A new simple gown

Tags

Regency, Seersucker

I finished a new dress. Its made of cotton seersucker using Laughing Moon Pattern 126.

I made some design choices.

First, seersucker isn’t really a fashionable fabric in Europe, but is documented in runaway ads and is a completely suitable fabric for the American South and the Caribbean due to the weave allowing for airflow next to the skin.

Second, I made 3/4 sleeves and added little buttonholes to slip my ties through. It is ankle length so suitable for a day dress or a work dress.

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  Regency Seersucker Bib Front gown
  Laughing Moon 126 – front view

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  Regency Seersucker Bib Front gown
  Laughing Moon 126 – side view

Regency problem solving

Tags

1790, chemisette, fichu, Regency, tucker

I prefer the early regency years, and by early I mean the 1790s through the 1800s. The I feel the fuller skirts are better suited to my hourglass figure. Anyway, I always end up dressing myself and have trouble getting my fichu to sit correctly instead of billowing up to my chin. I really do have a short neck. So I decided to make something to fix that.

Its a pretty simple design, but based – loosely – off the 1797 Wedding Dress in the Museum of Denmark https://samlinger.natmus.dk/dnt/asset/28716?fbclid=IwAR2TQfyIFBz64NhO3YPfsA7-E75o1sjVTjN2B-ERtqkIk_50LUhuRtuDxTo Which is the same dress I based my black dotted swiss dress off of.

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  back of chemisette

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  front of chemisette

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  back of chemisette under gown

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  front of chemisette under gown

Cancelled Plans

Tags

making modern

My weekend plans got cancelled (for multiple reasons). So I spent today working on altering a blouse. I’ve had this blouse for several years and it has sat in the back of my closet – mostly unworn.

My hips are ~ 14 inches larger than my waist. Which does not fit the current fashion standards of a more, ahem, athletic build that the fashion houses and clothing manufacturers seem to design for.

The fix is fairly easy, I simply need to add a gore to the sides, from the waist down. I have done it before, with other blouses, so I took out my box of black lace and a seam ripper and set to. As you can see in the photos below, the blouse flows much better over my hips and doesn’t bunch up around my waist. Now, I’m much more likely to wear it.

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18th Century Puritan/Witch hat

2020- October

I’ve been away from the blog for a while, so I’m posting photo posts about what I’ve made. Perhaps I will eventually get to filling in the details but for now this is what I can do.

This has ended up just a little small…

The Caftan Craze

2020 September

Everyone seemed to be making caftans for pandemic lounge wear this summer and even though I am still working full time – at the office mostly – I decided to join in.

Petticoat trimmed with hand made lace.

2020 April

I usually make my petticoats in the 18th Century style. It means that they are versatile for sizing and work for multiple eras. This one is made of stash fabric and lace crocheted and gifted to me by a good friend. I added a teal silk ribbon as an accent.

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Crossover Apron

2020 April

Rebecca and I found this fabric during our trip to Costume College in 2018, we wanted to make 1940’s inspired aprons. When it came down to making it – I really wanted a crossover apron. I had to alter the pattern by scaling it up… I did a slash and spread method.

ORS Retreat 2020

January 2020

Just before the pandemic became a Thing™, I spent a weekend with the folks of the Oregon Regency Society at the Regency Retreat. Imagine it like a immersive Regency House Party. Hosted at an overnight out-of-season camp, rooms are small and sparse, but the location is gorgeous. The food is amazing. One set of public spaces is for pre-modern activities, with a card room and a gathering room that doubles as the ball room. Another set of public space is set up for modern lights, but they do request that you keep electronic devices to your room. Letters are shared and there is a lot of passing between rooms to talk and help each other dress. I’m an early bird so, I spent the wee morning hours with a cup of coffee watching the sun come up over the mountains.

1920’s One hour dress

I got this fabric from my grandmother’s stash in the early 2000’s. The fabric is an embroidered linen. The embroidery is modern but I believe it reads pretty well – and its stash fabric. I did have to purchase about 1/2 yard of the green linen.. I first wore it to the Kimono in Fashion Exhibit at the Asian Arts Museum in February 2019 and then to the Miss Fisher Con in San Jose in July, 2019.

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New dress

While I have lots of projects planned once I get settle into the new house (and unearth my sewing machine).  I’ve been shopping for fabric – I want to make a dress out of this fabric, but cannot decide what era to do it in.  I’m leaning towards 18th Century (1780’s-ish) because I don’t have one of those yet.  This is my clan’s tartan, (the weathered ancient version) 8 oz wool 54″ wide.

I like the dress featured here: http://twonerdyhistorygirls.blogspot.com/2014/09/a-rare-wedding-dress-for-highland-bride.html

This is one of those buy the fabric way in advance because its expensive kind of purchases so while I know I could make a regency with 6 or 7 yards easily, I’m contemplating getting 10 because well, reasons.  Like, I would like to not short myself and I’d like to match the plaid when I can and well, left over fabric is a free project… right?