I Made a Mid 19th Century Working Womans Dress. Pt 2

FINALLY the second part of the blue dress sewing adventure is here!
As I mentioned in the video, nothing in the process of making this has been easy. Everything from sewing to recording and editing have been going wrong and I became so unhappy with the result in the end so I was on my way to throw the whole project in the trash bin. However, after talking to you on instagram, I decided in the end to publish it anyway. They say you learn from all the things you do, and maybe it's true. But what I do know though, is that we certainly need to see more imperfect results out there. Everything is not always going as you maybe had hoped sometimes but that doesn't make the project itself less important.
PART 1: • I Made a Mid 19th Cent...
THANKS TO Oskar Abrahamsson (@Skardeline) for helping me recording the end of the video and the photos in the thumbnail. .
Pattern used in the video: webshop.skanse...
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Pinterest - ElinAbrahamsson
Mail - [e-mail]
MUSIC:
Epidemic Sound

[@TheePinkExplosion]

Hey, sewing with piecing, mistakes and mishaps IS historically accurate. No one is perfect, and no garment is perfect. Today or in the 1850’s! It looks fantastic. I am still not over the depth of color the overdoing brought to the fabric, and how beautiful it is!

[@LOperatorium]

That's how I felt ! Must have been nerve raking but fabric cost money back in the day ! Especially with this design it feels correct, probably would not have worked with a court dress and even then I think that would still have been accurate to some extent ^^ I am friend with Versailles Castle upholsterers and often they show me seats with bits of fabric patchwork with the pattern not matching the rest (because these were brocade you don't toss pieces away). They told me that the pieces would be visible but the chair would just not be the principal chair of the room :)

[@d.rabbitwhite]

@@LOperatorium interesting information.

[@elinabrahamsson9442]

I'm glad you liked the overdyeing!❤ I really think it added life and the right feeling to the fabric😊

[@Siansonea]

The imperfections, the piecing, it all makes it feel more authentic to me. This is what a girl in the 19th Century would have experienced the first few times she tried to make clothing for herself. She would have had instances where she didn't have enough fabric, and would have to cobble together sleeves out of cabbage. She wouldn't be able to line up the fabric design perfectly, she would have had fit issues with some of the more complicated areas, like the shoulder. Your dress might have felt frustrating to create and the end result probably feels like a long series of compromises, but it feels like a real garment a real person would have worn.

[@Marialla.]

Agreed! The result is good, but I love it ten times more because of the struggles!

[@riennablaise2423]

Couldn't agree more! In fact, I was coming here to write exactly the same comment :)

[@Sylvia-Storm]

Sorry but I have to ask, did you mean to write “cabbage” or Garbage?

[@emmadavey3892]

Cabbage is a historical term for scraps of fabric 😊

[@Sylvia-Storm]

Emma Davey thank you. I had no idea about that.

[@elinabrahamsson9442]

As many of you have pointed out, piecing is indeed period. Why I was so upset about it in the video is because all the extra work it gives, especially when having a checked fabric, doing it by hand, and with a short amount of time. What could have been to just cut out a simple sleeve shape for example, became a four fay long mess... otherwise I love piecing and really think it gives a certain feeling to the garment!

[@ItsJustLisa]

You could get tossed in a time machine, end up somewhere in the 19th century, and absolutely no one would the wiser simply by looking at you. Your dress came out beautifully despite the headaches it gave you. I don’t know if your teachers fully appreciate everything that went into this unless their seamstresses or tailors themselves, but those of us who’ve taken up the needle a time or three sure do.

[@wendylorimer5663]

Next time you will check everything 3 times and it will go more smoothly :-)

[@mnels5214]

Totally feel you! Nothing makes me madder at myself than having to pick a seam, or finding out that I cut a very expensive piece of fabric with a directional pattern going one way on one sleeve, and the opposite way on the other. Those kinds of goofs are the worst. But your dress turned out wonderfully, I thought.

[@ItsJustLisa]

DATING HARLEY QUINN, well, she did have a timeline since it was a school project.

[@raindancer3420]

Totally makes sense! And it turned out so nice!

[@consideredwhisper]

Elin - I have been sewing since I was a child, now I am an elder. Your dress, the time you have devoted to it and the beauty of the final result is something very inspirational. You should be very proud - not just of the dress but also of the wonderful lessons you have now learnt. The way you edit and compose your films are lovely too. Lovely job, and hope to see more of your projects.

