Yellow Regency Gown ~ Part 1!

So!  After months and months of putting off cutting into that gorgeous reproduction fabric out of fear and laziness and busyness and school….
I have commenced work on my yellow Regency gown! 😀

The Christmas Regency Ball is just a month away, and as finals is the week before the ball, I thought it best to get it done while I have a lull in exams and homework.
Today I undertook the scariest part of sewing…. cutting out all the pieces.

So glad that’s over with! 🙂
Tomorrow I plan to begin work on the actual sewing.  Because it is reproduction fabric and I want this to be as authentic as possible, I think I might try something new and hand-sew all the visible seams.  I will also be sewing on blue piping to the neckline and sleevebands.  I’m so excited!  If it turns out as planned, it’s going to be so pretty! 🙂

And, after I finish the dress, if I have time, I am going to make a new petticoat and possibly a new corset.  🙂

Elinor’s Sage Green Regency Gown

First of all, I know this looks a lot different than what I posted about here. That is because the thick satin I had originally bought was too thick and heavy and just not nice to work with, especially for a ballgown, and the darts were being so unruly and it was fitting well over my stays so I finally decided to buy new fabric and start all over again.

I’m glad I did!

Pattern Description: Simplicity 4055, View A (ha ha…. again, sort of 😉 ) (loosely based)

Pattern Sizing: Size 8

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Not really. Again, I made some alterations so it doesn’t look much like the original.

Were the instructions easy to follow? I feel like I’m repeating the last survey… the instructions were just peachy! 🙂

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? See last post on this subject.

Fabric Used: Something new, finally! 😀 Um…. what kind of fabric did I use? You’d think I’d know my fabrics better. It’s a silky fabric from JoAnn fabrics, but it’s not solid silk and it’s not solid green either. 🙂 It’s very light and drapes wonderfully in the Regency style. 🙂

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: I didn’t alter it as much as Margaret’s but the look ended up quite different. I cut the front bodice piece farther from the edge and at an angle to produce the gathered look. The front bodice and the back bodice I raised by a couple inches for modesty (I could have raised it higher in the back though). I also shortened the skirt and fastened the back with hooks and eyes instead of buttons.

I was going to do a sheer overlay on the sleeves but the overlay fabric was shredding (em-hem, fraying– sorry, Kitty’s sitting next to me on my bed 😉 ) so much, so I didn’t.

Would you sew it again? Em-hem. Like, YEAH!!

Would you recommend it to others? See above answer or previous post.

Okay, more pictures….

Hairstyle done by brilliant Marianne (thanks, Marianne! ) Didn’t she do a lovely job? It was loosely based off of Lizzy’s in the 2005 Pride & Prejudice. Not exact, of course (I didn’t have the pearls 😦 ) but still, inspired. 😉

The gloves are from Icing by Claire’s. $15. The only opera-length gloves in the whole mall. 🙂

Now some goofy poses, because, of course, I can sometimes get a little goofy… (“sometimes?” 😉 ) (Right now I’m feeling goofy 😉 )

“Now he danced the first two with Jane, and the next with Charlotte Lucas, which vexed me greatly, but lo, there in the very next, nothing would please him better but to stand up with Jane again! And then of course he danced with Lizzy… and then, what do you think he did next??” 😉

Me pretending to me Miss Wiggin to Beatrix and Norman (from Miss Potter) 😉 Thankfully they didn’t give me any intoxicated coffee. 😛

And here’s all four of us!

Elinor, Margaret, Marianne, and Colonel Brandon (Alex)

I’ll try to do a post soon with links to videos of the ball!

Pictures by/from Mrs. Dashwood, Brandon P., Hannah M., and Margaret Dashwood

Margaret’s Ballgown

I am so thankful for the Lord’s help as I hurried to get this dress done in less than a week’s time! He helped me to not get stressed and to not run into big problems, and I got it done in time!

The ladies on the Sense and Sensibility forum were also so helpful as I needed help getting the darts just right.

Doesn’t Margaret look lovely?

Pattern Description: Simplicity 4055, View A (sort of 🙂 )

Pattern Sizing: Size 12

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Not too much… I made a lot of alterations, now that I think about it 🙂

Were the instructions easy to follow? Sure… I’ve done this pattern several times, and have made LOTS of Regency doll dresses, so it comes easily to me now 🙂

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? It’s Regency! Of course I love it! I can’t think of anything I dislike about it at the moment…

Fabric Used: costume satin from JoAnn Fabrics

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: Lots. 🙂 I darted the bodice instead of gathered it; omitted the overlay; shortened the skirt; raised the neckline, and worked the sash from View B into View A. 🙂 (“Ya got that all, honey?” 😉 )

Would you sew it again? Oh yes. Of course! 😀 Though I don’t think I want to do the darts again; they’re so hard to get to look right!

