While the Veil Around Her Streameth

"One sacred oath hath tied 

Our loves; one destiny our life shall guide;

Nor wild nor deep our common way divide!

Ushered thus, we haste to enter on a scene of radiant joy—

List’ning vows in ardor plighted, which alone can death destroy.

"Passing fair the bride appeareth, in her robes of snowy white,

While the veil around her streameth, like a silvery halo’s light;

And amid her hair’s rich braidings rests the pearly orange bough,

With its fragrant blossoms pressing on her pure, unclouded brow.

Bridal Fashions Plate, Winter 1847
(Image source: Claremont Colleges Digital Library) 

"Love’s devotion yields the future with young Hope’s resplendent beam;

And her spirit thrills with rapture, yielding to its blissful dream!"

- "Eras of Life: Marriage" by Mrs. A.F. Law, 

Godey's Lady's Book, January 1851

Last year, on this very day, my two good friends, Allison and Stephen, said their "I do's" in the wedding of the centuries!  Surrounded by family and friends, fashions from the 1840s through the 1940s, the couple share a love unbound by time.  So, on this first of many anniversaries to come, I wish them another year and lifetime of happiness, great success, joy and abundant blessings!

In celebration, with permission from the bride, today's blog post is all about the making of her hand-beaded wedding veil.  I had wanted to present a gift that would let them know how much they mean to me, and hope that this small, yet hand-and-heart-made contribution did just that.

A hand-beaded bridal veil of net and glass pearls.

The Veil Around Her Streameth

News of the engagement spread quickly through our village, and plans for the trousseau began soon after.  For me, this meant the privilege of a second foray into bridal attire - the first being for the matron of honor and our mutual friend, Ariana, several months prior.

Allison was (and is!) a gorgeous bride, with the grace and beauty reminiscent of Franz Xaver Winterhalter's portrait of Queen Victoria in her wedding dress, which was completed in 1847 as an anniversary present for Prince Albert.  In the 1840s style and tradition set by the queen, bridal veils were made from either fine lace or net and worn beneath a wreath of sweet orange blossoms.

Portrait of Queen Victoria in her wedding dress and veil from 1840,
painted by Franz Xaver Winterhalter in 1847.
The original painting is owned by the Royal Collection.
(Image in public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

For Allison's veil, we decided on an ivory cotton net with a beaded edge.  She asked for a "moderately full" look that would extend a couple inches past the waist or to around hip length, which I measured to be about 30".  After gathering a length of ivory net, dozens of matching 4mm pearls and a silver wire hair comb, I was ready to begin what would be around a 40 hour project, thinking of Allison and Stephen with each stitch.

While the saying may be that a picture is worth a thousand words, I think that a thousand stitches were worth this picture, which was shared with me on Facebook:

The moment every mother dreams of...
Pinning the veil beneath a crown of orange blossoms.
(Photograph via Facebook)

Construction Details

Having already beaded a veil previously, (see the blog post, here: Something Old, Something New - and Something Green!), I had a better idea of what to expect and improve upon this time.  The first step after taking the measurements was to draft a pattern and cut a rounded, semicircular veil.  Next, the outer edges were finished with a "pencil edge," rolling the hem with a single strand of a vintage, size 20, white floss from France and securing a glass pearl every half inch or so. 

The shape was rounded to fall elegantly around the face edge,
with the longest, center back length around 32"

Detail shot of the hem with pearls spaced every 1/2"

I quickly learned that working with net is very different than the tulle I used the first time.  The larger weave of the net, though less slippery than tulle, makes the edge harder to control and to maintain an even hem.  There were plenty of re-dos, especially when I pulled too tightly or took too big (or too little) of a stitch.  Despite all of the challenges and finicky nature of net, I admit (now) to enjoying the process and, most of all, the end result.

1/16" rolled "pencil edge" on the net.

Close up of the edge of the net.

With the beading done, finishing was pretty straight forward.  The upper, unfinished edge was gathered down and securely whip stitched to the comb until the raw edges were smooth and mostly covered by the thread.

