Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Hoop, hoop, hurray! 1770s Oval Cane Hoops


Here's some pictures of the hoops I finished a couple of days ago for my Felicity Christmas sack gown.

I waffled for a while about what style of skirt support to make (pocket hoops vs. full oval) and decided on these because they're more unusual in the living history/costuming circle, but quite prevalent in extant examples. Mine is a pretty modest size, although I can't get through the bathroom doorway in my apartment hehe!

I must give thanks to Nicole, who gave me the cane and went over construction tips with me. She wrote a great article about 18th century skirt supports for Your Wardrobe Unlock'd. I don't have an account, but you should check it out! :) The cross barred linen is from Burnley and Trowbridge. Right now I just have some cotton string in the waist, but I will be replacing it with linen tape once I can get back to B&T.

First, reigning the cane into shape with cotton string after getting it wet in hot water in the bathtub. I didn't let it soak, just swished it around in the water until it became more pliable. I let the cane dry for a little less than 24 hours.

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The cane got covered in strips of linen. Then I pretty much draped and fiddled around with the rest of the linen, pinning things together and standing in the mirror until I got it right. Nicole explains it much better in her excellent article!

I am wearing a shift, stays, and under-petticoat under the hoops.


Ugh, I hate this cap. It's being replaced... Almost done with the new cap, out of the same fabric.


Everything is whipped together, literally!


Inside of the hoops. I am totally tickled by how much my hoops look like this extant! Except I was way more meticulous about finishing my edges heh... Obviously my hoop is untied and the extant is tied.


Extant hoops, seen here: http://theschoolofhistoricaldress.org.uk/18thc-course.html

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Neat! Any idea why the extant hoop has a sort of pillow on one side? I feel like I've seen that image before and never noticed it...

Best,
Quinn

Julie R. said...

Great work! I have a set just like that, and love them.

Edith said...

@Quinnmburgess: I assume there may have been two of them. They were probably pressed up against the wearer's hips to keep the hoops even and stable. This is just my guess.

Chelsea said...

Very pretty. I can't wait to see your Felicity gown! I've been wanting to make one, myself. It's the one that got me excited about 18th Century fashion in the first place. :)

Caroline said...

Very nice! I love that extant hoop so much. I've been drooling over that for ages. I love plaid :)

Lydia Gastrell said...

These are great; you did a wonderful job. =)
Could you tell me where you got the cane for this? I've been hunting online and all I can find is flat and oval-flat reed, which I'm not sure would do the trick. Thanks =)