Violent Violet Neck Trim & Details

     I realized I didn't get into the details of the trim on my 1828 dress. Here's a little write-up.

     First, I had to make the trim pattern. I just fudged this. I traced the front and back shape of the neckline onto scrap fabric pieces, added seam allowances, sewed them together, traced the scallops on, and added seam allowances to them. It looked like this:

The part to the left is placed of the fold of the real fabric when cutting. 

I cut 1 of these in my plaid and 1 in the pink cotton, which serves as a lining to tack the hot pink piping to.

I carefully piped the scallops by hand, not trusting a machine with such tight corners. Then, I tacked the

piping down. Here it is mostly finished:

Underside. I had to piece the lining here, see that seam in the middle?

Front of trim.

Then, I piped the inside of the trim and sewed the whole thing to the neckline, folded it down to the inside and tacked the piping down to the lining.

   

Outside view.

Inside view. 

And I made a new bum pad! My old one (used for late 1830's through 1840's) was just too big for the earlier silhouette. The old one is on the bottom, new on the top. Both are stuffed with fabric scraps.

I only wore that little green bum pad and my corded petticoat under my dress, but I think I'll make at least one more petticoat for the next wearing. (Which will most likely be at Costume College!)

That's all for now!