I Made an 1890s Ball Gown Using Victorian Sewing Methods
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Prints and sundry paper-based merch items of this gown sketch are now available! www.redbubble.com/people/bert...
Previous videos in this series:
Fabric shopping for materials: • Video
Bust bodice: • Achieving That Classic...
Bustle pad: • Does This Make My Bum ...
Petticoat: • The (Mildly Chaotic) M...
BOOKS REFERENCED
Books mentioned, including ‘Authentic Victorian Dressmaking Techniques’ and Bertha Banner’s ‘Household Sewing With Home Dressmaking’ can be found on my bookshop.org list of suggested dress history book recommendations: bookshop.org/shop/bernadetteb....
Please note that these are affiliate linked, so bookshop.org give me a commission for orders placed through here.
‘Household Sewing with Home Dressmaking’ by Bertha Banner can also be accessed digitally for free at: play.google.com/books/reader?....
Patterns of Fashion Volume 2, Janet Arnold. NOTE that the Patterns of Fashion books are currently out of print as the rights transfer between publishers and new books are reprinted. Books 1-4 are presently very difficult to find, and VERY expensive if you do; if you can wait until c. end of this/early next year, new copies will be available at regular (~ £35) price. Volume 5 can presently be purchased at www.shop.theschoolofhistorical....
MATERIALS USED
Velvet - New York Elegant Fabrics, NYC
Silk taffeta - New York Elegant Fabrics, NYC
White chiffon - New York Elegant Fabrics, NYC
Synthetic baleen - 4mm x 1mm: Burnley & Trowbridge (www.burnleyandtrowbridge.com/...)
Cotton bias tape - Bias Bespoke (www.biasbespoke.com/cart.php?...)
Tarlatan - Regular weight, Takach Press (shop.takachpress.com/Tarlatan...)
Hooks and eyes - Steinlauf & Stoller, NYC
Silk thread for stitching - Steinlauf & Stoller, NYC
Buttonhole silk thread - John Lewis, London
Machine is a hand-turned Singer machine manufactured in 1891.
Useful Tools for Those So Inclined:
(Please note that these are affiliate links)
-Clear 18-inch ruler: amzn.to/2DIdRrh
-Steel-headed straight pins: amzn.to/2ByJUaQ
-Every size & weight needle you will probably ever need: amzn.to/2Sd76R7
-My most favorite (& stupidly fiddly) #10 sharps, the tiniest needles: amzn.to/2SaZEGf
-Ye Trusty Olde 8” shears (tartan ribbon not included): amzn.to/2DXkUft
-Those wee bird snips that literally everyone seems to have: amzn.to/2zu9vzY
-(But I’ve also just found these that are a unicorn and I am severely tempted; I should not be trusted with Amazon: amzn.to/2KvXGgX)
-French Curve: amzn.to/2RWzWVJ
Filming equipment:
The first half of this video is shot mostly on the Canon G7x Mark II (amzn.to/2Zv6IUA), with the slow-motion shots on the Canon EOS M50 (amzn.to/2WqqQFs). The latter half of this video is shot with the Sony ZV1 (amzn.to/2CD1tJK).
Edited with Adobe Premiere Pro.
All music licensed from epidemicsound.com.
Portrait of Lord Cesario and the Mona Liza by Dani Banner. Video of Cesario’s portrait being painted here: • Royal Portrait Paintin...
Want to get started with hand sewing?
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Management contact for business enquiries:
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Music:
‘Secrets of the Earth’ by Lama House
‘Progressive Progress’ by Howard Harper-Barnes
‘Who We Are’ by Gavin Luke
‘Winter Solstice’ by Gavin Luke
‘The Pendulum Clock’ by Francis Wells
‘Impressions of You’ by Gavin Luke
‘Silent Approval’ by Howard Harper-Barnes
‘Secret Agent’ by Spectacles Wallet and Watch
‘I’ll Be Watching’ by Charles Holme
‘Counting the Days’ by Cody High
‘Meet Me in Montmartre’ by The Fly Guy Five
Hi All! Sorry for the delay in getting the captions back on this--it's a long one, so they're still in progress, but should be in by end of today if you require captioning. ALSO apparently it is now a thing that KZhead INSISTS on automatically stuffing 12 midroll ads into every video which MAKES ME RAGEY. I've unticked the midroll ads box that keeps somehow re-ticking itself despite opting out of this new system entirely, so if you see any midroll ads in this (or any of my other videos) please let me know--I work way too hard on editing a nice calming story into my videos to have that constantly interrupted by ads. 😑 EDIT TO ADD: as much as I hate midroll ads, I canNOT condone the use of ad blockers on KZhead (especially). If ads are not getting through to you, *creators are not getting paid* . I used to be an ad block user myself but whitelisted KZhead when I found this out, before turning it off altogether, as I realise now how important advertising is in bringing us good online content to be accessed for free. That being said, it's up to creators and online distributors to be reasonable about advertising-- to let it exist in a way that pays the bills but does not interfere with enjoyment of the content (as I personally believe mid-roll ads do to my videos). But I leave pre- and post-roll ads on for a reason--because I *do* need to make a living if I'm to continue devoting my full time to creating complex videos regularly. This video alone took over 35 hours to edit--and that's not including the month and a half I spent sewing (and shooting) the dressmaking process. I'm paid only per thousand *monetised* views, and according to my analytics I'm receiving compensation for a bit under 2/3 of the views the video actually gets. Some of these are intentional--KZhead doesn't serve ads to viewers who have been watching a lot of content (because that would be annoying)--but the majority of this is due to users viewing with ad blockers. Thankfully I'm doing just fine with ad revenue, despite adblock users and without midrolls--but *not every creator is so lucky* . I know ads suck, but...so does paying for 9028359074 subscription services to view all the paywalled content on the internet. Thank you for coming to my TED talk :)
I completely understand 😊 Also I wanted to know if the Phantom of the Opera costumes (more in the musical but the movie works as well) were historically accurate. Thanks
Hello! There are, unfortunately, a fair amount of midroll ads at the time I am watching!
