Trimming a Straw Regency Bonnet

 My goodness, it has been a month of Sundays since my last blog post!  Fear not, the blog has not been entirely abandoned, as I do still believe long-form content to have its place and value - especially for teaching new sewists and even as a reference for those with decade(s) of experience.  Though, I confess my updates will continue to be more regular over on my Instagram @youngsewphisticate and Facebook Page - so if you don't already, you might consider following there to stay up to date with the latest adventures and projects.

For my few, but dedicated blog followers, today I have two posts planned.  The first is the one you are currently reading on the trimming on a Regency Era straw bonnet, and the second will include a tutorial on making Romantic Era tucked petticoats.  I am attempting to document projects from 2024 at least, which include a few more catch-up posts and some exciting plans ahead.  As always, thanks for reading - and I hope you enjoy today's blog posts: 

I spent this past Easter weekend taking in the sites of New York City - from museums to the Broadway stage with Chelsea - to strolling down Fifth Avenue with Cheyney and her crew during the annual Easter Parade!  While I may not have had time to make a whole new outfit, I absolutely needed an Easter bonnet for the parade, and evening's Easter Egg Strut, hosted by the one and only Dandy Wellington & his band!

Years ago, I had commissioned another friend and straw milliner, Anna Worden, of the blog: If I Had My Own Blue Box and her shop: A Milliner's Whimsy, to reproduce a specific style of Regency Era poke bonnet that I fondly refer to as my "mailbox."  Anna painstakingly handstitched, wired, and blocked this straw beauty - which I newly trimmed for the NYC trip.

Historical Inspiration

Again, I fell in love with this 1810s to early 1820s style poke bonnet, of which there are several extant examples to study, including this one which was sold at auction: 

Poke bonnet, c.1810 - 1815.
Meg Andrews auction website, sold.

While the images are not the best, the accompanying description is a little more helpful: "with deep crown and upturned brim, all in a narrow plaited straw, the brim edge of crin (horsehair) and straw, lined with palest eau de nil silk the brim area covering a card support, the wide ribbons in shades of rose pink with brown and gold plaid, edged with silk tufts, crown 6 3/4 or 7 cm deep; ribbon 6 in or 15 cm."  I followed suit with pleating ivory silk along the brim of mine, and attaching wide ribbon ties inside at ear-level. 

Here's another example of the style, dated 1815 - 1820 from the Snowshill Wade Costume Collection, National Trust:  I just love the curve of the brim, and took note of the ribbon placements as well. 

Poke bonnet, c.1815 - 1820.
Snowshill Wade Costume Collection, National Trust: 1349493

Construction Details

Do you want to know a (not so secret) secret about me?  While I certainly can - and have done millinery in the past, I much prefer to purchase blanks (or completed pieces) pieces from my talented friends, like Anna Worden!  Plus, it's just nice to be able to support their business, and thoroughly enjoy wearing a bespoke original.  I took a few pictures of the straw blank before decorating it to admire its curves - and the way that Anna shapes and stitches straw into beautiful period pieces never ceases to amaze me: 

Hand-sewn straw poke bonnet, made by Anna Worden.
Find her custom historical hats and bonnets at: A Millinery's Whimsy

Anna made the crown very deep to fit over all of my hair -
all of those circular rows of straw are mesmerizing!

And this is where I stopped taking in-progress pictures, unfortunately...the next step was to cover or line the brim.  I pleated and stitched a rectangle of ivory silk taffeta along the brim and a couple inches into the crown to act as a facing.  I might go back and add a full lining too, to keep the straw from snagging on my hair.

Ivory silk taffeta pleated along the brim and interior facing.

With my deadline quickly approaching, there was no time to order new millinery flowers or ribbons, so I decorated with what I could find in the stash.  Starting with a wide, royal purple moiré ribbon, I pleated and tacked a length along the outer crown like the extant examples, and made a few big bows for the sides and center back.  I twisted together a wreath of various vintage silk and velvet flowers, and covered the wire stems with floral tape.  Once everything was secured in place, I added long moiré ribbon ties to the inside.  

