(soft string music) - [Bernadette Voiceover] When
I said that I had 17 days until I leave for Costume College, I meant that I had 17 days until I need to get on a plane to California, which means that both this dress, as well as the video for said dress, needed to be done before then. Really, I had like 11
days to make this dress, so here we are, making the
dress, in exactly these 11 days. And for those of you who
missed the announcement video or title of this video, this
is to be a rather fantastical, loosely 1840s-inspired interpretation of Edgar Allan Poe's
Masque of the Red Death. I'm not wholly certain
exactly what I'm doing with this dress. There's admittedly going
to be a lot of making it up as I go along here, so
I'm just starting out with the bit I'm
presently most certain on, and that is the skirt. This, and since the fabric is a super-wide 120 inches in width, is getting
folded in half lengthwise with the folded edge at
the hem of the dress, which also means no hemming. I'm just pinning the
selvedge edges together and running a quick basting
stitch along that edge to hold them firmly together. (soft string music) So I am presently trying to decide between gathers for the skirt
or pleats for the skirt. The gathers, of course, will probably make it puff
out a little bit more, however, as you can see,
the pleats will provide a little bit more density to
the top area of the skirt, whereas this is just completely sheer, pretty much all the way around, but it's so nice and puffy, so. I had initially planned to do pleats, but then decided that
maybe gathers might be fun. Well, here's the thing, is I can always probably
wear a skirt support underneath this, if I want
it to truly be very puffy. Can't necessarily always
get the opaqueness once it's not there. So maybe I will go ahead
and just pin the pleats onto the mannequin, just to
sort of get a sense of that, and drape the bodice overtop of the skirt, so that I can get a full sense of what the actual dress looks like. Ok, cool, let's do that. (soft piano music) With the skirt roughly in a
decent pleating arrangement, I then proceeded to drape the bodice. I'm doing this while vaguely
referencing the shape of an 1840s bodice
pattern in Janet Arnold, which means putting in
two darts at the front and cutting the center front
ever so slightly on the bias. I am entirely unsure of how
this is going to work out, but we are going to give this a go. I've also pleated up a sample strip for that bertha collar strap thing, which I'm just using to mark the position of where I want the neckline to end, then all of my lines
are marked with pencil before removing the muslin from the stand. The all-important center
front and side seam lines, the darts, waistline, and
the position of the top edge. Then I did the same
draping thing for the back, but ignore where I'm
putting that seam line, because that is very not correct,
as we shall soon discover. Ok, so I have fit the mock-up. I stupidly did not pick up
the camera whilst I did so, but I just made a couple of small changes. I just have to change
the height of the darts on the center front, as
well as move this back seam, because this back seam
right now is under my arm, which his not correct. It should be actually on my back. I also had to take out a lot
of room down the center back. All of this back stuff
is kind of conjecture, because as we know, we can't
exactly bend like that, so I'm just doing some experimenting here. I will go and try this on again once I do these few alterations and see if this makes any
difference, and if we can proceed. The second mock-up did, in fact, turn out to be slightly more agreeable, so I then proceeded to transfer
the adjusted mock-up shapes onto some clean pattern paper. (soft piano music) To mentally prepare
myself for the impending but entirely self-inflicted
battle with cutting out organza, I decided to take a cleansing moment to accomplish the mindless
task of stitching down the skirt pleats real quick. Then, organza. So, the remnant fabric that I had initially had two of
these large appendages coming off either end. This is only one half of the width. As you can see, it is quite wide. Somebody had this yardage
of fabric before I did, and gave it to me because they didn't know what to do with it. Somebody before me, apparently,
had cut out a giant thing right out of the middle of
the yardage, very poorly, which is super wise. This is where I chopped it off the end of the existing yardage. So I do have two of these very uneven bits that I had to cut off because I couldn't put
this into the skirt, which means I can cut
the bodice out of this. So I have two of these rough shapes here, so I think what I'm going to try and do is I'm going to cut four
of each bodice piece. I think I have enough to do that. That way, I can double-layer them and get a little bit
more of an opaque red. We have made the most clever decision to make the bodice out of this organza. If you have worked with
a sheer material before, such as an organza, you will know, is the absolute worst thing you could ever wish upon yourself. It just doesn't really hold a shape, ever. Since I don't have one of those fancy Homasote pin-board cutting tables, I'm just going to sort of
try and control the edges as much as I can, by
just taping them down, just to sort of keep
everything roughly into some sort of on-grain grid
shape whilst I cut things out, and we shall see where
we can go from there. (lively piano music) I decided to do this
thing where I'm cutting one layer of the bodice
on the straight grain and one on the cross grain. I don't know if this applies to organza, but I do know this is a technique used in some mid-20th-century
