Regency Sari Dress, Version 2.0

Been away for some while.  Life has been eventful (in the best possible way).  For a fancy dress Regency event in CT this October, I decided to re-work an oldie.

It began its life as a silk sari that I wore to an event in New Orleans in 2010.  After that event, I re-cut it for a regency dance event.  Knowing almost nothing about the period, I used the awful Simplicity "Jane Austen" pattern.  It makes me smile now.

The new pattern for the 2014 re-cut is adapted from Janet Arnold, and was re-cut from the first one I attempted to make using that wretched Simplicity "Jane Austen" pattern.  The back of the Simplicity pattern is a bit too wide at the center for a proper early 19th century look, and in this older version, the weight of the  metal buttons wreaks havoc on the lightweight new version is a bit more period correct, basted to cotton musin to give it some strength.

I have yet to gather up the sleeves, so they look a bit odd, but the back already looks better.  It's nice to be able to raise your arms above your head for the style of dance that was popular in this period.  

The front trapezoidal piece is cut from the Sari's pallu.  I haven't made the bib front piece yet.  It's a counterintuitive construction method for me, but figuring out the quirks of a new era has been interesting.  I look forward to this dress's debut as some kind of "east meets west" costume for the fancy dress ball in October.

1812 Cotton Gown

In preparation for the Sailing Masters Ball this May, I've been working on a striped cotton voile 1812-1814 gown.  

Illustration from Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion

The pattern was scaled up by SG from Janet Arnold, and miraculously, did not have to be altered much.  I was amazed at how tiny the back piece looked.

I am not as familiar with the construction of this era as I am with others, so I have been taking it very slow.  The next step is the one that terrifies me the most:  Attaching the gathered "bib" front.  The part I have already constructed will serve as a support, and a stay.

I was having real trouble visualizing how exactly it all goes together, so SG directed me to a great diagram she found from from the Etsy site of HerOdyssey.  I found them to be extremely helpful.

From Her Odyssey on Etsy

 The fabric, acquired as Osgood Textile in West Springfield, MA, was VERY sheer.  I backed it with plain white cotton muslin, and basted the layers together.  It's a lovely cream and pale tan stripe that works better for my complexion than stark white.  It gathered up rather easily across the narrow back piece.  I am still amazed at how tiny the pattern pieces looked.

The skirt:  Constructed of three trapezoids, and one rectangle gathered across the narrow center back.

The sleeve was drafted by SG as an alternative to just a straight puff sleeve.  She called it "tulip".  They are unlined, and hemmed.  The bulk of the gathering is much lower toward the back, south of the top of the shoulder than I had thought it would be.  My plan was to serge the sleeve and the lining together, rather than bind the armholes.

I decided that I needed a spring green silk taffeta bonnet to go with this ensemble, and to dress it up a bit.  I used a pattern that is more suited to the 1770s-1790s, but it's not too far off, and is much more likely to see use for Revolutionary War era events.

I had fun making the bows and the puffings.  I think it needs some more saturated spring green embellishments, though.

My deadline is the Regency picnic, and the ball May 10, 2014.  I have a show the same weekend.  Let's do this.