Thanks for thinking of us and trying to make this calming. Even with the ads, it's still wonderful
Also--if you clicked this video within the first c. 2 minutes of upload, perhaps give the page a refresh, *hopefully* they should be gone.
Bernadette Banner they are! Thank you for the suggestion
"It is a sin to not put a pockets in your skirt." Say it again for the people in the back!
Not forgetting a watch pocket
"The Victorians understood that, which for some reason we don't understand today" we're evolving, only backwards
The fake pocket pandemic is the real monster here
@@ThinWhiteAxe nah, it's just another form of capitalism
@@chocotoasties2671 well, I capitalistically boycott women's jeans and wear men's pants instead because pockets 😜
Cesario is a very observant supervisor. No funny business on his watch. XD
His Lordship is an attentive fellow
but also the cutest in the most Royal way possible
The royal piggy is the best behaved. He shall always reign supreme!
Nothing escapes the attention of his Lordship's little footsies.
He’s so diligent 🥰
Me: "Nice Victorian gown!" Bernadette: "Thanks, it has pockets!"
Love pockets!!!
Then the obligitory showcasing of how deep said pockets are
Though I was mildly disappointed that the wearing of the dress segment didn't include slipping something of significant size into the cunning pocket, so we could see how it worked in the finished dress
The question is, do I put pockets in my five-year-old nieces 13th century reproduction princess dress?... Particularly when I'm already going make her and her brothers those medieval tie on pockets. I kind of really want to do both. every kid needs pockets.
By the ways, do not make your five-year-old nice a 13th century princess dress, it is not worth the trouble, it took me two months to figure out how to fix the fact that when I made a mock up she would grew an inch +. stick with what they had children wear in the 13th century. I know it's the wrong century, but I recommend Eugene de Bass paintings for inspiration. I'm talking lacing in the sides and/or the front and/or back, and lots of pin tucks, and buying one of those foots' for your sewing machine that takes the elastic thread and just smoked the whole bodice.
I burst out laughing when His Lordship just came nyooming across the paper in the timelapse
Vroom vroom
The internet has taught me two things about the Victorian era: Men were doing medicine completely wrong, and women were doing sewing completely right (pockets as a must-have in every outfit?? genius)
Well, when skirts were floofier, pockets fit/hide nicely within. My mom once told me that most skirts & pants designed for women don't have them now because it would ruin the 'lines of the silhouette' and/or 'add bulk'. No answer for why so many then add FAKE POCKETS, though. I despise garments with fake pockets even more than ones that just don''t include pockets fullstop. *hrgrphm*
@@brendaleelydon It's like giving us a taste of what could have been, the bliss of having pockets in which to put things or stuff your hands, but then cruelly yanking it back out of sight, out of spite.
I once complimented my niece's dress, and she replied: 'Thanks, it has pockets!' She was so excited.
To be fair, everyone was doing medicine a good deal wrong
All I can think about is when a bunch of doctors laughed at this doctor who wore gloves to treat a contagious patient
“It doesn’t have to be super painstakingly done” she says, as she hand stitches with more accuracy than I can ever dream of.
Hee hee! my mind said the same thing.
I was proud of my comment getting 15 likes but then I saw how many this one got 🥴
I know, right?
i see that too. 😂
That is exactly what went through my head.
"If, indeed, the world is a thing again by next May." Me, first watching this: LOL, yeah. Me, rewatching this now: *nervous and slightly hysterical LOL*
it's already September, not sure if the world will be a thing again next May either :( at least not in the states
Fingers crossed for May 2023 at this point?
Rewatching it in January 2022: crying screaming etc
Reading this in late January of 2022, this is ironic
@@xx_chaoticgremlin_xx2664 it’s not getting better by March….
There is an ironing solution for velvet. My mother purchased an ironing pad designed for that specific purpose, the "Dritz Needle Board". The pad is a rectangle about 6x12 inches. The entire surface is covered with very short and thin upright metal pins spaced very close together. You lay the velvet face down on the pins and press lightly with a steam iron. Mom used to make theater costumes and sometimes from a deep pile velvet. She was a stickler for pressing as she sewed and I never saw a press mark on her velvets.
She has a needleboard, but she just didn’t want to use it for this project because they didn’t exist in the 1890s
@@Alice-gr1kbThey didn't have electric steam irons either.
Fortunately (or unfortunately) some form of solid fuel cooker would be required to heat period appropriate irons. So that’s not really an option....
“Excuse me, there have been some tiny feet’s walking upon mine silk”
I have tiny feet that walk on everything I try to do. Ferret feet, cats, dog, guinea pigs. I just do not state it as eloquently as she does. I say, "Hey, get off of my fabric!"
That line reminded me of Beatrix Potter.
@@sydneylarrier9263 I could hear the tailor in The Tailor of Glaucester saying that to Simpkin
5:06
petmom ful My cat keeps stepping on my new keyboard or going after my yarn in knitting. I have to suffice with a "nyaaaahhh!" sometimes, when under a deadline. Especially when it is the eighth such interruption that hour. 😅
I love that His Lordship gets to run around and just put his little feets wherever he wants
Ours would pee on everything
So would mine 😓
This is my first time watching one of her videos. I read your comment and assumed there’d be a cat Not disappointed
@@biancatrujillo4053 it’s much better
OMGoodness, the adorableness of that little floofball is almost too much.