[@abigaelmacritchie1365]

That panel in the middle is soooooo clever and thrifty! The fact you had fabric quantity constraints really ties in with your working class character I think. It's really enjoyable to see you work out solutions, and of course your videos are always so pleasing to watch and listen to 💙💙💙

[@otto8444]

7am, school in an hour, I'm not even dressed, and I'm going to watch and appreciate every second of this

[@madelinegutierrez1720]

3am an hour "later" here

[@danicahannaford737]

hope you got there on time lol

[@samuelasanderinos1521]

I hope you watched it at 2x speed lol

[@adedow1333]

Thanks for publishing your imperfections! I love to see how other crafters think about things as they make them. It's different for everyone. It's also encouraging for the rest of us to remember that nobody is perfect.

[@elisabethm9655]

The piecing is one of the most historically accurate things you could have done to reflect the reality of a working class woman who aspires to a more fashionable silhouette with a minimum of resources. Many extant garments in museum collections show extensive piecing. The hardships and frustrations you experienced are also a realistic reflection of prior times. Time - also was experienced so differently then, but the horrors and pressures of deadlines have always been with us - fabric was precious - colors were changed or refreshed by overdyeing - your solutions based approach to everything about this ‘less than perfect’ project, from the external life dangers (no antibiotics or cures back then either) to all the hard work make this an absolute triumph. You really learned! Congratulations- Last, but not least - the documentary video of the making and the evocative reveal are a masterpiece of videography all by themselves. I felt transported to a bygone era where a young girl awaited her ...someone? ...with a deep and anxious poignancy that has nothing to do with a needle and thread. You are young and adventurous..and while bygone fashions are an unlikely career path - filmography is a choice you should definitely consider - you’re quite talented. A+ grade from this retired teacher 😄

[@lydiadame1727]

i feel like the creator of a project is always the one who sees all the flaws in extreme detail. it's of course valid to feel unhappy with it but genuinely the dress is so lovely! and so much work went into it as well, it honestly feels beautiful partly just because of that

[@cacofoniacraft]

Not gonna lie...I almost cried with the final clip. The dress, cinematography, the small plot, the landscape and, ohh, the music. Spot on! Loved it! I mean it.

[@tspeecestudios]

Cobbling together and covering up with necessary accessories? That's working woman fashion of every age! The bit with the under-apron patch makes so much sense, and something I didn't know before this video

[@samanthascarcella526]

I’m hand sewing a skirt right now(inspired by your tutorial!) and I realized last night that the cloth I cut for my waistband is 2 inches too short lol I was like “okay no worries... I’ll piece more fabric to it...?” And this video makes me confident that’s the better decision than cutting a whole new waistband. I have the fabric to do so, but I figured it would be a waste of fabric and time to do a whole new waistband! Also your dress came out wonderfully in my eyes

[@DevikaK1293]

If I had only seen the stunning montage at the end, I would never have known the hardships you faced making this dress because it is GORGEOUS! Thank you for showing us the difficult bits too though, it only goes to show that you can still make a beautiful dress even if the process is unexpectedly hard!

[@EvlNabiki]

I know that you had a specific vision in your mind, and perhaps this dress does not match that, but honestly this is a gorgeous end result!!! I showed the dress to my mum, who is a professional, and she said that the dress is brilliant, and she was even more impressed when I told her you did everything by hand!!! It is truly a beautiful dress and your effort, your perseverance and your ingenuity in using every piece of fabric available is amazing. I personally would have told myself that there wasn't enough material and just gone with straight sleeves, for example. P.S. your house, the surroundings and your babies (cat and chickens) are all to die for 💞💞💞

[@annasmith6090]

I felt like I was watching the trailer to a really intense period film at the end😳 and the montages of sewing were shot beautifully!! I'm so impressed with the dress and the video!

[@virafims2005]

It was as if I found myself in a fairy tale and met a kind sorceress ,whose golden hands turned a piece of fabric into a beautiful dress!!!!😄😄😄❤.I just really love plaid dresses.

[@999Giustina]

This is truly one of the most historically accurate videos I've ever seen! The reality is what sets this apart from many other videos. Thanks for sharing with us!

[@lauralake7430]

Sews historical dress....conquers rough terrain like a freaking badass, all while looking gorgeous! You are goals, my dear.