Gathering the unfinished edge to the length of the comb.
The "silver wire hair comb" was 4.25" in length.

Secured to the comb, the next step is to bind the edge with satin ribbon.
Pliers may be necessary to work the needle through all of the layers.

Then, to prevent any snagging on the hairstyle, the edge was bound with a length of cream satin ribbon, secured by tiny whip stitches between each tooth.  If the bride preferred the comb to be visible, any number of embellishments from fabric flowers to crystals and pearls could be added.

The finished edge from the outside!

Finished edge from the inside -
which should always look as neat and tidy as the outside!

Completed Project Shots

Hand-beaded bridal veil of net and glass pearls - front.

View of the full veil - laid flat.

Detail of the back of the veil against cotton muslin -
I wanted the pearls to look as if they were floating!

Same view, laid flat on cotton muslin.

Again, this time on a black background.

And to finish this blog post, a picture of the couple -

Happy Anniversary, Stephen and Allison! 

Looking as if they had just stepped out of an 1840s fashion plate,
the perfectly-period newlyweds ❤
(Photograph by Ruby Roote, via Facebook)

Something Old, Something New - and Something Green!

May your troubles be less, your blessings be more,

And nothing but happiness come through your door!

Champagne satin, sage green silk & ivory pearls.

Last October, one of my dearest, best friend and beautiful bride, Ariana, married her life-long friend and loving husband, Caleb.  It was a great honor and privilege to share in their happy occasion as a bridesmaid and wish them and their family all the best.

With her permission, today I am finally blogging about one of my favorite memories from the year for the CoBloWriMo (Costume Blog Writing Month).  Combining challenge number 7 - made for someone else with number 16 - a small project, these prompts provide the perfect opportunity to share the hand-beaded bridal veil and rosettes for the bridal party, respectively, that I made as the wedding gift.

Prompt 7 - Made for Someone Else

In this case, the "someone else" was my friend and colleague, Ariana, fondly nicknamed the "museum twin."  When news of the engagement first came out, I could not have been more excited for the couple.  It's a running joke among costumers that unemployed designers go into bridal couture, but never did I actually image I'd be making my first foray into bridal attire, and doing so for such a near and dear friend could not have been a greater privilege.

A hand beaded bridal veil of ivory tulle and glass pearls.

When we first discussed the project, Ariana asked for a fingertip length veil with a beaded edge.  After finding the perfect shade of ivory tulle and dozens of matching 4mm glass pearls, I set out on what would be a 40 hour project, thinking of Ariana and Caleb with each stitch.  

Construction:  This project had a bit of learning curve.  I didn't have much experience with tulle, beyond a few past theatrical projects, at the time, but enjoyed the challenge of rolling a hem so small.  After taking her measurements, I drafted and cut a shape that resembled a rounded semicircle.  To create the "pencil edge," I rolled the tulle with a vintage, size 20, single-strand floss from France, and added a glass pearl every inch or so. 

I was amazed at how tiny I could get the edge to be as I wanted it to appear as though the pearls were floating. 

Once the beading was done, I gathered the veil at the top and stitched it to the comb.  Then, using 1/8" satin ribbon, I bound the top and a ribbon loop for hanging.  It took me all three seasons of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries on Netflix to complete the veil.  

The result ended up being more of a waltz or ballet length veil as I added a little too much length in the pattern drafting and cutting.  She, however, was very gracious about it and was an absolutely gorgeous fall bride in her "champagne colored satin underdress with an ivory net overlay embroidered with antique silver floral vines."  The dress was edgy, elegant, and very much Ariana.  In fact, it reminded me of an Edwardian evening gown with its stunning cut and swooping train.  

Completed Project Shots: 

And one on the bride, again with her permission, courtesy of Facebook: 

Exchanging their vows.

Bonus:  Since the prompt is "made for someone else," I'd also like to include a few pictures from the Edwardian inspired bridal shower we (Sarah, twin sister of bride and matron of honor, and bridesmaids Allison, Rebecca, sister of the bridegroom, and I) threw for Ariana.