I watch these videos to make tiny historically accurate clothes for my dolls out of my old clothes since I don't have the wardrobe space, time, or money to make them for myself. Needless to say, I think i did pretty good with this one. (made from my old leggings)
This is what I did when I was a kid, I made lots of doll clothes. As an adult and hobby sewer I still don't think it's a bad way to start learning to sew clothing, the basic shapes and construction methods are the same for both doll and normal clothing. The major difference is the closures, dolls do not move and bend like humans. If someone is still learning, with doll clothes if it gets screwed up you haven't wasted tons of material and you don't feel bad about not wearing it if it didn't quite look good enough to be worn for everyday wear.
I do this now, I literally make doll clothes when I can't figure out how I'm putting something together. I did it for my stay just last fall (and then immediately went deep into a researching binge, I think I got it figured out I'll start in two or three weeks when I have time). And I figured out most of what was wrong except for the fact that my old Barbie doll has standard measurements and I don't. I'm going to make two small to scale dolls with my measurements and give one to my Niece so every time I finish something I just give it to her as doll clothes. I took my brother's GI Joe clothes and altered them to fit my Barbies so they were running around in camouflage. I had just seen "Predators" with Arnold Schwarzenegger for the first time, Hahaha ah the good old times. the ultimate tomboy sitting around having a tea party with your Barbie dolls and reenacting the predator. And the Battle of Bunker Hill. I think I was 13.
And do you sew in weights in the hems to give it good drape? :)
I love this! I have been doing something similar for my daughters Calico Critters animals. ❤️
omg do you post on Instagram? i would love to see your creations ❤️
Bernadette procrastinating : "I'll do my pocket so that I don't have to focus on the whole gown immediatly" Me procrastinating : "I'll wash my dishes next week end. And I'll work on my personnal projects when I'll really want to"
Bernadette's here to really confuse fashion historians 200 years from now
‘It appears to be a gown by the House of Worth from 1892, but it is labelled Banner? And there are these odd scalloped bodice inseams which have been pinked, and the bow on the shoulder carbon dates at least 150 years earlier than the rest of the gown, placing it at 1730, even though polyester threads have been used on the dust ruffle, which is a much looser weave, and the pockets are filled with ticket stubs for Broadway shows, and this Suffragette cockade dates from 2019, even though the ribbon itself is over two hundred years old, and-‘ . . Edit: Welp, looks like it’s from the 1980’s!
@@paulbundy9061 this is great
Thankfully we now have video as primary evidence!
Why am I now digging out my copy of "Motel of the Mysteries" (circa 1980ish) ? ...
@@AthenaeusGreenwood i received that book as a birthday present when I started getting interested in historical re-creation sewing. Its a hoot.
Hilarious that she uses words like “anon” and “whilst” in the same parlance as “smoosh”.
"So I noped out of the situation" - BB 2020
Though my speech is as off as it is, my writing has become slightly more proper because of her which I am very thankful for because, yes
Can someone please explain to me the origin and meaning of "anon" ? I've watched a few of Miss Banner's videos and I've heard it a lot bit still don't know 😅
Anon is more typical of Shakespeare's time than Edwardian.
Cloesh Moroz Though it can also mean anonymous. Depending on context.
I’m currently listening to a multitude of these videos as I am sewing a corset by candle light as to minimize the lighting in my family’s house. I’m also sipping tea and starting to question my mental age. Regardless, considering how stressful this pandemic has been for me, I find this highly therapeutic and am thankful for such quality content to be available online.
What an aesthetic though
Cinderella?
Can you say you sew if you have never questioned you age?
@@nikkigriffin6441 fair enough
Make sure to take care of your eyes! It sucks when they're gone or degraded
42:48 “If indeed the world is a thing again by next May”..... still remains to be seen...
May 2021, it's ok not great but i hope you made it friend
still May 2021
@@windarchermadeanartchannel984 this video is from last year
June 29, 2021, not quite out of the woods but quite close
me: has no idea what Bernadette is talking about half the time since I know nothing about sewing and historical dress Also me: continues to watch her videos religiously
me as well,but. i now know what a felling stitch is .
And as a self-taught designer, i delight in how similar our thought process is and how she hates velvet, lol. I do too!!
lol same
Amen
Agreed. But l also find them very soothing and love seeing snippets of Bernadette's witty personality come shining through. Thank you 🙏💖
How do you get a seamstress's attention? a hem! :P
LOL
made me smile :)
I, for one, am a fan of puns. :)
**Slow claps erupting from houses all around the world** **Face palms from everywhere else**
I needed this today, thank you 😂🙏🏻
can we take a moment to appreciate that not only is Bernadette amazingly talentend, but she also looks absolutely stunning in that gown!
I like how his lordship is just free to roam about. Made the timelapse really cute.
I love how Cesario squirrels around the room like a calico Roomba!
😂😂 Calico roomba 😂😂
@Cara Marais Same! he looks to be a happy piggy!
Except instead of picking up dust and pet hair he distributes it :))
Photos of "Cesario" in costume make me softly chuckle. So cute! Beautiful gown Bernadette. You are lovely and so creative and a wonderful seamstress. Thank you for sharing.
@@theanonmoon2905 and the poops. Guinea pigs are well known for the poops.
My husband has supplied me with a Dad Joke that necessitates a share: How do you cut down a tree with a needle? . . . . . . . By using a felling stitch.
😂🤦🏼♀️
FebbieVanceGarcia thanks for the chuckles!!
☆ *GROAN* ☆🤦♀️🤦♂️ That Dad joke is *SO* bad it's actually good.
He just followed it up with: You know, the quickest way to sew something is with a running stitch.
He's a keeper for sure!
