Spencer - Travel wardrobe for Jane Austen Festival Bath 2012

from the Danish Moden 1790-1840 book

I am creating a travelling wardrobe for this year's (21012) Jane Austen Festival in Bath and am starting with my spencer.

I am keeping to the period of 1805 - 1810, but as close to 1805 as I can. Read my first post on what I hope to create for the Festival.

The spencer I am creating is similar to the one on the left, but as my wardrobe colour is blue, whit and gold, mine is being created in white and blue silk velvet. I am using the spencer from Jeanie's Sense and Sensibility pattern as my starting base.

I wont be showing how I made it as I have done a comprehensive blog post on this pattern before, which Jennie kindly has in her Tips section of her website. So for this post,  I'm just going to show you the results and chat about some issues.

First issue, I have gained weight, le sigh, and I didn't make a toile, I know, bad, bad, sewist! I used my tried and true pattern from last year, but as you can see below, rather than being the lovely closed front, mine is straining open, though I have yet to wear it with my stays, et al so it may not be as disastrous as it could be. It does look nice I feel, strain or no.

Second problem, I somehow cut the collar too short, ... so I had to 'make-do and mend' my lapels by attaching curved pieces of blue velvet as the lining was showing at the point between the collar and the open lapel.

Thirdly, this is silk rayon from my stash and it is a right biach to sew and press! I have a Pfaff with an in-built walking foot, but still an all, it was a right pig to stitch!

Fourth and final, I used organdy as my lining and interlining but I think the velvet needed something heaver fore the collar, its rather floppy.

All that aside, I do like it and am pleased to have it in my 1805 Regency wardrobe.

Front, all hand stitching still needs to be done

Still to have ribbon decoration on the back

So, I tried the jacket on, and yes, it is too small across the bodice, damn my plump bosom!

The lapels did not work, so I am tucking them in, I intend to create an insert V to cover the gap and create two spences from one, mix and match Regency lol!

Back, trim need to be stitched down still and pins are creating puckers, the velvet collar will NOT lie flat, I will have to remove it and see what can be done, bother!

Long back view, despite the too small front, its very comfortable