1780s dress cotton chinz

After acquiring ann 1780s Round Gown Pattern I found that if I added an inch all around the pattern pieces it fitted an English size 10 with a few minor adjustments.

The chinz fabric design with ivy leaves and flowers very much resembles the patterns in my book from the Kyoto Costume Institute. I now had a skirt with the circumpherence of 5yds but I actually think it was meant to be 6 yards.

I cut out the lining from white cotton and although I could tell which of the 6 pieces went where the 2 sides I put in upside down and back to front on on 3 occasions. The next item I make I will number the pieces where they join ie a/a1 etc.

I then decided to use a contrasting fabric for the sleeves as thie inside would show. I now think this was the small triangle on the pattern. Like the sleeves on the Regency gown mthe armholes and sleeves are not how they make them nowadays.
First attempt I thought to sew the lining and shaped strips together, turn them inside out and sew the two pieces to the back, sew down the top front/back to the lining and turn inside out but forgot I had to sew on the sleeves.
Second attempt I sewed each sleeve 2 top and 2 lining to the back and front that worked I could then size utp the armholes and pin the sleeves in place.
I had also sewn the lining sleeve so I had two the same! Note: If doing a lining or piece of fabric that is the same back and front mark it with chalk.

At the end as Id run out of fabric I made the overskirt with some netting I
thought it didnt look too bad for my show at Reddfest in June.

regency dress 1805

This is my finished dress

Back view of dress
A close up of back detail

I have nearly finished my regency dress. Now instead of a front fastening that is open at the sides I have sewed it up down the front bodice and where the bodice and skirt meets - now I dont have a gap. I have 2 straps at x the first seam after the centre front, this ties the excess fabric of the skirt towards the back but doesnt seem to keep the high bodice up, so it is definately a back closing item. The instructions says to sew tape to what I think is the bottom of bodice and top of skirt but it isnt specific as to where it starts and ends??? The pleats at the back of skirt are sewn to the bodice but what happens to the rest of the skirt which is wider than the bodice? The tape and loop at centre back isnt enough and the instructions say it would need to be pinned but where and how and with what??? I put on a wide purple ribbon and tied at the back it disguises the cords and pulling in of the fabric. It looks good anyway but with a lower bodice seam looks more edwardian than Regency.

To go with this is this simple underskirt with high bodice. It has tab-fastenings
at the top tied with tapes and hook and eye fastening at the back.

1805 redigote

close-up details of front

I managed to find some really good gold braid which I harvested from an Indianni velvet-cushion cover this also had pearl beads which could be useful . Gold trims are very hard to find, I struck lucky. This when unpicked was sews on by hand to the edged of the Spencer.

The first challenge was the slits made in the fabric which I initially thought were tabs sewn on in the picture I had. I then added a backing and measured them vertically and gingerly cut through, turning the raw edges in by hand and finishing by hand, then pressing. Then I made the balls (50 in all 25 down each side!.) the skirt itself wasn't hard flared out to the bottom and made long enough to fit under the bust. It was the thought of facing all those hand made balls, sewn in a spiral (probably not the correct way but it does the job!) I then tried to close it but could,t see any clue on the picture, I came to the conclusion that I had to fix a chain of thick crochet cotton in the front edge to wrap over the bobble on the other side. However I only realised this when I was on the jacket so I need to undo the ones I put behind the bobbles now - a short job.

1790s striped top
I started this project over a week ago. I couldnt get any striped silk so used a pair of curtains which was checked in blue and white Id purchased second-hand. This actually made the top look like a Vivian Westwood or 80's style.

The jacket is shaped at the front and back this is to accomodate the pannier which is under the underskirt. The jacket overlaps at the front. This proved to be the hardest because I didnt get the shaping equally sized I should have used a template or worked on a pattern. I cut the jacket out larger than I needed and pinned the sides to the dressmakers dummy to get it to fit snuggly at the sides and cut the neck which was squared off to the correct shape. I had a problem with the lining which I cut unevenly so it was pulling the top material. I actually thought Id have to start again which was pretty upsetting but when I came back to it the next day I was able to alter one half of the front. To be truthfull I'd overtired myself I then oversewed the button holes using two narrow strips of fabric ebut now the front needs stiffening up!It's all very exciting at first wheen you see the garment coming together but the hand-finishing is the important part as it makes it look professione and I have a tendancy to rush to get it finished and am already thinking about the next garment. Sometimes I leave it and take ages to finish it this may not be a good idea!
This all goes to prove that making a pattern would have been time well-spent in this case. I made one after in case I need to make it again.

Pannier for giving shape to dress/skirt

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Materials used: White cotton,imitation whale-bone.
I made this pannier from a pattern found on the internet. It is called a pocket
hoop as it can have pockets inside which are obtained from slits in the side of
the dress. It would be worn with this dress.

Corset
Materials: brown linen and curtain fabric
Cost: about £3
I got the pattern from a book from the Kyoto costume museum drew it out on paper and made it half an inch bigger. Luckily it was the right shape and approximately the right size. I cut it out in brown linen and some yellow curtain material. I then lined the pieces in the right order this was easier if they were numbered. I then stitched them together put the outsides facing each other and trimmed. The scolopped edges were the hardest as I found I had to undo the top and hand stitch then oversew it flat at the bottom. The eyelets were added I had a few metal stays but didn't add them.

red 1700s jacket with eyelets and shaped edging

I am finally able to show the finished top 1700s it is red linen and cottom lining. The jacket pattern is the same as a modern one except for the detail at the bottom. I sewed the top and bottom down and turned inside out via the front openings so had to hand finish the fronts. the eyelets were too short in the length so I have had to order some online along with some strong laces you have to be careful to measure out the spacing with the eylets. I didnt use a pattern but found my new dressmakers dummy invaluable for size. The top is a strip of material bound at the edges and sewn inside to two layers of lining and red top fabric.