Since I don’t have anything new to show you just yet I decided to post some pics of another one of my “Allers Pattern Magazines”.
And look! The cover are in color!
Sewing instructions and pattern layouts.
And look there is patterns to.
Hm, wounder which lines to use…
This right one is adorable.
I need to make this jacket someday.
Here are some photos of my new Spring Anglaise, paired with my Bergere and green quilted petticoat.
Lets just pretend its April…
Photo: Maria Petersson
Here in Sweden November’s been darker then usual and it seems we just broke the record for less hours of sun, counting only 2 hours of sun during the whole past month.
No wounder we all feel and look like living dead by now. (and Winter is coming…)
So today I decided it was time to get some costuming sun, by showing of my newest gown – inspired by fresh spring flowers…
Last year I bought this fabric from IKEA (hm, must be my, 5th dress, or something made by fabric/curtains/bed-sheets from that store).
And a month ago I dug it out from my stash determent to make it into something 18th century.
Inspiration came straight away.
I used an old pattern and made some minor alterations like moving the shoulder seam, and remade the sleeve.
I tried the paper pattern on my dress-form to get a better look of how it would look.
Then I made and tried on the mock-up.
After some minor alteration I was ready to cut the fabric.
Since I didn’t had any deadline for this project, I decided to make the whole dress by hand.
I basted the lining to the interlining and stitched the bodice together for a try on.
After lowering the neckline a few cm, I put the bodice on my dress-form and started covering it with the fashion fabric.
The En Fourreau pleats was a bit tricky to get to lie smooth, but after once re-pinning I stitched everything down from the outside using back-stitches.
Then I set the sleeves, gathered and stitched on the skirt, cut the length and hemmed it. And finished of with some pleated trim and hook and eye for closure.
The Finished dress:
Facts:
What: a 1780s robe Anglaise
Pattern: I drafted my own using a old self made pattern as a starting point..
Fabric: 1 white flowery printed cotton bed sheet from IKEA (approximately 3,5 x 1,5 m), 0,5 m regular white cotton for lining and 0,5 m heavy upholster fabric for interlining.
Notions: Thread, 11 pair of hook and eyes and 1,5 m of plastic boning.
Time: Since it is completely hand stitched the amount of time is much higher then my usual projects. I will take a educated guess at 25 hours counting low.
Cost: About 200 Sek (32 Usd). Everything from stash.
Final Thoughts: I’m not thrilled about it.
The back pleating looks a bit sad, and the en fourreau back is not one of my greatest accomplishments. I think I will have to re-make the entire back of the gown before wearing it for real.
I also think the front point should be longer and more pronounced, even if that’s something I can live with for now.
I do however like the shape and setting of the newly drafted sleeves. And the fabric of this gown just look so soft and beautiful.
I planed to do a long write up about the 18th century Halloween party I attended two weeks ago, but now I feel more like just some quick word then on to the pictures.
As previously mentioned I didn’t had the time to make a mourning gown for the party, (I did however take one evening to make a new cap). Instead I wore my pretty recently finished Autumn Anglaise, paired with my new lace cuffs and cap.
A mirror selfie before leaving the house.
The location and settings for the party was perfect (even if it took me one hour to find the way to the house).
I had such a good time at the party. I danced, chatted and meet several really nice new people.
Photo by Jennifer Garner
Photo by Jennifer Garner
They even had a real coffin with a man laying inside.
Photo by Jennifer Garner
And a scary laboratory with lots of creepy and disgusting objects. 
Brain in a jar anybody…?
We think this is whats left from the masters latest lost servant…
The paintings on the walls are actual 18th century renderings.
One of the musicians – At least I got one sharp photo.
Elisa from “Isis Wardrobe” – If you haven’t found her blog yet, you seriously missed out…
Photo by Folke Bagger
Well at least one of the photos taken during the evening was of me…
Courtesy of Folke Bagger – or not, depends how you look at it :-).
I had such a good time and I’m determent to get some proper mourning gear for next years party…
Love my “after event hairdo”, perhaps I should consider doing the Mohawk on a more regular basis…
Today I finally got the chance to take proper photos of my new Regency gown, which I wore to last weeks regency ball.
I think I did a pretty good job mimic the left ensemble.
Photo: Maria Petersson
I’d be the first to admit that I know nothing about hair – My own are really short and don’t need much attentions, and when I had long hair a couple of years ago, I just wore it in a ponytail or bun.
But with great costumes comes great hair styles… or something like that.
So today I will show you the hairstyle I did on my sister for the Regency ball.
The day before the ball she pinned her hair up in curlers while still wet, and then slept on it.
The first thing to do was to remove all the hair pins. 
And shake the hair out, using the fingers to get it really big and fluffy.
Then I gathered most of the hair in a ponytail, leaving some hanging in the front. Using the ponytail as a base I attached a hair doughnut to add some volume and structure to the do.
I then twisted and pinned the rest of the hair up in messy curls 
Lastly I added the golden headband and secured it with some boby-pins.
The finished hairdo at the ball.
I could also have left some of the front hair curls hanging to get another effect.
The finished hair do at the photoshoot.
Peace of cake.
Before deciding on the design of my new Regency gown I looked through hundreds of pictures for inspiration.
Here are some of my favorite existing gowns. Enjoy.
At long last the day of the Regency ball had arrived.