All of the trimmings - vintage moiré ribbon and silk and velvet millinery flowers - came from the stash.

Completed Project Pictures

With a full trimmed bonnet, I was ready for the NYC Easter Parade! 

And a few more wearing my bonnet with my Easter OOTD (outfit of the day) - there are lot more pictures on my social media from both events (morning parade and Easter Egg Strutt) too! 

Thanks again, Cheyney, for inviting me along for a truly NYC Easter experience!

My parade look, complete with American Duchess "Emma" boots
& borrowed golden cloak from Cheyney!

My look for the Easter Egg Strut, including new accessories for a favorite Regency dress.
Now that I know the dress code - I want to step it up for next year!

Thank you for reading & special thanks to our generous patrons! 

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Inside & Out: Regency Bodiced Petticoat

"'Yes, and her petticoat; I hope you saw her petticoat, 

six inches deep in mud, I am absolutely certain'" 

- Pride & Prejudice, Chapter VIII

Last week on Facebook, I posted a few teaser shots of my most recently completed project - a bodiced petticoat appropriate for the Regency Era - and, as promised, today's blog post will detail its construction. 

A Regency Era Bodiced Petticoat

Having wrestled with my fair share of strapped petticoats in the past (and the struggles of sloped shoulders for straps to fall off all day long), I decided that it was time for an upgrade to a bodiced petticoat.  Not only does it solve the fiddly strap problem, but the additional bodice helps smooth the front, disguising the line from stays or the support garment, and doubles as a lining under sheer dresses.  The style makes for a simple, yet essential undergarment for the columnar silhouette of the Regency Period, and here's how I made mine!


Construction Details

As with any project intended for historical wear, I first looked to period examples for inspiration.  I felt particularly drawn to this early-19th century petticoat from the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) collection, which is described as a "white high-waisted underdress, [with] drawstrings at neck and waist, narrow shoulder straps, [and] back tie closure" -

Woman's Underdress, Early 19th-Century
Source: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (Accession Number 49.876)

From looking at this extant example along with several others, I decided to drape a short, front-opening bodice.  Once I had a basic pattern, I made a quick mock-up in scrap muslin to check the fit, pinned any adjustments (mostly in the bust area because of the dress form I have to work on), and then transferred the corrections to paper.  

After draping, I test the pattern in scrap muslin to check the fit.
If there's anything I've learned - don't skip the mock-up!

Once I was satisfied with my pattern, I cut the bodice pieces out twice - once in a crisp muslin for the outer layer, and again in a lightweight, cotton batiste for the inner layer: 

After correcting the pattern, I cut the bodice pieces twice -
both in cotton muslin (outer layer) and in a lightweight batiste (inner layer)

The outer bodice and inner lining were assembled separately.  To reduce bulk, I clipped and graded the seams, using pinking shears to prevent future fraying of the finer batiste.  Then, the two layers were stitched together along the front edges and neckline, clipped, turned right-sides-out, and pressed in place, rolling the seam towards the inside.   

The lining and outer bodice were assembled separately,
then joined together along the front edges and neckline.

Clipping and grading the seams reduced bulk,
and pinking prevents fraying of the finer batiste fabric

To finish the armscyes, I pressed the seam allowances to the inside, again making sure to roll the lining edge under slightly (so the seam won't show on the outside), and securely whip stitched them closed.  I also pressed along the bottom edge of the lining, which will eventually cover the join of the skirt. 

Pressing, clipping and rolling the seam allowances

Whip stitching both the layers to finish the armsyces 

Next, I tackled the skirt:  I measured and ripped two panels of the muslin, stitched the side seams, and flat-felled them to finish.  I added three 1/2" tucks to add body to the skirt (which helps prevent the fabric from tangling around the wearer's legs) and a wide hem.  To create an opening at the center front, I cut and narrow hemmed a 14" slit, reinforcing the bottom with a strong, button hole stitch:

The skirt before attaching, please excuse the wrinkles!