[@cameronishee9731]

Watching the intricacy of the whole process leaves me with such respect for you, and also such respect for the women back then. Especially considering that many of them would likely have been illiterate, and would have had to do this from passed-down knowledge and without the aid of notes!

[@evelyn_r]

I appreciate that you went thru with this and posted both your hardships and your finished product. I, for one, really like how it turned out with all the constraints of having not enough fabric so good on you! 💖👍 We are often our harshest critics. So I hope you can accept and enjoy this outfit 💖

[@Tsuki04wolf]

I just got to say, I was so not prepared for that end. Felt like a trailer to a period drama, props to your editing skills! The compliments on your hard work don't need repeating but I had to give one to your cinematography 👏

[@elinabrahamsson9442]

That just warms my heart, thank you!💕

[@Brenda-tv8tx]

This is a masterpiece, dress and editing alike.

[@odsmey]

Thank you so much for showing us the dress and how you made it! It is easy to only show the good sides, much harder to show the struggle that is so often behind them. And the footage showing the dress and telling a short story made me cry. Thank you again.

[@MossyMozart]

Ms Abrahamsson - The decision to over-dye your fabric was perfect. The result is beautiful. As for piecing, the patience to do that, rather than throw the dress out and start over with new, more-than-enough fabric, showed great skill and fortitude. It also demonstrates your problem-solving ability and fearlessness to proceed with a perfect (though not flawless) dress. What a great video! I'm sure the cat was very helpful, too, keeping your lap warm.

[@autumn7143]

I think it turned out lovely!!! Piecing is period!!! Don’t be so hard on yourself, after all every project is a learning experience. Great work!!!

[@RobynMelloITProfessional]

hand sewing the entire outfit from the skin outward takes some serious talent, Lady! and using mostly only what you had on hand -- you got mad skills!!

[@hattierensberry2526]

This dress turned out BEAUTIFULLY. Your hard work and perseverance paid off! Plus, I am so glad that you addressed and embraced piecing because not enough people showcase that process! Plus, pieced garments just feel like they have a lot of extra love in my opinion. Congrats on the outcome of this project!

[@jbowerdel]

so much sewing by hand!!! i admire your patience, even when you are stressed! so beautiful visually-the filming, editing and music even beyond the production of such a lovely dress! really enjoy all your work! Thanks so much!

[@kekjo611]

I recently made an 1890s walking skirt and I had very explicit plans to add 5 inches to the length because I am 5’10” tall. The very first thing I cut out was the front panel and guess who forgot to add the 5 inches? This girl. I quickly cut a strip and pieces it on. When I was done and hemmed it I sewed a grosgrain ribbon around the entire edge of the skirt to hide the the line of the piecing. I was so mad at myself and cursed a little but in the end I quite enjoy the look of the ribbon. All that to say, piecing is historical and everyone makes mistakes. Love the finished product.

[@oldasyouromens]

I can hear the 1860s working girl who saved up for that beautiful fabric being equally pissed there wasn't enough and then being like "it's fine, it's fine, I'll wear my best apron and no one will see". One of my friends once saw an 1850s dress whose lining was only made out of solid material when it would show - on the bodice and the upper part of the sleeves, dozens of tiny patchwork pieces. This came out beautifully!

[@dinoantics6060]

I love the care, effort and attention you put into your videos for them to be like a mini film with a narrative alongside the beautiful scene selection, always a pleasure to watch. The dress was beautiful also and perhaps think about setting up a Patreon to fund larger materials to save the stress and anguish of all that piecing!

[@ushere5791]

yes please, elin! patreon, please! we will help you buy your fabric! xoxoxoxoxo

[@pondripple]

I absolutely love your dress! It's definitely an authentic thing to stretch a length of fabric as far as possible, and I was impressed with you doing it with a check! Piecing a large sleeve was a bold move with amazing results. Most people aren't looking that closely at your seams, and I don't know anyone who doesn't have trouble fitting sleeves. So you really accomplished so much more than perhaps you give yourself credit for, and if you ever do another similar dress you've got the experience and knowledge to do it better!

