The great thing about costuming is that you can take it to the level
you want--want a facsimile of the real deal, then modern lace or
painted on detail does the job. (I've seen plenty of theatre & film
costumes that take the "it will look like the real deal from the
audience's perspective"). And those of us into historically correct
projects with antique needework techniques just spend our time in
quiet meditation doing handwork sewing because that's what we enjoy
doing.

I'm curious to know if the embroidery on Anna's coral silk ballgown
looked like it was machine or hand embroidery.

HollyVK
(Back from my annual sojourn to Van Nuys for Costume College)


--- In Pescucci_costuming@yahoogroups.com, Melody <piratelass@v...>
wrote:
> I'd say "close,but no cigar". and for $89. plus s/h I'd make my
own, Anna's looks to be more of an ecru base for the blouse. I'd just
get a peasant blouse pattern, some nice natural colored muslin, the
start checking the trim section of Wal mart for cotton lace trim
yardage. Look for one with the big floral type design for the sleeve
tops,I'd dye this a nice red and appliqué to the flat panel of the
sleeve tops. Run strips of this down the arms,up the front and add
small floral motifs where necessary( see pics). the heavy cotton lace
would look more like embroidery,give a dimensional quality to it.
> Just my idea.....This is what I pan on doing,to busy to hand emb.
all that material.....
> Melody
>
> Holly wrote:

Peasant blouse (white cotton) imported from Romania/Transylvania
with red or black silk thread embroidery--when I saw VH for the 1st
time a couple of wks ago, I thought "I've seen that blouse before!"
> >
> > http://www.carpatina.com/Blousecollection.html
> >
> > HollyVK
> > (way behind on my film costume viewing, did see "Charlie &
> > Choc Factory" & "Lemony Snicket" on the big screen tho')
> >
> > --- In Pescucci_costuming@yahoogroups.com, "kemperoctavia"
> > <tolkienscholar@y...> wrote:

Hello! I am new to this group so thanks for taking the time to
read my post. I am in the midst of recreating Van Helsing's Anna's
costume when she meets VH. I am having no problem with the jacket,
corset or boots; however, I am having difficulty with the blouse. I
live in a culturally deficient area and Wal-Mart is usually my only
available fabric source. I need to create the blouse. I bought some
red toile (I seriously dislike toile) and thought I could recreate the
blouse with that if need be. But I would like to get closer to the
original design. Does anyone have any suggestions or tips regarding
the red print of the blouse? Thanks. Kemper
>