It is enjoyable to create your own special garment but sometimes it can get tedious or frustrating.  I have learned some tricks that cut back considerably on the time investment without compromising the historical accuracy.  These tips are not for everyone but hopefully you will find some of them helpful.

Long processes are listed individually. Shorter tips are all included in the “Sewing Tips” page. I’ve included photographs to make things easier too. If you would like to enlarge the picture to see the details simply click on it. Hit the “close” tab, the back button or click on somewhere else on the page to make the picture smaller again. This may vary depending on your computer.

If there is something you would like to see added to this page please let me know. I can’t guarantee that it will get here or how long it may take to make an appearance, but I will consider it.

A few other pieces of advice:
* Pre wash your fabric the way you are going to wash your garment. You want it to do any shrinking or strange things before you go to all the work of sewing it together.

* If you are making a dress, make sure you have all of your underpinnings first. Especially the corset. Your measurements will change.

* If you are not sure if your fabric is made from 100% natural fibers (wool, linen, cotton) burn a test piece. Natural fibers will burn into a nice powdery ash. Synthetic fibers flair up and burn into a hard glob. Blends will have a crispy feel to the burn edge. Do this carefully! It’s easy to burn yourself – lay the burning fabric in an ash tray or something to blow it out otherwise it may blow back and burn your hand. (This is the voice of experience speaking.)