[@ClueFinderDirtDigger]

Oh Elin, this video (and this dress) is a masterpiece! We are all our own worst critics. I recently had a similar facepalm moment over mismatched stripes while patching some improperly-placed buttonholes on an 18th century shirt project. I’ve started thinking of these little hiccups as a way of connecting with my seamstress ancestors, who surely made the same flubs from time to time (especially when trying out new methods)! So, what I’m trying to say is... piecing is period, mismatched patterns are period, wrinkles are period, imperfection is period. And this dress is beautiful, despite the flaws that stick out so prominently to your eyes. Congratulations on finishing this daunting project, and, as always, I look forward to the next! 🤗

[@thevintageplaylist7191]

You are just so underrated! This channel must be internationally famous

[@an_evening_star_rose5991]

You’re videos never cease to be a source of comfort and inspiration to me. Of course, being stressed and frustrated is never fun, but taking the footage when things do go wrong and posting it anyway is enormously helpful to others going through the same thing. Thank you!

[@kamilaferens682]

The amount of work and creativity you've put into creating this dress, especially in given circumstances?? Just WOW. And the effect is beautiful. I would not dare to criticise a single seam in this piece. Be fully proud of yourself ❤️

[@kellymckenzie1935]

That "recap" montage at the beginning is easily the best bit of filmmaking and storytelling I've ever seen on KZbin. Absolutely amazing. A joy to watch!

[@janeteholmes]

To get that dress out of 2.2m of fabric is a minor miracle! And you were right about the sleeves, they look lovely. Congratulations on finishing it!

[@TheMetatronGirl]

I have absolutely no doubt that some enterprising seamstress of the past pieced together a beautiful dress from “scraps.” The end result is a testament to your skills!! I’m such a mother hen, sometimes, though...through the whole video I just wanted to give you a hug and moral support! Thank you for sharing this with us. It’s so helpful to know we’re not alone when we struggle with a project. Be well, and love, light, and blessings to you and yours.

[@hazel8071]

I LOVE the finished dress! I love the mid 19th century style.

[@ManOfEarth1422]

Not even a minute into this. I just have to compliment your sound design; it is gorgeous. It's truly been a pleasure seeing all of your skills grow over this past year.

[@bettinajahn6648]

This is perfect! A working womans dress would look like this. I think they would never waste a scrap of fabric, it was just too precious. My mother had about 20 pieces of clothing when she was young and my grandmother about 10..... She always took apart old dresses and re-used the parts which were not too worn. I also grew up owning about 20 pieces of clothing (I am 55 now). The fast fashion Problem and everyone owning and throwing away Tons of clothing is a relatively new one. My grandmother often made clothes for us, we learned how to sew, knit and crotchet from her.

[@marytreaty9357]

Thank you for posting this! I am currently making my own mid 1800s dress and am having issues. This video give me motivation to finish it

[@omomo3648]

The fact that you took the time to do all the piecing, and by hand is so admirable, I would have just given up honestly, but you kept going and put all the hard work into it even while you were short on time and had a bunch of other stuff going on, that is just amazing and the dress came out beautifully

[@MsBluebug]

I am so excited for this!! Your dress turned out to be so beautiful. Just think of all the women before you who most likely went through the same trials as you did. Mistakes, short on fabric? Of course, but a beautiful dress in the end. Good job!! I love your videos!!

[@jenniefernandez8798]

Do not stop! (Unless you want to). You are enormously talented and mistakes help us learn. I don't even sew and I find your videos beautiful and inspiring. They make me want to pick it up, and your willingness to share your mistakes makes me appreciate the triumph at the end even more. Thank you so much for sharing Elin. Love to you from Los Angeles, CA.

[@samanthawilliams9710]

All of the struggles make it worth it. You did a fantastic job for your first dress from the 1850’s! Nicely done!

[@MrHkause]

Hi Elin, I really want to compliment you on the quality of your video's! You are incredibly talented and clearly put in the time too. Your editing is spot-on, your storytelling is compelling, your shots (bokeh, lighting, composition) are beautiful, sharp and creative and your music is thrilling... It's all just there. Well done on all the hard work!

[@taliavigorito4959]

Omg that ending!!! *chef’s kiss* 😙👌🏼 it was brilliant. It was like a movie

[@sharonwerner2419]

You did successfully piece your sleeves ,that in it self is an amazing effort and something to be immensely proud of .Your dress is a series of problem solving challenges and you did it. every one of us that has watched you for a while ,we are proud of you.