couture foundation garments for strengthening purposes, so I decided to give this a try with this, but also because I know there will be a subtle color difference
between each direction, so I'll get to play around and see which turns out
to be the best color. (lively piano music) Once all my pieces are marked out, we can cease all of this madness
and get the pieces cut out. (upbeat music) And since organza is such
a loosely-woven material, and thus, chalk marks want
to evaporate immediately, I then thread-marked all around the edges. Ok, we are all cut out. I've got two of each bodice piece, and then I've got two long
strips for the bertha collar. As you can see, I got literally, I only had just enough fabric. There are literally just scraps, just strips of cabbage left over, coleslaw, I suppose, if you will. I did have just enough to do
two layers of each bodice piece which means I can overlay them, so I've done a little experiment here in that I've laid the
different grain panels on top just to see the color difference, because this is a shot organza, which means I think the warp
is red and the weft is black. So this one is cut straight grain with the red threads going vertically. This one is cut on the cross grain, with the black threads going vertically, and you can see there's a
subtle difference in color. This one's a little bit
brighter, more vibrant, and this one's a bit duller,
so I think what I'm going to do is I'm going to go ahead and put the straight
grain panel on the top, just so that I get maximum
vibrancy from this. So what I'm going to
go ahead and do now is I'm going to go ahead and just
lay one on top of the other. I'm going to go ahead and
do it straight-grain-wise, so I'll redo this one, and
then I'm going to pad stitch these layers together just to hold them really, really super firm, because, as you may not have noticed, organza is very slippery. It doesn't like to stay in
one place on one grain at all. So this will just be my vague effort to try and tame it a little bit. I think I will probably have
to stabilize it with something. All of the lining and structure layers are still to be determined,
but for now, pad stitching. Are you so over watching me
pad stitch things by now? I keep forgetting that there
isn't just one same person watching these videos consecutively, and that maybe you didn't sit through nine collective minutes of pad stitching footage
all through Lady Sherlock. Please enjoy some pad
stitching, which, in this case, is the temporary basting stitch I'm using to hold both
these layers firmly together so that I can treat them
as one piece of fabric without them rudely trying to behave as two separate entities. Ok, so everything is cut out
and pad stitched together, at least the top layer is. Now, I realize that I
need some lining layers, because this is completely sheer and has absolutely no structure,
so we need to fix that. So I have been experimenting
and playing around with lining layers and strength layers and things to support this bodice. What I think I have
tentatively come up with is that I think I will
back this primary layer with some muslin, just
because it is unassuming, it's untextured, you can't
really see through it. As soon as I press this out. I also thought about
interlining the lining layer with some tarlatan, because this is lovely and has some nice shape, but also has really nice flexibility. I can just hear actual fashion
corset makers out there screaming about what I'm doing, but I think this is going to
serve my purposes decently. I will--
(chiming) Oh, hi, Cathy. The only thing is, if I interline the lining
layer with some tarlatan, this probably shouldn't be
sitting next to my skin. One, because it's mega-uncomfortable, but also, humans equals moisture, which does not make tarlatan happy, so what I think I will then do is go ahead and further interline the
tarlatan and muslin layer with another layer of muslin
to sit against the skin. Anyway, so I'm going to cut
out further pieces out of this. That's a good plan. I'm going to do that. Cathy does not seem to think
that this is a good idea. Cathy seems to think that
I should make the dress separately from all the foundation layers. Cathy actually knows things, but whatever, I'm going to do it this way anyway. Sorry, Cathy. So all of my lining slash
foundation pieces are now cut out. I have already started to pin together the innermost lining layer. I have also cut out the second
lining layer, muslin layer, as well as some tarlatan, which is about to get pad
stitched together, of course, and then these will get pinned together. I will also pin together
these outer layers, and we will start to actually
put this thing together. (soft piano music) I've pinned together my three layers now, the organza outer layer, the muslin and tarlatan middle layer, and the plain muslin lining, and also the center back seam
of the skirt while I'm at it, which are all now stitched
together most blasphemously using an electric sewing machine. (lively piano music) All the seams of all the
layers are then pressed. Now I'm going to add some boning channels to this middle stiffening layer in this black three-eigths
of an inch twill tape so that they'll show through the organza and will be seen from the outside. These are pinned all along the seams, except for those two
curved side back seams, and over both front darts as well. (gentle piano music) I'm now inserting some
synthetic baleen bones into the channels, then going
over them with a hot iron and lots of steam, to
mold them into shape. Then, I could lay the organza layer over this foundation layer, pin everything smoothly into place, then baste all around the outer edges to keep everything secure. No. Here is where we are thus far. I know it kind of looks like
