@@jaspersgrimoire Spooky, you are a better man than me if you can get through some of these books. May you always roll a Natural 20 in all your sewing endeavors!
@@jaspersgrimoire HAHAHAHAHAHA! Naw, I've seen your work. You have some chops (to borrow from the musicians). I'm with you because you show a real skill, and I want to watch it grow. It even shows in your Tim Burton-esk buttonholes. 😁 Uh, no pressure! (accidentally applies pressure)
@@elleplaudite I was going to say this too! I REALLY wish modern men's dress shirts had removable/replaceable collars because my husband gets his so much dirtier than the rest of the shirt because of wearing ties and sweating. I have to throw out shirts that are otherwise fine just because the collar gets so nasty!
I can't believe I've been sewing for most of my life and not once has anyone ever told me "Hey, just sew the sleeves on that garment by hand." Anyone else feeling betrayed by all the people who've told you that sleeves are just supposed to be difficult and there's no way to make it easier?
I thought sleeves were too hard until finding out to sew the shoulder seam, sew flat sleeve into arm hole, THEN sew the side seam. Doesn't work for all garments but most
I have no idea, why it's never suggested as an option, either. I learned to sew before the internet was really a thing (mostly from books) and would usually baste the sleeves in for a fitting, before sewing them. And taking the step from that, to completely handsewing them, seemed pretty obvious to me. At least with garments like jackets or coats, where you do want to do several fittings during the construction process and then have to deal with tailored sleeves, that need to be eased into the armhole. Doing that by hand doesn't take that much time and it's just so much easier!
Rara Avis - Same. I picked up sewing as a hobby in 1998, so the internet existed, but I was (still am) a slow tech adopter (I believe I was the last person in the U.S. to get a cell phone). I taught myself to sew primarily from Threads Magazine and sewing books picked up in used bookstores. At first I didn’t even have a machine, so I sewed by hand. After I ‘advanced’ to a machine, the first time I went to set a sleeve by machine I looked at the size of the armscye and my machine and thought “well, this makes no sense”, and promptly set the sleeves by hand. I continue to do this to this day on most things.
Convent pockets, Abby. You need to learn about convent pockets in old historic Benedictine habits. I first learned about them as a postulant in the monastery when I was 27; I’ve been sewing them into all of my skirts and dresses for over half my life, now. LIFE CHANGING.
Outstanding! Tacking the collar is just genius. I find a lot of amusement in the fact that so many extant garments completely ignore, if not outright contradict, sewing manuals of the day. It also amuses me greatly that things aren’t all that different, today. It’s wonderful to know that anyone can “do the thing,” not just people who can sew twenty perfectly spaced backstitches to the inch. Thank you for de-mystifying Victorian and Edwardian fashion! Much love to you and the doggos!
My mom studied language in university years ago. She said that they used old school books everything it said not to do was probably being done to language by the lower class.
Yes! Yes! Exactly! When I started sewing, I picked up all these sewing manuals and was discouraged by all the fiddly things you had to do just to get the damn fabric cut out. There is the Bishop Method of Clothing Construction, Couture sewing and techniques, The Women's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences, The Complete Book of Sewing (1943), and the Art of Sewing and Dress Creation, and NONE of it is easy. (Of course, it all reads like sewing pattern instructions). And I have long noticed that what they want you to do in pattern instructions is WAY different than what you see done in ready-to-wear garments. I hear Bernadette Banner talk of stitches only 4 threads long, and I want to lay on my face and cry. And you're over here trying to do all this "period accurate" according to the books, thinking that this is how it actually was because, with rare exception up till now, NO ONE SHOWED YOU THE INSIDE of all of these beautiful dresses! THANK YOU, ABBY!
It's like if in 200 years, people tried to figure out what the lives of 21st century women were like by reading Cosmopolitan or Vogue. Nah, fam, we were just shopping at Target.
Some time ago my mom showed me her detached collars she saved from her high school uniform. She told me the reason they attached them by tacking/clip buttons was that collars get dirty quickly from touching the neck and so you just pop in a new one while you wash and starch the other.
Evidence-based analysis of techniques, I am blown away. Two out of the five techniques (collars and sleeves) used in the Victorian and Edwardian eras simplify some of the more stressful aspects of garment making. Thanks!
Re: Collars - another reason collars may be tacked on is because they often had lace or were made of lace, and up until about the mid 1800s when machine lace started to get GOOD*, lace was incredibly expensive! Tacking it on meant you were less likely to destroy the lace, you could move it from garment to garment, and it could even be handed down! A lot of the antique lace collars I deal with sometimes still have original tacking threads around the necklines, and the reason lace collars survive quite well is because they were meant to be removed and reused! *Good as in, it became very hard to tell handmade from machine made from a glance and even relatively up close, leading to a boom in anyone and everyone being able to afford lace.
Great point, this is exactly what I suspected when she showed the collar attached with hooks. I want to try making a detachable collar - it would add so much flexibility to the style of a garment!
@@johannageisel5390 I'm making a flannel housedress with huge pocketses and I used scraps to make a little ring that fits any of my fingers, so I'm going to sew it into the pocket so I can always have something in my pocketses besides my handses :)
@@bunhelsingslegacy3549 Haha, that's a cute idea. You should not sew it into the pocket tightly, but rather have it on a thin string which is attached to the inside of the pocket, so that you can take it out to show people. Of course the string will wrap itself around any object you put into the pocket, so the ring plus string needs an extra little pocket inside the large pocket. And of course the ring needs to be golden and have some words in the dark language embroidered on it.
@@johannageisel5390 It's only lfannel, I'm not convinced a string is a good idea...bit it is the kind of pocket I could pull inside out if Iwanted to show anyone....but I really think I sohuld keep it secret, keep it safe :)
The collar bit is surprising but makes perfect sense because what if the style changed suddenly and a different collar style would've been preferred? What if no collar was suddenly popular? It just makes the garment more versatile in the long run, which just shows more innovative thinking on the parts of Victorian dressmakers.
