1820s late Regency dress making patterns from The Tailor's Apprentice

The new flyer for my soon to be released 1820s late Regency gowns. Get on the alert mailing list today!

These gowns will be available as separate patterns, Diana and Charlotte, or you can 'mix-n-match' to create a different gown altogether!

I believe these are the first 'Mix-n-match' Regency patterns on the market. Choose a bodice style, a sleeve style and different trims for the skirt. You will be able to create a versatile wardrobe for day, evening and dance events. No gown need look the same in your closet. Only buy the pattern part you require!

As the year progresses, more variations will be added to the 1820s Wardrobe Collection.

Diana is based on the gowns worn by the women archers in the 1823 painting Meeting of the Royal British Bowmen, 1823. It can be worn in the colours of the club, or turned into a lovely walking ensemble for an afternoon promenade or, with the right choice of fabrics, into a delightful ball gown.

Taken from 'Meeting of the Royal British Bowmen, 1823'

Charlotte is based on early 1820s full dress (evening gown), with a number of variations for the bodice neckline and different trims, you can create your very own gown to suit your needs and fabric choices.

These gowns will be available as separate patterns, Diana and Charlotte, or you can 'mix-n-match' to create a different gown altogether!

Pre-order available very soon, get on the mailing list to be the first in the know!

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I'm The Tailor's Apprentice and I have created The Miss Page Vintage Pattern Collection. 1940s WWII dress making patterns for the 21st century woman. Patterns created by me from my extant 1940s gowns. All my patterns are available on Etsy and my website where you'll find out more about me as well. This year I am publishing an 1820s gown wardrobe pattern.

A 1920s Robe de Style

From my 1920s Pinterest board

I adore the 20s Robe de Style gowns, they hark back to the 18th century pannier gowns and they have a waist and hips.

I decided to make one for this year's Blue Mountains Roaring Twenties and All That Jazz festival this February.

My friend Sam gave me a copy of Draping a Magic Dance Gown from 1928. Now who wouldn't want to make a 'magic' dance gown!

I decided to use it as my guide to make my own dance gown as it has all of the elements of a Robe de Style. I intended wearing the gown to the Tango Evening at The Parragon Cafe in Katoomba.

I didn't chart my progress I'm afraid, but I followed the guide faithfully and here is my result.


My fabric was a silk chiffon saree for the over gown and the under gown was a 'gold' lame for the bodice and a beautiful blue silk for the skirt, all from the fabric stash.

Good photo of gown, shame my eyes are shut though!

I used pink netting, also from the stash, to make my panniers, that was the only deviation I made from the instructions.

 I loved the way it turned out, finally a 20s gown that I enjoy wearing!

Tangoing badly, lol!

Eyes open this time.

I love the gown, its fun to wear and I love the huge hips the pannier's provide. I know, I'm weird!

An 1813 cloak for Jane Austen Festival Australia 2013

I'm making an 1813 cloak for Jane Austen Festival Australia 2013 challenge, which is to create an outfit to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the publication of Pride and Prejudice.

I've been in love with the gorgeous blue cloak on the left since I found it and pinned it to my 1813 Pinterest board. I love everything about it, the shape, especially the pointed front, its colours, the embroidery, its so stylish, so I am replicating the design for the challenge.

First challenge was to figure out how the shape was created, its not a simple circle, the water colour doesn't show any seams, so really, its all guesstimate informed with period construction.

My Jean Hunniset book has been fabulous an gave me the period cloak shape to use. The triangle points at the top can be extended to create the style I am after. This cape is one from the early 19th century and therefore totally possible to use for 1813.

The back has a lovely curve that I can also emulate, I cant see the back of the Ackerman's water colour, but it does curve up towards the back, so I can use this detail happily.

Toile
I drafted my toile from the above pattern, elongating the front and back pieces and this is what I got.

Look at that, its an almost exact replica, very pleased.

Here's one with the hood toile included, used a different pattern for the hood, still from Jean Hunnisett, but the type used by the fashionable red cloaks of the period with the pleated centre.

So toile done, now to get into the fashion fabric ...

Fashion fabric
The cotton velvet is much harder to work with than the calico of course, but the results are so pretty.

I love this fabric, the lining is a floral cotton.

With hood pined on, hood lined in silk taffeta

Back view

Front view with hood

Trimming pinned on for hand stitching

Hand stitching trim
Its coming together, now I need to hand stitch down the trim, and the hood and embellish it.

As the cloak is hand stitched I had issues with velvet on velvet that doesn't happen with my Pfaff with its integrated walking foot. This was much more noticeable when I was attaching the pink velvet trim, the velvets kept on 'walking and buckling, argh!

Attaching the hood

I pleated the cloak's neck, it could have been cartridge pleated or gathered, all three are appropriate for the period. I gathered the cloak's velvet hood and then pinned and hand stitched down. I should have gathered the hood of lining and fashion fabric first, d'oh, so I did that next while I had access.

Gathered end of hood, this could have been cartridge pleated as well

Adding the cover to hide the pleats, I created a kind-of Suffolk Puff

Repeated with silk lining

Covering the gathers

Hood silk lining covers the seams and was hand stitched down.

Ribbon ties
The cloak is very heavy so to ensure my ribbon ties stay attached I used 2 metres of ribbon and stitched it around the the outside neck of the cloak. I doubt this is period, but it will work.

