Queen: the finished costume

 

Finally finished the Queen of Hearts.  Along the way it started looking too busy and I feared that I wouldn't like it and I'd have to do a new bodice.  Not so.  In the end I'm satisfied. 

The bodice pattern I used was the Truly Victorian Polinaise but left off the long bottoms. 

I used the interlining (black duck) to fit onto my dummy.  When it was close, I fit it onto my body.  Then made the fashion fabric and lining from the new fitted interlining pieces.  This time I remembered to transfer those markings onto the pattern pieces for future reference.  The heart in front is partly sewn into the seams and partly appliqued.

 

The white skirt is a Bridal Petticoat from ebay with 5 rows of ruffles.  I cut out hearts from the velveteen scraps and ironed them on in stratigic placement.

My husband didn't like it with the basque belt.  He says it looks like I have a sweater tied around my waist.  So I took a photo of it without the black.  It's ok that way too.  Maybe better for a ball or something more elegant than a funky queen costume.

Here's the back with belt

 

 

 

 



Queen's sleeves

I spent so much time trying to come up with the right sleeve.  I had a couple of great ideas but settled on the Ageless Patterns sleeve for the 1890s era.  These are the pattern pieces you get for the sleeve
view I chose.

I used painters tape to mark the points to match or gather.

This is a close up of those tape spots.

And here is the sleeve.  I'll tweek the trims some more but it's far enough to see how it will be.  I like it a lot.  It takes a good amount of imagination to figure out how to sew it together but I got it quickly and it went together easily.  I must say that the person who originally drafted it must've been a genious!  It's really weird.  They call it elegant and I think it is with a lot of potential for fancy dresses.  I have more plans for it in the future.  I recommend it for people with experience in sewing or who have someone to help them.  It has no sizes so it's probably small like everything was back then, but I'm not small and it fits me ok.  Big arms may want to make the lining pieces larger and the sleeve adjusted accordingly.

Queen of Hearts overskirt

Front

Back

Next is the Overskirt.  I used Truly Victorian pattern for "Summer Overskirt".  I recommend this pattern as it is easy and gives a great final result.  This is of red velveteen with curtain fringe bordering the edge and a rouch of black and white diamond cotton, two and a half inches wide.  I think I may try adding some netting under this to fluff it out more since the velveteen is kind of heavy and weighs it down.  The top will be covered by the basque so I just used grosgrain ribbon for the waistband to minimize bulk.

Front view

Side view

Back View

Now to show the two together, as you can see above.

Next is the white underskirt.  Still kind of uncertain about it so it will be a surprise to me too when it gets finished.

It wouldn't be the same with out the right accessories.

 

Queen of Hearts Basque belt

Here is the 1870 Basque belt in black velveteen that will be the top layer of the skirt of the Queen of Hearts outfit.  So far so good.  This was really easy and I love the final product.  Highly recommended.