Sometimes it really helps, when you're in the midst of working on a project, to go back and look at reference images, to see how the seamstresses back in the day did things.
I've started over on my wide-striped Robe a l'Anglaise, and it is fitting muuuuch better now, but I still have the *joy* of the stripes in front not matching up just so, when the CF is overlapped. I am planning to apply trim over the CF, but I would still like it come out nice and symmetrical!
So how was it done back in the day?
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via - well in this case, the CF is mismatched! |
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| LACMA via - this one meets perfectly |
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| V&A 1775 - the stripes on the front are more vertical, rather than in a chevron pattern. |
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| The Met - Robe a la Francaise, 1750-75; not quite the same, but this does have a comperes front matching. |
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| V&A 1775-80. Not quite perfectly matched in front, but symmetrical still. |
If there is an overlap, it must have been accommodated for when cutting the left and right front pieces. Tricky! It also seems like the best way to fit the damn thing is pin up the front, then fit through the back seams, but even then...what happens if you lose/gain weight, or lace more tightly or more loosely from day-to-day?
Verdict - stripes are lovely and evil, both. And so are overlapped, pinned fronts.
