FOUNDATIONS REVEALED COMPETITION ENTRY
Tiffany Aching but 1920s
(click images to to enlarge)
Outline the story …
The design is for Tiffany Aching from the Terry Pratchett Discworld series. I have always admired her as a character due to her strength in adversity (something needed at this time), as well as her insight into how the world works and how she tackles problems head on.
I did not create a realistic look for her, based on the books’ descriptions, but rather took inspiration, as at the moment I am interested in sewing 1920s fashion. The outfit merges the first two books. In the first her dress is blue, and in the second pale green (but on the cover looks the same turquoise as my dress).
Tiffany has a black hat as ‘no witch should be without one’, but I also included the ‘invisible’ hat she is given by Granny Weatherwax at the end of the first book. This is seen in the video in green representing green-screen special effects.
Outline the construction…
The fabric is viscose twill, which has a lovely feel and drape but is slipperier than the cotton I’ve used before. The blue pattern was from a stash sale but I bought the turquoise new. The pattern is 3047 by Mrs Depew (and the hat is from a Bernadette Banner video). 1920s patterns have limited accompanying instructions so I use a 1920s book a lot called ‘Better Dressmaking’ by Ruth Wyeth Spears.
I had to widen and lengthen the pattern slightly, but the main challenges were the new techniques. I learnt how to replicate a picot hem with a hemming foot on a modern machine. It was interesting sewing the neck slit so the gap was minimal but had enough seam left to reinforce holding the rouleau button loops in place. It was also the first time I had to turn a piece of fabric that small. I am pleased with the neck opening considering how fiddly it was. I have sewn cuffs once before, and I find them awkward. This had the placket on the seam and most instruction have a separate slit. A few messy attempts later I eventually figured a way that worked by cutting off the seam allowance so it reflected a cut slit slightly better
I had trouble sewing the ‘V’ shape in the seam where the sleeve pieces meet. I had help on the Facebook page with the useful hint to top stitch the pieces together rather than sew right sides together.
I began listening The Wee Free Men yesterday. This dress captures the character perfectly! Thank you, now I know! And it is beautifully done as well. I love the sleeves!
Thanks 🙂 The sleeves are lovely and puffy! I hope you enjoy the books – they are a lot of fun.
Tiffany Aching was my favourite character when I was growing up (still is tbf) and I really like this interpretation of her.
Thanks, I wanted to do something different.
Well Done! I really like this!
Those sleeves are wonderful! And the overall shape is stunning, good job♡
I adore this one, it makes me smile each time I see it !
This is such a fun interpretation of the character and I love the hat so much! I’m a fan of the 1920’s so your dress just makes me happy 🙂