Am experiencing end stages of project fatigue with #TheLinenRidingJacket and can't be bothered to start sewing the bodice lining closed because it's so annoying to hold what with all the sleeve seam allowance having to be shoved onto one side while sewing it on by hand...

I suppose I do have the over six metres of hem tape to put on #TheLinenWalkingSkirt, still, so I guess I could do just a day of chill mindless straight stitch and hem stitch

#TheLinenWalkingSkirt! 100% Oeko-Tex linen, with a cotton twill hem facing.

I just got done with finishing it by hand, all six metres of hem facing. 😄​

Here's a clip of it being worn in the glamorous setting of my living room, until such a time I can be bothered to document it better. Made from The Black Snail Patterns Fan Skirt pattern, which was drafted using a 1890 tailoring guide - with my modifications.
More construction details and progress photos in the above hashtag!

#HistoryBounding #sewing #HistoricalFashion

The hem. It looks so good already! I basted on the hem facing on the reverse and it was so much easier than I thought it would be. The hours of preparatory work were not in vain. 😂​

I ironed the hem to make the facing roll over a tad, barely visible on the right side. This prevents the actual skirt fabric from touching the ground - the facing is a narrow strip of much cheaper fabric and easier to replace.

And a word on basting? I can NOT recommend it enough. My go to style is this, where you push the needle away from yourself, catching a little bit of both fabrics. Easier than stitching sideways. The angle of the stitch stops the thread from pulling and holds the piece in place with minimal effort. 10/10.

#sewing #TheLinenWalkingSkirt

Continuing with #TheLinenWalkingSkirt 👗​

It has been a very iterative process. Baste the hem facing on, let it hang, take it off, measure a distance from two pivot points at the waist towards the hem, baste the hem facing upper edge there, cut off hem excess, baste on hem edge to hem facing... Soon I need to take off the last basting so I can flip the facing to the reverse, then I need to baste it on again!

I also put in hooks and thread loops. Love thread loops, put in several rows and you can adjust the size. Good loops.

#sewing

You know that rule of setting a dress or skirt to hang for a couple of days to allow the hemline to settle before hemming it, because fabric on the bias stretches?
Yeah, you should absolutely always do that.

This is #TheLinenWalkingSkirt after only one night. I tacked on the hem facing to let it settle with its actual final weight and the basting threads give a good visual of how much the linen has already settled. Evening out the hem in a couple of days, I guess

#sewing

First fitting of #TheLinenWalkingSkirt
Looks like a skirt! I replaced the box pleats at the back with tight gathering and it drapes quite nicely.

Amused by how it's meant to be worn over hip padding. Meanwhile, this is just my hips. 😄​ Do have to try it with a corset and padding, too, but not today

I can still finish the waistband and tack on the hem facing today, then I have to leave it to hang for maybe two days so the fabric can settle before I can hem it.

#sewing #HistoryBounding

#sewing

Doing the most tedious part of #TheLinenWalkingSkirt by starting with the hooks and eyes (and the placket)

Did you know that you can slip small hooks through a malleable but sturdy fabric like linen or wool? Just open the fibres up with an awl a bit and wiggle it in there. Hides the ugly metal loops that get stuck on things! Sewing the eyes inside a seam allowance is a much more used technique but also nice.

When you have trouble fitting the hem facing you've just prepared into your living room, it is a good indication of the final hem of a garment being of Sufficient Dimensions.

Cut out and serged the pattern pieces for #TheLinenWalkingSkirt with only minor difficulties, as one of the endless spools of serger thread ran out. I wish I could buy viscose ones here. While I was okay using up the old polyester ones, the thought of buying more plastic displeases me. Maybe I'll just get normal sewing thread in a plant fibre for the few things I use a serger for? Who knows.