McCall's: 4863 (Colonial Costume) - Type:Costumes  | | Viewed 61 times
| 1 more reviews | Review rated Very Helpful by 2 people | | Reviewed by: | MCBurbage | 
| About MCBurbage | | VA USA | | Member since: 12/26/08 | | Reviews written: 30 | | Sewing skills:Intermediate | | Favored by: 4 people | | patterns reviewed: 30 | | Bio: more... |
| | Posted on: | 11/6/09 9:22 PM | | Project Photo: |  | | Pattern Rating: | Recommend, with Modifications | | | | Fabric: | Polyester Woven [See other projects in this fabric] | | Related Links | Click on  to add a link |
| Pattern Description:
This is an early American colonial outfit. It includes a chemise, bodice, skirt, kerchief, and cap.
Pattern Sizing:
6-8-10-12 I made the chemise and bodice in size 8.
Did it look like the drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
The pieces I made did look like the drawing.
Fabric Used:
I made the bodice of leftover pale blue linen-look polyester woven (JoAnn's Amaretto) lined with bleached cotton muslin and interlined with cotton flannel. The chemise is made of bleached muslin.
Were the instructions easy to follow?
The instructions were definitely easy to follow.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I made the bodice because it required little enough fabric that I could make it out of scraps. I liked the drawing on the envelope well enough, and it's an era that was as yet unrepresented in my costume box.
I suspect, though I am not sure, that there is a piece missing to make a whole outfit. I suspect that there ought to be some kind of long-sleeved coat-type thing. I've tried to look up pictures from the era on the Internet and not had much luck. The few I did find seemed to show a top that vaguely resembled the one in the associated colonial man's pattern (McCall 4864).
Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
Chemise: I decided not to cut the neck binding that extends into ties. I really preferred not to have to turn those ties. Instead I used wide double-fold bias tape at the neck edge, ending it at the opening, and threading a piece of 1/4" twill tape through. In retrospect, I think I probably should have just sewn two pieces of twill tape at the openings rather than making it more of a drawstring.
Bodice: I added two extra bones at the back opening. I really wasn't sure about the idea of lacing something up without having bones to keep the edges from bunching up so I slipped a bone between the fabric and the interlining between the back seam and the first row of top-stitching.
Comments on Construction:
This bodice runs big. I typically make myself a size 10, but based on the measurements on the pattern tissue, I cut the bodice to size 8. There's still plenty of ease. I clearly should have cut it even smaller.
since all the pieces are top-stitched to the interlining individually, the top-stitching goes quickly. It's also pretty easy to assemble the pieces. Because of the middle front piece, there's very little curve to put in to get the princess seam. If you hate sewing princess seams, don't let it put you off this pattern. Looking at the pieces flat, I didn't expect the pattern to come out so curved in the bust, but it does. The silhouette is a normal, modern princess-seamed silhouette. I doubt that it is historically accurate. If I were to make it again, I think I would take out a lot of the curve in the middle front piece.
If you're expecting a supportive bodice, you should plan to make this a few sizes smaller than usual. If you're expecting a constricting bodice - it is, after all, referred to as a "corset" by the pattern - I would suggest a different pattern. With boning only at four seams, I think it would wrinkle quite a bit if it were laced really tightly.
The chemise went together well, though I suspect that removing the curves from the armscye and end of the sleeve would be more historically accurate. Don't quote me on that, though. I decided to flat fell the straight seams.
I can't review the skirt because I looked at the pattern pieces and fabric requirements and decided it was silly. There's a lot of fabric in that skirt, more than I think anyone would have actually put in a working class skirt. The pattern is for a skirt that is both gathered and flared, and my understanding is that up until the latter part of the 19th century skirts were generally cut in square panels.
The skirt shown in the picture is made with two panels that are the full width of the fabric stitched together starting about eight inches from the top then pleated onto a rectangular waistband. There's a ribbon drawstring to fasten. The purpose of the openings below the waist seam is to allow access to pockets. I don't know if this is appropriate for the 17th century, but it is right for the 18th century, and I wanted a multi-purpose skirt. So there are about two yards of 60" fabric in the skirt rather than the five yards called for by the pattern.
Since I already have a similar cap, though it is in unbleached muslin, I didn't choose to make this one just now. There is a review of this pattern on this website that reviews just the cap and says that it is enormous. I saw that and chose not to bother with it.
The shawl is just a narrow-hemmed triangle. I didn't make it, but how hard could it be?
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I sincerely doubt I will sew this again. I wouldn't object if someone else wanted one, though I think I'd skip the skirt just because it requires so much material. I can recommend it to others, but they should be warned about the sizing and shape of the bodice.
Conclusion:
This pattern came out about the time Jamestown, VA celebrated its 400th anniversary, and I don't think that was coincidental. If you're trying for a Jamestown costume, you could do a lot worse than this. As I said, I think there should be some kind of long-sleeved bodice with this, but I'm not sure. Other than that, you can put this together fairly easily and have a decent colonial costume. But you are warned - watch the sizing on the bodice.
Incidentally, there is a woman in the Williamsburg Historic District who dresses like this - stays, chemise, and skirt. One of the other interpreters told me that while it was not common in the latter part of the 18th century, it was done by some and considered old-fashioned. I believe that the interpreter who dresses like this is a blacksmith.
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<< Previous Review Next Review >> | Reader Comments | | Trephas2003 | 11/7/09 | It looks beautiful! | | * * * | | Tiner W | 11/7/09 | Your reviews are so interesting. Nice costume! | | * * * |
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