Set for high tea with homemade rhubarb and peach maids of honor
and Earl Grey shortbread cookies with lemon glaze.

One of my favorite details was the ice cubes with edible flowers!
We used both ice cube trays and a mini cupcake pan to freeze these.

Antiques, candles and soft lights set the ambiance.

For that autumn touch, mini apple crisps made the perfect party favors!

Prompt 16 - Small Project

For the second part of this post, I have a mini-tutorial for the bridesmaids' rosettes, which were also made as part of my wedding gift for the couple.  In addition to matching shoes, Ariana was looking for a way to unify the wedding party and tie in her sage green color scheme.  The result ended up being four, hand stitched rosettes made to match the groomsmen's ties, as well as a special, surprise one for the bride with the swatch from her dress and veil tulle.  The centers were finished with the same ivory pearls as her veil.

From Tie to Rosette Tutorial

Step One:  Starting with a standard tie, carefully unstitch and press the fabric flat.

Step Two:  From the tie's fabric, cut a 1.75" by 26.5" rectangle for the outer piece, and a 2.25" by 5.5" piece for the inner piece.  Each tie should yield two finished rosettes.  Also cut a circle with a 1.5" diameter for the backing.  I recommend choosing a sturdy fabric like craft felt.

Step Three:  Gather the longer, outer rectangle by machine or hand, and gather as tightly as possible.  Knot the threads to secure the gathers.

Step Four:  This is the fussy part.  Arrange the gathers in a pleasing way, pining them in place with the raw edges folded under.  Hand tack the gathers in place with a row of small running stitches.

Step Five:  Stitch the outer piece from step four to the felt backing.

Step Six:  To prepare the smaller, inner piece, run a row of running stitches down the center.  Gather the fabric as tightly as possible, wrapping the threads around several times to secure this piece in the shape of a bow.

Step Seven:  Stitch the inner piece from step six to the center of the felt backing.

Step Eight:  Hand tack both layers of fabric to achieve the desired look.  Ever the perfectionist, this is probably where I spent most of my time!

Step Nine:  Embellish.  I chose to bead the centers of the rosettes with some of the left over pearls from the veil.

Step Ten:  Add a pin to the back of the felt square to create a brooch if desired.  The rosette would also look nice attached to a belt or headpiece.  Now it's ready to wear!

These steps, of course, can be modified in any number of ways to achieve your desired design.  For instance, my bridal rosette featured three layers - one from the sage silk tie, another from the champagne satin dress, and then the ivory tulle veil.  Each rosette took me two hours to construct.

Completed Project Shots:

A bouquet of silk rosettes.

In Lieu of a Catchy Title...

"Some Sewing Stuff" just didn't cut it...Titles seem to be the hardest part, always!

Anyways, hello, loyal readers & welcome, new friends!  Today's post is a catch-all for the busy weekend last, with Spirits of the Past & Trick or Treat Day at the village, and a "throwback" to my earliest attempts at millinery:

Bustle dress & hat on the stairs of Hyde.

But first, you may have noticed a few changes to the blog...probably the most obvious addition is the new banner!  Yes, The Young Sewphisticate finally received the banner it had been waiting well over a year for, and I hope you like it is much as I do.  Also, speaking of overdue updates, check out the completed GCV&M Internship.  Lastly, I discovered that I somehow deleted quite a few pictures from earlier posts.  So, I spent some time combing through my posts and updating those broken links.  If you ever come across similar problems with my blog, please do not hesitate to let me know!

Even though the museum season has officially ended for the year, there are still plenty of opportunities to be had onsite.  One of those great opportunities is Spirits of the Past!  Very much like the Yuletide Tours in December, these spooky, after-hours, theatrical tours run for two weeks during October.  And, on the tours, guests are led by candlelight through the village to see and partake in the horrors of popular, 19th century literature.

A costumed tour guide resting on the steps of Hamilton.
Poor & bloody Mary has some nasty scratches - she warns her guests
to stay close and be on the look out for demons...she's never lost a guest, yet.

