The Jane Austen Festival Drew Ever Nearer…!

As the Mad Sewing Woman stitched away, the urgency…and the panic…increased day by day.  Robert’s coat took shape, with constant tweaking, but he needed trowsers!!  Just what was one to do??  I had never made trousers before, let alone fall-front Regency-style!

With no actual pattern to work from, it was back to making a toile again, and a half-drawn ‘pattern’ that I had scaled up from Norah Waugh’s ‘The Cut Of Men’s Clothes 1600-1900’ and drawn onto calico some time earlier.  This was quickly pinned around Robert and I scribbled seam lines and where to add some extra fabric, before laying out fresh calico for a new toile.  When this didn’t quite work as planned, I grabbed a pair of his jeans and used them as a pattern guide.

Things were beginning to get desperate, as the Promenade was only days away…and I still had my spencer to make!!  The fabric was laid out and cut, then tacked together ready for Robert to try on…not enough room in the rear!!  What was I to do???

I put it aside so that I could quickly run up my spencer, but as the time was ticking by, this item would have to be finished after I’d sorted out the trousers.

Time’s up!!  Packing to be done…off to Trowbridge to stay with Robert’s mum for a few days…sewing gear and fabrics packed too!  Arriving at our destination, I lost no time in unpacking the costumes, and resumed my endeavours…with Robert and Vi’s help.

Next morning, more frantic sewing!!  Put that needle down!!  Time to get ready…we were already running late…!!