Me a biology student that has no sense of fashion or history : oH yES dress goes fluff
Her voice is really therapeutic don't feel bad about it
I just.. i just.. how can Victorian, people who thought lead was safe and emotions ment that you were ill, CAN HAVE POCKETS AND VALUES POCKETS IN THEIR OUTFITS BUT WE IN 2021 CANT HAVE REAL POCKETS. Madness.
Blasphemy!
No pockets means the manufacturers save 10 inches of cloth and maybe 15 minutes of labor in cutting pressing and sewing the pocket into the seam of the skirt or pants or front of the shirt
Pockets have a obvious use and lead poisoning comparatively is difficult to see with the many other variable affecting health in the day.
Iam watching this new series on Netflix called the bridgetons that team of seamstress that designed those Victorian Period Pieces gave those clothes a modern twist the female and some of the male actors outfits are absolutely stunningly amazing .
@@margarettaft7362 But they do it for the men’s stuff though. Even for products that are virtually the same. I’m not sure your reason is the only one
"um, excuse me, there have been some tiny feets walking upon mine silk" is my favorite part of this video
Me; liking the guilty as charged. Ha!
Yes, it’s so adorable.
5:06 (for the timestamp)
To my possibly eternal disgrace, I have just the past 4 days discovered Bernadette. When I realised how my Plague dumbed-down...make that Lockdown-numbed cortex could have been stimulated by the delicious combinations of History, seamstressing (I doubt that is an actual WORD) and Bernadette's stimulating narration/explanations, and musings, I indulged in a Primal Scream of epic proportions. I refuse to apologize to my neighbors, since I have numerous times been the unwilling witness to their obviously alcohol-fueled gaiety And now..for further adventures...
What is that precious little creature? 👀💜
“It’s *really sneaky* this little pocket” Bernadette’s delight and excitement over the pocket situation sparks so much joy
I'm totally doing a small of back pocket in the winter time. For the phone, imagine no one ever seeing the outline of where you stick the big clunky thing. I also want to start wearing crinolet in the winter time, with big wool skirts. No more freezing my legs off, insert evil laugh.
I love that she says she procrastinates yet finishes this beautiful gown. Me: Thirty years later wondering when I am going to finish my junior high home ec project.
Your dress is so elegant and reminds me of John Singer Sargents painting 'Portrait of Madame X'. Bravo!!
The painting was a scandal. Anyways with a ballgown, ladies wore long over the elbows gloves. No bare arms.
@@anitaleroy9442 Ahhhh, I understand!! In 1967 at my Senior Prom I wore long white gloves with my long, white fitted ball gown....very reminiscent of the gowns of this era.....no wonder I like them so much....thanks for the memories!!!
Wow, that's exactly what I thought too. This project might have been extremely frustrating, but the end result is amazing.
It wasn't the bare arms. It originally had one strap hanging off the shoulder, making her look like she was "come hither"ing. Outcry was so violent that he had to go back and paint the strap properly sitting on her shoulder and repaint the upper arm.
@Michelle Matthews That is exactly what I thought as well.
"We are living in times of plague in ye merry 2020, and access to such novelties of other humans is not exactly an option." That hit hard
Bernadett mentioning how velvet doesn't like to behave: *war flashbacks to January, when I made a McGonagall cosplay from strechy velvet*
Are you okay friend?
Oof
@@amastyn_1106 I love your ace ghost profile
@@sararum900 the cosplay is finished, so yeah, I'm better now XD
Why would you do that to yourself?
I’m new here. I love “it was a sin to not put a pocket in the skirt” why can’t we understand that these days? I can’t get proper pockets in my jeans! Let alone my dress (I don’t like skirts but I do like dresses)
She literally has an entire rant video about it I think you should go watch it. If you have not already
wow, as a printmaker I never knew that tarlatan had such different use! we usually use it to clean the plate after inking but before printing, it helps to keep the ink in the grooves and remove the excess from the raised parts of the plate. It also allows the colours to mix on the plate when making gradients.
Thank you! I always wondered what purpose tarlatan had in printing.
Bernadette and the girls are gonna show up to the ball like the fairies from sleeping beauty
I was thinking the ones from Midsummer Night's Dream. Way more extra and underrated
Ah yes, and of course Princess Aurora Borealis
Evelyn Ingraham, it’s with Constance Mackenzie and Cathy Hay like she said in the video
@@WitchKing-Of-Angmar you made me laugh way too hard.
Kaitlyn Staley i can’t think of the fairies dressing like anything other than fake 60s flower children costumes but that’s just because the midsummer production i was in had all of our costumes and sets meant to resemble the 1960s so i have not a clue how extra they truly are
"stupid transatlantic accent" it's not stupid, it's reminiscent of old Hollywood in a way!
Her accent is beautiful and unique. Half the reason I subbed tbh. 😘
What? Stupid? I grew up on both sides of the Atlantic, and heard this accent all my life (I’m 69, now). I still encounter it now, in Arizona. There were a few people who were obviously phony, but , feh! It is an entirely natural consequence of constant communication between the hemispheres. I’ll bet that there are some transpacific accents developing, too.
I honestly never noticed her accent... until I realized that I speak the same way.
The transatlantic accent was created by a guy named Edith Warman Skinner to create the "perfect" English accent and wanted everyone to speak the "correct" English. And so, many actors were taught to speak the "correct" English which is why most actors of old-timey Hollywood movies talk with that accent. The more you know...
@@ivanimates1353 That is fascinating
I love how there is just a guinea pig running around while you cut out the pattern lol it’s so cute!
"We have the same stupid transatlantic accent" I'm from the south and I really thought she was talking like that on purpose. LOL Bernadette, I love your voice, and realizing it isn't put on makes it even better.
Not sure how historically accurate this would be, but what does everyone think about the idea of Bernadette doing a project with pants?