I was thinking that, too. If you make the collar removable with hooks and eyes, you could change your look by changing out the collar. Maybe to go from a daytime look to a dinnertime look without having to change clothes.
@@lindasprinkle4615 absolutely! The way they would cleverly have an evening and day bodice to go with the same skirt is also such a great and versatile concept.
Changing the collar and cuffs( wrists) of women's dresses was a way to update a blouse or dress. My Grandmother always had solid color material and lace ones for blouses. Along with the different breaches was all she changed for holidays, going to church,weddings etc. You new by the collar she wore how much esteem she gave you! ( she would put fresh on for when ladies came to tea). She passed in 64.
Talk science to me Abby...you know how I love it!! I wish I could help you with your DB (I have a few degrees in IT...don’t ask, I’m a DAMN NERD). Can you imagine having a database that not only has your clothing collection but the ability to see the data with associated construction techniques involved that’s searchable? My nerdiness is simply dying.
My notion board is actually *not* that far off! I might do a patreon only video showing how we've set it up so far (like, i have a check box for pockets lol). Notion is only lacking in multiple key word searching so if you type in "velvet ribbon" it will only look for "velvet ribbon" but not "velvet" and "ribbon" - if that makes sense (it's 7:50 am here and I haven't had a sip of coffee yet. LOL)
I have been mulling over my hem on an 1887 dress I’m working on (attempting to recreate a dress by great grandma wore). I haven’t had a chance to look at extant hems. I am also thrilled my plan for the collar (with hand knit lace) is actually an accurate way to do it. Thanks Abby! You’ve given me more confidence to tackle this project.
Tempted to bind every hem ever. just sounds so much cleaner than the old roll'nstitch I've generally resorted too. As I have now started making my own clothes, this is entirely the fault of Dearest Bernadette of course, I think binding will be more time consuming but much neater! Thank you Abby! I look forward to any other tips you have for us.
totally! it's just a good tip over all, and if you're into history bounding, is a great way to add just a sprinkle of history bounding aesthetic to an outfit!
@@AbbyCox and could alsoa add some cool contrast colours or accents if desired. And on the dual plaid skirt note I just bought someones stash of Laura Ashley cotton with 2 different plaids included so that's given me ideas 😂 obviously not as nice as silk but 🤷♀️
I feel like with one of the collars that's mostly attached with hooks and eyes, it would be fairly easy to just have interchangeable collars. Ones with lots of lace or embroidery or ruffles and ones that are more simple, depending on what the event you're going to would require. Or for ones that are sewn in, it would be easy to switch out the collar depending on the fashion at the time. I don't know if this is something that actually would have happened, but it might be an easy way to get a bit more mileage out of a dress
Also it may be to make them easier to replace if they got worn or stained, like men's collars of the time. Especially if you made 2 collars as standard.
I made a collared capelet for a cosplay and trying to get the collar to work caused me a minor breakdown, Im glad to know other people struggle with collars and next time just make it detachable.
THANK YOU for the segment on the (k n o w n) existence of historical pockets!! there was a post drifting by my fb feed a while ago that said something like, “pockets in dresses were phased out so women could prove they weren’t witches carrying spells and/or ill intentions" and it honestly still makes my brain fizz out just from thinking about it again
@@AbbyCox it got even worse when i sourced that claim to a historical fantasy novel and then found an article discussing said novel that started with "historically, women’s clothing has been pocketless for…basically ever," only for the author to follow that up with a timeline of women's pockets from the pre-17th to mid-19th centuries, alongside a bibliography of reference texts on pocket history........ make it make sense 😩
Anyone else get a huge boost of sewing confidence from Abby's videos? It's so empowering for the modern amateur dressmaker who squirms at all of the mistakes in her dresses (which no one else can see, LOL). Here I was thinking, oh man, I have to find tarlatan to stiffen my skirt bottoms, but if they didn't do it, why should I? 😁 Abby, anytime you want to make a video of any of your babies which don't already have unboxing videos, you're sure to have tons of people mesmerized while you go all fashion forensics on your collection! 👍
So my takeaway...catalogue your collection as you get it. Maybe you could share with us what your database looks like? What kind of categories you track...I have started collecting, so now would be the time to do this. lol Love your videos!
Literally came to UA-cam to do research on my first foray into victorian dressmaking - and BAM, Abby has delivered again. Thank you so much, can’t wait for more like this! ❤️ I’m currently working on figuring out how to make those cool early 1860s double puff sleeves.
Welp, now whenever I cut my lining layer out I'm going to have Jimmy Buffett in my head. 😂 Small trade off for learning about how to tackle collars? Maaaaaaaaybe....o/' layers and layers o/'
So even more proof that I need to give myself some slack and put down my perfectionist self and quit over doing it all. Time to give all of ourselves some grace. Thank you as always!
Took me years to get over myself. I still see the things that didn’t work the way I wanted or the errors, but finally realized no one else did. They look at the overall garment and don’t notice all the stuff you see as neon signed errors!!
I'm currently working on Simplicity 8161. I'm going to use flat-lining for it, because I love myself and Satin's a bastard to work with. And this video makes me feel so much better about doing that. So, Thank you, Abby. Can't wait to show you that dress when I finish it. ♡
I had to work on a dress that had a boned bodice and two layers of skirt from satin and two-layered floor-length cape sleeves from chiffon. Never. Again. Those two fabrics together are the worst punishment.
These tips are actually really useful. Also your collection so far...I say so far as I know you'll end up having over 1000 by the end of next year 😂I love it so much theyre so beautiful just the ones we have seen so far.
