Green Gables Shirtwaist Sew Along

Hello kindred spirits! Welcome to a happy historical Fashion Friday. Today’s post features details for the Green Gables Shirtwaist Sew Along. 

Anne Land

Since I was a teenager I have loved the Anne of Green Gables book series written by Lucy Maud Montgomery. In studying Ms. Montgomery’s life it is easy to see how the beloved character of Anne was created. 

L.M. Montgomery in 1891 wearing dreamy double puffed sleeves!

Anne fans can still visit The Green Gables Heritage Place. This home, which Lucy based Green Gables on, belonged to her cousins. It is located just outside of Cavendish on Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.).

There are two other museums, the home where Lucy grew up and the Anne of Green Gables museum. In addition, visitors can enjoy the Avonlea Village shops and carriage rides that take you past the Lake of Shining Waters. 

The books have inspired several movies and television series. Most recently there was a PBS movie and a series, Anne With An E, on Netflix. 

My favorite remains the 1985 miniseries starring Megan Follows and Colleen Dewhurst.

The series was filmed on P.E.I. and set designs were created by production designer Carol Spier.

 The Edwardian inspired costumes were designed by Martha Mann. Lovely shirtwaists play a predominant role in many of the key looks. 

Green Gables Shirtwaist Sew Along

Some of you may recall when I sewed a shirtwaist in a day. So I had done some previous research. 

Many Montgomery scholars have pinpointed the timeline for the story as beginning in 1901. This is based on Lucy’s personal letters as well as inventions mentioned in the books. So this helped tremendously in narrowing down the shirtwaist I wanted to create. 

This was high fashion in 1901. Very much the classic Gibson Girl pigeon breasted look made possible via an S bend corset. 

I wanted to create a shirtwaist that Marilla Cuthbert would have worn. Now those who are familiar with the character of Marilla know that she doesn’t subscribe to the notions of high fashion. She is sensible and believes puffed sleeves are a waste of fabric. In the series the shirtwaists Marilla wears on the farm are generally made from sturdy cotton. The blouse she is first shown wearing has only gathers near the yoke. While this is a pretty feature the design element is actually to accommodate her bustline. 

This design is completely historically accurate as you see very similar styles from The Delineator in 1898. 

The design felt right for Marilla as she probably wouldn’t be wearing the latest fashions.

The Pattern

Now I have a fondness for Edwardian styled patterns and have several in my collection. There are many lovely style options available on Etsy and eBay. You can simply type Edwardian Shirtwaist Pattern in their search bars. For the sew along I settled on the McCalls pattern M8231 by Angela Clayton. This pattern is current and can be purchased at Joann’s during their sales for $1.99.

A Necessary Skirt

I did need a skirt to pair with my shirtwaist and decided to try the Folkwear 216 Schoolmistress’ Shirtwaist & Skirt. This is a good skirt pattern. However, I do like a bit more fullness in the back of my Edwardian skirts so I would probably not make it again. But it is perfect for Marilla’s frugal tendencies. 

 

Join In The Fun

To join in the sew along you can view posts here as well as on my historical sewing Instagram feed. You do not have an Instagram account to view this. 

There is also a group page on Facebook that you are welcome to join, ask sewing questions, share historical research and more. 

You can use the hashtag #GreenGablesSewAlong in your posts on Instagram and Facebook. Please tag me, Laura Ingalls Gunn, so that I can feature your creations on my page. 

This Week’s Video

In this week’s video you can see the fabrics that I have selected for my shirtwaist and skirt. I am also joined by my dear friend Tiffany of Stitchin’ Addiction. Together we examine two extant (antique) shirtwaists. One is a rare ladies work shirt and the other is a lingerie style blouse. 

If you wish to view the video in a larger format just click on the black box in the lower left hand corner that says Watch on YouTube.

 

“True friends are always together in spirit.” ― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Laura