I mean, I *have* always wanted to attempt a Regency dandy look... 😏
@@bernadettebanner Do itttt!~ My excitement is overflowing
Bernadette Banner If you want it, then go for it!
@@bernadettebanner Give us the fantasy!!!
An Amelia Bloomer outfit could be an interesting proto-feminist look?
I love how His Lordship is running around freely on the floor without care in the world xx
Sooo sweet...
As you do
And he's such a gentleman, no nibbling the fabric. I know some bunnies who haven't such restraint.
wildmntflower ahhh yes, I have one such bunny 😂
@@alyssahlatshaw7795 I see you have a lop! They look adorable! I love all of the lop-eared bunnies!
A way to keep velvet from shifting while sewing is to add small stitches every 1-2 inches before sewing the full seam. Velvet is definitely a trickier fabric to work with but there are many tricks people have learned over time to make it easier. To avoid getting so many loose fibers when cutting it you can cut it with a razor blade or scalpel from the backside while holding the fabric up. The easiest way to do this solo is to elevate the cut between two pieces of wood on a table so the fabric is not resting on the table where it is being cut.
"Ah, yes, yes of course... Oooh definitely a good choice there...ugh VELVET girl I feel you on that one... Solid technique with that backstitch..." -thinks me, who, knows literally JON SNOW levels of nothing about sewing. 🤣
KZhead recommendations: Wanna watch someone make an old style of dress? Me, in the middle of watching Markiplier play Minecraft: ...absolutely
I mean, I've been joking with my TTRPG pals about how my Victorian-styled, spring-steel boned corseted waistcoat is basically a real-life +2 at AC. ... That's not completely false, to be fair x)
This was my exact order of watching videos today. And now I'll either go to wholesome cooking or creepy internet mysteries. What strange lands we inhabit here.
Ah, there's the intersection.
Variety is the spice of life :)
I was watching Minecraft too
Victorian women's clothing: How could we put pockets in shoes? Modern women's clothing: Buy a sweater and pray it's a males' one if you want a darn pocket.
😂😂😂
I think they did not have pockets in shirts in Victorian times either, it was a skirt thing.
Exactly.
@Patti Morris Meanwhile, ancient China nobility had the store room equivalent to a cupboard in their sleeves... Truly, a modern day problem
Yes!! So frustrating!
Yes, I am watching this video one year after posting in the midst of the delta variant surge of “said plague”. Sewing is well beyond the outer boundaries of my crude crafting abilities. However, between the chuckles and giggles I get with Bernadette’s narrative and the educational experience of Victorian fashion, these videos are a source of pure joy. Thank you so much Bernadette.
Her voice is literal ASMR and it's serotonin therapy in these times of uncertainty. 💛
'if indeed the world is a thing again by next may' May 4th in Europe says: no, the world is very much not a thing yet
I love Bernadette's amalgamation of ye olde English and internet slang.
A beautiful marriage lol
I also love this, so hilariously whimsical 😍
One of my employers used to say that black velvet catches everything but a man.
and money ;)
This is beyond beauty. Her voice, techniques, delicate hands, mind, time , everything... has me mesmerized.
This is sooo breath taking on her
I have a couple of questions. 1) Are you going to wear long gloves with this at the 1890's ball? 2) Are you going to do a video about the 1890's ball? Since watching your videos on this project, I am really excited for you.
Bernadette: It is a sin not to put a pocket in your skirt Me: *looks down at the ball gown skirt I’m currently sewing and didn’t put pockets in* Oops
B. Shive Mmmm, well, some women don’t need or want pockets in their skirts. That’s the best thing about making your own clothes - you get to make just as YOU like! 👍
Is there still time?
@@dorothyyoung8231 Agree. I don't like pockets - it usually spoils the line of the garment if you actually put anything in them, and the contents bump against your leg.
@@rachelboersma-plug9482 Pockets!?!? Of course I must have pockets!!!!! I MUST have pockets! MUST, MUST MUST!
tbh, my immediate thought was “At least I’ll look amazing in hell” 👻
I say we all start making ballgowns, and just wearing them at home and to the grocery store. We have to keep our morale up somehow. 😊
Me reading this in my pyjamas: 👁👄👁
I have taken to dressing up, put on my make up, hair groomed all to do the grocery shopping....
My dog would look lovely wearing a worth gown
wear hoop skirts to the grocery store, for social distancing
My mom judges me for wearing men’s pans so maybe I should just wear ball gowns all the time lol
After watching Morgan Donner's video of her making a custom dress form of herself and then watching how much you struggled with draping in this video I would love to see a collaboration video of Morgan helping you to make a custom dress form of yourself. You know, if the plague ever ends.
Have you considered creating a custom dress form that matches you? My daughter suggested you get photos of yourself so you could have it 3D printed.
Re: saving long strands of thread. My sweet grandmother was born in the 1880s in Minnesota. Her mother told her that during sewing classes at school, she should deliberately cut off long pieces of thread and drop them on the floor, so the poor girls, who didn’t have thread, could use them. This was apparently 19th century liberalism. And it breaks my heart.
feeling quite guilty on how much thread I've scrapped when this is such Good Greenery ! Definitely going to try adopting this.
The gown is heartstopping. I'm really astounded by the dedication it took to finish the entire project. (Am I the only one who holds her breath while watching silk and velvet get cut?)
Not the only one...I'm not sure I'm breathing yet... ;)
I don’t usually hold my breath watching (unless I know the person cutting it is nervous), but I might hold my breath if having to cut said materials myself.
I tend to get winded when cutting my fabrics... Because of holding my breath 😅 But yeah, totally.
No, I'm forcing myself to breathe.
This! Such anxiety by proxy.
Cesario’s Frodo-esque appearances are just the icing on the cake for this video
I love the way Cessario piggy feets across the floor, you just want to cuddle him.