[@lydiarowe491]

Sticking to a project is hard when it takes forever..it looks so good on you..making a visit to nature wearing it was perfect..🌳🌲🌳

[@itsmebabu6719]

It's 4am and I should have been sleeping 5 hours ago, but here I am watching this AMAZING girl put together something that I could never dream of doing. You might say that your dress is full of imperfections-maybe it is-but you should be SO PROUD of what you've accomplished! These kind of videos-the imperfect ones-are the ones that pushed me to get myself a sewing machine and start to make my own clothes. Maybe one day I'll be as good and as determined as you are, Elin. You're the best ♥

[@shmachable]

I have Swedish ancestors on both sides of my family who lived in Sweden during this time period. My morfar's family and my farfar's family. Seeing you in this dress gives me a glimpse into what my grandmothers could have worn. Thank you.

[@karmen_0324]

Watching during school breaks😅 very good job! Greetings from Slovakia 🇸🇰

[@ladytaliastorm8882]

I appreciate your sharing your emotions and struggles with us. I also appreciate how you worked so hard to problem solve every issue you came up against. I feel that woman of that era would have done the very same things you did (even the mistakes) as that is just how we are. Perfection isn't real or possible. I hope your graduation went smoothly and that you received high marks for your work. I look forward to your next video and going along with you on this journey. I also wish I could give you a big hug right now 💙

[@FelineRM]

When I was a little girl, we had costume day at school. My mom is great at sewing so she wanted to make me the dress from my favorite disney movie Sleeping Beauty. She asked me if I wanted the dress to be blue or pink, because the fairies don’t agree on the color and keep changing it, remember?? :) But I didn’t want that dress from the movie at all!! I wanted the “normal” one, the grayish beige one with the black bodice. For some reason your dress reminds me of that one :) the working woman dress! Every once in a while I think about that memory, it says so much of the person I already was at that age. I didn’t want to be a princess dancing with a prince in a palace ballroom. I wanted to be that girl with the bottom of her dress dirty from working all day, wandering around the forest, talking to the birds :)

[@FelineRM]

Holy sh... im in a hotel right now and right outside there is a bell tower from the 1700s. The second i tap send on the comment above, the bells start ringing 12 times. Midnight exactly. How disney appropriate :D

[@gabriellagrimaldo6335]

This project speaks to your ingenuity and ability to creatively solve problems. I'm so proud of you for sticking with it. I believe in you and you're amazing.

[@sarahheri7027]

Aw! I cannot tell you how bad I felt for you at times here :( However, I really like the result, I think it turned out VERY authentically, because - as you may or may not have read a thousand times in the comments - piecing is period... Always keep in mind that the historical clothing of the working class NEVER was as perfect as the clothing of the upper class, because depending on income and occupation, it was sometimes just made at home in very little spare time. Factor in the amount of fabric would have cost and how they probably would have just - you know - opted to make dresses with as little fabric as possible, right? And if they came out short on fabric? Oh well, we'll make do with it! Then of course the dresses would have been mended and mended and mended - to be handed down to the next person once they don't fit anymore, and if the fashion changed they would be ripped to pieces, salvaging as much fabric as possible if not every single bit by piecing, and be re-made into a new, more fashionable piece of clothing. If the owner was going with fashion, anyways... My last thought on this: I think craft-people most of the times are very hard on themselves, but will offer sincere encouragement and admiration to other craft-people generously, and even while maybe seeing the imperfections of other people's work upon being specifically showed, the perfections will always be waaay more interesting to them :) To honour that tradition, I want to just state that I think your dress is REALLY beautiful! The cartidge pleating on the skirt is a masterpiece, and I commend you for your patience to piece together the sleeves as you did! Goodness, I would have thrown the thing into a corner! Also: You entered sleeval hell, and came out unscathed! (Sleeves make me cry, regularly and that one time I swore to never do anything, ever again, in my entire life. At all!)

[@ItsJustLisa]

All of this, Elin, all of this.

[@stevezytveld6585]

*nod* *nod* - Cathy (&, accidentally, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown

[@ushere5791]

yes indeed! everything sarah said! and to amplify: the cartridge pleating is breathtaking. :)

[@heloisapontes3733]

the filmography of your videos is simply beautiful !!!! most of the time I watch for these beautiful images

[@gothempress]

Just remember: piecing is period.

[@melaniegonzalezart8506]

Imperfection = beautiful = learning opportunities!! Thank you for sharing your good work.

[@jennyatelier_augenstern1180]

It's incredible how you kept working on it despite all the problems and with what was going on around you. You can be really proud of yourself and the result is so beautiful!