Would you recommend it to others? You know the answer already! Of course!!! 😀

More pictures:

Photos by/from Mrs. Dashwood, Elinor Dashwood, and Brandon P.

Hairdo!

Ok, so when you see the curling irons out, you know that hair is gonna be done…

and it certainly was!! Marianne practiced my (Margaret’s) hair-style I want for the ball! We based it off of Taylor Swift’s hair in the music video “Love Story”.

Not exactly the same because I have bangs…

But I think it’s definitely close!! Marianne did a GREAT job!!

The decorative headband I got from Claire’s for $10.50, and I also got a new necklace at the same place for the same price, but you’ll see that when we post pictures of the ball! 😀

I’m excited!! 🙂

~Margaret

P.S. Don’t you love my “Hamot Shock Trauma” T-shirt that’s 3 sizes too big for me? Totally goes w/ the hairstyle! 😀

Making Progress :-)

Besides the “Lucy” outfit, I also finished (late Saturday night), the matching dresses for B. and her doll.  I didn’t get a picture of the girl-sized dress, but here’s the doll dress.

The flower circle was scary to make but I love how it turned out!

Anyway, I am nearly done with my Regency dress, except for the hem and the back fastenings, and I finished Margaret’s bodiced petticoat (except for hemming it, which she will do).  That means all I have to do is make her Regency gown and we’ll be ready (clothing-wise) for the ball!  Well, except, we still need to get gloves… going to run to the mall sometime early next week as we heard they have gloves at Icing.  We got really cute shoes at Walmart that look very Regency.  Maybe I’ll get pictures later to show you.  At any rate, you will be seeing pictures from the ball (if all works out as planned) and then you’ll see the dresses, shoes, and (hopefully) gloves. 🙂

~Elinor

Regency Gown Progress 2

 My Regency gown is coming along pretty well!  I darted the bodice instead of gathering it; that took some experimenting, even after I made the mock-up (I think I redid the darts four times :-S ) but I think I’ve gotten them right now.  Today I attached the skirt to the bodice.  Here is the dress so far (sorry about my very straight face; I didn’t have my coffee this afternoon….)

Now I have to hem it, put in the back fastenings (probably hook-and-eyes), sew the waistband, and make the sleeves.

I still have to buy the sheer material for those.  Here’s a shot of Jane’s so you can see what I mean:

I’m afraid my dress isn’t going to look half as pretty as hers (I’m realizing more and more that it’s not even the same color 😛 ), but maybe I’m just thinking that because today has been one of those “Jonah” days, as Anne Shirley would say, in which so many little things go wrong 😉  (and it’s all because I didn’t have my afternoon coffee!  JK 😉 )  Anyway, we’ll see– I hope it turns out well in the end.  But now I need to put away the sewing machine for the day and either write my novel or do a Pilates workout– both of which are relaxing and may help to counter the lack of an afternoon coffee… 😉

Christmas Projects Progress / Regency Gown Progress

I finished the dress for the first order today and have just a little ways to go on the doll dress. Here it is:

It is based off another dress that the mom of the girl I’m making it for had ordered from an Etsy shop a couple years ago.  Her little girl has grown out of that dress so she asked me to make one similar to it. The project was fun and easy.  Mrs. H bought the T-shirt from the store, then I cut off several inches from the bottom of the shirt, cut out the skirt, and sewed that onto the T-shirt.  I also added pockets of another fabric and made a fabric “flower” design similar to the one on S’s original dress.  Cutting out the circles for the “flower” and positioning them just right was a challenge, but a good one.

I will be making another one of these for S’s best friend once I get the fabric for it.  The doll dresses are also matching (I made the T-shirt piece for the doll dresses from the fabric I cut off from the bottom of the main T).

Today I also made the mock-up for my Regency gown for the ball.  This is the movie gown I decided to re-make.  It is so beautiful!

I’m altering the main pattern (Simplicity 4055, View A) so that it has a darted front instead of gathered; I am also adding a waistband and raising the neckline and inch or two.  I noticed that the sleeves in Jane’s dress in the picture above appear to have a sheer material overlay, and I did not buy any fabric to do that; and the fabric seems to have an imprinted design, and my fabric doesn’t have the either, but the basic construction will be the same, and the color similar.  (The camera did not capture the color accurately; it is a deeper green than the pictures show.)

