Regency Progress

Sometimes company is just what you need to properly break into a project. So yesterday I made a trip out to a friends place and we both got a lot of progress done on projects that had been eyeing each of us from the to-do pile.

For me, this was in the form of my Regency ballgown.The pictures haven't come out great, due to the rather grey sky today, but the old gold chiffon over white lining is coming out with such a lovely rich colour. And I was assured by Laura as I was trying on the bodice, that the colour and the shape both flatter me.

I'm still worried about time, having lost the two weeks over the holidays, so for the moment, I've decided to forgo the stays and followed the pattern advise on adjusting the darts to suit my modern shape, instead of the lift the stays would provide. 

I'd picked up some gold ribbon to finish the sleeves and add a little detail under the bust. I'll likely use the ribbon as part of the tie for the dress, as I'm finding the instructions a little confusing, so I've reached the part in the pattern where I'm just going to do my own thing. But I'll do a full write up of the pattern when I'm done.

Regency Progress

On the advise of friends who've made these dresses before me, I gave up on attempting to draft the pattern mysself, and am now using patterns from Sense and Sensibility Patterns.

For the dress, I'm using the elegant ladys closet pattern, and will be combining the wrap front with the short sleeves to make an evening look with the gold coloured chiffon I have. If I find something nice in a light cotton, I might do up a day dress too. But the wrap front I hope will allow me to do a little ruching with the chiffon and create some extra texture.

I've also selected the spencer pattern, because passing up the chance to recreate this, as I may have mentioned before, would be a sin. Also, I think I might have developed a little something regarding goldwork.

So far the patterns are printed, laid out and taped together, with Suzie once again reprising her role as faithful paperweight...for a short while at least.The patterns are now cut out in my size (bust sizings seperate from pattern dress sizings? I think these might be my new favourite patterns!), and I just need to find the time to do up a quick mock up before I cut into the good fabric.

Just 11 weeks left to go until the costuming weekend away. Lots of time, right?

Regency Dress plans

I am, nominally, trying to cut down on my fabric purchases these days. Or at least, using up or giving away some of what's been sitting there some time. So, of course, this was at the top of my mind when I went to the shops the other day to get thread, just thread, all I need is thread.Until the treacherous part of my mind suggested I should trying the evening wear fabrics section, just in case I spotted something... 

 So, almost 6 metres of 60" wide chiffon later, I bought the thread I needed. In my defense, it was reduced to only €5 per metre. And even if the label on the bolt said "coffee", seen by the light of the camera flash, it's really living in denial of being an old gold colour. Which is excellent, because I'll be able to tie the style I want, a simple dress with a contrast lining and the chiffon as a loose overlay, to the Spenser jacket I've already fallen for pictured here.

And now I have a deadline to sew for! I'll need to get an awful lof of these costumes done by the end of March next year for a very special weekend.