspired into cosplay again. There is something magical about wearing cosplay in a convention - I heard someone tell their friend when I walked past 'that girl was wearing a kefta!' and my heart burst. So yes, lots of plans of cosplay to come in the new year!-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
Making an Outlander 18th Century Inspired Costume (but not travelling back in time) Cats Costumery 2022-10-23 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!After I made my Outlander inspired knitted shawl, on a whim, I decided to make a matching outfit. One of the things I really liked about Outlander was how the costumes evoked the time period without being strictly historical (though a lot of historical research was put into the costuming and I think they did a great job!). I really liked the textures, the colour palette, and so I wanted to make an Outlander inspired costume. Thankfully, past Cat had an inkling, and so I was able to use a pattern from my stash, Simplicity 8161. I think it was a great pattern!I used exclusively fabrics from stash, roughly 1.5 meters of green linen for the jacket (plus heavier linen for interlining and a light linen for lining), and about 2 meters of olive wool suiting for my petticoat. Overall, I was really pleased with this 'quick' project! The embroidered stomacher really adds something (other than time lol). Just gotta find an opportunity to wear it now!-- THINGS MENTIONED --Simplicity 8161 amzn.to/3VJpWkxSimplicity 8162 amzn.to/3grRue8 (pattern of the stays I wore for the mock-up though for the photos I wore my Augusta Stays youtu.be/FZWiwRerLgE)American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Dressmaking amzn.to/3F0tWalAmerican Duchess Free Embroidery Pattern blog.americanduchess.com/2014/10/embroidered-stomachers-of-early-18th.htmlHow to Make Medieval Lucet Cord youtu.be/ubo4E8JVabU-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
Making an Outlander Shawl as a Beginner | a crash course (emphasis on the crash) Cats Costumery 2022-10-02 | 👒🔍 Download June’s Journey for free now using my link: wooga-junes-journey.onelink.me/M4rK/de6f3d47?c=jj_us_youtube_catscostumery_oct22_proseedersHello everyone and welcome to a new video!Late last year, I ended up learning how to knit. I was taught how to knit socks by my friend Aurore, and I really enjoyed it. I hadn't ever clicked with knitting before, but I did now! It was still very cold in early Spring in Scotland this year, when I thought it would be nice to knit myself something to keep me warm. I did... underestimate how long it would take me, and I actually only finished the shawl in the Summer! Now that it's getting crisper again, I thought it was a good time to talk about this project. As a beginner knitter, I found patterns and instructions really confusing and intimidating, but I really wanted to try to knit something inspired by a shawl that Claire wear in Outlander (maybe it was my nostalgia for leaving Scotland... I actually have only watch one season and a bit of Outlander!).Between myself and Aurore, we took the rough measurements of the finished shawl in a size M/L from the pattern I mention at the beginning and my gauge, and we adapted it so that it could be knit as two smaller triangles that are then sewn together across the middle. I know that my explanation of this wasn't too clear, so I've made a PDF with my notes, measurements, and stitch numbers which I'll put on my Patreon since I can't upload a file here! I've worn this shawl a couple of times now and I LOVE IT. It's so comfortable and warm. I just wish I'd chosen a little less scratchy wool haha but I think I'll attempt a second shawl in a smooth acrylic yarn to wear around the house too!-- THINGS MENTIONED --Claire’s Rent Shawl Pattern by HandyLittleMe handylittleme.com/claires-rent-shawl-knitting-patternLopi Lettlopi Yarn woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/lopi-lettlopi-all-colours-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
I Made Lizzie Bennets Dress from Pride and Prejudice (and it was *hard*) Cats Costumery 2022-09-04 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!As an avid Pride & Prejudice fan and a seamstress, it was only a matter of time until I attempted to make another dress from the 2005 adaptation. I love the simple style lines of Lizzie's more casual dresses, which look both comfortable and flattering. However, as I've found in this video, not as simple to make and adapt to other silhouettes!I used 5 meters of lightweight striped polycotton for this, which was £8.5 p/m, and I was luck to snag the last five of it! For the patterns, I used heavily altered patterns from Patterns of Fashion 1 for the bodice and the sleeves, and Butterick B5970 (also altered) for the skirt. Please bear in mind that this is *not* intended as a historically accurate or adjacent Regency dress, but instead a re-creation of the dress from the film adapted to fit my proportions (which are extremely different from Keira Knightley's lol). I think the dress turned out well! If you can, let me know down below in the comments where I should embroider the back. I left it out because I wasn't sure if it would make me want to wear it less, but now I think it'd be a really nice addition! -- THINGS MENTIONED --Patterns of Fashion 1 (2nd edition) shop.theschoolofhistoricaldress.org.uk/product/patterns-of-fashion-1the-content-cut-construction-and-context-of-englishwomens-dress-c-1720-1860/?v=79cba1185463P&P costumes video youtu.be/u168MDZ3e6AOther Lizzie Dress Part 1 youtu.be/Mq-sI9qq3Jk and Part 2 youtu.be/6cmB3z-JlGEFashion Plate, 'Morning Dress/Full Dress' for 'La Belle Assemblée'collections.lacma.org/node/252622-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
