1780 Gown of Changeable Taffeta

 I decided to make a 1780 day gown using some shot silk taffeta I had.  I had originally purchased it to make a round gown but decided to go ahead and do an English gown.  6 yards was enough though I bought  couple more yards to be able to add a ruffle to the petticoat and some trim.

I made my normal center front closing English gown then decided on the trim styles.  We had a gopwn trimming workshop in which the instructor taught a "pleated and puckered" trim which dates from 1775 on so I decided to try that.

I measured the circumference of my sleeve and cut a wide strip twice that measure by 9 inches for each sleeve.  In order to get a scalloped/pinked line good and straight, I drew a chalk line 1/2 inch parallel with each long edge which I cut on using my 7mm scalloping shears.  For the foundation pieces, I traced the bottom of my sleeve pattern piece and extended that 1 inch below the hem and measured up 6 inches.  Basically it was a 6 inch wide piece.  I also added a little to the seam allowance.  I pressed each long edge up 1 inch.

Before working with my pinked/scalloped pieces, I treated the edges with a non fraying agent.  I prefer June Tailor Fray Block but I was out of that so I used another brand I had.  I've discovered that the trick to applying these fray stop agents is to use a very fine artist's brush and apply it thinly to the very edge.  If the liquid is thick, it won't sink into the fabric which is actually an advantage.  The side that gets "painted" is the wrong side.  

So the diagram below shows the stitching/pleating.  I drew a chalk line one inch from each scalloped edge and I used a chalk marking pencil to draw two large zig zags that were parallel. Use basting stitches to stitch on the zig zag lines leaving thread ends loose on each end so you will be able to draw up the thread but don't draw it up yet!  Make small box pleats along the chalk line, pinning that line to the very edge of the linen foundation piece both at the top and the bottom.

You can see the pinned box pleats.  After those were pleated, I had just a big puffy piece in the middle.  As I pulled on the thread ends (holding both together, the puffy zig zags started to take shape.   You will need to fiddle with this to distribute the puffs/gathers evenly.

Once the gathers are to your liking, stitch the pleats in place along the edge.  Then take small tacking stitches across the center of the zig zags--straight across, hiding these stitches in the folds.  Your stitches on the back will be large.  Also turn under one short edge and stitch

You can see the stitching across the center and where the pleats have been stitched.

I ended up stitching 2 more rows of tacking stitches to control some of the folds/gathers in the front.

Line up the hemmed short edge with the sleeve seam and match the sleeve edge with the bottom edge of the linen on the trim.  Pin in place and tuck the unhemmed short edge under the hemmed edge.   Tack the trim in place on the top and bottom (along where you stitched the pleats).

I decided to add a ruffle to the petticoat.  I cut 4 crosswise strips of taffeta that were 9 inches wide.  I marked a chalkline 1/2 inch in parallel to the long edges and pinked just as had done with the sleeve trim strips.  I also used the fray stop agent on those edges. I seamed these strips together on the short edges, making a huge ring that was twice the circumference of my petticoat.  I needed a guideline for pinning my ruffle so I drew a chalkline on the petticoat 6.5 inches from the hem so that the ruffle would hang off the edge by about an inch and a half. I divided the petticoat into 4ths which were not centered and pinned the ruffle strip to the petticoat at those points.  I don't measure my pleats.  I eyeball them so I just pleated as accurately as I could and it all worked out.

I decided to add scalloped pleated trim to the neck. The finished trim is 2 inches wide but I followed the same procedure of cutting the strip wider and drawing a chalkline to scallop on.  I cut strips that were a bit more than twice the neck (2 strips would each be half that.    I start my pleating for neck trim at the center back and work around, pinning pleats on each side alternately.   Here is the finished gown.  I think I will add trim along the gown skirt fronts as well as internal ties to be able to pull the skirts up.  I'll do that at a later time.

Here is the gown as worn.  Accessories:  a silk gauze Dormeuse cap, silk gauze half handkerchief,  sprigged silk gauze apron and yellow accents which include yellow bows, shoes and a French hat.

Hanging with my 1780 lady friends in Newport!

I'm very pleased with this gown.  I wasn't terribly motivated but once I got the sleeve trim done, I started really liking it.  The beige looks so plain but in the light, you can see the gold threads and they really glisten!