There's nothing like a new bonnet and summer Spencer!

Time for a super quickie project.  I had made a half-bodiced petticoat which I wrote about in this post and I decided to make something summery to wear over it for the Battle of North Point which is typically very hot.  I had recently seen the Fig Leaf unlined Spencer made up and I really liked it so I thought it would be a great little summer garment.

I had recently made 2 blue gowns and I had seen an Indienne cotton in a purple print that I liked.  I decided to consult my favorite little color guide which was published in 1820.

The colors are a bit washed out in the reprint of the book but there were indeed a number of purples in it.

I ordered the last 8 yards of this Indienne voile to make the Spencer and a long sleeved Regency gown.  I made the Spencer according to the pattern directions, cutting it with the higher neckline.  It was pretty quick.  The seams are flat felled, there's a wide tape waistband stitched in the back.

The underbust casings are made with 3/8 inch tape and there's a casing around the neck.

Here's what it looks like from the front.

I had purchased a hemp straw bonnet blank from Timely Tresses  at our August Regency Weekend.  Dannielle makes these individually with hemp braid.  I decided I wanted to be able to use this blank with other outfits so I used 3 inch moire ribbon and wrapped it around starting in the front and crossing it in the back.  I used small silk pins to hold it in place.

I tied a bow in the front, slipping a small bunch of flowers behind it and pinned the bow loops in place.

Then I draped the rest of the ribbon over the sides, experimenting with placement and pinned them in place from the inside.  I figured by pinning, I could take the ribbon off and exchanged it for another color.  It took about 3 yards of ribbon.

I was really pleased with the bonnet and the spencer.  The spencer is extremely comfortable as the armscye is cut a bit larger than a gown.  The voile made it nice and cool for a late summer day.

I highly recommend this pattern.  It's straight forward and a quick sew -- even by hand.  This little spencer can take on a whole different look depending on the fabric choice .  I definitely see a few more of these in my future!

2019 Costuming Goals. Let the fun begin.

Once again, I will attempt to identify my costuming goals for 2019.  Unlike last year's list,  I will actually accomplish at least some of these though I can't be responsible for unexpected events requiring me to make other choices.  LOL.  Some of these are already planned for specific events which helps. Deadlines can be good things.  I'm really hoping this will be the year of the sacque.  It's long overdue.   The best thing about this list is that I have all of the supplies for everything on it with the exception of the velvet Spencer and the Titanic era outfit.

This list does not include any modern sewing projects, household or gift sewing.  Strictly costuming stuff.  Nor does it include anything like samples to be prepared for workshops.

Here it is--because we all need goals. Right? I wonder how many I can do.

(1) 1770 Wool Sateen Mourning gown, matching petticoat, small hip pads and two caps--lappet for daywear and wired wing cap for dressier occasions.  This is needed for the third week in January.

The gown and lappet cap will be based on this image:

With the finer neck handkerchief and cap based on this one:

Worsted sateen complete with requisite cat hair

(2) 1780's Spotted worsted long sleeved Italian gown and pink worsted petticoat.  This is needed for the last week in February.

(3) 1760's Silk damask gown with shot silk petticoat (and possibly a royal blue one to switch out).  Hope to have enough fabric fore a matching stomacher.  Gown based on this example in the Met.  Would like to have this finished for the last week in February.

(4) 1818 Velvet Spencer from DAR's An Agreeable Tyrant Exhibit.  This may become a long term project as I don't expect to wear it until next winter.

(5)Titanic Era outfit--to be chosen from these 2 patterns.  Needed in April.

(6)Cotton chintz sacque based on this extant.  I'd like to complete this to wear to His Exellency's estate on Independence Day.  This was on this past year's list of goals so it's a priority to get this one done.

(7) Lady Hodge's gown as shown in her family portrait with the neck handkerchief, cap and sleeve flounces.  I have gold silk in an exact match!  This was also on the past year's list.  The monthly challenge in the Historical Sew Fortnightly for August is to copy a picture so I would like to attempt to complete this project for that challenge.

(8) World War 2 era Red Cross Military Service uniform like the one my mother wore.  Need this for Veterans Day.