"stupid transatlantic accent" Hey, that's 2/5 of why I'm here. (Another 2/5 are for potentially hearing "anon" and "heccin" in the same sentence and the last 1/5 is the sewing.)
Wait, but this does not account for the floof!
spacewolfcub I fell asleep way to many times trying to watch this
@@spacewolfcub You're so totally right! How could I forget? Granted, the floof was unbeknownst to me when I first subscribed but throw in an extra 3 parts for his Lordship.
There is a quality to her voice that I find enchanting.
im looking for seeing 👁👄👁
I recall my Nan used tissue paper between the velvet while stitching. It was my job to tear out the velvet from the seams. She said it stopped the velvet from 'walking' while she sewed it
That isssssss clever! Seems i have heard this from older sewing folk as well. This brings the info back into the forebrain, though. Thanks for this.
I did that when I was working with chiffon (the only fabric I hate more than velvet)
I've been known to use über-cheap notebook paper for wiggly fabrics.
:0 good tips!
nice way to use all this TP... finally
I think this is the first Bernadette-video I ever watched months ago. A while after I started learning how to sew. Now I'm watching this again and I understand SO much more. I love it.
Me too
As someone who got a D in my ninth grade sewing class, I definitely admire your seamstress/tailor/dressmaker skills. If there's such a thing as a Golden Needle Award, you definitely deserve one.
Every time she mentioned Bertha Banner I thought she was talking about herself in the third person, like her alter ego.
Like Bruce Banner! 😂
😂😂😂
“It’s a sin not to have pockets in victorian time” like what happened in modern times?! I feel like I found such a treasure if my pants have FUNCTIONAL pockets!
Glad to know others go through the same pain of finding FUNCTIONING pockets 😅
I find that nowadays, no-pockets clothes are weird. (I'm a man) But fake pockets is a sin. And fake pockets on a hoodie (Yes. That exists.) is a capital sin worth eternity in a circle of hell where every storage is just too small for whatever you are holding.
Simple. In modern times, capitalists decided the best way to sell more accessories and get people to spend more money on fashion was to remove the pockets from ladies clothing. Because if they take away your pockets, you'll need something to hold your stuff in, so they sell you a purse. And if they sell you a purse, you'll need a matching belt and shoes. And then matching jewelry, and then before you know it, you've spent more money on pretty much a whole other outfit or at least a set of accessories when all you wanted was a decent pair of pants. It's some real "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" logic going on.
@@ParadoxicalIntention It also means sewing the seam by a lower income earner is faster and easier. I comes down to $$$.
I blame the 1920s
I now know what zen is. Watching hand stitching in progress, also cutting of the fabric. My beautiful Mother made a red velvet ermine collared cape to go over a red ball gown. This gorgeous creation was worn to an Officers Ball in Paris, France in the early 50's. To say the least, she looked haute! Keep doing the things that you do, don't ever stop. BTW...when Mother cut and sewed the red velvet of course there was red dust. I would run my finger over the table and gather the dust and go outside and watch it fly in the air. Loved it. Oh, my gosh! The thunder and rain accompanied by the music!! The way you wear this masterpiece is stunningly beautiful. You will be the ONE. This is the second comment I have posted about this video as I have watched it for a second time. There were things I missed from the first viewing. I really am going to shut up now. That Texas Gal !!!
My mom used to make all mine and my sister's halloween costumes. I remember her loving most of it but once she was doing something with velvet and I remember seeing her just cry in frustration because the fabric is imposible to work with. I really hope you had a better experience with it.
In middle school "Home Economics" class, we built custom dress forms by first wrapping ourselves in old newspaper, then duct taping it to ourselves to make the shape. You then cut yourself out and tape up the edges so it's whole again. Then you just stuff it with more old newspaper, seal the top and bottom with more duct tape and voilà! Custom dress form. I didn't realize at the time what an awesome idea that was.
Alternatively, instead of newspaper, you can use an over-sized shirt that's either old/hand-me-down/secondhand or just a cheap shirt bought from a craft store.
Oh I've done this! Only downside is how sticky the duct tape makes your pins...
@@madelinegreene8031 I bet you could cover it with a layer of cotton to pin to instead of the duct tape......
@THE PEAR LORD Basic sewing is also covered in Home Economics as it's a good skill to have if you're a stay at home parent.
Sadly my Junior High doesn’t have a home economics class, so I’m taking this into my own hands, I now have a sewing machine and am learning to sew!! But needless to say thank you for this recommendation, because I am a really strange size, that manages to be in between youth XL, women’s XS, and women’s S all at the same time!
The fact that you let Cesario just roam makes me weirdly happy! The whole idea of a guinea pig running around and making cute meeps as you work just adds a new, adorable layer to your videos
You deserve a medal for all this work. Also, your "supervisor" made me laugh.
Watching the little Guinea pig skitter back and forth has literally made my week, just the cherry on the cake of the excellent dress is getting to see a cute little squeaker trotting around
For any future velvet-pressing endeavors: Dressmaking, Up To Date (Butterick, 1905) gives the following method: "If no assistant is at hand, lay the iron on its side and use both hands to draw the seam across the edge of the iron."
Clearly I need to get my hands (or at least eyes) on a copy, because that is the most helpful velvet tip I've heard in literally ever. Thank you for sharing it!
Yes - before purchasing a needleboard for pressing velvet, that was my go-to for properly pressed seams and facings.
I have never sewn a garment in my life, nor have I ever used velvet in any of my little sewing projects, but thanks to my copious consumption of Bernadette's content, I read your comment and thought 'Ah yes, this is such a sensible tip, velvet is a pain, I'll definitely keep this in mind' So thank you, I don't know when I'll use this suggestion, but it's much appreciated
BLOODY BRILLIANT
Or use a pin board
I'm living for Cesario avidly pacing around the room while Bernadette is drawing out her pattern XD
Same. It looked like he was instructing her on what to do lol
And did you notice those adorable little portaits? Was that Cesario’s family?
