TwilaTee

Twila Taylor

Las Vegas Nevada USA

I'm a professional Seamstress. I own and operate a small business steaming wedding gowns for brides on location in Las Vegas. For my own pleasure I do historical costuming and have placed Best in Show.

I would like to make two gowns. One day dress and one evening. I'd like to make a lower backed pair of stays, and a bonnet that is shaped like a nautilus... It amuses me.

Day Dress

I'd like to make this cotton day dress out of the turkey red calico I bought in LA last fall... It's kinda perfect isn't it? Only worry I have, is the pattern is set on the bias and that might be weird... But maybe not in a bad way. :D The inspiration dress has a center back that's set on the bias. It will be interesting seeing mine vertical. :) the front is gathered on two draw strings with a pin closed lining. It's just like my trusty Past Patterns Lewis and Clark dress although the armcyes are different... I guess I will be altering the pattern. The sleeves are full and pool at the upper arm. This style alludes to the Romantic sleeves to come in 1830. Those sleeves will be fun to draft. I wonder if I can find a suitable pattern in Patterns of Fashion or The Cut of Women's Clothes? I'm pretty sure I have something that will at least get me close.

Evening Dress

I'd like to make an evening dress out of a vintage silk saree I bought on eBay. I'm not too sure if this is the exact dress I want to copy, but I really like those sleeves and if anything I'd like to at least have those. I don't have much of this vintage lace... 2? Yards maybe, but I'd like to use it as well hopefully I can get both the neckline and sleeves trimmed in that lace, but it might not be possible.

Bonnet

I'm going to draft this pattern up and make it out of some silk taffeta I have on my stash... I'll post the pattern when I have it.

I guess the brim will be buckram, I'll have to find some kind of trim for it as well. I've got some braid but I'm not sure if I'll like it.

Ohhh!!! Did you notice how at the back neck it looks like there's a drawstring casing? Oh those pre Victorians! How they loved their draw strings!

Stays

I would like to make a pair of stays with a back lower than the Past Pattern stays that I already wear. I'm going to make Daffodown Dilly Regency Era Wrap Stays. I'll make them up in white cotton sateen because that's my go to fabric for stays. I'll bone them with reed most likely. And if I feel that I need steel bones I'll use that as well... Also I might make myself another shift. My friend Katherine had a lovely one she made up from the Kanniks Corner pattern... Or was it Two Country Wives? Now I can't remember. I'll ask her.