The dance cards in shape of fans.
Photo credit: Helena Brodd.
The evening stared with mingle, chatting and everyone trying to flirt there way to a full dance card. 
Then we moved upstairs to the great hall to sit down for dinner.
The awesome ladies I had o the table, Ms Berg and Helena Brodd.
Me and my sister at dinner.
Then it was time for the dancing.
And since I danced almost every dance I don’t have any pics of the acctuall dancing, but had to settle for some in between shoots.
Oh, I swoon over all the handsome gentlemen…
Blurry dancing…
I between and in the dance breaks I did get some photos of lots of lovely dressed people.
Two dresses from the same fabric.
Photo credit: Helena Brodd.
The king and Queen…
(Helena is wearing a replica of the Swedish court dress)
Kodac moment
Regency photo bomb…
The sewing group.
Sewing group wedgie…
Silly shoot.
This fall I’ve been knee deep in Regency – in a good way.
As preparations for the up-coming regency ball I was asked to teach a night class in historic sewing.
So in beginning of September we had the first class. I was really nervous, not at all sure about this period and not knowing was the students were expecting.
Patterns.
Everything went smooth, and the students were very grateful and everyone helped in answering the more tricky questions, which made me really happy about all the combined knowledge in the group.
It seems even I got some time working on my dress between helping the others.
My sister working on her ridicule.
The last meeting was held just a week before the ball, and the theme were accessories.
Concentrating hard.
Carl’s pinning the lining for his waistcoat.
Anna is a happy camper stitching away on her mock up for a spencer.
Pernilla stitching on her gown.
Maud usuly does 18th century but have changed century for this ball.
The day of the ball some of us was not quite finished…
Sneaking out those needles during the water break in the dancing rehearsals
And here comes some pics from the ball to show of everybody’s beautiful work.
Denise and Pernillas lovely green creations.
Paula and Carl shared and used the same sari for their outfits, and they both looked smashing.
Maud made her whole dress by hand, and did manadge to finish before the last minute.
Solveig made the dress for her daughter Othelia.
Clara in her light green dress and wonderful ridicule.
Hm, do I detect a color trend…
Anna in her fabulous cream colored gown
(photo credit to Anna)
And Pose….
I’m so proud of what everyone of you have accomplished, and you all looked fantastic at the ball.
I’ve learnt so much during our meetings and hope to continue this classes, now when we all are ready for some new challenges.
For the upcoming ball, hosted by my dancing company, I knew I wanted a new gown.
After several hours on Pinterest, looking through dossins of beautiful fashion plates, I finally decided on a style.
I used the left dress in this fashion plate as my inspiration.
Since time was sparce, I decided to use Simplicity 4055 instead of draping my own pattern.
This may now be the pattern I made most garments from (my yellow regency gown, brown spencer/west, my sisters greecian goodes dress, and now this white evening gown).
I also had the perfect fabric in my stash. 
A white striped cotton voile, that started life as a pair of IKEA curtains.
I started by mocking-up the lining to get a foundation to build the rest of the dress.
The neckline needed to be lowered a bit. It is after all a ball, and if there is ever a time to show some cleavage a ball must most definitely be it. 
Then I cut the fashion fabric, making sure to get enough fabric into the front piece to get some nice gathering. 
I stitched the bodice together and basted it into the interlining before I gathered the front.
Then it was time for the next try on.
The bodice fitted pretty good, and the wrinkles at the back comes from my boyfriends pinning me into it (sch, don’t tell him), and not from the back being to small as you would think.
After finishing up the bodice, I attached the skirt making sure to put most of the gathers at the center back.
The sleeves are regular pouf sleeves with a row of gathering stitches in the middle to create a double pouf.
And once again I needed to get help being pinned into the dress (see why I will never say anything about less then perfect pinning…)
Since I didn’t had time to get hold of a long enough red ribbon to tie around the neck, crossed in back and under bust as in the fashion plate, I experimented wit a shorter red ribbon tied under bust.
I finished by attaching the sleeves, hemming the skirt and attaching the hook and eyes at center back.
I also decided to stitch on a ribbon under bust made from the same fabric – something I did at the location of the ball, just before getting dressed.
The finished dress:
A pic from the ball of me wearing the dress, stylishly accessorized in burgundy and beads:
Just the Facts:
Challenge: nr 21 – Re-do. I choose to re-do challenge nr 9 – Black and White.
What: A white regency (year 1805) evening gown.
Pattern: I started with Simplicity 4055, but made quite a few changes to it.
Fabric: 3 m of white striped cotton voile from IKEA curtains. 0,5 m of white cotton for lining and interning.
Notions: Thread and 4 pair of hook and eyes.
How historical accurate: So so. The dress looks pretty good and the pattern are pretty authentic, but the construction are all modern with seing machine and bag lining. I would say about 6/10.
Time: I rushed the entire dress (starting only two nights before the ball) working the evenings after work, so I would say about 8 hours.
Cost: About 150 Sek (22 Usd)
First Worn: nov 8, to a Regency ball.
Final Thoughts: I really like it. The fit is good, and the dress looks both delicate and cool at the same time.
My only regret was not to have the time to make/buy the burgundy fabric/shawl that was to be draped across the shoulders and tied below the bust, as in the fashion plate.
Fashion Through Herstory 