Did Working Women Wear Corsets? Cats Costumery 2022-08-21 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!I finally got around to sharing some of the research on 19th century corsets and corset making from my dissertation for my Master's in Dress & Textile History at the University of Glasgow (this isn't all of it haha, just an overview of some aspects and why I think it matters). I'm gearing up to start a PhD further pursuing this topic in Autumn, so I thought it was time to revisit it! Throughout the video, you might notice numbers on the lower bottom left of the screen. These are references and footnotes for the images and content discussed, which I include here below. Do let me know if you'd like more content on this topic (even if just over on Patreon!). I've also put together a little further reading section, which I'll include on Patreon as I've run out of space here.All images from the Symington Archive used with permission from the curator.1 Photograph of a Stitching Department at Symington’s, date unknown. Leicestershire Museums Collections: Symington Archive.2 Corset labels for three different types of corsets, date unknown. Leicestershire Museums Collections: Symington Archive.3 18th century undergarments, featuring stays. LACMA, collections.lacma.org/node/2147144 Corset ca.1880, MET metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/1580125 Engraving depicting an 18th century stay-making business. Planche II Interieur de la boutique d'un tailleur de corps, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Planche_II_Interieur_de_la_boutique_d%27un_tailleur_de_corps(cut).png.6 E.E. Perkins, The Lady’s Shopping Manual and Mercury Album (London: T. Hurst, 1834), 80. play.google.com/store/books/details?id=ocruQiqNOcAC&rdid=book-ocruQiqNOcAC&rdot=17 A Lady, The Workwoman’s Guide (London : Simpkin, Marshall and Co., 1838). archive.org/details/workwomansguide00hale, page 80.8 Photograph of a Stitching Department at Symington’s, date unknown. Leicestershire Museums Collections: Symington Archive.9 Full set of underwear for a late 1860s and 1870s silhouette. LACMA, collections.lacma.org/node/214106.10 Image showing the Symington factories. Leicestershire Museums Collections: Symington Archive.11 J.C Flugel, The Psychology of Clothes, 1940, archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.34079. Beware, a lot of this reading might make you want to throw things at walls.12 Philip Warren, Sarah Nicol, Christopher Page, and Leicestershire Museums, Art Galleries, and Records Service, Foundations of Fashion: The Symington Corsetry Collection, 1860-1990 (Leicester: Leicestershire County Council, 2013). I recommend this book for historical bits of the Symington company and lots of info about corsets and underwear in their collection! You can buy one at the museum or order online by emailing.13 1851 - Isaac Singer's Sewing Machine Patent Model. Public domain. https://www.si.edu/object/1851-isaac-singers-sewing-machine-patent-model:nmah_107113314 Godley, Andrew. ‘Singer in Britain: The Diffusion of Sewing Machine Technology and Its Impact on the Clothing Industry in the United Kingdom, 1860–1905’. Textile History 27, no. 1 (1 January 1996): 59–76.15. Photograph of the boxing up department at a Symington factory, date unknown. Leicestershire Museums Collections: Symington Archive.16 Photograph of the cutting room at a Symington factory, date unknown. Leicestershire Museums Collections: Symington Archive.17 Bernard Smith, ‘Market Development, Industrial Development: The Case of the AmericanCorset Trade, 1860–1920’ in Business History Review 65, no. 1 (1991): 91-129.18 Dressmaking Up to Date freely available on archive.org archive.org/details/dressmakinguptod00butt/page/20/mode/2up)19 Summers, Leigh. "Yes, they did Wear them: Working-Class Women and Corsetry in the Nineteenth Century." Costume, vol. 36, no. 1, 2002, pp. 65-74.20 Leaflet of Thomson’s Advertising. Leicestershire Museums Collections: Symington Archive.21 Photograph of the cording department at a Symington factory, 1908. Leicestershire Museums Collections: Symington Archive.— OTHER CORSET VIDEOS —I wore a corset everyday for a month youtu.be/xZFuXflULCEMy corset collection youtu.be/OooXZadOjmACorsets & How to Wear Them: Advice from 1897 youtu.be/8n7qok0JC4cCheck out how I made the corset I'm wearing here: youtu.be/Pvm_oo4oVfk-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
