A new gown deserves a new mantle!

After finishing my new chintz gown, I decided to make a silk mantle to go with it.  I wanted to use the same changeable silk that I had used for the breast knot and trim on my cap but I was afraid that I didn't have enough for a mantle with the amount of trim I wanted to do.  I saved the rest of that silk for a plain petticoat and found another changeable silk that is really close.  It's a little more red--dark red warp and ivory weft.  Rather than draft a new pattern, I hd cut  a plain Marie mantle or wool several years ago and decided to go ahead and use the pattern pieces for the body and hood.  I wanted to line the body for a little extra warmth and did so with white taffeta.  I basically used my own construction methods.

This mantle pattern was evidently based on this mantle in the V&A Museum.  I planned the trim based on this design, however I had the center front trim facing the opposite direction so I was able to make one long piece of trim for the entire perimeter of the mantle body.  I seamed the shorter pieces together after pinking and fray blocked all the pinked edges on the wrong side.  Since I had set up a millinery in the village at my last event, I wanted a project to work on so I completed the mantle and worked on whip gathering the trim and pinning it to the mantle.  I was able to get most of the perimeter done.

It's amazing how the lighting affects the color of this silk in photographs!

Body trim is done!

I cut narrower trim which was whip gathered down the center for the hood and neck.

My next challenge was finding ribbon for the ties that would at least coordinate with the silk.  I found some 2 inch wide silk satin that was a great color but way too wide.  I couldn't remember the name of it as I had bought it from MJ Trims which is out of business and I couldn't check the website.  I took a chance and ordered some 1 inch wide dark red from Farmhouse Fabrics.  Turned out to be the same color!  The ties will be under the trim.

Here's the finished mantle (without the ties).

I love how it turned out!  I'm a sucker for frothy trim, even though I tend to grumble about the amount of time it takes to make it.  Next gown will hopefully be simpler.  Planning to have a new gown in progres for my Interpreter in Residence days at the Museum of the American Revolution.