Monday, June 25, 2007

Regency Style


I enjoy fiber blogs. If it has to do with thread, yarn, fabric, or needless, I confess I am always interested in what folks are doing. I used to do quite a bit of sewing pre-children. I have taken tailoring classes and used to be able to make bound button holes and welt pockets. Over the years and children, my sewing has been devoted to flower girl dresses, french seamed smocked christening gowns, and Halloween costumes.

In recent years quilts were the only things running through the sewing machine until Peter Jackson and his Lord of the Rings. It seemed like my library aide and I needed green elven cloaks (and hobbit ears) to wear the day the movies came out. It was always hilarious to see kids "watching" my ears while I taught.

I also sewed an Eowyn dress for Entling no. 2.

Despite my self-inflicted sewing frustrations, (Entling no. 2: What are you doing, Mom? Me: This is a seam ripper. I am un-stitching) I have really enjoyed working on this dress.

Finding the right fabric is really a challenge. We chose something that was VERY inexpensive because I was not sure of fit or how the pattern would go together and regarded this effort as a trial run. Well, when she tried it on I could not believe it. She looked like she had really just stepped out of time.

Still have the hem to go and to study the back closures in some more pictures. I will post a photo when it is done.

Google "Regency Fashion" and you will find tons of results.

Here is a page that lists many patterns that are available.
http://www.songsmyth.com/patternsgowns.html

This page talks about hairstyles, makeup etc. Very very interesting.
http://www.songsmyth.com/costumecreation.html

This is the pattern that I am sewing. It seemed like we got a lot of variety for the money, a spencer jacket, muff, beret. I like the wide range of clothing and styles but you do need sewing experience.
http://www.ravenrook.com/clothier/bagatelle/regency.jsp

This pattern looks very do-able. This company has excellent online instructions:
http://www.sensibility.com/pattern/regency.htm

This girl has actually sewn the patterns. Her work is very interesting to look at.
http://www.koshka-the-cat.com/regency.html


This is a very interesting article: Dressing the Part: Costume in Three Jane Austen Film Adaptations which is fascinating if you are interested in the authenticity of the Austen movie costumes.

Also images from museums of real regency clothing
Fun to see actual stains on the hems and also possibly covered up by embroidery. The time I have put into this dress reminds me that clothing had to be repaired and revived when stained or damaged.

7 comments:

tanita✿davis said...

I always love these, but they look terrifying - I can't imagine what women with larger busts must have done (other than fall out).

Anonymous said...

Bless your heart, Camille -- that post was just for me, I think, and I very much appreciate it.

Today, I spent hours of my time watching three new Austen adaptations. On You Tube. In bite-sized bits. ITV has new productions of Persuasion, Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey. And they are wonderfully excellent. And the leading men -- WOOF! (That's an approving woof, btw, not some attempt to call them dogs. My favorite was Capt. Wentworth in Persuasion for sheer looks and Henry Tilney in Northanger Abbey for elan, but all three are divine.)

Gail Gauthier said...

I don't even know what a welt pocket is.

My peak sewing achievement for children (well, for anything) was a dinosaur costume that took so long to make that I figure with pattern, material, and labor, the thing must have been worth $70 to $100. (I'm not at all clear on what my time is worth.) I also did bathrobes one year for Christmas. And then there were the stickhorse heads, pajama shorts, and a puppet theater.

My boys didn't really know what to do with the stickhorses and the puppet theater.

Now the lid of my sewing machine rarely comes off. The thing is used primarily for hanging wet delicates upon.

Camille said...

A few years ago,Entling no. 2 (it seems like it is always her) needed a "wench" costume for her handbell choir at the madrigal concert. Well, I was working, time was fleeting...you know you can buy those costumes, complete with grommeted laced vests. I think I even "rush" shipped it. I NEVER regretted it and Entling no. 3 has worn it at her madrigal dinner the past two years.

Anonymous said...

Of course it's always me. Who else is truly, honestly interested in all this? Not nos. 1 or 3, not really.

Big thank you, however, for all of it.

-Entling no. 2

tanita✿davis said...

Did either of you read the newest piece in Salon on the Austen-craze currently gripping readers? Interesting. One does wonder what Jane would make of all of this...

Camille said...

This week's Newsweek has an article too about all things Jane! It is in the air!