[@watercolourartincapetown2919]

The videography in the forest!! Oh my gosh!! It felt like I was watching a movie!!

[@miriamgillham6701]

Oh my goodness... your perseverance and commitment is magic. You make this dress almost alive because of the heart you put into it and the tenacity to overcome all the little annoying and frustrating issues it presented! You should know that I I’m awe of your achievement in making a dress out of two yards of material and forcing it to be so much more than what you started with. You are inspirational. Thank you for sharing!😊

[@EdwardianTailor]

Everything about how this turned out is just fantastic! This sewing project is actually one of my favorite dress videos to watch on KZbin. I'm glad you decided to finish the dress and publish the video anyway!

[@ievalibeka8171]

That You have made a whole dress while dealing with so many other stressful things at the same time is already fantastic. That You have done so with limited materials and using a completely new construction method is tremendous. You are amazing :) The dress looks great in the end :) an absolutely gorgeous short movie showing it :)

[@AndieCaroline]

I love love LOVE seeing the piecing!! Makes it look much more historically accurate in my opinion and attests to your patience and attention to detail!!

[@friendlysharkce1831]

It looks great! And to be honest, the more I look at videos of poeple looking at actual old historical clothing the more I notice that people in the past did the exact same things we do. Sewing is hard and even back then they made mistakes, had too ruch, had not enough fabric. Perfection really isn't a health thing to strive for :) Im really glad you decided to share your journey anyway!

[@charlotteroberts]

Elin this was stunning! I can't express how much I adore your videos. They are always so professionally made and your honesty adds to their compelling nature. How you are able to tell such a story in a short film at the end also is demonstrative of your skill as a filmmaker and storyteller. Thank you for bringing us along on your journey.

[@toddgreener]

Good grief, I'd forgotten how pleasant it is to watch your project videos. The projects themselves are very interesting but your skill at making an evocative film to show the projects is also great. Keep up the good work!

[@gracieshepardtothemax1743]

Thank you for sharing! Thank you for showing the entire process, good and bad. I do not sew but consider myself quite “crafty” and realllly get down on myself for not making to “perfect” or up to my quite high standards. Have had a crochet project on the back burner for 2 years. I think I’ll get back at it! Thank you! ❤️

[@ryokomoonbeam4624]

This is me when trying to sew something that I've never done before. I struggle with understanding sewing patterns and as a visual, if there aren't enough pictures... I applaud you for actually finishing the dress...as I would've probably given up and tossed it into the "I'll fix it later" bag...which is usually never fixed. So! A big thumbs up and a hearty clap from me to you for actually pushing yourself to finish it! Bravo!

[@ekaterinaishchenko5315]

I love every minute of this video. All this piecing and panels are just so historical. With that the dress seems more real and close to the period. Thank you so much for the pleasure to watch such great and touching video. Great job!

[@aslinndhan]

I liked the dress. It's a working woman's dress. I loved the colour and the cut of it and the texture of the fabric. Excellent job

[@Greye13]

You have done some very fine work with this dress, it looks fabulous and piecing is quite historically accurate. Well done!

[@magnamagnamagnamagna]

Cottage core queen in the action! Love how it turns out!

[@OnlyMusic16]

I genuinely feel like the trial and error and stress of your process of making this is so refreshing compared to other KZbinrs who edit it to seem flawless and easy. The challenge makes this so much more authentic and interesting to watch. Thank you for sharing!

[@vincentbriggs1780]

It turned out beautiful! The bodice fits so smoothly! Thank you for sharing all the troubles and setbacks too, it really helps to be reminded that we all have annoying sewing problems.

[@SomePeculiarities]

Ahhh, the shot of you sewing outside with the cat in your lap is so sweet, I love it!

[@joanndeleau2870]

I can’t believe how hard on herself she is. This is so well done!

[@flapjac4155]

I love all the piecing on the sleeves. There is so much realness about this dress and how it came together. Thank you so much for sharing the video.

[@rachelc1492]

Beautiful video. All of us who sew know exactly how you feel about the silly mistakes we all make. Sometimes the dresses with the most, let's say, challenges, not mistakes, turn out to be the best. You have sewed a part of yourself into the fabric. Checked fabric is a nightmare in many ways. I personally think the piecing works really well and adds interest and authenticity. The fact that you had to work with a limited amount of fabric has helped me to realise the impossible can be possible sometimes! Well done and thank you as always for this video. I hope your sewing education is going well. "Dal ati" from Wales. (Keep going!) 😊♥️

[@elladunnet]

Thank you ! thank you ! thank you ! I know it's hard to show projects that haven't gone to plan but I truly appreciate you showing the realities that we all face when sewing. Lot's of love from France Xxx

[@Tilas8]

I know these videos are old. But they are new to me. I love watching you sew. I’m new to your channel. I’m going to watch all of your videos. I think I can learn to make my own clothes if I watch all of your videos.