With the bodice and skirt now assembled, it was time to join them together!  I opted for a flat front, 1/2" deep directional knife pleats at the sides, and 3/4" deep pleats in the back, meeting at the center with an inverse box pleat.  (I like that this sounds incredibly technical, when in reality, it was based on the "divide and conquer" method and the math just worked out this time!)  I tend to pin and hand baste pleats before machine stitching to prevent any slipping:

Flat in the front, 1/2" pleats at the sides, and 3/4" pleats in the back.

I hand-baste pleats before machine stitching to prevent any slipping - works like a charm!
(As my costume tech professor always says: "a baste is never a waste!")

Finally, the finishing steps were pressing the seam allowances up and whip stitching the lining to enclose the raw edges.  I did this while listening to "costuber" Sarah Woodyard's video - Sewn Stories: Hand Sewing Health with Samantha Bullat

Finishing stitches while listening to
Sarah Woodyard's - Sewn Stories: Hand Sewing Health with Samantha Bullat
Love these two costumers! ❤

Eventually I might add hooks and thread eyes to the front, but for the following completed project pictures, I just pinned the bodiced petticoat shut!

Completed Project Pictures

And here's the completed bodiced petticoat: worn over a shift, 1830s corset (because all three sets of Regency stays are currently back in New York), clocked stockings, and pashmina scarf wrapped as a turban.  Jet necklace is by Kristen of the Victorian Needle, link to her etsy shop, here.  Photos are taken using a new tripod and self-timer feature on my phone.

Front view

Side view

Other side view

Silly side view

Back view

And some images of the bodiced petticoat just by itself:

Front view, flat.

Front view, open to show a completely finished interior.

Back view, flat.
I love crisp, direction pleats that meet in the center!

Now onto the fun part - dreaming of all the Regency dresses, bonnets, and frilly accessories to wear over top!  Oh where to begin...do you have a favorite Regency Era gown or fashion plate?  Feel free to share in the comments below - thanks for reading! 

Double the Ruffles, Double the Fun

Readers, you know me, when it comes to caps - double the ruffles, double the fun!  This post is all about a quick, little, and utilitarian project, which was trimmed with a large bow of a vintage, blue moire ribbon for the previous photo shoot, here: To Walk Is by a Thought to Go - 1810s Photoshoot

A Regency Era cap with double the ruffles for double the fun!

Usually, I'm all about the ribbons and frills, but for this Regency Era cap, I decided to take a "less-is-more" approach and let the two, little ruffles be the stars.  Though, I do think the big, blue bow added just the right finishing touch. 

Per usual, I chose a fine cotton lawn for the material.  I followed the period construction method of finishing each of the pieces - caul, band and ruffles - separately, then joining them together with whip stitches.  The cap is entirely hand-stitched using narrow, 1/16" rolled hems and whipped rolled gathers.

The cap on its side.

From the inside - constructed in the period methods,
each of the pieces are finished separately,
then joined together with whip stitches.

Completed Project Shots

Front view.

3/4 side view.

Side view.

Other side view.

Detail shot of the ruffles with 1/16" rolled hems.

Bonus: just for fun, here are a few shots of the cap in action!  This was back in June, I think, during one of my first days solo weaving at the Humphrey House.  I was actually working in the Dressmaker Shop for a special fashion program, but they were in need of a weaver, so I was happy to make the switch.

Weaving at the Humphrey House.

One of the summer projects I worked on -
A wool shawl, 2/2 twill weave.

My friend Rhonda, the dressmaker, has an adorable, little, double-ruffle cap that she copied from an original in the Susan Greene Costume Collection.  She calls it her "whip cream cap," and I've admired it for years.  It just perfectly frames her face, and the ruffles look so pretty peaking out from beneath a bonnet.  (And Rhonda has quite the bonnet collection!)  

If I ever get my Regency act together, we'll have to plan an outing (or at least an excuse for pictures).  I haven't seen her in a long time, and I miss her...anyways, I might start calling this my whip cream cap in honor of hers: