I finally decided this is going to be the one I'm going to wear, although I'm still stuck on how to make those plisse pleats you see in the alternating ruffles. I've spent hours and hours and hours on trying to figure it out, but all I found is this - it's not hand-made pleats, but rather they are made by the shrinking of the silk created by the addition of lye to it. Well, the big question is: is this treatment permanent or will it come out if I wash/dry clean it? I'm really not up for the experimenting since it is so important, and I do want to dry clean it once I finish so all the markings and hand oils will be cleaned off.
Also, I want to make it out of modern bridal satin (polyester) because I heard from an heirloomer at the Houston Bridal Expo that silk is easily stained, and many things stain it for life (especially wine). As much as I'm in for historical accuracy, it's really not worth wearing a bunch of potential stains all day long. Plus I want to wear it in the family costume contest the next day, so it's gotta be able to take a beating. And, I'm wearing it all day Saturday and I don't care what anybody says - I'm not changing into another dress till after the costume contest on Sunday!
Which brings me to the point that I've definitely chosen my wedding gown but not my new walking dress, as last year's died and er..the dry cleaner must've shrunk it too...so I'm still looking.
Just ordered some fashion plates and one month of Godey's (January 1851) on Ebay. The Godey's was an e-book, and all you do is right click the link and save it and double-click to unzip it. How easy was that! And I got it immediately. Gotta love e-books - especially since I can flip through it all I want (unlike an antique book/magazine) and I don't have to worry about roaches eating it (yes, they eat paper!) or mice or hurricanes. I highly recommend this seller, e-booksdownload. Not all her stuff is an e-book, as the fashion plates are coming in the mail on CD. But her prices are extremely good, and I hope that she sells more of Godey's.
Lastly, I've finally figured out how to make a bridal veil, and that illusion and tulle are the same thing. I think I'm going to get some extra-wide veiling since the dress is going to be so big, and gather it up into a barette so it will look like it's attached to the orange blossom crown but it can be easily taken off if needed. Think waltz-length will do since I'll be outside and I don't want to drag it. Hard to tell how long it is in the fashion plate because she's sitting down.
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