The Gold Galleon Gown - New Stomacher & Some Changes

When I was planning my ensemble for the Williamsburg Winter Stroll, I knew I wanted a new stomacher to give my Gold Galleon Gown a new look.  I've added trim to the gown every single time I've worn it, so it's been slightly different each time.  However, at last wearing I had added all of the trim that I had originally planned, and didn't really feel the need to pile more on.  So a new stomacher was the perfect way to go!  I've long held a love for interchangeable stomachers, and finally I was living out my dream of freshening up an "old" gown with a new look!

I tried out different colors of ribbon before settling on this lovely pale blue striped ribbon that I bought at the 2016 Francaise Dinner from Bulldog & Baum:

The earrings and cameo were my raffle prizes that night

I'd had the ribbon for almost three years, so it was high time to do something with it!  And I thought it would be a nice contrast to the gold.

For the base of the stomacher, I took apart this gown bodice:

It was leftover from the petticoat I made to go with the Striped Silk Gown I wore to that same Francaise Dinner.  (The skirt was used to make the ruffle for that petticoat.)  I used the center back bodice pieces, which were already flat-lined with a nice interfacing:

I just marked a straight line down the center back where the zipper had originally been, and stitched the two sides together.  This gave me a piece that was roughly the same size and shape as the original gown stomacher:

I used the first stomacher to trace a shape for the new one.

I used this piece for the back of the stomacher.  Since it was already interfaced, I just stitched my bone channels through the layers.

I then used the large front draped piece of the bodice (picked apart, washed, and pressed) to cut the front of the stomacher with no seams.  While I was working on that piece I played with the ribbon, pinning it on the back piece to decide on placement:

I posted these three options on Instagram, and the first one won by a large margin.  So that was settled!

The ribbon turned out to be extremely difficult to sew through, so I did as little stitching as possible.  I also made little faux bows for the sleeve flounces, and one for my cap.  They're just squares of ribbon, hemmed on the cut ends and gathered in the middle.

I added faux pearl beads to the center of each "bow" on the stomacher, just because I felt like it needed something to finish the decoration.

I also did one alteration to the gown itself, by replacing the original sleeve flounces.  They were fraying badly, even though the edges were pinked:

I realized that this was because I had cut them horizontally on the grain, so the long edges exposed the weft threads that pull out more easily.  I did not have the same problem on the yards and yards of trim, fortunately, because I had had the foresight to cut them vertically on the grain:

Those pinked edges are still holding strong!

So it was clear I would need new sleeve flounces, because if I simply took them off and re-cut the frayed edges the same problem would happen again later.  But I was fine with replacing them, since I had never been fully happy with the large box-pleats I had used to attach them in the first place.

The new sleeve flounces were cut vertically with the same scalloped-scallops edge, and this time I gathered the top edges with large machine basting stitches through both layers, drew them up and stitched between the two rows of gathering stitches by hand.

I like this gathered look a lot better than the original box pleats:

And here are some photos from the day!  I put on my shift and stays under "normal" clothes for the drive up to Williamsburg, to save time once I got there.  And I did my hair before I left, too.  It was a bit messy, but would be largely covered by the cap.   I took some ever-classy mirror selfies in the public restroom near the ice-skating rink while I was getting ready:

Pocket hoops and plain petticoat

Ruffled petticoat

Second ruffled petticoat

Those first three petticoats are all made from old sheets, and I wear them under pretty much every 18th Century ensemble

Petticoat from the Striped Silk Gown

Gown petticoat

Finally - the gown!

Stomacher pinned to the interior bodice front

Gown pinned to the stomacher

Accessories added!

All done!  Time to go find the group.  (It wasn't hard.)

I got these photos taken for me, which show off my coordinating muff, as well:

I really love how the blue pops against the gold in the sunlight!  I was worried about it looking too silvery.

The wind really liked playing with the wings of my cap.  :p

It was just barely chilly enough to need the muff - I had actually started out wearing my blue wool mitts, but soon discarded them because I was too warm.  But I was glad I got a chance to use this muff cover, which is the first one I ever made!  At the time I had nothing that coordinated with it, so I had never used it before now.

The muff was also a convenient spot to hide my phone, without having to dig through my pocket hoops every time I wanted it.  

I had a lot of fun wearing this gown, as I always do.  And I've already identified the area that will need to be "fixed" before I wear it next:

This ruffle was also cut horizontally across the grain!  So it will need to be replaced so it doesn't continue to fray:

Fortunately, I still have quite a bit of this fabric left!  This francaise is the gown that never ends.  :p

Williamsburg Winter Stroll

The day after the Historical Costumer's Mini-Market, a VERY LARGE group of (mostly) ladies met up in Williamsburg for a stroll through the historic area in fancy gowns and such.  Initially I had thought of finishing a new gown for the occasion, but reason got the better of me.  I was already planning a Regency photo shoot for myself and Reptar on Saturday in between the RSV annual meeting and the mini-market, and I had sewing to do for that, too.  So I decided the meet-up would be a good excuse to trot out the Gold Galleon Gown again!

Of course I had to change it up with a new stomacher for a different look.  And I finally got around to making the cap from the Fashions Revisited pattern that I won in the raffle at the 2017 Francaise Dinner!  I had cut it out after the Williamsburg Promenade in December 2017, when I had borrowed Gloria's cap for the day.  I decided it was high time I had my own - but of course I never sewed it together until I had an event to wear it for.  :p

I ended up doing some minor alterations on the gown in addition to the new stomacher, but I'll blog about those separately.  For now, enjoy all the photos I took during our very unstructured stroll up and down Duke of Gloucester Street!

Most everyone was in 18th Century, but we had a few deviations:

I met so many new people that day, and I can't remember everyone's names!  So in the interest of fairness, I'm not going to label any of these photos.  If you see one of yourself that you'd rather I take down, please let me know. 

I always like to get photos of myself with the Palace in the background!  Thanks to the lovely lady who took these for me - I'm sorry I don't remember your name.  :(

Getting lunch:

Obligatory shoe shot:

I had a hard time fitting everyone in!

There were so many gorgeous ensembles!  I wish I had gotten more pictures of everyone.  I felt so fancy, strolling along in such fine company.  :) 

A few more pics of me (Samantha took these): 

In addition to my new cap, I wore my Dames a la Mode aquamarine collet necklace and earrings, a cotton voile kerchief, red American Duchess stockings, and my black Dunmore shoes and shoe buckles (also by American Duchess).

I'm loving the cap!  It's so floofy and fun.

It felt good to put my feet up when I got home!