[@arielsmith-essers3079]

I’m so glad you released this video! So often makers put out only their best work or show only projects that made them happy, but that isn’t real life. We all make mistakes and that is how we learn. If everything went perfectly we wouldn’t learn anything. Well done on completing a difficult project.

[@SiriusFeanor]

I am absolutely in love with those pieced sleeves! 13 parts! Well, that's amazing. I appload your patience with that. Also thank you for the beautiful nature shots! So gorgeous! I've recently been though the same thing while making a capelet with a hood for rainy weather. First, I didn't have enough fabric to make a proper cape pattern, so I had to piece a circle from three parts. Because of the seams it drapes rather awkwardly, not like a proper cape would. Then there's the lining. Which I didn't cut correctly. I forgot to flip the pattern to make two front parts. So I have two of the left sides :) Mentally I've gone through all the stages from "well, I've ruined it completely" to "It still might work".I hope it will :)

[@cindygguerrero]

I cried when I saw your face after you were finally done with the dress. You have an amazing talent!

[@tiffanymatthews8162]

My older girls (15 & 19) & I just watched this episode & you are AMAZING!! I know you mention the areas you weren't exactly happy with but honestly it is beautiful!!! And we love your cat & chickens!! I can't wait to watch more!

[@MajaPlejada]

"overly optimistic"? My dudess, you looked STUNNING

[@judyharter8265]

When you hand sew the long seams down the sides of the skirts and the sleeves, no stress is on those seams, so a running back stitch will save you time. 3 or 4 running stitches, then one back stitch will work quite well. Your use of piecing fabric to make your sleeves and the use of a different color panel in the front that will be covered by the apron was very time period. Very nice work, your dress is beautiful.

[@MysticValkyrja]

You look like a beautiful Skogsrå during your end scene! The dress looks lovely, and you should be proud!

[@johnniedevlin4253]

You nailed it. Watching you at the end made me feel like I was looking into the past and that, to me, is the highest compliment I can give on historical costuming/sewing.

[@ginkgoleif]

That intro was more suspenseful than some primetime action dramas

[@Missfantasyfreak]

The epic dramatic music, the cinematography, the chickens, you went hard with the filming and editing and it's amazing and it was a joy to watch! I appreciate that you decided to publish this even with all the struggels you went through. As someone who always buys the least amount of fabric for a project I could need and often regrets that later, I found it very relatable. The poor people of history can be proud of you for all that meticulous piecing!

[@humanwithaplaylist]

I like how you end the projects with a mini movie, fabulous!

[@liadelmater6643]

Watching you take these sewing journeys has been so wonderful. It is inspiring to see you travel through your cultural history. The dress looks wonderful, every last piece!

[@Kira-cc4fg]

This is very beautiful! I like the color and the fabric pattern. I think it turned out really nice... And I absolutely adore what you've done with the pieces sewed together, I would have probably gave up or just go and bought more fabric. But this was better.

[@angelicaquiggle2591]

Don't be so hard on yourself! You did an amazing job, and it looks wonderful. And more accurate than "perfection" would have been. Thank you for showing the reality of this make, problems and all. Your patience and talent with piecing is to be commended!

[@bettystimetravels6372]

Your ability to tell stories both with your costumes and film making is admirable! 👌

[@deborahbranham-taylor6682]

I own several pieces of antique clothing and underclothes from the middle and lower class. These were hand stitched and well made, but certainly NOT perfect! Imperfections in; alignment of gathers/pleats, stitching, buttonholes, piecing. You name it, and the garments are unbelievably lovely and speak to me of the women who made hem. I think her end result was “perfect” in it’s imperfection, and the over-dying of the fabric gave the fabric the depth of color to carry off the time period she is reproducing.

[@CarynOMahony]

The dress looks wonderful and you should feel very proud of all your hard work (mistakes, mishaps and misadventures included). I think you did an amazing job and that you look amazing in it. And your videography at the end is stunning. Well done, you.