This year's theme was grim and gruesome tales from the Brothers Grimm.  So, each building along the tour featured a short, theatrical retelling or scene pulled directly from the pages of classics like "Cinderella," "Frau Trude," "Godfather Death," and many more.  Sometimes guests stood witness, helpless to save characters from impending doom, and other times they even became part of the scene.  And if the stories didn't scare them, the spooks of the night sure did!

Snow White at the head of the table.

This year, I was thrilled to have the chance to play Snow White in a two-part scene.  The first, in the Hamilton "castle," featured one of the two queens (double cast role), a huntsman and the royal cook; the second, in the Davis "cottage," the same, vengeance-seeking queen and Snow White.

Set & props for Snow White's cottage - the guests loved the dwarves'
place settings which featured each name in German!

Snow White foolishly disobeys the dwarves' warning not to let anyone but them in and is tricked by a harmless looking peddler, the evil queen in disguise, selling irresistible, ivory combs!  

Dressed rehearsal photograph courtesy of Maria.

While the comb may have only put Snow White to sleep, the apple got her!

Dressed rehearsal photograph courtesy of Maria.

Anyways, it was cold, but lots of fun thanks to friends!  And last weekend, the last weekend of tours, we sold out!  So make sure to reserve your tickets next year to take part in the spooky, historical fun...you won't want to miss out!


Sunday, October 25th, featured another Halloween museum event, this time much sweeter and more family friendly: Trick or Treat in the Village!  Children had the chance to partake in all kinds of holiday fun, including, meeting our historically accurate, Disney princess, roasting marshmallows, face painting, coloring spooky cute pictures, and, of course, knocking on historic doors in search of candy!  We were absolutely SWAMPED with children in cute, little costumes!  I heard it was a record breaking day - and the traffic jam to prove it - with attendance figures of over 5,300 people!!  (Wow, I sure wish every museum event could bring in those numbers!)

I was stationed in the grand Hamilton House for the day - lucky for me, next to my good friend and partner in crime, Ariana, in Hyde.  There was a non-stop line of trick or treat-ers between our two buildings, and we both had to be rescued with more candy.  At a rate of just one Kit-Kat per child, I went through three entire tubs of candy in 4.5 short hours...

So, my costume for the day...any guesses?

If you guessed a young, Queen Victoria, than you are correct!  What happened to your Cinderella costume, a few of you loyal readers may ask...well, I didn't end up finishing it for Sunday.  Instead, I fixed up an older costume (more on this to come).  But, never fear, Cinderella is not forgotten and she'll get her day yet...Anyways, I think it was a hit as I've never been called a "princess" or had my likeliness taken so many times in my entire life!!  I'm happy that the children (and their adults) enjoyed it :)

Ariana & I even slipped away at the end of the day to have a few royal portraits taken on the porch of Hamilton:

Doesn't she look regal?  I love her bustle dress!

Photograph courtesy of Ariana.

Photograph courtesy of Ariana.

AND, she even posed and allowed me to take a few more detailed shots of her 'seventies hat!  Many thanks!  This was my first attempt at millinery ever back in 2011:

Front view of Late Victorian tilt hat.

The vintage(?) straw base had to be cut to size, wired and bound with bias tape.  Then, it was attacked with flowers and cheap craft feathers...perhaps not all that period correct, but we all had to start somewhere, right?

She's so photogenic!

Someday, I'll get into the bustle era...but, for now, here's another early millinery throwback from The Secret Garden (2012), directed by Elana Gizzi.  My first hat that made it onto the stage (and, on second thought, may have actually been my first attempt at millinery, hmm...)

Pulled a hat from the box, covered it in fabric and proceeded to tack just about everything I could find onto it.  Yup, I've come a long way...

On stage.  I also made the ghost costume furthest to the left!
It was a challenge to get the fabric to drape and stay the way I wanted.
Photograph courtesy of Facebook.

Well, back to sewing I go!  Unless I "dye" first...more on that to come.  Thanks for reading!