I don't make historical clothing or sew in general, but I find this really entertaining and educational. So please make more of these. Your delightfulness is icing on the cake ❤️ thanks Abby
No doggo footage? 😢 We demand doggo footage. Nicely. And politely. And respectfully. Such a useful video thank you! 👏 your database is setting off my data nerd radar 🤓
I filmed this one when their daddy was home, so they were, for once, finally, fine with leaving me mostly alone to film (though Gryff checked on me a couple of times, because he's velcro) 😂
History student here 🤓 would love a future video maybe.... possibly.... of how you manage your collection? We love a DIY database and some best practices 🤓
I love this. I am not the only person who looks inside each garment to see how it's made. I have been sewing since I could reach the knee pedal. I have an allergic reaction when someone wants to know the right way to sew something. You gave us so many different (all right) options to engineer a garment. Do your best, within your skills, using the materials you have. Oh. Arm holes are much easier when you realize pin basting is not meant for them. Hand baste then sew by machine. You will be happier.
Abby, you need to put this in a book with an index or searchable website or something. That book would sell! You could be the next Janet Arnold. When I search for Victorian sewing techniques I get instructions on how to make a backstitch like that covers everything. You're the one that understands what we really need.
I was taught in college that designer garments are constructed/built not made. Layer is applied to layer to create the shape/form of the garment. I just love you description of the process.
I recently made a vest from around 1900 as my second ever sewing project. The pattern asked for horse hair as a layer. It was a pain in the a*s to get it. I finally found it in a small online shop. It’s so good to hear that it was very common to use other fabrics. So at least the material gathering will be easier 😂🙈
I'm thinking of making a vest and I have been thinking of using some sort of fabric to replace thw horsehair but I don't know which would be good as replacement but using different types of fabric sounds really cool.
@@sayuriando3379 if you want something with a similar stiffness I think canvas can be a good replacement. When you use more lighter fabrics a strong linen or cotton could be an alternativ.
The collar thing makes so much sense! My late 1800s housekeeping manuals all talk about collars as being separate in laundry instructions. And I have a couple of literary references to making a new collar to refresh a hand-me-down gown.
I loved this video! It doesn't quite have the level of sheer PASSION as your 'use thimbles' video, but by golly, does it come close! SO many things that now seem obvious, like the binding the edges of skirts and THE COLLARS and the HANDSEW SLEEVES. It is incredible just how much actual people of the period just went with what was easier, rather than what the manuals said, because who hasn't read some patterns and gone 'but.... that seems like so much work; I'm just gonna do this instead. No one will be able to tell the difference'. True life tips here.
I love this style of video. Quick little bite sized bits of info that isn't well known in modern day by anyone who doesn't have a literal historical garment collection. Please more of these. :)
I cannot believe my brain decided that I needed to sleep yesterday when it knew full well... FULL WELL... there is Abby time to be had. But, it's pretty awesome to wake up to coffee and Abby time. What a lovely video with so much to learn here. You are a treasured resource for so many reasons and it isn't just your 100 pieces.
This is amazing! Thank you! I’m actually teaching a costume design class rn and I’m gonna tell my students about a lot of these tips. Especially “just backstitch the sleeve.” I have a feeling none of our students are gonna feel comfortable setting a sleeve on the machine (they’re quite new to machine sewing) so I can tell them historically it’s fine to do it by hand!
The hand sewing the sleeves tip helped me put in the neck and arms of my Bootstrap dress form! There was no heckin’ way I would have been able to do it successfully on my sewing machine.
This is the BEST video I've seen in a while for historic sewing techniques. Thank you so much for this. You and Cathy Hay are my go-to people for historic clothing. Thank you, thank you, Thank You!!
I would love to see some modern recreations (for durability) that use these techniques so we can see how the different methods change the way things look or hang or whatever. I totally feel you on the skirt pockets thing. My favorite "7 day" skirts have pockets large enough to fit a novel. It's so necessary!
not to be a weird nerd, but like, organizing and quantifying all of the garments in your collection sounds so much fun. like noting the sizes and fabric types and the dates and stuff and keeping a huge database sounds like a week of vacation for me. kind of jokingly but not entirely post covid times, if you want someone to organize, annotate, digitize, and quantify your collection i volunteer
this is amazing! Thank you! Would you ever consider a video showing us your collection? Or a video where you do a fashion show of every historic outfit you've made?
I'm a maker but not sewing or clothes, I cross stitch. What you said at the end about the vintage makers just not stressing about the little details even in couture is so true even in antique cross stitch samplers. So many modern stitchers freak out over uneven cloth, not enough edge for framing or even mistakes and holes in the fabric. But looking at antique samplers they just went with it, you can even find obvious patching and stitching over it, or just darning the hole. If they ran out of a thread color, they just carried on with a similar one, they left in obvious mistakes and uneven motifs.
So grateful when I see these videos! I'm very visual with sewing. This is what got me into the sewing UA-camrs like you. I can read technical stuff for archaeology or ocarina playing (a couple of my interests) but cannot for anything where you construct a 3D thing (like sewing or knitting which I want to improve my skills on).
Thanks for these! I'll be using these tips. Because of your videos I have done some hand-sewing I wouldn't have done before, and I haven't worried about how wonky it might look because you've shown to us that things don't have to be sewn perfectly and it will still turn out ok. So you've helped me be brave and relax! Thank you!
Thank you I have learnt so much from this video, I am sure I will be watching this video many times. Love the idea of the hand sewing the sleeves. How truely wonderful this is. Cheers Tricia.
I go for pockets big enough for my Kindle! (Paperwhite). I have to say I'm also wondering about flatlining viscose jersey (sloppy, but there are so many pretty ones) with cotton jersey...! Instead of bag-lining dress bodices (for warmth and clean finishing). Of course, the raw inside seams are far less of a bother when there will be a minimum of two layers of garments between those and the skin (thinking corset and chemise). :)
Yes to big pockets! I'm a little confused by your second section of the comment about flatlining jersey? Could you maybe send me a message on Patreon clarifying what you mean? ❤
I completely get this. I've done it on some of my clothes. I use traditional methods of keeping my skin in good condition and it gets onto fabric. If you don't have detachable/neckerchiefs/headcloths etc, the main clothing item needs patching through oil staining a lot faster than the rest of the clothing needs cleaning.
