In my last post (part 1) I begun to tell you about my latest entry for the HSM – a blue Redingote.
Here are the rest of it.
Once the lining was inserted I got to work o the lower front edge. It is always a bit tricky to get the button edge right and when the garment are double breasted and have a rounded edge it is even more difficult.
But after lots of pining and folding (and some cutting of excess) I managed to get the edge to look like I wanted.
About the buttons (where I left of last time) I decided to cheat, and use hook and eyes.
I could not decide on 10 or 8 buttons, so I wanted to postpone the decision to sometimes in the future. Without buttonholes the dress look a bit strange but I can still change my mind and make them at a later point.
I put the jacket on my dress form to get a better view and to pin the skirt on. 
10 buttons and half a skirt.
It would even look great without the skirt as a jacket. Maybe next time (or if I decides I need the skirt fabric for something else…)
I pleated the skirt into 1,5 cm big pleats hiding a lot of excess fabric at the back pleats.
Then I prick stitched the skirt to the bodice.
The final thing to do was to hem the skirt, and to give it a final pressing.
Finished (lots of pictures):
Just the facts:
Challenge: Nr 2/2015 – Blue
What: A 18th century Redingote
Pattern: Nehelenia Patterns nr E21 – 1790s Redingote.
Fabric: 4 m of light blue wool, 1 m of white cotton for lining and 0,5 m of thick linen for interlining.
Notions: Thread, Buttonhole thread, buttons (10 big + 4 smaller), 8 hooks and eyes,
How historical Accurate: So so. The fabrics and pattern are pretty good, but I used modern construction techniques and made lots of the work sing my sewing machine and polyester thread.
Time: A lot. I would guess about 15-20 hours since it’s lots of hand stitching in tere.
Cost: ca 400 Sek (ca 65 Usd)
First worn: On February 21 for photos.
But I would love to wear it on an winter event in the future.
An anecdote: This is probably the one garment I’ve been re-starting (mentally if not psychically) the most times, and I’m so happy I finally managed to finish it (and not even hate it).
Final thoughts: I love the pattern, and definitely will be using it as a base for more 18th century gowns. But If I could do it again I would have made the overlapping in front wider to get a more distinct double breasted look.
Fashion Through Herstory 
I love this so much! It’s beautiful, and looks really warm too 😀
The chunky buttons really give it a unique look, and matching covered buttons always look polished.
Thank you! (blushing)
Yeah it is really warm and cosy 🙂
I love making self covered buttons, they can really ad to a garment.
I just finished (well, mostly) the same pattern and love it! I’m having a hard time getting to front closure fitting just right but really loved this pattern.
Yeah it’s great isn’t it 🙂
I can really see me using it as a base for lots of 18th century dresses and jackets.
Congratulations on your Redingote, and I’m sure you will figure the closure out.
It’s just lovely. If you haven’t desided on 8 or 10 buttons, why not take a photo with both and ask for comments? And just as you know it – 15-20 hours work is not much. I do not count, but I much be closer to 100 when I make a dress.
Thanks for the tip, I may do just that.
You are so right – 20 hours are not much for such a complicated garment, I guess I just felt like I was never getting it finished with all the delays and restarting. So Sorry about that :-), must have been a bit tired when writing it.