I think...

It's finally Autumn. The leaves are turning colors and falling from the trees. The air is cooler and the out-of-doors is so pleasant!

And to top it all off my Elizabeth Swann 18th century chemise is coming along quite nicely.

"While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."

-Genesis 8:22 (KJV)

And don't forget the giveaway! You have until tonight to enter!

Gilded Era Chemise

Hello all! It's been a little while! Once more I have caught the historical costume bug but unlike my last several sewing projects this one is not from the Regency Era. I have recently become enamored with and been inspired by garments from the 1890's. 

My chemise is based on the following image from the Met Museum.

I used a Linen/Cotton blend from Jo-Ann and drafted the pattern myself with the above picture as a guide. The trim is a narrow cotton lace also from Jo-Ann.

(Please forgive the wrinkles, we were out of starch!)

I considered sewing the entire piece by hand but I talked myself out of it fairly quickly. I machine sewed and flat-felled the seams and hand sewed the binding, hem and trim.

I am not going for complete historical accuracy with this outfit, only for something that pleases my fancy!

Approximate cost of this project: $6.50

Orange Print Regency Day Dress

 

More pictures and information at the Dressing Room.

Orange Print Regency Day Dress

Pattern: Sense and Sensibility's Regency Gown Pattern

Fabric: 60" wide poly/cotton blend from Jo-Ann's

Other Materials: Seam Binding, Hooks and Eyes (for closure), Sugar & Cream yarn in White (for piping)

Inspiration: Emma's Orange Floral Dress form Emma (BBC, 2009)

Altering the bodice:

To add the gathers to the top of the bodice front I placed the bodice piece at an angle, adding fabric to the top but not to the bottom.

You will have a little "peak" at the top of your piece. Just cut it off straight (I didn't take a picture of what I cut off so I've indicated it here with the purple line).

I cut my lining piece normally and gathered my outside piece to fit the lining.

For the sleeve (see the picture above) I cut out a shortened version of the long sleeve piece. I then shortened more after it was cut. Using the long sleeve piece made the sleeves much less full than using the short sleeve piece.

The finished dress:

Lillian's dress was made using the original pattern without alteration. You can see the difference in the sleeves very well by clicking on the third and fourth pictures.

Is it aqua or sea green?

You can decide!

More information at the Dressing Room.

Sea Green Apron Front Regency Era Dress

I've dropped in to share my latest creation with you. I was in need of new well fitting Regency dress. 

Materials: What I simply love about this dress is it was a complete stash buster. Well, almost. I did have to buy some hooks and eyes, but what's one package of hooks and eyes when I already had the fabric, pattern, lining, trim and buttons?!

My inspiration:

My original sketch:

I used Sense and Sensibility's Regency Gown Pattern:

I modified the pattern a great deal. Patterns of Fashion I by Janet Arnold was a great help!
All of the inner seams are machine sewn and all of the outer seams are hand sewn.

And the finished product:

Regency Stays

More at the Dressing Room!

Regency Scarf

More at the Dressing Room!

Regency Era Short Stays

I recently completed a new pair of short stays to wear underneath my Regency gowns. The pattern is Sense and Sensibility's Regency Underthings and the materials include: Cotton Twill, Cotton Muslin, Spiral Steel Bones, Silk Buttonhole Twist and Seam Binding. The inner seams are machine sewn and the outer seams are hand sewn.

 

White Neck Scarf

I made my scarf based on these one worn by Elinor and Marianne in Sense and Sensibility to wear with my Regency dresses.

 

My scarf is made of voile and completely hand sewn. I did not use a pattern.

Sleeveless Regency Chemise

More pictures and info at the Dressing Room!

Regency Era Sleeveless Chemise

I am planning to make a Regency Era gown with sheer sleeves and I did not want my chemise sleeves to show. Using information gleaned from the Sense and Sensibility Patterns message forum I made a sleeveless chemise.

Pattern:

Sense and Sensibility's Regency Underthings Pattern

Materials:

White Cotton Voile

White Seam Binding (For the drawstring.)

All of the inner seams were sewn my machine. All outer seams were sewn by hand using a back stitch (flat felling) or a running stitch (hems).

I used this picture from the forum as a guide.

 

 

 

 

1884 Magazine Article

These scans are from a periodical published in 1884 which my brother picked up at a yard sale. Enjoy!