I'm so glad I'm not the only one that has been so frustrated with sleeves. I almost always try to use the machine, and the materials always gets gathered at the wrong spot. These are fantastic tips, as I have some material and am about to begin an adventure in skirt making. Back to you later.
I feel like I've definitely read about people embroidering collars for gifts and such during that period, so it makes sense that they would be easily detachable!
I'm SO relieved about the collar hack! I've been working on a project and dreading trying to figure out how to attach the collar since I sewed on the facing before attaching the collar and couldn't just sandwich it in the seam like I was originally planning to do without undoing a bunch of stitching.
Oh my gosh I haven't laughed literally outloud while learning so much in a VERY long time. This is an amazing video and I love it. Thank you times infinity and beyond for sharing this with us.
wow, serious top tips, my favorite? removable collars and bound hems. Skirts like quilts, totally get it. Also, hand sewing sleeves, I'm going to try this next.
Can you do a video on building the outer layer after fitting the lining? I’ve fitted things that are unlined, or where the outer and lining are treated as one layer. I’ve noticed the inter and outer layers aren’t always constructed the same, and I’d love to know how to do it! I’m really loving the videos looking at period garments- they’re like going on a treasure hunt! Thanks for all the work and detail you put into these. 😃 (You’ve finally converted me to wearing a thimble! I can’t believe it took me until the age of 40 to do it. That’s 30 YEARS OF SEWING that could have been so much more easy and efficient!!! THANK YOU 🥰)
Could you do a video on seam finishes that were actually used on different parts of these garments? I'm trying to do some recreations myself and I'm finding raw edges tricky. I'd love to know, based on your own collection and education, what seam finishes were used during what periods and on which parts of the garment (skirt/waist seams vs. bodice pieces vs. hems, etc). Thanks for all the wonderful content you put out here, it's so fun and helpful!
I'm so doing that collar thing the next time I have to do it. Mind is blown.... Oh and the skit with the breakdown over the collars is so spot on to my feels.
You’re amazing, I love your channel so much! You’ve given me the best techniques that I use in my historical sewing and modern sewing! Your personality is adorable and your videos are always so much fun! Keep doing what you’re doing❤️❤️
Those collars are so cool! 16th century doublets, please sit up and pay attention, you have something to learn here.
i know I am kind of randomly asking but does anyone know of a good site to stream newly released series online ?
I am always excited how messy the inside of those gowns looks. It gives me hope in my own tailoring endeavours.
I always amuse myself when I'm sewing thinking about a future Abby looking at my janky seams and enthusing over it 😂
Everyone, all throughout history: I Do Not Want To Do The Collar
Hi, Spooky, glad to see you here.
@@michellecornum5856 I like to learn all the construction techniques so I can mad scientist them better into my historybounding.
@@jaspersgrimoire Spooky, you are a better man than me if you can get through some of these books. May you always roll a Natural 20 in all your sewing endeavors!
@@michellecornum5856 a Nat 20? [looks at my swing coat buttonholes] [sweats]
@@jaspersgrimoire HAHAHAHAHAHA! Naw, I've seen your work. You have some chops (to borrow from the musicians). I'm with you because you show a real skill, and I want to watch it grow. It even shows in your Tim Burton-esk buttonholes. 😁 Uh, no pressure! (accidentally applies pressure)
I think also, by just tacking the collar you could update the dress to the next “modern” style more easily!
I was thinking that, too!
Collars also get easily discolored by sweat, so you could take off a collar, boil it, bleach it, or replace it with a new one. It just makes sense.
Or change the look so it didn't look like you were wearing the same dress all the time.
@@elleplaudite I was going to say this too! I REALLY wish modern men's dress shirts had removable/replaceable collars because my husband gets his so much dirtier than the rest of the shirt because of wearing ties and sweating. I have to throw out shirts that are otherwise fine just because the collar gets so nasty!
@@arionrhod6383 that is so true! My husband goes through shirts like crazy
I can't believe I've been sewing for most of my life and not once has anyone ever told me "Hey, just sew the sleeves on that garment by hand." Anyone else feeling betrayed by all the people who've told you that sleeves are just supposed to be difficult and there's no way to make it easier?
I thought sleeves were too hard until finding out to sew the shoulder seam, sew flat sleeve into arm hole, THEN sew the side seam. Doesn't work for all garments but most
That's why they're called sleevils.
I always put the sleeves in flat, before sewing sleeve and side seams. I have no idea whT difference it makes inserting a tube into another tube
I have no idea, why it's never suggested as an option, either. I learned to sew before the internet was really a thing (mostly from books) and would usually baste the sleeves in for a fitting, before sewing them. And taking the step from that, to completely handsewing them, seemed pretty obvious to me. At least with garments like jackets or coats, where you do want to do several fittings during the construction process and then have to deal with tailored sleeves, that need to be eased into the armhole.
Doing that by hand doesn't take that much time and it's just so much easier!
Rara Avis - Same. I picked up sewing as a hobby in 1998, so the internet existed, but I was (still am) a slow tech adopter (I believe I was the last person in the U.S. to get a cell phone). I taught myself to sew primarily from Threads Magazine and sewing books picked up in used bookstores. At first I didn’t even have a machine, so I sewed by hand. After I ‘advanced’ to a machine, the first time I went to set a sleeve by machine I looked at the size of the armscye and my machine and thought “well, this makes no sense”, and promptly set the sleeves by hand. I continue to do this to this day on most things.
The most oppressive thing about a pocket is when it’s made too small, and you’re forced to buy a bigger, separate pocket to carry your things
Small pockets are the result of a conspiracy between the clothing industry and Big Bag.
Mirjan Bouma - 👏🏻 This is memeworthy!
@@madeleinerose7090 go for it, with my blessings!
Convent pockets, Abby. You need to learn about convent pockets in old historic Benedictine habits. I first learned about them as a postulant in the monastery when I was 27; I’ve been sewing them into all of my skirts and dresses for over half my life, now. LIFE CHANGING.
