From: Gretchen Miller Date: Fri, 28 Jan 1994 18:21:22 -0500 (EST) Subject: H-Costume Digest, Volume 38, 1/28/94 The Historic Costume List Digest, Volume 38, January 28, 1994 Send items for the list to h-costume@andrew.cmu.edu (or reply to this message). Send subscription/deletion requests and inquiries to h-costume-request@andrew.cmu.edu For archives of this digest, send mail to close@lunch.asd.sgi.com Thanks and Enjoy! --------------------------------------------------------------- Topics: Costume Con 12 -- Costume Competition Masquarde Entry description Millinary Skills and Tips French Hoods More on Dover Books Dates and more on the San Jose Civic Light Opera Costume tour More Corsetry How do you remove wax from taffeta? ---------------------------- Date: 26 Jan 94 20:28 GMT From: SCM.MANKER@AppleLink.Apple.COM (Nichols, Kristen) Subject: Costume Competition-CC12 I was wondering if anyone from our little "family" of historical costumers will be participating in the historical costume competition at CC12. I want to be on the look out for you and of course cheer you on! If you are going to be competing....would you give us a little teaser about your costume. Kristen ---------------------------- Date: 26 Jan 94 20:34 GMT From: SCM.MANKER@AppleLink.Apple.COM (Nichols, Kristen) Subject: Millinary skills I am trying to make a french hood for my next dress and am having a few difficulties. Are there any tips you all can give me??? I cannot seem to get the correct angle on it. Since I started the subject of hats I would really like it if we could start a millinary discussion. This is (obviously) my first attempt at this art and I would like to hear about any references, tips, tales of woe ;-), etc. Any time period would be wonderful to hear about. Smile! The weekend is almost here! Kristen ---------------------------- Date: Wed, 26 Jan 94 13:46:08 PST From: Loren_Dearborn@casmail.calacademy.org (Loren Dearborn) Subject: Re: FAQs and Dover books? Hello, I've been lurking on this mailing list for quite some time, but have come out of the woodwork for the Dover question... You can also get dover books from Amazon Dry Goods at the same prices as those in the Dover catalog and often faster than Dover. Amazon's address is :2218 E. 11th St, Davenport, IA 52803 Also, when asking Dover for their current catalog you might want to be sure to specify that you want the COMPLETE catalog, otherwise you can end up getting the seasonal catalog which doesn't list ALL of the wonderful costume books that they have. Have fun but be careful! ---------------------------- From: close@lunch.asd.sgi.com (Diane Barlow Close) Subject: Touring SJCLO Costume Dept -- the date is set! Date: Wed, 26 Jan 1994 14:03:03 -0800 (PST) I wrote a while ago that I would organize a tour of the San Jose Civic Light Opera's costume department, if there was enough interest. About 20 people responded, so that was enough to make me go ahead with the plans. Now I'd like to give the rest of you, and any who might have missed the original post, a chance to participate too. Pat Havey, Costume Director, LOVES to show off her stuff and she, as well as most of you, would prefer a weekend tour. Sooooo, we set a date for: Saturday, February 12th at 10:00 am. I'll send directions and details to those who confirm (ie. rsvp) with me for the tour, but basically we'll meet in the parking lot of the SJCLO's HQ a little before 10 am on the 12th. (They're easy to get to on Technology Drive out by the SJ airport.) We'll tour the place courtesy of Pat, and maybe we could all go for lunch or Dim Sum when it's all over? This should be an excellent preview and gearing-up-session for CC12, imho! -- Diane Barlow Close close@lunch.asd.sgi.com I'm at lunch today. :-) ---------------------------- From: close@lunch.asd.sgi.com (Diane Barlow Close) Subject: One more word on the tour Date: Wed, 26 Jan 1994 14:04:47 -0800 (PST) I forgot to add that those of you who want to come are welcome to bring all the guests you want! They don't have to be "list members" to attend this tour! -- Diane Barlow Close close@lunch.asd.sgi.com I'm at lunch today. :-) ---------------------------- From: