Epic Regency Sewing Project - Green Sari Overdress and Turban.

Now it is time to step into unknown territory.  Eeeeekkkkk!!!!!

I have been research overdress quite a lot on Pinterest and most people seem to use Jane Arnold's patterns of fashion book.

However I do not have this book so taking a rough guess of what the pattern needs in terms of pleats I decided the best way to make this would be to draft it.

Once again using sense and sensibility pattern I cut out only the bodice and marked out where the dress will be.

Now to makw things simply I am only going to add pleats at the seams.

But before I cut my sari I needed to make the lining.  I used some green cotton poplin for this.

Making sure it looked okay since this will be used as a bases for the sari but more important snug.

Now to actually cut the sari.

I only had one chance at this so I made sure the length and position of the pleats were correct.

there was not enough width to have pleats at all the seams so I just had them at the back and then a small pleat at the side which looks more like a dart.

Oh this is getting scary.

I wanted the border to go all the way round the back hence the long bit.  Yeah no idea how that is going to work out.

So let the sewing begin.

That is the pleats secured and time to attach it to the lining.

Oh dear!

Yep I did not cut enough of the border, will need to get that fixed.

Hmmm looking not bad.

Getting the edges all tucked in and the pleats on the border sewed down.

Yes all the edges done apart from that little gap at the top.

Yes this looks good!  

Now to make my turban or a big puffy cap.

No way was I going to make a template for this so what I did was fold the fabric half, then in quarters, and so on until it was a small enough for me to mark it in a few places.  Similar to how you would make a cartouche for cooking!

And voila!!! One massive circle.  Now I just need to attach it to a piece of the border and I have a turban.

Needs gold feathers I think.

Now to finish off my sari with a closure around the front and fix up the back.

You wouldn't know that I made a mistake here.  hehehehe!

Phew I can finally rest a little.

Epic Regency Sewing Project - Muslin Dress

Now we have the foundations ready (ish).

Time to make the dress.  My first muslin dress!

It is about time I made one of these as it is a long time coming.  I have already made a standard regency dress but this time I wanted to tweek the design.

Here is a rough sketch of what was in my head.  Sort of a chemise-like regency dress.


Now I only had the sense and sensibility regency gown pattern but that shouldn't be a problem.   I cut out the bodice pieces but made sure that the front pieces was extra wide to create the gathers around the front.  And altered the sleeves to elbow length.

It is always a tense moment when I am cutting fabric but I did buy a ridiculous amount of muslin for stupid mistake.

Here is the lining pinned to my Miffy just to make sure things are working out.

Then the top layer is gathered just to see if it looked fine.

Then once the bodice looked reasonable the skirt part was attached.

Hmmm not bad.

And finally the sleeves!  Rather then creating ordinary hems I decided to give shell hemming a try and it I am pleased to say that it worked nicely.  

I gauged it by eye rather then measuring out the intervals since I did not want to mark my white muslin if I could avoid it.

I have left the bottom hem unfinished as I wanted to make sure the overdress (which is the next project) were both the same length but also I wanted to shell hem the bottom as well and I was a bit tired to do it now.

Adventures in felt kanzashi - part 8

I have a soft spot for kusudama kanzashi because they appeal to my inner mathematician.

The rotational symmetry is just nice.  

So when I brought a bag of mixed felt I knew I had to make one.

However, time is never on my side and it is only now that I managed to actually make my idea become a reality.

They are so cute and soft just like the rest of my felt kanzashi.  

Epic Regency Sewing Project - Under things

Since I am turning up to a real regency event, I thought it was time I made myself some period underwear.

Which means a chemise and short stay.

I used the Sense and Sensibility pattern which my friend very kindly leant to me.

So the first thing to make was the chemise because it looked the easiest and it was.

The binding around the collar needs a little work as I did not catch all the seam underneath it and it is pulling away however I might cheap here and take off the muslin binding and use shop brought binding.  It will not be as soft but my homemade muslin is a pain to use.

Next the short stay.

Since I don't have a big chest I went with comfort hence the short stay.  I have to admit this is my first time making stay and I had my fingers crossed through the whole sewing.

For a first time it is not too bad.  I think next time I will use more boning and make the cups a little bigger but I am not sure.  I will need to do a little bit more research here.

And no, there will be no pictures of me wearing this but here is what they looked like.

Unfortunately in my haste to get this finished I did take any picture.  However the rest of my project will have more photos I promise.

Epic Regency Sewing Project - Introduction

Back in 2014, one of my friends attended the Jane Austen Regency Festival at Bath and someone suggest that the following year we should organise a girlie weekend.

Well I am all up for a dress up especially in Regency.

Who would not like to get all pretty for the weekend.

So thus begins the organising!  We originally thought about hotels but then it occurred to me that since there are 5 of us, we might be able to rent an apartment for the weekend and it could be cheaper.  Not that we will need to worry about food since we will be out for most of the time and it would be handy with getting ready.

We ended up settling for a regency looking place, well we are attending a regency event so once that is sorted time to think about clothes.

What am I going to wear?

Fortunately my To Do list for sewing is really long and one of the many dresses I have been meaning to make is a muslin dress.  Okay day dress sorted, and of course one must have a spencer jacket and bonnet to accompany.

But what to wear for ball, oh such a question to ask and very apt.  Should I make another dress?  Hmmmm but then I would have a huge headache on making it all fancy.  However while browsing pinterest, I saw the answer, an overdress.  That is it, I will make an overdress which will be worn over my muslin day dress and then make a matching turban.

Of course I will need shoes and bags but they will be made along the way.

Time to source material.