Beth's sontag sweater

 

This has been my carry around with me project for the  last few weeks.  It is a Sontag a type of sweater shawl worn during civil war colonial days.  This one is for the character Beth in the play I started making it for Marme but changed my mind to Beth.  It is all hand knit with 100%wool.

 It has ties and buttons to hold it closed and on.  Keeping the torso and shoulders warm but allowing for ease of movement in the arms.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bosom-friend-or-sontag-circa-1860

 

The rest of Hanna's wardrobe

Warning this post is heavy with pictures .  Up to this point you have seen four aprons for the character Hanna (servant) in the play Little Woman.   Well I have been sewing like crazy the last few days and Hanna now has 2 jackets, 1 geribaldi shirt, 2 skirts, 1 petticoat and 1 set of bloomers to add to her costume attire.  It also means that this character is now fully costumed and done.  I still have 11 other players to finish costumes on but having 1 done is a good feeling.  Because Hanna works for the March's sometimes with out pay she does not have much money so her cloths are simple with out much adornment and plain in patterning of fabric ( almost none) because she can only afford to but fabric that are like broadcloth or muslin.  She does have little detail of lace here and there and cording and a few details as was the fashion then.

My dress form does not have an off set leg so the pantalets are just pinned to the front for the sake of taking a photo plain in general with a hint of pretty lace at the legs.

The petticoat is the same plain with a hint of lace at the hem.

The shirt for this character is a Geribaldi shirt.  Made famous by a military person hwho came to much fame and this is the style of shirt his troops wore.  The buttons on the shirt are true to period ie.  The are antique jet buttons from the civil war to Victorian era.  The lacy cord edge is from about 1920- 1950.  The other trims are also vintage just don't know exactly there age the piping on the sleeves is I think the 1960-1970's.  The soutoche braid I think is from about 1920 and the single fold seam binding used on the hem is from 1960's.

I find most of my supplies at thrift shops and antique stores I like things to have an aged look and most times things are cheaper here than they  are brand new fabric store.  Which is fully because most are still in there original packaging and I am buying them at a modern store.  I wish this was my size I love this shirt and would wear it.

Hanna's yellow outfit is trimmed with burgundy cording and burgundy ribbon roses and a dark yellow lace around the hem.

The other outfit Hanna wears is a green gingham dress.  It too has a jacket and skirt.  The buttons on this out fit are also very old antiques ( mother of pearl buttons).  It is adorned with cording (upholstery cording), and upholstery trim around the waist of the skirt and bright green ribbon roses.

Every item  Hanna's wears is made from vintage sheets.  When I told the actor that she was surprised and said well they don't look like sheets any more.  The actor is also smaller than any dress form I own.  So if you notice things are not buttoned or zipped all the way in the pictures it is because I do not want to damage the costumes by trying to make them fit a mannequin they can't possibility fit well.

Jo's writing cap

  Jo wears a writing cap up in the attic to keep herself warm in winter.  I have made it in the style of a mans nightcap.  With a few details for a girl like tassel and ribbon flowers.  It was supposed to have a ribbon on it but I figured ribbon flowers was close enough for me.  It is made from black velvet and a Christmas table cloth.  I used cording between the velvet and the brim of the hat. No pattern just made it up as I went.

Jo's writing apron smock

Jo is supposed to have a writing apron in the play.  This is the item she wears to protect her clothes from ink spills when she is up in the attic writing it is supposed to keep her warm too when she is in the attic writing in the middle of winter.



The description I was given was green satin apron big enough to cover all her clothes with hints of red ribbon.  She is to have a hat too that goes with this apron have yet to make the hat.  The apron is made out of a Christmas table cloth found thrift shopping thus the holly berry motif in the fabric.  I used the same kimono pattern that I used for Mr. March's Dressing gown but no sash this time and I added a zipper to the front of it to make it easy for quick change.  The zipper has two pulls so it can zip open down or up depending which is the best for the actress to  do to accommodate her other outfits and the scene.  Not sure if the hat is red or green yet I know it is supposed to have some sort of reddish bow.  I plan on putting velvet on it too.