Outstanding! Tacking the collar is just genius. I find a lot of amusement in the fact that so many extant garments completely ignore, if not outright contradict, sewing manuals of the day. It also amuses me greatly that things aren’t all that different, today. It’s wonderful to know that anyone can “do the thing,” not just people who can sew twenty perfectly spaced backstitches to the inch.
Thank you for de-mystifying Victorian and Edwardian fashion! Much love to you and the doggos!
Yeah the collar thing was mind blowing once, especially when I realized it wasn't a fluke. 😂
My mom studied language in university years ago. She said that they used old school books everything it said not to do was probably being done to language by the lower class.
Yes! Yes! Exactly! When I started sewing, I picked up all these sewing manuals and was discouraged by all the fiddly things you had to do just to get the damn fabric cut out. There is the Bishop Method of Clothing Construction, Couture sewing and techniques, The Women's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences, The Complete Book of Sewing (1943), and the Art of Sewing and Dress Creation, and NONE of it is easy. (Of course, it all reads like sewing pattern instructions). And I have long noticed that what they want you to do in pattern instructions is WAY different than what you see done in ready-to-wear garments. I hear Bernadette Banner talk of stitches only 4 threads long, and I want to lay on my face and cry. And you're over here trying to do all this "period accurate" according to the books, thinking that this is how it actually was because, with rare exception up till now, NO ONE SHOWED YOU THE INSIDE of all of these beautiful dresses! THANK YOU, ABBY!
You have to know the rules to know you're breaking them like a boss.
It's like if in 200 years, people tried to figure out what the lives of 21st century women were like by reading Cosmopolitan or Vogue. Nah, fam, we were just shopping at Target.
Some time ago my mom showed me her detached collars she saved from her high school uniform. She told me the reason they attached them by tacking/clip buttons was that collars get dirty quickly from touching the neck and so you just pop in a new one while you wash and starch the other.
That's what I was thinking. Like how men's collars used to be detachable
Evidence-based analysis of techniques, I am blown away. Two out of the five techniques (collars and sleeves) used in the Victorian and Edwardian eras simplify some of the more stressful aspects of garment making. Thanks!
Re: Collars - another reason collars may be tacked on is because they often had lace or were made of lace, and up until about the mid 1800s when machine lace started to get GOOD*, lace was incredibly expensive! Tacking it on meant you were less likely to destroy the lace, you could move it from garment to garment, and it could even be handed down! A lot of the antique lace collars I deal with sometimes still have original tacking threads around the necklines, and the reason lace collars survive quite well is because they were meant to be removed and reused!
*Good as in, it became very hard to tell handmade from machine made from a glance and even relatively up close, leading to a boom in anyone and everyone being able to afford lace.
Great point, this is exactly what I suspected when she showed the collar attached with hooks. I want to try making a detachable collar - it would add so much flexibility to the style of a garment!
When you started talking about pockets, I kept waiting for Gollum to ask "What's in her pocketses?"
...I actually made a flannel ring to stitch into the pocket of a housedress/winter shift I'm almost finished :D
@@bunhelsingslegacy3549 I'm confused. What do you mean?
@@johannageisel5390 I'm making a flannel housedress with huge pocketses and I used scraps to make a little ring that fits any of my fingers, so I'm going to sew it into the pocket so I can always have something in my pocketses besides my handses :)
@@bunhelsingslegacy3549 Haha, that's a cute idea.
You should not sew it into the pocket tightly, but rather have it on a thin string which is attached to the inside of the pocket, so that you can take it out to show people.
Of course the string will wrap itself around any object you put into the pocket, so the ring plus string needs an extra little pocket inside the large pocket.
And of course the ring needs to be golden and have some words in the dark language embroidered on it.
@@johannageisel5390 It's only lfannel, I'm not convinced a string is a good idea...bit it is the kind of pocket I could pull inside out if Iwanted to show anyone....but I really think I sohuld keep it secret, keep it safe :)
If you can't smuggle a *huge* chocolate bar past your kids, your pockets are too small.
LOL, true
Hehehe 😝
Or a full size packet of chips
Truth!!!!!
🤣 As a mother of four, I approve this message. 🤣
The collar bit is surprising but makes perfect sense because what if the style changed suddenly and a different collar style would've been preferred? What if no collar was suddenly popular? It just makes the garment more versatile in the long run, which just shows more innovative thinking on the parts of Victorian dressmakers.
I was thinking that, too. If you make the collar removable with hooks and eyes, you could change your look by changing out the collar. Maybe to go from a daytime look to a dinnertime look without having to change clothes.
@@lindasprinkle4615 absolutely! The way they would cleverly have an evening and day bodice to go with the same skirt is also such a great and versatile concept.
Changing the collar and cuffs( wrists) of women's dresses was a way to update a blouse or dress. My Grandmother always had solid color material and lace ones for blouses. Along with the different breaches was all she changed for holidays, going to church,weddings etc. You new by the collar she wore how much esteem she gave you! ( she would put fresh on for when ladies came to tea). She passed in 64.
Came here to say something like this! So nice that you have such a lovely memory of your Grandmother :)
Talk science to me Abby...you know how I love it!! I wish I could help you with your DB (I have a few degrees in IT...don’t ask, I’m a DAMN NERD). Can you imagine having a database that not only has your clothing collection but the ability to see the data with associated construction techniques involved that’s searchable? My nerdiness is simply dying.
My notion board is actually *not* that far off! I might do a patreon only video showing how we've set it up so far (like, i have a check box for pockets lol). Notion is only lacking in multiple key word searching so if you type in "velvet ribbon" it will only look for "velvet ribbon" but not "velvet" and "ribbon" - if that makes sense (it's 7:50 am here and I haven't had a sip of coffee yet. LOL)
@@AbbyCox Yeah, it doesn’t have the capability to separate words. Makes perfect sense. I used to have to code in SQL so I get ya’.
I've noticed Notion databases are very similar to Airtable databases. Does anyone know if Airtable is more searchable, or about the same?
