HSF Challenge #7: Accessorise
One day last week I felt like putting on some radio comedy, eating chocolate and making something pretty! It had to be something easy, relaxing and that wouldn't tax my brain too much. A hat fit the bill and I pulled up the
YWU tutorial for a Regency close bonnet. After it was made I realised that it fit perfectly into the July HSF challenge! Yeay!
I wanted to make something along the lines of these bonnets...
Not so much like these...
I followed the tutorial pretty closely, only shortening the brim by about an inch and a half though on reflection I might have left it the original length. What at first seems a ridiculous length of brim is considerably shortened when you add in things like hairstyles.
The brim is one layer of buckram (a bit of an experiment as I usually double up on the buckram) wired on all sides and the soft crown is just two layers of cotton lawn. I quilted the brim with two layers of curtain interlining and used narrow ribbon to mark the quilting lines. The inside of the brim has another layer of interlining and a cotton lining on top of that.
I had bought lots of paper flowers in different colours when I was visiting my sister in Bakewell and I used a purple bunch for the bonnet.
All in all it worked out pretty well though I messed the crown up a bit, the lining inside is a bit tight and I somehow managed to sew it on sort of off-set and not centered. Trying to compensate for that by making little tucks only exacerbated the too tightness of it that the lining was already doing! I don't think it mattered too much in the end though.
You do have a kind of tunnel vision effect when wearing it and I can hear my voice echoing when I talk which is kind of novel! Also realised that currently the only Regency day dress I have is kind of orangey/red... Not the best match for a purplely/lilac bonnet! But there is lovely cream linen just waiting to be made into a day dress sometime soon that will go nicely.
|
Looking at an enormous spider on the wall! |
What the item is: A close bonnet c.1810
The Challenge: Accessorise
Fabric: Buckram, cotton lawn, curtain interlining,
Pattern: YWU Tutorial
Year: c. 1810
Notions: polysatin ribbon, paper flowers
How historically accurate is it? Hmmm the pattern is accurate and it's mostly hand sewn but the fabrics include synthetics so I'd guess maybe 75% historically accurate
Hours to complete: Made it over several days, picking it up for an hour or two at a time.
First worn: Yet to be worn!
Total cost: All stash items except the ribbon so about €10