Embellishing

The original water colour has what looks to be embroidery of roses and leaves all around the cape, this is way too complicated for my minimalist embroidery skills and the time available. So I bought pre-made pink roses on green leaves made of ribbon. These weren't cheap, $A5.99 for 6 pieces, ouch! Needs must however and I bought them and stitched to the pink trim. I bought 6 packets, not enough to replicate the Ackerman's profusion, but all that were available. Here's the results.

I will 'gather ye rosebuds' (sorry couldn't resist!) and attach them when they have been restocked to properly replicate the Ackerman watercolour embellishment, but I am very pleased with my reproduction of the cloak.

The #Historical Sew Fortnight Challenge 'just the facts mam'

The Challenge: Embellish. Reproduction of an 1813 Ackerman's water colour fashion drawing
Fabric: cotton velvet, cotton printed lining and silk for the hood lining
Pattern: Jean Hunniset book has been fabulous an gave me the period cloak shape to use
Year: 1813
How historically accurate is it: as accurate as I could make it, hand stitched, fabrics are natural, pattern is of the time period.
Hours to complete: Two weeks
First worn: not worn yet, next week at the Jane Austen Festival Australia
Total cost: about $90 for blue velvet, pink velet from stash, plus ~$60'ish' for trimmings

Making gowns in the style of 1813 to celebrate 200 years of Pride and Prejudice

I have been living in 1813 for the past few months making gowns for a client who will wear them at the Jane Austen Festival in Canberra where we will celebrate the 200 anniversary of the publication of Pride and Prejudice.

My client had bought the four delicious silk sarees for her gowns. Shawl and saree gowns were all the rage in the early 19th century and there are many examples to enjoy in the fashion journals of the time.

The beautiful gown to the left is a fine example of a shawl gown, using the patterns woven into the shawl as the major feature of the dress

My brief was to keep things simple, use the saree fabric as the main decoration but ensure an 1813 fashionable silhouette. 

So what are the elements of an 1813 gown?
The skirt shape has lost its flowing classical lines and become more conical, an A-line shape at the front. This has been happening over the last few years, especially in France.  The classical style hasn't disappeared completely, you will still see gowns made along these lines, but if your a modern follower of fashion you are probably sporting an A-line front to your skirt. The back is still using gathers and is quite full, but the length is the same as the front.

A very short bodice, bodice length has been getting higher and your 'waistline' sits just under your bust line. V-necks are very fashionable, especially for full dress (evening gowns), sitting right on the edge of your shoulders. Coloured bodices and white skirts are also popular.

Puffed, short sleeves with long sleeve extensions are very fashionable. The romantic styles of the Tudors and the Renaissance are influencing your sleeve styling.

Colour has become fashionable again, thankfully!

Your gown is short, particularly a French gown, its above your ankles showing off your lovely slippers and those pretty clocks on your silk stockings.

Visit my 1813 Pinterest board to see the styles and variations during the years 1810- 1814.

So, with all this in mind, how did I create my four gowns? My pattern making was informed by Period Costume for Stage & Screen: Patterns for Women's Dress, 1800-1909 by Jean Hunnisett and Janette Haslam (Jun 1991). This is a fabulous resource as they outline the stylistic fashion changes during the Regency/Directoire/Empire periods.

NB: All these gowns are a size 12, draped on my size 8 dress dummy, so they are not hanging as well as they will on Gabriel.

Day gown
A beautiful gold and floral saree with a lovely white embroidered border.

I cut the 4 skirt panels to ensure that the saree border travelled around the bottom of the skirt. The front skirt has the A-line of 1813, the back, seen in the mirror is a gathered into the back bodice.

The bodice has darts and a drawn string neckline.

Gravity is exerting its toll on the sleeves at the moment.  They will be puff out when on the wearer, sitting midway up her bicep, so they will puff out nicely.

I used the saree border for my binding on sleeves and neck and under the bodice to break up the gold.

Dinner gown

I adore the peach and gold tones in this silk saree.

A fitted bodice with a square neckline and puffed sleeves.

I cut the front panel from the patterned end of the saree. I then matched the saree border in the three other skirt pieces and it all joins 'seamlessly', trust me, lol!

This gown has all the elements as above of A-line skirt, short puffed sleeves, saree border used as binding .



 Full dress (evening gown)

Jade and emerald green with beautiful embroidery ensured that this saree became full dress. Gabriel is a is a vocal performer, so this gown will be worn during one of her performances.

I used a different skirt style for this gown as I wanted to use all the embroidered part of the saree on the front panel. Instead of three A-Line front and side skirt pieces, this 1810 style has darts that create it instead. Its not as pronounced, but I wasn't going to cut into this beautiful embroidery!

The bodice has a ruffled insert, the neck still has a draw string to tighten across the bust line, but the v neckline will remain. The back neckline has a low V line as well.

The sleeves use a Renaissance style to create interest.

Full dress (evening gown)

Stitched together by my assistant, her first full Regency gown, she's done a lovely job and is currently making matching reticules.

Hmm, a tad low at the back, might need a lace fichu!

Fresh water pearls on bodice and sleeves

Bad photos, the saree silk is so sheer you can see through to the underlining!

Phoebe has set herself up an Etsy shop as well, go and check it out.

I'm The Tailor's Apprentice and I have created The Miss Page Vintage Pattern Collection. 1940s WWII dress making patterns for the 21st century woman. Patterns created by me from my extant 1940s gowns. All my patterns are available on Etsy and my website where you'll find out more about me as well. This year I am publishing an 1820s gown wardrobe pattern.