I have been mulling over my hem on an 1887 dress I’m working on (attempting to recreate a dress by great grandma wore). I haven’t had a chance to look at extant hems. I am also thrilled my plan for the collar (with hand knit lace) is actually an accurate way to do it. Thanks Abby! You’ve given me more confidence to tackle this project.
What an amazing thing to do, make a dress from a pic of your family ..Wow. What a great idea. Thanks for sharing. Have a good day.
Tempted to bind every hem ever. just sounds so much cleaner than the old roll'nstitch I've generally resorted too. As I have now started making my own clothes, this is entirely the fault of Dearest Bernadette of course, I think binding will be more time consuming but much neater! Thank you Abby! I look forward to any other tips you have for us.
Bias binding is sooo much easier than attempting to roll a narrow hem.
It is easier, especially if the hem is curved, just like facing a hem
I've seen the folded ( synthetic?) tape that looked like the one Abby is talking/showing us. Would that be a good substitute?
I feel like binding your hems is a great tip regardless of era to help them last longer!
totally! it's just a good tip over all, and if you're into history bounding, is a great way to add just a sprinkle of history bounding aesthetic to an outfit!
@@AbbyCox and could alsoa add some cool contrast colours or accents if desired. And on the dual plaid skirt note I just bought someones stash of Laura Ashley cotton with 2 different plaids included so that's given me ideas 😂 obviously not as nice as silk but 🤷♀️
I feel like with one of the collars that's mostly attached with hooks and eyes, it would be fairly easy to just have interchangeable collars. Ones with lots of lace or embroidery or ruffles and ones that are more simple, depending on what the event you're going to would require. Or for ones that are sewn in, it would be easy to switch out the collar depending on the fashion at the time. I don't know if this is something that actually would have happened, but it might be an easy way to get a bit more mileage out of a dress
Also it may be to make them easier to replace if they got worn or stained, like men's collars of the time. Especially if you made 2 collars as standard.
@@alexismontez4230 and they are just plain easier to clean/iron.
I made a collared capelet for a cosplay and trying to get the collar to work caused me a minor breakdown, Im glad to know other people struggle with collars and next time just make it detachable.
THANK YOU for the segment on the (k n o w n) existence of historical pockets!! there was a post drifting by my fb feed a while ago that said something like, “pockets in dresses were phased out so women could prove they weren’t witches carrying spells and/or ill intentions" and it honestly still makes my brain fizz out just from thinking about it again
I can't roll my eyes hard enough at those articles. Like, 5 minutes of research proves how silly that whole concept was/is.
@@AbbyCox it got even worse when i sourced that claim to a historical fantasy novel and then found an article discussing said novel that started with "historically, women’s clothing has been pocketless for…basically ever," only for the author to follow that up with a timeline of women's pockets from the pre-17th to mid-19th centuries, alongside a bibliography of reference texts on pocket history........ make it make sense 😩
Oh I usually see the "pockets were forbidden in the French Revolution" one, which... what?
Very sorry....but anyone else hear:
"I look like my great aunt Tessie!!"
When you saw the ruffled bodice at the start of the video 😂😂
I smell like my great aunt Tessie!!
As a competitive cosplayer I always worry about raw edges... now I know that historically it doesn't matter!! Thanks!!
Anyone else get a huge boost of sewing confidence from Abby's videos? It's so empowering for the modern amateur dressmaker who squirms at all of the mistakes in her dresses (which no one else can see, LOL). Here I was thinking, oh man, I have to find tarlatan to stiffen my skirt bottoms, but if they didn't do it, why should I? 😁
Abby, anytime you want to make a video of any of your babies which don't already have unboxing videos, you're sure to have tons of people mesmerized while you go all fashion forensics on your collection! 👍
This video literally blew my mind with the collar thing!
So my takeaway...catalogue your collection as you get it. Maybe you could share with us what your database looks like? What kind of categories you track...I have started collecting, so now would be the time to do this. lol Love your videos!
Me, procrastinating getting started on my 1890's prom dress because I don't know what I'm doing: *help*
My youtube notifications:
Do it!! Even if it sucks
It will be fine, small steps and stop overthinking what’s happening 4 steps ahead!
Here's the place to ask your questions. Whaddaya need to know?
- Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown
As a self-taught visual learner, I am squealing. And I'm working on a dress with pockets this week.......!
Me too!! I thought, "Thats why I learn so much from you, your visual ". Have a good day.
Same! Visual and tactile learner here, and this helps SO MUCH with conceptualizing historical garments.
Literally came to UA-cam to do research on my first foray into victorian dressmaking - and BAM, Abby has delivered again. Thank you so much, can’t wait for more like this! ❤️ I’m currently working on figuring out how to make those cool early 1860s double puff sleeves.
Yes! I wanted to do the double puff sleeves on my 1860s dress, but I'll be real - I ended up just getting confused and settling for one puff. xD
Welp, now whenever I cut my lining layer out I'm going to have Jimmy Buffett in my head. 😂 Small trade off for learning about how to tackle collars? Maaaaaaaaybe....o/' layers and layers o/'
sorry not sorry 😂😂😂😂
So even more proof that I need to give myself some slack and put down my perfectionist self and quit over doing it all. Time to give all of ourselves some grace.
Thank you as always!
I know the feeling. Abby's videos have really helped with battling my own perfectionist demon.
Took me years to get over myself. I still see the things that didn’t work the way I wanted or the errors, but finally realized no one else did. They look at the overall garment and don’t notice all the stuff you see as neon signed errors!!
I'm currently working on Simplicity 8161. I'm going to use flat-lining for it, because I love myself and Satin's a bastard to work with. And this video makes me feel so much better about doing that. So, Thank you, Abby. Can't wait to show you that dress when I finish it. ♡
Woo! I look forward to it!
Read this too fast. Thought it said Satan's a bastard to work with. Lol
Good luck on the dress 😁
@@lajoyous1568 me too!! Had to reread it a couple of times
I had to work on a dress that had a boned bodice and two layers of skirt from satin and two-layered floor-length cape sleeves from chiffon. Never. Again. Those two fabrics together are the worst punishment.