If time permits, A regency gown copied from this illustration in Costume in Detail out of the spotted muslin and an unlined bedgown out of one of the linens.  I hope to also begin planning a riding habit to begin early 2020.  These are not high on the list and may move to next year's list.

Gown fabric--cotton voile with woven diamond spots:

Bedgown linens:

I do also have 2 long term projects in mind--basically these are projects that I will work on at events over an extended period of time. One of these will be worked on simultaneously with the projects above.  Listed in order of completion.

(1)  Silk quilted petticoat in French blue taffeta--to be started in January.

(2) One set of stays--either the Larkin & Smith 1770's stays in blue worsted or a set of 1780's half boned stays in pink worsted--as yet to be determined which.  Hope to start them toward the end of the year.

Let the challenge begin!

Drawstring Block Print Regency Gown and Spencer.

A little diversion from the 18th century--

I decided that I needed a more common gown for Regency events and I didn't want to invest a lot of money.  I found a small Indian block print on Ebay that I liked and got 5 yards of it.  The width was only 42 inches wide so it took all 5 yards to make a simple drawstring gown.  I used the Sense & Sensibility Elegant Lady's Closet pattern with a few easy changes:  I added 4 inches to the width of the front so that I would have more gathers on the bodice and I lowered the neckline by 2 inches.  I also made the lower drawstring so that it tied at the center front inside the gown and made the sleeve band narrower.  The gown was entirely stitched by hand using tiny French seams on the skirt and flat felled seams on the lined bodice.  This is a really comfy gown for a hot day.  Here is the fitting:

The Spencer was a little more challenging.  I love the sketch of the spotted muslin Spencer in the book Costume in Detail.  I decided that I would make a similar one out of olive green cotton to go with my gown.  Here is what I had to work with.

The bodice front looks just like the bodice of my gown.  I thought it would be easy enough to adapt the same dress pattern for this project. The original is unlined so I decided mine would be as well.  I cut the back pieces the same as the gown.  I used the front lining pieces and raised the neckline so the finished bodice would be 5 inches high.  I also widened the shoulder pieces slightly.   I lengthened the short sleeve to a finished length of 7 inches as indicated in the drawing and cut the long sleeve included in the pattern.  I left the long sleeve plain instead of making one with the gathered cuff described in the book as my fabric is heavier than the sheer muslin the original was made of.  I also made a very narrow band for the short sleeve as the original has a drawstring and I didn't want a white cord with the green fabric.  I drafted a piece with 3 points --the center being 4 1/2 inches long, the side points being 4 inches long.  The width of the piece with the points was 9 inches wide.  I roll hemmed the pointed piece.  

I stitched the bodice together with felled seams then I stitched the sleeve seams. I cut away 1/4 inch of the lower armscye to make it a little roomier.  I had to baste in each layer of the sleeve separately. The pointed piece was first and I eased it to 8 inches.  Then I basted the short sleeve in which you can see below.

I pinned the long sleeve in and backstitched through all the layers.

The neck edge and the bottom edge had the hems pressed in --1/4 inch turned in then 3/8 inch turned in.  The left front edge was turned in half inch before pressing the neck and bottom edges.  The right front was turned in half in twice AFTER pressing the hems.  An eyelet was made on the right front in the hem at the neck and bottom edges.  This created a flap that covered the ties when the Spencer was closed as in the original.  I used 1/4 inch cotton twill tape and threaded it through both casings.  I stitched the tape in place at the side seams on the bottom edge and at the shoulder seam at the top edge so that the gathers would only be in the front.

The final outfit consisted of my chemise and stays with a strapped white petticoat, chemisette, the new gown and the Spencer.  I wore my Regency cap with no bonnet as I hadn't finished it in time.  I was so glad to have the Spencer as it was cool that day and it added just the right amount of warmth for the day.

I was pleased with the way this turned out.  I really love Costume in Detail.  The sketches are really detailed enough that you can reproduce the outfits with patterns you may have or by draping.  I've found a couple of gowns that are on my list to make at some point.  It's a great book to have in your costuming library.