The Battle of the Skirts: Butterick vs Edwardian Cats Costumery 2022-08-07 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!Today I want to tangibly see the differences between a modern but historically marketed Butterick pattern (B5970) versus a historically accurate pattern from The Voice of Fashion. As I explain in the video, I picked an illustration that roughly matched the Butterick packet photo, and then made up the two skirts, out of the same fabric. One was made following the modern Butterick construction instructions, and the other following the instructions in Authentic Victorian Dressmaking Techniques (which was published in 1905 by Butterick!). I really enjoyed this project and I ended up with two skirts that I really love. The Edwardian skirt needs a better closure at the back (it's currently too loose and the weight of the fabric drags it down at the back), but otherwise I am happy with the both of them, and can't wait to get more wear out of them when Autumn comes around! If you'd like to see more photos of the skirts and their details, then tune in to my Instagram where I'll be posting more :) instagram.com/catscostumery-- THINGS MENTIONED --Butterick Patterns B5970 amzn.to/3pftjkpThe Voice of Fashion ed. Francis Grimble amzn.to/3Ql2VknAuthentic Victorian Dressmaking Techniques ed. Kristina Harris amzn.to/3Svu4Dh (original Dressmaking Up to Date freely available on archive.org archive.org/details/dressmakinguptod00butt)Making an 1890s Walking Skirt youtu.be/bIE-1seJaps (more details on skirt construction and the origin of the pocket saga)How to Make a Skirt Placket youtu.be/Lx_FtdXvKM4Another Edwardian Skirt (more of a trumpet style) youtu.be/WdSZwnBdYWwyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLXxaja7Ldgi0Opzw4dgdolyUjdlPMjZ37 Literally an Edwardian playlist because I cannot STOP-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
I Went Thrifting in ☀️Lisbon | vintage treasure and alterations Cats Costumery 2022-07-24 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!I had the lucky opportunity last week to go to a handful of second-hand/thrift/vintage shops in downtown Lisbon and I wanted to share my finds with you! My two vintage finds were a bit pricey compared to what I usually get, but they felt like good quality pieces to me, which is why I was comfortable purchasing them. I can't quite recall how much the tucked silk blouse and the suede vest were individually, but altogether they were 60€. The burgundy blouse was priced at 49€ per kilo and cost €9. I think because I was on holiday I felt like splurging a bit, but I definitely think the last shop was a bit overpriced. Although I didn't find anything at the Humana shops, things were decently priced from what I could tell. Here's a little more information about the shops I went to, in case you're interested:Humana Vintage goo.gl/maps/Nzocs8VsF9uVt5476Humana goo.gl/maps/fBmTCYJKmVWMDTdT8Flamingo Vintage Kilo https://g.page/flamingosvintagekilolisboa?shareA Outra Face da Lua goo.gl/maps/AtLwkH5wCAuSWxys7Let me know down below your favourite item and whether you'd like any of these patterns!-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
Everyone Needs a Vintage Dress (I made multiple) Cats Costumery 2022-07-03 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!In this video, we take a trip down memory lane and re-make my first vintage pattern sewing project: the Butterick 6099 ca.1952 dress! I originally made it out of a lightweight and very drapey blue rayon, but the dress has shrunk overtime and is now a little uncomfortable to wear. I purchased three meters of lightweight mustard yellow viscose fabric, which was £11 p/m. It was a little steep, but I haven't found this sort of fabric in nice prints to be much more affordable. I hope the dress last me a few more years! Some of the finishing and techniques in the pattern are pretty neat, so I wanted to talk you through how they assemble the dress. I'll also be scanning the bodice pattern and adding it to my Patreon, so check it out if you'd like to try it yourself!-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
I moved! 🎉 Lets set up the sewing room Cats Costumery 2022-06-19 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!It took me a long time to wrap up this video. Though most of the brunt work of unpacking was done in three or four days, there were still lots of leftover bits hanging around. That's the thing with moving houses - it always takes longer than you think! While the room is currently functional and some bits are set up nicely (I really like the horizontal kallax shelf, and the pictures over the fireplace), there's still lots of space in the room that is messy or not working great. It's a long term project, but there are definitely still lots of improvements I'd like to make. The room is a mix of Ikea furniture (the wardrobe, desk, shelves, and chair), and a handful of second hand furniture I bought, mostly off Facebook Marketplace (the mirror, the haberdashery drawers, the little mahogany table). I think at the moment it's a balanced combination of aesthetics and practicality haha. If you think of anything I can do with the mahogany shelf, comment below!-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
18th Century Stays in a Day: A Mistake Cats Costumery 2022-06-05 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!This video is a lesson on overestimating abilities (or time management, take your pick). I decided to make 18th century stays using the Scroop Pattern August Stays pattern. I had purchased this previously as I attempted stays before, but I had fussed too much with and it hadn't clicked. This time though, it absolutely did! I am very very happy with the result, as I think the pattern turned out really well with minimal fitting or alterations needed.I used under two meters of heavy weight linen, and less than a meter of fusible buckram interfacing. I also used about six meters of linen binding, cut on the straight from the fabric itself, and some linen thread for the handsewn finishing. For the machine sewing, I used plain Gutterman All sewing thread. With hand done eyelets and other hand finishing (that can be done away with for a faster turn around), these stays took me 25 hours to complete over the spread of four days. As I mentioned, this was really intense on the body, my hands hurt from the boning, and my back hurt from everything else, so I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, haha. I wanted to push myself and to get this project done quickly, and I am glad I now have stays!Leave me a comment below as to which 18th century project I should attempt first-- THINGS MENTIONED --Handsewn 18th century stays youtu.be/5lbRfnrEnNA18th century stays mock up saga youtu.be/rz6eEVC5mZoNell @theufoparty instagram.com/theufopartyScroop Patterns Augusta Stays scrooppatterns.com/products/augusta-stays-1775-1789My Patreon: patreon.com/catscostumery-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
