Sewing A Victorian State Tribute Gown

I was born in state of Wisconsin in the northern United States where it is always winter..

  

I visited the mid-Atlantic State of North Carolina one May.  It was in full bloom with warm, sunny days.  On the way back to the Midwest I was caught in a snow blizzard.  At that moment I knew that North Carolina would be my new home.  The house went on the market and six weeks later I was in my new home.  In warm, sunny North Carolina.  

North Carolina has an amazing coastline at the Atlantic, the Blue Ridge mountains in the west, and the Piedmont in between with huge open and forested spaces.

There are incredible metro areas and beautiful small villages.

But the one thing that separates North Carolina from the other states I've visited is the seasons.  There are actually four!  A warm and enjoyable summer, a colorful and long fall, a mild and short winter, and then, my favorite - spring!  

Spring can arrive as early as February or as late as May but when it arrives it pops!  The wild flowers appear overnight and even as the trees show just a hint of green or copper, there are trees that put on an early display of blooms before the leaves appear.  Tulip magnolias trees.  Redbud trees.  Cherry trees.

And my favorite, the Dogwood, which I have seen in pink and white.

I have quite a few trees at the tiny farmhouse.  There are several saucer Magnolias, many pine trees, magnificent oaks, walnut and pecan, but I will watch the Dogwood every day for signs that the blooms are about to happen.

And then one day, there they are!  The showy, white part is called a bract.  It is a modified leaf and will turn color.  The flower is the greenish yellow center.  They will last 10 days to two weeks if a late frost or rain storm don't take them away too soon.

It isn't a wonder to me that the Dogwood Blossom is the State Flower of North Carolina.  The State Bird, the Cardinal, is plentiful in my yard.  There are eight species of pine tree in this state and that is the State Tree.  The State Insect is the Honeybee.

As you probably can tell that I enjoy my adoptive state.  The project of creating a State Tribute Gown began quite a while ago, changed directions several times, was finished and hung in the closet for three years waiting for the perfect day to wear it when the Dogwood was in bloom.  That day happened this week!  So I'll catch you up on the gown, the accessories, and we'll finish with some photos and video of that glorious day I was finally to wear it.

The State Tribute Gown

The patterns are both from Truly Victorian.  TV225 1878 Fantail Skirt and TV430 1878 Polonaise.

The fabrics are a red dupioni silk matching the color in the North Carolina State Flag.  The red silk is combined with the North Carolina State Tartan.

The skirt construction is very basic with a drawstring tie at the back to create the fantail.  The polonaise pieces are cut for the front and back and hung on the dressform testing trim and buttons.  There are a lot of buttons and I was so lucky to find a beautiful pale blue with an embossed bird.

Each separate piece is flatlined with a red cotton fabric and then all pieces are sewn together with the front pleating created as directed and the back detail created with drawstrings.  A side pocket is such a great detail.

I've added a lot of trim to this gown at the collar and cuffs, a red lace applique on the bodice, appliques of the State Emblem and Cardinal, Pine Tree, and Honeybee.  I made bows.  And I wore an antique watch I won at auction many years ago.  But mostly I added Dogwood Blossom trim everywhere!

Wearing the Gown

Chemise, split drawers, corset, corset cover, stockings, and petticoat.

Boots.

Boots before corset.

The  Fantail Skirt and Polonaise.

Watch, gloves, reticule, and hat.

Links for the blog posts and videos for making the 1870s Garden Hat and the Drawstring Petal Reticule:

Garden Hat on  YouTube:  https://youtu.be/6Sdn2j9AknQ

Garden Hat Blog Post:

Drawstring Petal Reticule on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwphS3hxx6M

Drawstring Petal Reticule Blog Post:  http://theperfecttouchvictorian.blogspot.com/2021/05/making-regency-gathered-day-hat-and.html

The Dogwood is in full bloom and after three years the day has arrived for photos!

The Dogwood is a wonderful height and enjoys the spring when it gets full sunshine.  Because when its oak neighbor in is full leaf there is shade in the entire front yard.

Thank you for joining me on this spring journey!  As the North Carolina State Emblem says "Esse Quam Videri"  which translates to "To be, rather than to seem."  Or as they say in North Carolina, Keep It Real!

Hugs,

            Jeanette

Link to YouTube companion video:  https://youtu.be/aAlcGhyoI40