Future Costuming Projects

This year I hope to do a lot more costuming, as it's become one of my main obsessions for over a year now. Here's a list of the things I want to make in the future. I may not get them all done this year (it would be amazing if I could, though), so it can carry on for the next five years seeing how slow I am at making things. :)

In no particular order, I have planned:

• Sky Blue 1790s Open Robe (to go with my chemise en robe I recently made)
• 1790s transitional stays
• 1790s turban to match the open robe

• 1860s Sunshine Yellow Quadrille Ballgown (for a dancing festival I may go to)
• Mid-Victorian corset (the chemise is already in progress, but it doubles up as a nightgown :))

• 18th Century sack-back gown in pale blue and black
• Some more 18th Century stays
• A shift/chemise to wear under the stays
• Some hand-sewn plain white petticoats, one striped, and one with a ruffle. 

• Some Edwardian day dresses based on this pattern; I already have variations in my mind, but I'm planning on a black and blue dress, a white dress with lace inserts, and a black and gold trim dress made of velvet. 
• Edwardian corset

• Lilac Regency Fairytale Ballgown
• Plain white, or striped, Regency dress

• Glinda the Good Witch costume from the Wizard of Oz
• 18th Century panniers as underpinnings

Sewing Plans for 2016

 Everyone knows that I'm the world's slowest sewer, so who knows if I can get all this done? In no particular order, I want to sew the following this year:

• Edwardian (1909-1913) dresses in white, blue and white,  and black and gold - all from this pattern.

• Victorian-inspired nightgown from the pattern on the top right.

• Gothic Lolita dress. I'm going to use the Alice in Wonderland pattern as a basis and make it in entirely black cotton, perhaps with some lace in the shape of a crucifix a la Moi Meme Moitie style.

• Period Lolita dress (inspired by the Victorian era). Something like this, in dusty purple and black. I'd like to look like a little Victorian girl!

• Georgian francaise gown in blue, made from my Father's office curtains that he no longer needs, haha. I have a sketch but it isn't scanned yet. It will be pale blue with black trimmings.
• Georgian robe a la reine with pink, purple, black and blue satin or taffeta sashes. I may also make some Lolita versions of the chemise a la reine.

• 40s summer top from strawberry material. In my mind it's cropped and very summery. I already have the fabric.
• 60s clothes from a Burda magazine I purchased, specially to wear in Florida when I go next year!
• Vintage beachwear.

Elizabethan-Costume's Stay Diary: Part 1

As Bianca from Closet Historian suggested, the Elizabethan Costume website has a stay pattern generator and tutorial that's great for adapting to 18th Century wear. Today I made up the pattern from the customize-able measurements (exciting!), cut the fabric, did some basic basting stitches, and bought the supplies I'll need next!
I'm not making an Elizabethan costume just yet, as the Georgian era clothing has captured my heart, and I'm not adapting it to another style as that would be to hard for me without a guide, so it may seem not historically accurate... But if it does the job of giving me a flatter, conical-shaped torso, then it's done its job.

Making up the pattern was a pretty fun and easy experience, as I had that big pattern paper that you can get from craft shops. The instructions are very clear and concise from this website, so I'll recommend it.
For my fabric I used whatever I had available, as I was at a loss for something to do today and the sewing shop over the road is closed on Sundays. So I found some light grey velvet-like material (left over from my bonnet) which is quite textured, and some darker grey light suede, which I'll use for the lining, or vice versa. Typically, linen would be used for stays, but I have none available for the time being. Maybe next time.
As for the steel spiral boning and busk, I got them from the Sew Curvy online store, which has a lovely catalog of other stays, some from the Victorian and Edwardian eras! If this corset turns out at least 50% okay I think I'll have a go at an Edwardian corset.

Update: Here's where I'm up to so far... As you can see, I have a long way to go, and some of my lines are incredibly wonky - but still, progress!

For now we'll see how it goes, as I'm also making a slouchy knit cardigan for my Mum and learning how to knit - so it may take a while!

Inspiration: Edwardian Fashions

Through joining Pinterest recently, I've discovered the joys of Edwardian fashions. All the dresses and ensembles are just too splendid, and these images have made me aspire to make an Edwardian dress in the near future - though first I want to get through a couple of Georgian projects, such as some stays that the lovely Bianca has advised me on.

I've just joined college though and things are already awfully stifling, so we'll see how things pan out before I start preparing a project. Besides, I don't think I could stomach those Edwardian S-bend corsets after knowing what they did to women's health!