Book Review: Embellishments Contstructing Victorian Detail

This slim book is the companion material to the eponymous 2012 exhibition at the University of New Hampshire.  The garments are part of the Irma Bowen Textile Collection, originally created at the beginning of the last century as a teaching tool for seamstresses.  This publication highlights ten American garments brought out of storage for the exhibition and allows us to see close-up images of details of construction.  The emphasis of the book is not to showcase high fashion dresses, but to highlight basic components used to create them.  Astrida Schaeffer clearly describes how these features were utilized both in couture garments and those created by home sewers.  The techniques are simple, but because there are so many ways to embellish with layers of trim, garments are visually rich and appear to be incredibly complex.

Pleating, ruching, bound edges, piping, applique and other types of fabric trims are well known by home sewers today.  The techniques haven't changed, but the mindset towards their use certainly has.  It would be a rare person who would consider using all of these trims (and perhaps a few more!) in a modern dress, but this was commonplace for Victorian ensembles.  In addition to fabric trims, texture, contrast and asymmetry were essential design features.  Examples of all these attributes are shown in numerous full color images.

I was especially entranced by the dress (c.a. 1870) created by Celesta Freeman.  Anyone today would consider it a stunner.  The author states, "For all is high style attributes, a number of characteristics point to it being homemade.  Buttonholes are too small, the tailoring is a little clumsy, and the overall finishing does not compare to professionally-made garment of the time...".  When I examined views of this dress I was shamed when I thought of my complaints about a dress I'm working on now - it only has three buttonholes!  Instead of being a discouragement to my skills, I consider Celesta's dress to be inspirational.

The author provides simple diagrams and instructions for creating the main types of self trims, and as pointed out previously, most will be familiar.  From a practical point of view, I was disappointed that there was no discussion of the weight and characteristics of the cloth used in any of these dresses. I think the home sewist, especially a beginner, must carefully consider the fabric being manipulated before considering trying a variety of self trims in their own garments.  I would hate to see a beginner try a simple technique with a difficult fabric and end up being frustrated.  Many of the gowns described appear to be made of lightweight silks or wools. Creating hundreds of pleats with bound edges and layers of cording and ruching is far easier in a lightweight fabric than most medium weight fabrics used in home sewing today.  Also, few people realize how weighty many historical garments are.  If you make a dress with three layers of gorgeous, it's going to be heavy! 

I would recommend this book for a variety of categories of home sewists. It is a must read for anyone interested in Victorian costume, either for historical accuracy in period recreations, or as inspiration for modern garments.  Artists creating Goth or Steam Punk designs would clearly enjoy this book.  Beginners will be inspired to try a few new techniques and mid-level sewists will rediscover how simple methods can transform a garment.  The descriptions are clear, instructions easy to read and diagrams well drawn. 

Technique Tuesday: Crochet

I like to use a lot of crochet embellishements in costumes.  Sometimes a well known stitch in a lightweight yarn is the perfect choice. If I'm making a coat or other garment, this is my usual method. Sometimes, though, I'm looking for a trim or small piece to add to a cloth-based garment.  For these purposes, I look for small-scale crochet that is easy to work and looks right with the garment.  I have a lot of crochet books and a Pinterest board, but something that looks good in a normal weight yarn may be too difficult or time-consuming to work in a fine thread with a tiny hook.  I have to experiment.

If you are a fan of crochet, you've probably seen a lot of pictures of the popular puff-flower grannies or African flower grannies.  They look great in bright colors and make an interesting textile.  Would I be able to use them in my work?  Let's see. I experimented with the puff-flower granny first.  I used these instructions.  I prefer diagrams, but couldn't find one anywhere.  My first choice is to use the largest yarn/hook combo that I think I can get away with.  Shown from top to bottom:

2 ply laceweight wool with a C/2.75mm hook
single ply laceweight raw silk thread with a C/2.75mm hook
size 5 perle cotton with a size 4/2.0 mm steel hook
size 8 perle cotton with a size 4/2.0 mm steel hook
size 8 perle cotton with a size 10/1.3 mm steel hook
N20 crochet cotton with a size 10/1.3 mm steel hook

Based on these results, I concluded that the only reasonable option was the second from the last.  Using the same thread/hook combo, I made an African flower granny (shown at right).  It looks good, although I wish it were smaller.  At this size, I would probably limit use to a single row or just one as a pocket. Although not as dramatic as when made with multiple colors, this is a nicely textured motif and I would make it in a single color.

The second experiment is dragon scale crochet.  This pattern popped up a few years ago and  is popular for potholders and tea cozies.  It uses a lot of yarn and makes a very thick and interestingly textured textile.  I think the stitch is too bulky for garments, but with finer thread could it be usable for my figures?  Let's see.  I found instructions in an unremembered book, but these are similar.

Shown from top to bottom:
fingering acrylic yarn with a D/3.00mm hook
Aunt Lydia's crochet cotton, size 3  with a C/2.75mm hook
single ply laceweight raw silk thread with a C/2.75mm hook
DMC Baroque crochet cotton with a 2.0mm steel hook
N20 crochet cotton with a size 10/1.3 mm steel hook

Based on these samples, I would use any of the last three.  I would not use this stitch to create an entire garment for a figure (well, maybe...), but I would use a row or two of scales as a trim along a hem or other edging.  I like the look of the stitch when made with thread.  I think the scales are well defined and have a crisp look - very clean.

One last comment.  Whenever possible, I experiment with white or off-white yarn/thread in natural fibers.  If I choose to use any of these stitches in the future, I would use the same yarn/thread.  The final step would be to dye the crochet to match the garment under construction.  This is far simpler than hunting down the color I need. 

Stay tuned for more techniques!