I don't understand any of this, but whil I watch her videos I'm like Grammar and vocabulary updating....
This is so wonderfully relatable, from the "how do I figure this out on the fly" to the procrastination over the hard bits. While I don't have your skill level (especially with the hand-sewing - mine looks like it was done by an angry simian), the overall project trajectory had me flashing back to projects of my own.
Petition for us to buy Bernadette a custom dress form! I would honestly contribute in a heartbeat to make her draping life easier.
@BernadetteBanner If she would set up a GoFundMe, I'd contribute! She's needed one for a long time
Agreed, she sews almost entirely for herself, but on a silly symmetrical form for silly symmetrical people. Would help get custom dress form 💯%
Oh, I’m in for contributions to a custom dress form! I may have resorted to putting things I can’t figure out on myself onto my husband and teddy bear in the absence of an accurate dress form 🤣
A home-made dress form isn't expensive, it just needs 1 or preferably 2 persons for help. I made one some 15 years ago on a course, and the result is basicly a replica of my body at the time. Edit. On the course we made papertape dress forms, mostly with materials already existing 100 years ago (except for the very stretchy knit for outer layer, which certainly had some elasthane in it).
With talent like hers, she could do what I'm doing and using her keystone guide to draft herself a bodysuit, sew it in muslin with twill tape around the chest waist and hips (so it doesn't expand when stuffed). Stiffen it with buckram and cording. Keep the front and back from moving too far apart with big upholstery stitches. And then stuff the whole thing. And then make a lovely case for it with pretty patterned velvet or flannel or herringbone fabric (those three things heal rather well from pins being stuck in them. As lacemakers recommend.)
i love how His Lordship has accumulated a cult. we all adore him.
That's quite the nice pfp u have 👀
He's so stinkin cute. And so smool
I don't even know how many times I've seen your videos to stay sane in the midst of the plague's craziness....so, thank you Bernadette, you don't know the positive impact you've had on so many of us....
This may be weird, but this video has become a comfort source for me. The audio isn't too loud and the piano background is just *chef's kiss* calming. I play this almost every time I'm going to sleep, it just lulls me into a calm oblivion and I always wake up more rested.
I’m not even into making clothes or fashion or anything Victorian, yet I enjoy it here
Me too, but one can learn so much about sewing in general from Bernadette's videos.
@@marybull3715 I have no idea what she is talking about but I find her calming and am learning.
I cant even sew back a button yet here I am
I cant even sew back a button yet here I am
Isumi Noru I started here with the same thing, not into making clothes or anything...I now own a sewing machine and have some new skills. 🤔
“So the audio is garbage and I don’t apologize.” Bernadette GO OFF
I giggled when she said that.
I believe you mean GO FORTH
I saw the final product. I have to say, this dress fits you to a t. It is beautiful and beautifully made. It looks lovely on you. I hope you get to have the 1890's ball to show it off. 😁👍
I have no idea what's going on, but i enjoy hearing her talk about things she enjoys.
When you buy some velvet, and now you're dreading using it. But seriously Bernadette, the dress is so beautiful!
You can do it!! It can be done, it just requires a lot more babysitting than other fabrics. 😅
@@bernadettebanner Just curious but have you ever considered steaming your velvet rather than ironing it? It would help you remove the wrinkles & prevent the fabric flattening out. A good hand held garment steamer will set you back a bit. But for fabrics like silk & velvet (which I note you work with quite alot) it may just be the answer. My late Grandmother made liturgical vestments for the local clergy & wedding dresses. & she said she found steaming velvet & silk worked much better. & it was easier (especially for a 95 year old lady) than fiddling with a heavy cumbersome iron. & she didn't have to worry about crushing the fabrics.
Alatheia Pine from my experience velveteen is just as hard to work with as it still has a, albeit shorter, pile.
Isn't it gorgeous ?! 🌹🖤
"you know, plagues" why do I find this so funny.
yes omg I was looking for this comment XD
You're not the only one. It's funny because Bernadette has a whimsically wonderful sense of humour.
@@tdsims1963 yes indeed :D
Still laughing..... Still laughing.
Beautiful work!
New Yorkers: *complains about humidity*😐😑 South Floridians: "That's cute!" 😘
Nevadans: “What’s humidity?”
Missourians: first time, eh?
Virginia is literally in the rainforest zone 90° and 90 humidity is not uncommon. Yesterday wasn't so bad it was only 86° and 83 humidity.
as a child i must have read about or been instructed in victorian dressmaking methods. time and time again, what you do is familiar and i am unaware it is a method from so far back. an example is the pocket, right down to the way you reinforced it with that strip to bare the weight of pocket contents.
I was a bit taken aback at you speaking of your transatlantic accent in a negative light. Don't do that, its charming and utterly beautiful, it gives your voice a sophisticated polish sorely lacking in modern presenters. Im a huge fan of classic cinema and transatlantic accents were everything! Also, hearing you throw shade with that accent is a delight and a half! So posh, yet so savage!
As a historian and huge cinemaphile her accent does not sound like a Transatlantic accent but more of an American equivalent of Received Pronunciation in the U.K. Meaning a generic, well-annunciated American Accent. Katharine Hepburn had probably the most famous example of a Transatlantic Accent being one of only a handful who grew up with the accent rather than being trained to speak it as it wasn’t a natural accent. But perhaps I am wrong-if so please enlighten me:) Either way it is a lovely accent!
Yes! It's a lovely accent. I hate my southern drawl, but her accent makes her sound so calm and calculated.