@@lajoyous1568 Satin = Satan. This will forever be in my head. Because that's how I read it too...
- Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown
"Quantify the evidence..." music to my ears! I love the intersection of data and art!!
I love the little appearance from the puppy. Totally had the look of, "mum's doing one of her things again, I better sneak outta here." 😇
These tips are actually really useful. Also your collection so far...I say so far as I know you'll end up having over 1000 by the end of next year 😂I love it so much theyre so beautiful just the ones we have seen so far.
I don't make historical clothing or sew in general, but I find this really entertaining and educational. So please make more of these. Your delightfulness is icing on the cake ❤️ thanks Abby
No doggo footage? 😢 We demand doggo footage. Nicely. And politely. And respectfully.
Such a useful video thank you! 👏 your database is setting off my data nerd radar 🤓
I filmed this one when their daddy was home, so they were, for once, finally, fine with leaving me mostly alone to film (though Gryff checked on me a couple of times, because he's velcro) 😂
I have a cat named velcro, for exactly this reason
Bless 😍 my rats are the opposite of velcro, they want to run free and eat anything they can find. Unless they're ill, then they want snuggles 😥
@@elizabethhunley4020 I also had a cat named Velcro :)
@@elizabethhunley4020 I have a cat named Ivy.
Love how the dog walked to the entry and turned around and left. Too Cute.
When you said ‘bag lining doesn’t exist’ I think I actually cheered! Thank you!!!
History student here 🤓 would love a future video maybe.... possibly.... of how you manage your collection? We love a DIY database and some best practices 🤓
I have never thought of using "beefy" to describe a skirt, now, I see that it makes perfect sense.
My late mum taught me a lot of these techniques and I still do them , thank you so very much for this video
I love this. I am not the only person who looks inside each garment to see how it's made. I have been sewing since I could reach the knee pedal. I have an allergic reaction when someone wants to know the right way to sew something. You gave us so many different (all right) options to engineer a garment. Do your best, within your skills, using the materials you have. Oh. Arm holes are much easier when you realize pin basting is not meant for them. Hand baste then sew by machine. You will be happier.
i don't sew. i just love Abby.
Heck yess pockets!!!!!!!!!! I just finished hand embroidering my 18th century pockets and man I want to wear them everywhere they are so practical
Abby, you need to put this in a book with an index or searchable website or something. That book would sell! You could be the next Janet Arnold. When I search for Victorian sewing techniques I get instructions on how to make a backstitch like that covers everything. You're the one that understands what we really need.
I was taught in college that designer garments are constructed/built not made. Layer is applied to layer to create the shape/form of the garment. I just love you description of the process.
I will be making my wedding dress based off an 1860s extent gown. These tips are sooooo helpful. THANK YOU!!!!
I recently made a vest from around 1900 as my second ever sewing project. The pattern asked for horse hair as a layer. It was a pain in the a*s to get it. I finally found it in a small online shop. It’s so good to hear that it was very common to use other fabrics. So at least the material gathering will be easier 😂🙈
I'm thinking of making a vest and I have been thinking of using some sort of fabric to replace thw horsehair but I don't know which would be good as replacement but using different types of fabric sounds really cool.
@@sayuriando3379 if you want something with a similar stiffness I think canvas can be a good replacement. When you use more lighter fabrics a strong linen or cotton could be an alternativ.
@@badurbangorgeous7843 Thank you
This entire video is honestly better than any book I've read (and your edits make it way more fun!). Thank you for making this!!!
That plaid thing is a wonderful example of how clothes from those eras could be absolutely eye searing.
The collar thing makes so much sense! My late 1800s housekeeping manuals all talk about collars as being separate in laundry instructions. And I have a couple of literary references to making a new collar to refresh a hand-me-down gown.
Visual learners unite! Loved the close-up of the hem braid, and glad it's not just me who finds sewing sleeves by hand much easier
Ah, I see today is a day again that abby and nicole upload within an hour from each other
I love the collar tip! Going to be doing that!
All of my equestrian shirts have a removable collar and I can tell you, it's rad & makes the final look really lovely.
You had me laughing on the floor with "sewing the sleeves in by hand!!!" Hahaha. So true.
VERY helpful!!!! ...especially to those of us who are just taking our first, timid steps into Historical Sewing! Thank you!
I loved this video! It doesn't quite have the level of sheer PASSION as your 'use thimbles' video, but by golly, does it come close! SO many things that now seem obvious, like the binding the edges of skirts and THE COLLARS and the HANDSEW SLEEVES. It is incredible just how much actual people of the period just went with what was easier, rather than what the manuals said, because who hasn't read some patterns and gone 'but.... that seems like so much work; I'm just gonna do this instead. No one will be able to tell the difference'. True life tips here.
I love this style of video. Quick little bite sized bits of info that isn't well known in modern day by anyone who doesn't have a literal historical garment collection. Please more of these. :)
I cannot believe my brain decided that I needed to sleep yesterday when it knew full well... FULL WELL... there is Abby time to be had. But, it's pretty awesome to wake up to coffee and Abby time. What a lovely video with so much to learn here. You are a treasured resource for so many reasons and it isn't just your 100 pieces.
I’ve been avoiding the end of a project cause I have been struggling with the collar. No more! Thank you Abby!!
This is amazing! Thank you! I’m actually teaching a costume design class rn and I’m gonna tell my students about a lot of these tips. Especially “just backstitch the sleeve.” I have a feeling none of our students are gonna feel comfortable setting a sleeve on the machine (they’re quite new to machine sewing) so I can tell them historically it’s fine to do it by hand!
The hand sewing the sleeves tip helped me put in the neck and arms of my Bootstrap dress form! There was no heckin’ way I would have been able to do it successfully on my sewing machine.
Totally agree with setting sleeves by hand! And I also find collars tricky so will definitely try doing them that way! Thank you!
