Copyright AriaAustin, 1999 - 2010, all rights reserved.
Cotton & Silk Regency Gown In the Making
A wonderful advantage to regency gowns is that they are very adaptable to everyday wearing rather than being something else to store in the closet until an appropriate event comes up.
With regency dresses, I always start with the bodice. I sewed the curved back pieces together, then joined the back pieces with the shoulders of the front. This was done for both the lining and outside part, though which is which doesn't matter right now since it's the same fabric. The lining and outside sewn sewn around the neckline and both back edges, then the curves aroud the neckline were clipped, and the whole piece pressed.
From here, the skirt's front pieces were sewn to the skirt's back pieces. The seams were pinked (cut with zig-zag cutter). The seams were pressed open afterward to give a nice, light finish that won't fray. In the second photo, you can see the neat finish inside and out. The uneven bottom of the hem will later be cut to measure and hand-hemmed.
The skirt's lining and outside were basted together at the top and treated as one for the next step. The placket has several short simple steps I won't describe in any detail. However it gives a closure for the skirt with no gaping. The placket allows for a clean overlapping.
The sash is a simple length of fabric sewn along the edges with the ends at an angle. A couple inches along the center were left open to allow for turning the sash inside out. The sash was pinned to the skirt's outside with the bodice outside pinned on top of that, lining free, and sewn together. The photo on the right is much closer to the actual color.
The bodice lining was turned under, completely concealing the waist seams both inside and out. Then the lining was carefully hand-whip-stitched in place. Unless you look carefully, the stitching isn't even noticeable in person.
The sleeves were gathered to the cuffs, and sewn on one side. The cuffs were folded once, then twice around the raw edges of the sleeves, pinned, and slip-stitched by hand. This gives an inside finish that is as neat as the outside.
After the sleeve cuffs were sewn, I attached the sleeves to the bodice though didn't take any pictures of this step. I was "on a roll". The sleeve caps were gathered to fit the bodice, sewn about 3/8" from the edge, then bound with biac-cut fabric the same way the sleeve cuffs were done
The hems are pinned up and pressed, then blind-hemmed by hand. Blind-hemming is very similar to whip-stitching, but with blind-hemming, only one ot two threads are picked up, making the stitching much more difficult to see from the outside of the garment than regular hemming with a sewing machine. A version of blind-hemming can be done with a sewig machine in less time, but I find there is more control doing this by hand.
Lastly buttonholes were made using one of the buttonhole settings on my machine. The holes were cut open and buttins securely sewn on. I didn't get any pictures during this step.
With regency dresses, I always start with the bodice. I sewed the curved back pieces together, then joined the back pieces with the shoulders of the front. This was done for both the lining and outside part, though which is which doesn't matter right now since it's the same fabric. The lining and outside sewn sewn around the neckline and both back edges, then the curves aroud the neckline were clipped, and the whole piece pressed.
From here, the skirt's front pieces were sewn to the skirt's back pieces. The seams were pinked (cut with zig-zag cutter). The seams were pressed open afterward to give a nice, light finish that won't fray. In the second photo, you can see the neat finish inside and out. The uneven bottom of the hem will later be cut to measure and hand-hemmed.
The skirt's lining and outside were basted together at the top and treated as one for the next step. The placket has several short simple steps I won't describe in any detail. However it gives a closure for the skirt with no gaping. The placket allows for a clean overlapping.
The sash is a simple length of fabric sewn along the edges with the ends at an angle. A couple inches along the center were left open to allow for turning the sash inside out. The sash was pinned to the skirt's outside with the bodice outside pinned on top of that, lining free, and sewn together. The photo on the right is much closer to the actual color.
The bodice lining was turned under, completely concealing the waist seams both inside and out. Then the lining was carefully hand-whip-stitched in place. Unless you look carefully, the stitching isn't even noticeable in person.
The sleeves were gathered to the cuffs, and sewn on one side. The cuffs were folded once, then twice around the raw edges of the sleeves, pinned, and slip-stitched by hand. This gives an inside finish that is as neat as the outside.
After the sleeve cuffs were sewn, I attached the sleeves to the bodice though didn't take any pictures of this step. I was "on a roll". The sleeve caps were gathered to fit the bodice, sewn about 3/8" from the edge, then bound with biac-cut fabric the same way the sleeve cuffs were done
The hems are pinned up and pressed, then blind-hemmed by hand. Blind-hemming is very similar to whip-stitching, but with blind-hemming, only one ot two threads are picked up, making the stitching much more difficult to see from the outside of the garment than regular hemming with a sewing machine. A version of blind-hemming can be done with a sewig machine in less time, but I find there is more control doing this by hand.
Lastly buttonholes were made using one of the buttonhole settings on my machine. The holes were cut open and buttins securely sewn on. I didn't get any pictures during this step.
The Finished Gown
Copyright AriaAustin, 1999 - 2010, all rights reserved.
Copyright AriaAustin, 1999 - 2010, all rights reserved.