Charlene Noto Date: Wed, 26 Jan 94 17:22:54 PST Subject: Millinary Skills Kristin states: Subject: Masquerade entry Well, I'm entering my first masquerade this year. My entry is in the Sci Fi masquerade but, the costumes are historical (the characters are sf/fantasy). My friend who is writing her first novel (remember my questions about Flemish costume) .... anyway, she has a long flashback in Ancient Greece and another in Rome. Her novel is about a family of vampires so, my entry is three characters who could be members of that family in Ancient Greece. They are 3 women. They are all wearing chitons with stollas. I've found three variations for the chiton which works out nicely since I have 3 characters. I am making three garments that are historically accurate designs but, the fabric and trim are modern (the trim is really more fantasy because it is "bright"). The headdresses are not Greek; they are more, well, Etruscan? Maybe Etruscan-inspired is more accurate. Three of my friends of modeling for me; one is the author of the book. Fortunately, the models are all excited and looking forward to the event. But, the closer it gets, the more nervous I get. Sally snorton@US.oracle.com ---------------------------- Date: Wed, 26 Jan 94 15:34:19 PST From: Loren_Dearborn@casmail.calacademy.org (Loren Dearborn) Subject: Re: Masquerade entry I'd like to enter, but as this is my first costume con (much less my first competition) I feel a bit nervous about the idea. I'd definitely be in the novice division, but even then I have little idea what to expect. Can any of you who have a little more experience in such matters offer any advice/clues for a newcomer like me? I'd appreciate it! ---------------------------- From: jsargent@hmg.com Date: Wed, 26 Jan 94 16:44:07 Subject: The Terror That Came From Dover O-kay... What's all this "be careful" stuff about Dover books? I have a great many Dover titles in my personal collection, and now I'm nervous about going into my room ( okay, I'm nervous for other reasons, but this is one more!). Back to my new DL Sayers bio - not a Dover edition, thank god(ess)(es) -Worried in Emeryville ---------------------------- From: Susannah Gort Date: Thu, 27 Jan 1994 12:01:03 GMT Subject: Re: Millinery skills Kristin and Charlene mention problems with French Hoods. What stage in the evolution of the French hood exactly? I've made one of the pre-wiring ones, and it worked very well (although admittedly because of time constraints I cheated a little, but I think it will still work without the cheat. And there is always the possibility that it wasn't a cheat after all). Mine's about 1505 I think. Susannah ---------------------------- Date: Thu, 27 Jan 94 10:51:36 PDT From: Cindy Subject: Millinary skills > Since I started the subject of hats I would really like it if we > could start a millinary discussion. This is (obviously) my first > attempt at this art and I would like to hear about any references, > tips, tales of woe ;-), etc. Any time period would be wonderful to > hear about. The most readable book on milinary is "From the Neck Up". I bought mine at the San Jose Historical Museum. Since it's not a reprint, it probably isnt Dover. (Can you tell I dont have it with me?) I've seen it at fabric & costume stores, CostumeCons, even SF cons with masquerades. Read the whole thing, cover to cover, then try stuff. The author tends to reference techniques explained in the book, but it takes some page-flipping to find it all. Fear not! it's very readable. The sections on buckram over wireframes is probably what you want. Make your paper models (per examples) first! I use feather weight quilt batts or "nice & natural" batt to pad the buckram & frame on my hats. ---------------------------- Date: Thu, 27 Jan 94 13:19:22 PST From: Loren_Dearborn@casmail.calacademy.org (Loren Dearborn) Subject: Re: The Terror That Came From Dover Perhaps it's that sucking sounds that comes from my wallet every time I fill out a Dover order form that leads to the warnings of "be careful" ;-) ---------------------------- From: bednarek@tidalwave.med.ge.com (Dennis Bednarek Mfg 4-6971 ~BHOSVWZ#097) Date: Fri, 28 Jan 94 04:45:58 CST Subject: Re: Corsetry info Okay let's see if I got the picture straight. Tudor corsets: Were designed mainly to create a flat front. Victorian corsets: To create a narrow waist when viewed from the front. However there suposedly are also Colonial, and Edwardian styles. What were they supose to do? ---------------------------- Date: Fri, 28 Jan 94 10:22:24 PDT From: Cindy Subject: My hat's off to you One tool that I've found invaluable is a contraption called a "Flexible Curve". You can find them at quilting shop for $8. For a hat with a brim, crown and tip, use the curve to get the wearer's head _Shape_, as well as size. Nobody has a perfect circle or oval head. When drafting the pattern I make the headsize hole larger by 1/8" or 1/16" all the way around. This allows for the fabric, buckram, lining ... You can also copy pieces of that 1870 mourning bonnet without taking it apart... The other truly useful tool is a hat block. Some come in wood with screws or spring to adjust their shape. Wood is good to size felt, dampened buckram against as it cant soak the block. Mine is fabric stuffed with a mystery substance. Just perfect to stick pins in. The fabric ones come in one size only. ~$10 I've never seen one made more recently that the 1950's, not even in the Greenberg & Hammer catalog. Perhaps the pros know better. Whadiya say Pros? --cin Cynthia Barnes Sr. Software Engr Caere Corporation 100 Cooper Court Los Gatos CA 95030 408.395.5148 x2224 internet: cin@caere.com "Very foolish to kill all the servants. Now we dont even know where the marmelade is." --Agatha Christie ---------------------------- Date: Fri, 28 Jan 94 11:59:59 -0800 From: bino@ella.mills.edu (Kendra VanCleave) Subject: edwardian corsets well, towards the end of the 19th c., there was the introduction of the spoon-shaped busk. this was originally designed as a way to allow women to lace their corsets more loosely. however, ladies soon discovered that extremely tight lacing gave them an S-shape, where the line was very flat and straight from under the breast down over the stomach. (very uncomfortable and very unhealthy). sorry, i don't know much about 18th c. corsets! ---------------------------- Date: Fri, 28 Jan 94 15:41:17 EST From: kerry omalley To: h-costume@andrew.cmu.edu having been involved in living history (rev. war)for the last few years, i beleive the major goal of the corsets of this time is to give the wearer a firm, inverted cone shape, as opposed to an "s" curve, or a flat front. the desired posture of the time is very straight, with the shoulders pressed back.(possibly to keep the high wigs on!) the idea was to create a small waist(or illusion thereof) by raising the bosom up and out over the low neckline, and adding wide paniers(mid-century) and rump pads(late-cent.) cross-boning was used to help create a rounded ribcage. this is a technique using a few bones placed horizontally from the center front to the under-arm, and one or two more diagonally from each shoulder blade toward the center-back. also, shoulder straps and tabs along the bottom served to help support the weight of the gown. i hope this helps a bit, and happy sewing!!! kerry p.s. i love reading this e-mail list, and i have a request. does anyone out there know if the book "revolution in fashion 1715-1815" is available? i know it is out of print, and my only sources have dried up. thanks very much, kerry (admitko@mit.vmc.) ---------------------------- Date: Fri, 28 Jan 94 14:09:40 PST From: Loren_Dearborn@casmail.calacademy.org (Loren Dearborn) Subject: Out, out damned spot! I have a problem I was hoping someone here could help me with. I have an 1890's ball gown that I made and wore to a party recently and managed to get wax on. What can one do to get wax out of taffeta? I've been told that ironing the dress with paper towels on both sides of the spot can work, but I don't want to try anything unless I'm fairly confident that it will at least not make it worse. Does anyone have any fool-proof remedy for getting wax out of fabric? Thanks! ---------------------------- End of Volume 38 -----------------------