Ready, set, SLEEVES! Part 1

A few days ago, I finally got around to redoing the sleeves for my first ever 18th century gown. I'm now 99% done with them; all that's left is to hem them (and add cuffs, but that's an embellishment, so I'm not counting them). I'm going to wait to do that, though, until after they are attached to the bodice. They are still a bit big on me, but I'm actually okay with that, because then I'll have room to move with poof-y shift sleeves in them.

Below the jump is part 1 of the process with the left sleeve. This is fairly picture heavy and a bit long, so my apologies (and why I split it up)!

First things first, I have to un-baste (de-baste?) the top of the sleeve. I saved this thread and reused it, I just rewaxed it.

I used my Chinese/iron scissors from Burnley & Trowbridge to pull the thread out, since I didn't want to cut it.

Then, I ripped out the spaced backstitch and pulled apart the lining from the fashion fabric.

The spaced backstitch on the seam of the sleeve.

Carefully ripping the thread out.

Ta-dah. Lining is separated from the fashion fabric.

The edges of the lining are still whipped together, so the next step is to take that out.

And now we have a separate piece of fabric and the whole lining. Don't worry, I saved the erroneous sleeve. It will come in handy as scrap, I'm sure of it (like the cuffs!).

After the lining is removed, and the scrap sleeve set aside, it was time to roll out some fabric and lay my muslin pattern piece correctly, making sure that the pattern would be going around my arm. From cutting out my other pieces (such as the front with robings), I had a great spot to use. I had hoped to cut both sleeves out from this chunk, and make use of all my fabric like the mantua maker or tailor would have, but in order to get the pattern to go horizontal, it wouldn't work.

Getting the proper placement on the fashion fabric.

The muslin is pinned down to the fashion fabric so it won't move.

And finally, cut out properly with a wrapped pattern (as much as I aim for historical accuracy and authenticity, modern ways of cutting fabric are awesome. I used a rotary cutter, and they are the best thing since sliced bread, for real).

Huzzah!

Stay tuned to part 2, where I finish up the sleeve.

These photographs are mine. Please do not take them or use them without permission.