garbage, but you know what, embellishment is going to fix that. I am unsure yet as to
how to proceed with this. Ok, so it still needs to be lined. It still needs to get
this pleated collar bit, and it also still needs to
get a lot of applique work, and I'm unsure as to which order in which I should do these things. I think it might be
nice to actually be able to put this on and do this on myself, figure out where the collar should go, where the applique should
go, because, as you can see, it doesn't fit my dress form at all, which means that theoretically, I would need to finish the bodice. I need to line it and put the closures in so that I could actually close it on me, so that I could see it. I'm also kind of unsure whether or not I should take out the pad stitching. Part of me kind of likes it. Of course, I'd have to do something about these long tail edges,
but I think it kind of gives it a really interesting
constructional texture. I also know for a fact that
I've not got the bottom of the bodice in the right place yet, because, as you can see, my waist is here. This is a lot of extra room here. I know 1840s bodices tend to
be a bit longer in the waist. I may just work on getting
the waist in the right place, cut it where it needs to
be, probably re-stitch this, and then get the lining
in, get the closures in, and then we'll worry
about the embellishments. That sounds like a logical plan of action. Oh my goodness! Do you want to hear what
a complete fool I am? Ok, so you know how I so cleverly decided to make this bodice a side closure so that I could very easily get into it? Yeah, well, I didn't do that
for the skirt, for some reason. The skirt is a center back closure. Oh, well, why don't you just move the closure to the side, you say. Well, because I decided
to do that fancy thing where I put one big box
pleat at the center front, so I can't just turn around the skirt so that the closure closes at the side, because this has to be at center front. Either I have to take
out all of the pleats and move the closure to the side, or I have to do some really cheeky rigging to get this to work, or
maybe have them separate. To be determined. Oh my god, this is such a stupid mistake. Don't be like me, please. Apparently I have a thing
for making myself gala gowns that are long and red and
that one cannot walk in. I've gone ahead and marked where I would like the waist to sit. As you can see right now,
it's a little bit too low. I know a lot of modern fantasy designers make their bodices down to like here, and have the skirt coming out. That's not really my jam. It's not historical, of course, at all, but I think it also makes the silhouette look very modern and fantasy, and not like anything
vaguely resembling history. It will also be much more
comfortable because right now, I'm feeling a lot of pressure right here, which I don't like. I also have come to the realization that, why am I going to bother
making myself an underskirt for this dress, when I could
just wear a white slip, and I think this will
function perfectly well, even though it's just a
half-slip and it's modern, but it does sort of vaguely
resemble the chemises that they would wear under
their dresses in 1840, so I'm really kind of about this life. I also have one in black. The black versus white debate continues. Anyway, here's the dress so far. She doesn't have the collar, she doesn't have any of the embellishment. It's only pinned together at the sides, so lots more work still needs to be done, but we're getting there. We are making some progress. It's happening, it is a thing. Ok, here we go. This is worlds better,
as you can hopefully see. The waist is more in the right place, it looks more like a
vaguely historical gown. So I am going to go put a lining in this, and then we shall get
on to the embellishment. So, first, I just basted
down the seam allowance all around the outer layer,
then laid the lining layer over the inside, folded
under that seam allowance, and pinned everything into place. This is then secured all
around with a felling stitch. But wait! This is a modern fantasy project. Why didn't you just stitch
it right sides together by machine, and turn the whole thing out? Shh, don't judge me! You will pry my historical lining methods from my cold, dead hands. In all seriousness, though,
turning out boned bodices is a form of torture I
wouldn't wish upon mine enemy, so for the sake of my
fragile piece of mind, I just did it by hand. And in other news, for a
project that was supposed to be quick and machine-stitched,
I think it still ended up to be like 85% hand-sewn. Fight me. The lining in place, I
then marked the positions for some hooks and bars
at the side seam closure, at an inch and a half apart, and then stitched them down securely. And now, for all of the decorative bits. Ok, so I am in the process
of putting the pleats into the bertha collar. I have no clue what on earth (laughs) possessed me
to cut this on the bias. This is literally the worst thing I could have possibly ever
dreamed to do to myself, because as you can see, if
you've ever had the misfortune of trying to make a fitted
dress out of organza, then you will be aware of what
an absolute nightmare it is to work with on the straight grain. I literally hate every single thing on the face of the planet right now. (laughs) Oh my god. If this comes out as a wearable shape, it will be an absolute miracle. (laughs) So I got one pleat halfway
in before nearly succumbing to the uncontrollable urge to
set the whole thing on fire, so I decided to try pleating
it up on the dress form, and this indeed proved a