Emmy Fischer yeah hers sounds allot more like general American to me, but slightly different. Is really interesting
Time stamp?
For real. I would pay for her to just read random things to help me fall asleep. I never feel more relaxed than when I'm listening to her and Crafsman.
I love that Cesario has his own theme music and his own segment on most videos. ALL HAIL LORD PIGGY FEET!
Cesario for president!
Cesario is already our lord, he cannot be president as well, that is absurd! But I like your way of thinking.
@@somethingsomething5067 You are right! Hail to his lordship!But his IQ is surely higher than that of certain world leaders.
I got through this entire playlist before I resigned myself to it being a "Watch Bernadette sew" kinda evening, thanks Bernadette for being a wonderful companion
Wow. This was SUCH a pleasure to watch. I've sewn for 40 years and have worked in film and fashion almost as long... and I learned at LEAST three things here. That's actually crazy. When I have my Chateau I will invite you for summers to stitch frocks for garden parties 🌷🦋
Am I going to make a ball gown anytime soon? No. Am I going to watch Bernadette make one anyway? YOU BET.
During a plague. In 2020. IT IS THE BEST. 💞✌️
Have I made gowns in the past? Yes. Worth it? Also yes. But watching Bernadette make one is almost as satisfying.
If you have a trouble fitting dresses on your dress form after altering it to your measurements, maybe you can consider a children's form, add batting/filling to make it to your measurements and then making a cover for it. I am a bit of a bigger lady so I went with a regular dress form to fill to my own measurements. Also, you have the most cutest pattern drafting assistant EVER!
Or Bernadette could make a custom dress form altogether, maybe document the process on the channel. There are some DIY ideas on the internet but would require help of other people so maybe something for after the current world situation.
@@Kat-A I REALLY like the idea of documenting the process! Some of us could use the help!
May I ask where you got your dress from?
Pretty sure he's the most cutest pattern drafting *supervisor* ever.
This video is not only informative and interesting, it's also lucky for me, because somehow, when I tried to thread my needle to sew back some buttons on my sweater (while watching this); it happened pretty much instantly, which is a sharp contrast to my week long struggles to do the same. Thank you, Miss Banner! Hope you have a lovely day!
I haven’t sewn anything since 1970 but had to watch entire video
"...but, you know, _plague_." Yep, I'm Upstate, Bernadette. I do know. Wish the rest of the country had been watching NY more closely. Knew this gown was going to be gorgeous, and wasn't disappointed. ADORE how you put your roses on. And pockets!
Same here. I'm in Western NY and I remember when everything 1st hit and our state was the worst. It was so terrifying. We sanitzed everything when we went out and wore masks every single outing -and we all still do ! WHY didn't the rest of the country follow our lead ?! Oh I wish they had we might be in completely different circumstances now. Ugh frustrating! The science is literally all over the internet. 😫
Melissa Faye I don’t live in New York but New Jersey and I still remember how scary things were (still are). I wish the same thing too sadly 🙁
35,000 dead? Not exactly a success story. Sending sick elderly back to nursing homes where the most vulnerable were? Not exactly something I'd want my state to do.
@@cocokai9661 Well somebody had to make the mistakes and learn from them and gather knowledge about corona virus and develop the correct treatments (no ventilators if at all possible) so that your state will (maybe) have a better time of it. And New Yorkers did not and are still not doing the stupid things that are being done in Florida, Arizona, Texas and other such places - like Covid parties, not wearing masks and protesting about not having haircuts armed with semi-automatic weapons! Do you live in one of those states?
@@smartin8247 I didn't want to start this fight in the comment section. Just to note that I know what it's like to lose parties to plague. And that I wish the rest of the country would have paused two weeks so that we could all be back to our 1890s balls - or, er, whatever - as soon as possible.
Bernadette: "We've been spending a lot of time in the 1890s" Me: "Very much so" Bernadette: "I think it's time we explore some other territory" Me: "Oh my gosh oh my gosh! Where now!? 1850s? Will you make a bustle dress? I need to know!"
I believe she mentioned before planning to go a Lot earlier than that. Like think middle ages or even arthurian times.
I believe it's going to be a creation of what the Hogwarts uniform from when the school was founded- Ravenclaw of course. I can't remember the year that the author - Shakira btw- said it was founded.
@@emilyhunt8853 I thought it was an autobiography, you learn something new every day
I would love to watch her make a pannier and dress like Marie Antoinette, but alas her apartment is too small for that.... and that would take a whole year to make.
Tari Tangeo Arthurian was Middle Ages lol but that would be super cool!
Me: Sees the suggestion for this video a little before 3am. Me: Proceeds to watch entire video and read many comments. Me: No regrets.
Someone out there needs to make you a necklace in the style of "The Satine" and hair combs to match. This dress is stunning in its simplicity.
I'm not gonna lie, I don't understand most of the terms when it comes to sewing. I have literally no idea how to sew anything. I just love the look and feel of these incredibly relaxing videos. (And Bernadette's incredible use of trash meme culture mixed with trans atlantic old fashioned phrases)
I said it before and I'll never stop -- if she offered a subscription of voice clips of her literally just reading aloud or talking about the weather, I would throw my money at my screen so hard. She's so soothing!
Pockets are not known to the modern fashion industry. But we should have learnt that a lot of modern dressmaking doesn't really makes sense, by now.
I feel like modern dressmaking makes sense if you think of it in the context of fast fashion, as opposed to making the wearer's life easier. No pockets means less fabric and less time to manufacture. And more misery for the poor person who has no where to keep their snacks.
mcwjes but snacks 😩
I just watched the flowers being made before this and I'm like, 😍 this dress is gorgeous! You are so beautiful in it! 👍👌