This is the BEST video I've seen in a while for historic sewing techniques. Thank you so much for this. You and Cathy Hay are my go-to people for historic clothing. Thank you, thank you, Thank You!!
My favorite is the sleeve sewing tip! 😍
OMG! Thank God for pockets!
The collar tip was my favorite ❤
I would love to see some modern recreations (for durability) that use these techniques so we can see how the different methods change the way things look or hang or whatever.
I totally feel you on the skirt pockets thing. My favorite "7 day" skirts have pockets large enough to fit a novel. It's so necessary!
Yes please more technique videos like this!!!!!
not to be a weird nerd, but like, organizing and quantifying all of the garments in your collection sounds so much fun. like noting the sizes and fabric types and the dates and stuff and keeping a huge database sounds like a week of vacation for me. kind of jokingly but not entirely post covid times, if you want someone to organize, annotate, digitize, and quantify your collection i volunteer
this is amazing! Thank you! Would you ever consider a video showing us your collection? Or a video where you do a fashion show of every historic outfit you've made?
I'm a maker but not sewing or clothes, I cross stitch. What you said at the end about the vintage makers just not stressing about the little details even in couture is so true even in antique cross stitch samplers.
So many modern stitchers freak out over uneven cloth, not enough edge for framing or even mistakes and holes in the fabric. But looking at antique samplers they just went with it, you can even find obvious patching and stitching over it, or just darning the hole. If they ran out of a thread color, they just carried on with a similar one, they left in obvious mistakes and uneven motifs.
So grateful when I see these videos! I'm very visual with sewing.
This is what got me into the sewing UA-camrs like you. I can read technical stuff for archaeology or ocarina playing (a couple of my interests) but cannot for anything where you construct a 3D thing (like sewing or knitting which I want to improve my skills on).
Thanks for these! I'll be using these tips. Because of your videos I have done some hand-sewing I wouldn't have done before, and I haven't worried about how wonky it might look because you've shown to us that things don't have to be sewn perfectly and it will still turn out ok. So you've helped me be brave and relax! Thank you!
Thank you I have learnt so much from this video, I am sure I will be watching this video many times. Love the idea of the hand sewing the sleeves. How truely wonderful this is. Cheers Tricia.
Time to open a antique garment museum with an emphasis on garment construction
I go for pockets big enough for my Kindle! (Paperwhite).
I have to say I'm also wondering about flatlining viscose jersey (sloppy, but there are so many pretty ones) with cotton jersey...! Instead of bag-lining dress bodices (for warmth and clean finishing). Of course, the raw inside seams are far less of a bother when there will be a minimum of two layers of garments between those and the skin (thinking corset and chemise). :)
Yes to big pockets!
I'm a little confused by your second section of the comment about flatlining jersey? Could you maybe send me a message on Patreon clarifying what you mean? ❤
@@AbbyCox Message sent :)
I completely get this. I've done it on some of my clothes. I use traditional methods of keeping my skin in good condition and it gets onto fabric. If you don't have detachable/neckerchiefs/headcloths etc, the main clothing item needs patching through oil staining a lot faster than the rest of the clothing needs cleaning.
I'm so glad I'm not the only one that has been so frustrated with sleeves. I almost always try to use the machine, and the materials always gets gathered at the wrong spot. These are fantastic tips, as I have some material and am about to begin an adventure in skirt making. Back to you later.
I could literally listen to aunty Abbey talk garment construction forever. I feel so vicariously smart lol 🤣
"You can put big fu...nctional pockets in your skirts." That was not where my brain went LOL!
Excellent format! I really liked the collar and the hem tip!
I'm 1 minute in and already happy. Yay visual learners!
Love the detachable collar trick! Looking forward to the rest of this series! Thank you!
This was fantastic. I'm looking forward to more in this series!
I feel like I've definitely read about people embroidering collars for gifts and such during that period, so it makes sense that they would be easily detachable!
I'm SO relieved about the collar hack! I've been working on a project and dreading trying to figure out how to attach the collar since I sewed on the facing before attaching the collar and couldn't just sandwich it in the seam like I was originally planning to do without undoing a bunch of stitching.
Loved this!!! New fav series :)
what a great and informative video. all the sound effects were fun too. Thanks for sharing!
Oh my gosh I haven't laughed literally outloud while learning so much in a VERY long time. This is an amazing video and I love it. Thank you times infinity and beyond for sharing this with us.
I love your sense of humor. Your videos are such fun to watch and also actually helpful for learning about sewing tips and techniques. 🥰
wow, serious top tips, my favorite? removable collars and bound hems. Skirts like quilts, totally get it. Also, hand sewing sleeves, I'm going to try this next.
This video is perfect for me to watch, whilest sewing my late 1890's summer dress :)
Can you do a video on building the outer layer after fitting the lining? I’ve fitted things that are unlined, or where the outer and lining are treated as one layer. I’ve noticed the inter and outer layers aren’t always constructed the same, and I’d love to know how to do it!
I’m really loving the videos looking at period garments- they’re like going on a treasure hunt! Thanks for all the work and detail you put into these. 😃
(You’ve finally converted me to wearing a thimble! I can’t believe it took me until the age of 40 to do it. That’s 30 YEARS OF SEWING that could have been so much more easy and efficient!!! THANK YOU 🥰)
Could you do a video on seam finishes that were actually used on different parts of these garments? I'm trying to do some recreations myself and I'm finding raw edges tricky. I'd love to know, based on your own collection and education, what seam finishes were used during what periods and on which parts of the garment (skirt/waist seams vs. bodice pieces vs. hems, etc). Thanks for all the wonderful content you put out here, it's so fun and helpful!
I'm so doing that collar thing the next time I have to do it. Mind is blown.... Oh and the skit with the breakdown over the collars is so spot on to my feels.
aaahhh so pretty, I'm drooling over the dresses
You’re amazing, I love your channel so much! You’ve given me the best techniques that I use in my historical sewing and modern sewing! Your personality is adorable and your videos are always so much fun! Keep doing what you’re doing❤️❤️