much more civil process. (gentle piano music) So I have gone ahead and I have pinned on the shoulder strap bits where
I think they should sit. I think I may have to
play around with somehow stabilizing these pleats, because
once these things come out they don't really want to stay like that. Part of me doesn't want to go in and hand-stitch down every single pleat. I may end up doing that, we shall see. I have not put a closure into this. There is a side closure,
obviously, in the bodice, but I think I will be
able to get it on and off just by slipping through
this off-the-shoulder, very wide neckline and then
doing it up from the side. I think that should be ok. So my next step is to stitch this down, figure out what this pleat situation is. Oh, and I may go ahead and
put on the applique bit. I haven't decided if I'm
going to have the applique sort of underlay this collar,
or go over the collar. I'm not sure. I may underlay it. So I got over my denial, and
proceeded to tack each pleat into place with a running stitch. (gentle piano music) And now, I can stitch
the two halves together, then pin the collar bit onto the bodice to check the placement, which was perhaps redundant,
since I ended up removing it in favor of putting on the applique first. The beaded applique is cut
from this beaded yardage that I picked up in the garment district back in the previous design vlog, and I've just cut out
two of these V shapes for the front and back bodice edge, as well as two for the waist edges. I'm then just going in
with a small scissor and cutting away the net
closely around the edges. The applique is pinned into place, then stitched all the way
around the outer edges. I'm leaving a few of the bigger
leaves at the top unstitched so that these can overlap
the bertha collar. (cheerful piano music) Then, of course, the bertha collar can be attached to the bodice, which I'm just doing with a
quick running back stitch. And those stray applique pieces are now tacked down over top. And now to attach the skirt. As you can see, I decided to just rig it instead of re-pleating the whole thing. I've just lined up the
center front points, then pinned down as far
as I could all around. The excess bit will just
extend past the bodice and will close separately
before the bodice is closed. This is done, once again, with
a hook on the extended edge and a bar on the bodice edge, so that the skirt can close up
nicely underneath the bodice. It all worked out, not to worry. And with the dress in one piece now, I can go ahead and get the
other set of applique pieces on at the waist, and
whilst I stitch these on, it is now time that I tell you a bit about our sponsor for
this project, Audible, who have most kindly justified
my impulsive purchase of all of this beading in the first place, so please enjoy this
hashtag aesthetic montage of stitching lots of shiny
things whilst, of course, I propound the wonders of audiobooks. If you know me at all, you know
my propensity for consuming vast quantities of literature, and one way I'm able to do so
is through said audiobooks, which make excellent company for long hand-stitching afternoons. Audible has countless titles
available for listening, including pretty much
every popular new release and classic, so much historical fiction, as well as some of my more
obscure, non-fictional favorites, all of the Ruth Goodman, Ian Mortimer's Time Traveler's Guides, and enough Bill Bryson to
keep you laughing for days. They also have hundreds of original titles exclusive to Audible, written or narrated by
some familiar names, including one title
narrated by Stephen Fry entitled "Victorian
Secrets", and which is, for obvious reasons, next
on my listening list. And whilst we are on the topic
of listening recommendations, Edgar Allan Poe's The
Masque of the Red Death also just so happens to be available
for listening on Audible. It's a super-quick,
quarter-of-an-hour listen, and you can listen to it for
free with a 30-day trial, or members get a free audiobook each month along with exclusive discounts and such. So if you're watching this
video and still have no idea who exactly this Red Death is, well, I don't think anyone does, really, but at least you can speculate
along with the rest of us. There's a particularly
special offer that ends on the 31st of July in our year, 2019, where Amazon Prime members
get Audible for $4.95 a month for the first three
months, which is basically like getting three months
for the price of one. After that, it's only $14.95 a month. You can take advantage of this by going to audible.com/bernadette or
texting bernadette to 500 500. Once again, that is audible.com/bernadete or bernadette to 500 500 via text. (gentle string music) And with that, the applique
and the dress is now complete. Dare I say this isn't
couture, but it is a thing, and it happened, and now
I have something to wear for the red carpet on Saturday. Oh, well, incidentally, the
day that this video goes up is the day that I shall be
wearing this on said red carpet, which is most perfect
timing, or most poor timing, as you won't get to see
footage of that in this video, and thus, this hasty
attempt at trying to capture a full body shot in a
wee Manhattan apartment shall have to suffice for now. More footage to come in next
week's Costume College vlog, if that is of interest. (soft string music) And now was acknowledged the
presence of the Red Death. He had come like a thief in the night, and one by one, dropped the revelers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel and died each in the
despairing posture of his fall. And the life of the ebony clock went out with that of the last of the gay. And the flames of the tripods expired. And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all.