(The smaller cut of fabric on top is the lining; the larger cut is for the main body of the dress. 🙂 )

It’s a beautiful day here in my State today; most of the leaves have fallen from the trees, and the sun is casting a silver glow on the edges of the gray clouds interspersed here and there against the sky.  God is so good and has been reminding me of His wisdom and care as He orders the events in my life for my good and His glory.  It is exciting to see Him at work in so many different ways, from the lives of His people to the intricate details of the leaves changing colors and falling.  Everywhere are traces of His presence!

Have a wonderful weekend, friends!  Keep your eyes on Jesus!

P.S. The picture in the middle of the post is from the film “Becoming Jane”.  I have not seen this film, so I leave recommendation to others– judging my some reviews I read, I am not sure it is one I want to see.  I have collected screenshots from various places, however, and there appear to be some very beautiful costumes, including the one I am trying to remake. 🙂

What Have I Been Up To?

Well, you know, Christmas is coming! 🙂  I can’t believe how many sewing projects I have to get done by Christmas!!

• Matching dresses for a girl and her doll
• Progress: 1/2 done
• Matching pajamas for the same girl and her doll
•  Not yet begun, fabric purchased
• Matching dresses for this girl’s best friend and her doll
• Not yet begun
• Matching pajamas for another girl and her four dolls
• Not yet begun
• A few simple skirts for yet another little girl
• Not yet begun
• A bodiced petticoat for Margaret
• Not yet begun, fabric bought
• A Regency gown for Margaret
• Not yet begun, fabric bought
• A Regency gown for myself
• Not yet begun, fabric bought

Oh dear.  I’m beginning to feel almost overwhelmed!!  But it’s a good overwhelmed.  Sewing is, after all, something I love to do. 😉  I just hope I can get everything done in time.
Well, I had better get back to work on my project….  finish the first set of matching dresses and move right away to the bodiced petticoat.
Merry Pre-Christmas Season, everyone! 🙂 🙂 🙂

P.S. On another note, I sold two doll dresses on Etsy this week (YAY!!!) and am buying a serger!!!!  Woot woot!!!!  I’m so excited about it! 😀

Material!!!!! :)

Hello from Margaret!

This is a post about my material for my Regency dress for the ball in December!!!! I originally wasn’t going to get red and gold, but the green that I wanted was too expensive, and when I saw this crimson stuff, I was like “Aww, man, that’d be a cool dress.” So I bought it. 😀 The gold will be the sash, and maybe trim, if I need it. 😀 I’m SOOO excited!!!! 🙂

I love the buttons. 🙂

Just thought I’d share that with you all! 🙂 🙂
~Margaret

Regency Gowns Yet to Come!

I am so thrilled!!  We just found out that we, Lord willing, will be attending a Regency-themed Christmas Ball in December!!!  I am SO EXCITED, for one reason, because I’ve always wanted to attend a Regency ball, and for another reason, I never thought I’d have the opportunity to make and wear a Regency ballgown, and now I do! 😀

Marianne and Margaret have already told me what kind of dress they would like me to make them.  Marianne is interested in a dress similar to the dress Emma (Gwyneth Paltrow) wears to Box Hill in the Mirimax version of Emma, or View A of the Simplicity version of Jennie Chancey’s Regency Dress pattern.

 Margaret is interested in a dress similar to Emma’s green evening gown in the 2009 BBC miniseries of Emma.

Now, you think I know which gown I want to make?

Me?  Indecisive me?

No way!

A hundred options lie before me.  Well, maybe not a hundred, but in any case, I have a lot of ideas.

 I love the following two dresses from Persuasion.  We’ll call them Anne’s Rose-Colored Evening Gown and Anne’s Concert Gown (because she wears it to the opera concert).

I’m not sure why, but have always liked this dress of Charlotte’s.  I think it is the more modest neckline and the lovely trim.  I’d make the waistline lower though.

 Then there is the afore-admired Marianne Crossover Dress, but would it be practical for dancing in?

I also just noticed this lovely dress from Becoming Jane.  I’ve always wanted a green gown! 🙂  (BTW, referencing a gown from the movie does not mean I approve of the movie.  I actually haven’t watched it, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s not the story of the real Jane Austen. 😛 )

 

This would be a little later than Regency, but I do love Amy Dorrit’s ballgown/wedding gown too.

What do you think?  Which of the above should I make for myself?  Or should I be creative and make something of my own imagination? 😀

Edited October 13th: A dear and honest friend of mine expressed a concern about some of the immodest dresses in some of the pictures I posted (Lizzie’s and Caroline’s) so I have either removed or cropped them.  I apologize to those whom the pictures may have offended.  I do want this site to be honoring to the Lord, so if ever you have a concern, please feel free to voice it to me in a comment or email.