Free Finnish sewing and crafting books
I have some hard-to-get books from the late 19th and early 20th century that are already in the public domain. So, I have now scanned them and you can go and see them here.
Kokkola costume, part 3: The 18th-century shirt
As I had to replace the worn-out shirt of my national costume from Kokkola, I decided to make it more historically accurate.
Making a chemise using a free 1897 pattern from the Voice of Fashion
I made a chemise using a free pattern from the Winter 1897 Voice of Fashion magazine. Interpreting an old pattern had its challenges!
Sewing a Victorian bicycle sweater
When I saw this mustard yellow knit fabric at Eurokangas fabric shop, I knew exactly what I wanted to make out of it. I have planned to make a Victorian bicycle sweater after seeing some very nice examples online. They all are based on this lovely example on Met. It is from circa 1895 when the sleeves were huge and bicycling was trendy. Of course, the original sweater has been knit but my poor shoulders can’t stand knitting anymore. Luckily, this kind of sweater can be sewn quite neatly, too! I found three videos/blog posts online that were really helpful. The first is the YouTube video by Lady Rebecca Fashions.…
Making an early 19th-century Karelian dress: The Sarafan
The last part of my Karelian dress project is the heavily pleated sarafan dress made out of red printed cotton. Now the costume is finished!
Making an early 19th-century Karelian dress, part 1: Shirt “rätsinä”
I am learning about the dress of my ancestors and making a traditional Karelian outfit. The first layer is called a "rätsinä" shirt.
Finnish underwear at the turn of the 20th century – part 4: Petticoat and a bustle
I continue making turn-of-the-century underwear using period patterns published in Finland. Now it's a time for a petticoat and a bustle.
1915 skirt out of black wool
I made a practical 1915 skirt out of black wool. The pattern was an authentic historical pattern from the book "Kukin oma ompelijansa".
How I made a Victorian Symington corset and greetings from Turku castle
I made a Victorian corset using a pattern from the Symington collection. This is one of my most complicated makes but a successfull one! We also visited Turku castle and got to see some extant garments from the 19th century and earlier.
Edwardian accessories: a parasol and a hat
I took an old umbrella and turned it into an Edwardian style silk parasol. I also transformed a modern paper straw hat into an Edwardian style hat.
sewing, knitting, creating… always learning, always dreaming
