Saturday 23 March 2013

1780 Caraco dress






I have decided to skip the 1820 work dress for the moment.

I will be doing the stripe challenge and my chosen garment is a Norwegian  'Caraco Dress' this is a very popular style during the later part of the 18th century as working people could wear it.


I have now sewn most of the skirt unfortunately I have to make a bum pad and an underpetticoat before I can attach the Ruffle to get the correct legnth this puts me back so I cannot post it yet.

The bustle is finished and the underpetticoat has only to be hemmed  and the ruffle is pinned on so I hope to have it all sewn by this evening after I have pressed it I will post it.
I unable to make the jacket as I have to make a 18th century corset first.

This venture into the 18th century has given me the desire to make another one perhaps with small panniers, but not until I have finished my 1820's peasant dress.
I used a number of pictures the main one which gave me some idea of the shape and the petticoats was

Late 18th Century Skirt Supports: Bums, Rumps, & Culs. By Kendra Van Cleav


 I could not find an original 18th century bustle I just had to make one up which would give me the desired shape. I was not keen on the ones giving as examples on the abopve site the last one  I felt was too much like a Victorian bustle
 The under petticoat I made is very similar to the skirt itself the only difference is the pleats back and front are the same. I just had to guess at this as I could not find an original to copy. .
 As you can see my bustle gave me the shape I wanted nice and rounded with just a little bit on the sides.

The front of the skirt  which has flat pleating with a box pleat in the centre
The skirt was three lengths at 112cm  and the ruffle five widths of the 112cm by 40cm.
I was a bit short on materials so I had to make the pleats a bit larger than I would have done narmally but I felt that the as original was probably silk and mine would be a cotton of sorts it would do for my first venture into the 18th Century. 

  Close up of the front pleating
Close up of the back pleating.



The Challenge: 6

Fabric: Cotton/synthetic

Pattern: none

Year: 1780-90

Notions: Cotton Tape

How historically accurate is it? Copy of an original but machine sewn

Hours to complete: 15

First worn: only when being fitted

Total co; Unknown material from my stash





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