Pioneer Costume

When my aunt convinced me that I should sew this costume to wear it at her booth at the county fair in 2011, I must admit it didn't take much convincing.   I will take any opportunity to wear a costume, and I frequently make up opportunities to sew them.  As a matter of fact.  I had already bought this pattern, hoping some day to sew it: McCalls M4548.

 

 

As you can see it comes with patterns for underwear, a bonnet and an apron.  I just had to sew them all. I picked out a nice blue cotton calico pattern that made me think of Laura Ingalls, and a cream colored calico print for contrast. For the underwear I used muslin.  I had bought a whole bolt last time it was on half price sale by the bolt at Joann's.  I only used the cream colored fabric for the bonnet. I sewed the bonnet with this pattern, but I hated it, so I also sewed the bonnet from Simplicity 3723.

 

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Here is the dress on the dress form.  I just took it out of the closet and it is in need of an ironing.  It looks a bit flat with no contrast colors and no petticoat or anything.

 

Here is a closer look at the bodice.  The waist band and the double darts on each side actually make this dress much more fitted and feminine looking than it appears in these pictures.  I don't have pictures of me wearing it, maybe I will put it on after I iron it.

 

Below are the three tucks in the skirt.  It gives the skirt more body and also makes it a bit more authentic.  I am pretty lucky in that I usually don't have to alter patterns.  I guess I have an average build.  I usually get away without adjusting lengths of skirts or bodices and the bust/waist/hip measurements usually go together without me having to pick and choose and connect the dots.  I didn't know how lucky I was until I started working with my aunt, who always has to shorten the waist of patterns.  Many patterns just won't work for her and it is very frustrating.  She also has to shorten every skirt.  We joke that she is a dwarf or a hobbit.  Now that the new Hobbit movie has made dwarfs sexy, we can say she is a dwarf and not feel bad.

 

 

Here is a picture of the apron tied on. It is a simple pattern.  It is a pretty apron and I do sometimes wear it in the kitchen.   I like my kitchen aprons to have a bib, though.  I am a very messy cook. Don't even get me started on aprons.  I love buying apron patterns.  I have sewn a few, but I always seem to give them away.

 

Here is a very wrinkly up close look at the cuff. It is simple and functional, but also feminine. I like it.

 

 These are the bloomers.  They have two tucks and eyelet lace on the bottom. You don't know how many times I pulled up my hem to show people the lace on my bloomers at the fair.  I was so proud of them.  I felt like I was wearing pants under my dress, but it was kind of fun.  It was way too hot to be wearing that much clothes, though.  I think it was over 105 degrees every day.

 

This is the chemise.  It is very plain.  I would have liked to dress it up a bit, but I didn't have time and just had to follow the pattern.  I few tucks and a bit of lace would have looked nice.

 

Here is a closeup of the bottom of a bloomer leg.

 

Okay, so I mentioned earlier that I hated the bonnet that came with this pattern.  Here is is on the left:

 

The ties attach at the front of the brim corners, which is really dorky, and the body of the bonnet was just way to small for my giant noggin.  I guess that is the part of my body that just will not fit in any standard sized pattern. I sewed the bonnet from the other pioneer costume pattern and was much happier with it.  The body of the bonnet was a pit too poofy for my taste, but it fit on my head so no complaints.  I think a person with a smaller (normal sized) head would drown in it, though.

 

Over all, I would say this pattern is fun to sew and turns our pretty well.  It is a costume pattern, so it does not give instructions for finishing seams, and things, for the most part, are not lined.  That is to be expected.  I did my best to finish what seams I could to make this costume last longer and look nicer, but I never have figured out a way to finish unlined armhole seams without sewing on a binding. In this costume I just left them.  It was just after I finished this sewing project that I began sewing my steam punk dress and coat costume.  I really had become a more confident seamstress.