Can I be ✨aesthetic✨ for a day? | ft. Hampton Court Palace Cats Costumery 2022-05-15 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!This video is kindly sponsored by Brooklinen. Brooklinen is giving you $20 off any order over $100 if you use my code CAT20 at checkout. Click here: bit.ly/CAT_BrooklinenMay22I tried something new with this video, I hope you enjoyed it! I really do enjoy vlogging, and I thought this would be a fun experiment. This day trip to Hampton Court was a really lovely time, and though I enjoyed trying to get nice photos and video, it was a lot of hard work, and I found that I often forgot or couldn't think of pretty poses/things to do! I think planning this better can produce better results, like having a list of poses, shots, or photos to get. I also found it really high maintenance to remember everything, especially with my scattered brain. For example, I completely forgot to get footage on my phone for nice TikToks or Instagram Reels. But by the end of it, my feet were absolutely killing me so I had a lack of motivation to try for any more shots.If you can, let me know down below in the comments if you can think of other aesthetic things to do!Here is the video on making a modern medieval dress: youtu.be/dMGaReHCgMk-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
I Tried Using a 1950s Sewing Pattern! Cats Costumery 2022-05-01 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!Today we are sewing a super cute 1950s housecoat or robe using a vintage sewing pattern from the 50s. I kept calling it 1940s/1950s throughout the video as I only remembered to try and actually date it after I made it. The pattern is Bestway's C1437 and I got it off Etsy from a vintage seller (TheFiftiesDressmaker etsy.com/uk/shop/TheFiftiesDressmaker?ref=shop_sugg) The Vintage Sewing Patterns Wiki dates it at ca.1953! (vintagepatterns.fandom.com/wiki/Bestway_C.1,437) As mentioned in the video, I purchased 4 meters of this linen cotton blend for £12 p/m. It was a bit pricey but I was really struggling with finding a fabric I liked, and I hope this robe lasts me a long time. Overall, I think it took me under 10 hours to make, including the hand finishing and seam finishing.Should I make another one in cotton velvet for the winter? 👀You can find Nikki's video about her housecoat here! youtu.be/Fqfd7TMm5m4-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
The Great Dressform Debacle aka how (not) to pick a dressform Cats Costumery 2022-03-27 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!I got a new dressform in the sewing room and I thought it might be useful for me to share my dressform experience. I first started off with an Adjustform Lady Valet in Size S, then I made a Bootstrap Patterns dressform, and now I have a vintage Stockmann dressform. They're all different. I only recently discovered padding, which I think gives you so much more flexibility with dressforms, you can use it on all kinds as long as the starting point is smaller than the finished measurement you're trying to achieve. So in the video, I talk you through the advantages and disadvantages of an adjustable dressform, a self-made Bootstrap Patterns dressform, and I try my hand at padding up the vintage dressform.I got my dressform cover from Vintage Style Mannequins (vintagestylemannequins.co.uk) and the vintage Stockman is from Etsy.-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
Going to a Vintage Kilo Sale! (and buying two kilos of stuff) Cats Costumery 2022-03-06 | Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!I did it again! In case you missed the first video, here it is: youtu.be/ayO5OXjRGbQ This event was held in Glasgow and hosted by a company called Worth the Weight. Entry was £2 for a timed slot, and they refresh the racks every few minutes. This time, I bought five items for £44 (including one big item which was capped at £20). I had a nice experience again, and I really appreciated that the content was so different, it really highlights how different every even is. I'll probably be going again!Let me know you're favourite find down below and whether you liked the yellow dress!-- MORE -- Patreon (exclusive videos), patreon.com/catscostumery Instagram (perhaps overactive stories): @catscostumery instagram.com/catscostumery Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/V7V7HRLN Blog: happilyevertaffeta.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/catscostumery-- All Amazon Links are affiliate links! I also have a list of all my useful sewing things here: amazon.com/shop/catscostumery --For business inquiries, email catscostumery@makrwatch.comMusic is from Epidemic Sound.
