Alexia Tarabotti

The chemise is a simple linen 18th c style.

The following were all made using patterns from The Victorian Dressmaker modified to fit myself. This was my first time making anything pre-1890 besides the chemise. They can all be worn with or without a corset;
The bustle cage is made of white cotton twill, cotton tape, and synthetic whalebone.
The petticoat is also white cotton twill, as well as off-white cotton lace. All the edges are turned under and finished.
The underskirt is black cotton sateen. The seams are finished by turning them under and stitching. The pleats are lined with black cotton lawn and the inside seam covered by black tape. Above the pleats is a decorative black velvet ribbon sewn on by hand. The skirt has two pockets in the side seams secured to the waistband with tape. The bottom edge of each pocket is reinforced with an arrowhead stitch.
The overskirt is red cotton sateen lined with black cotton sateen for the back pieces (since it might show) and black cotton lawn for the front. The front apron has black lace edging. Two black velvet bows can be pinned to the side flaps.

The hat was made using one of Lynn McMaster's patterns. This was probably the most challenging since I've never done millinery before. It's made of wire and buckram, mulled with cotton flannel, and covered in the black and red cotton sateen used previously. The flowers on the brim are velvet and more sateen.