My New Regency Spencer
September 18, 2011
Mrs Gummidge and the lion
The Jane Austen Festival 2011 is almost upon us, and this year I am not going to promenade around Bath looking like Worzelina Gummidge!!!
This year I will have a new one to go with my new bonnet and reticule…
Bonnet & Reticule
The toile (calico mock-up) has been completed, tried on and I am really happy with how it looks so far…but whilst trimming the pieces in order to transfer the pattern to paper, I discovered that the back panel is lop-sided. Oh poo!! I shall have to err on the side of generosity in order not to make it too small…it will be easier to take it in, then.
The pattern was transferred from calico to paper…
Ready to go...
Fabric was cut out, darts and notches marked. I am not too sure about historically correct construction methods at this stage in my ‘costume-making’ experience, but I do believe that sewing the top fabric and lining together is known as flat-lining, as opposed to making the garment and lining seperately then joining them together, as we do nowadays.
This is what I was going to do, but then I ended up doing that with the back piece, but the side-back and front pieces were sewn together then the lining was sewn to these, so the seams were hidden. The sleeves were made double thickness, then attached to the bodice.
The collar is going to be a small stand collar that merges with the bodice down the front, but I had been having problems acheiving the shape that I was happy with. The shape was sorted, but I ended up with it going a bit crinkly. 😦
For the cuffs and around the collar and front of the bodice, I cut a scalloped frill with pinking shears, then changed my mind when I tacked it on. I already had a frill that I’d taken off of an old linen pillowcase, so I used this instead. (I didn’t have time to sew the cuff frills on though.
Yesterday was Promenade day, and the weather turned out to be not as good as previous years, so umbrellas were the order of the day rather than parasols! But more of that later…
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Roundgowns & Reticules 
Looking at some fb pictures you look really good!
Thanks Eileen. I have started a blog about Saturday’s promenade, and how this time we were the first ones there…lol! We had a brilliant day, and now I am getting withdrawal symptoms!! 😦
Cuff frills being sewn on today!
Did you make your own pattern for the spenser?
Yes, I took the pattern from the previous spencer that I’d made, and re-adjusted it for a better fit.
The very first spencer that I made, in cream satin, was worked out through trial and error, as I had no patterns at the time, apart from Janet Arnold’s Patterns of Fashion…but I now have a pattern that I bought at this year’s Jane Austen Festival.
I’m debating weather to buy a pattern or not. As I’m quite enjoying this ‘moulage’ style approach to making clothes.
The thing about having proper patterns is that you can trace off what you need, and alter it yourself if you require a different style.
This is one of the reasons that I love calico! It’s cheap, and the mock-up pattern that you end up with can also be used for lining or inter-lining…or kept as a pattern itself. (Note to self: Mark calico pattern pieces so that I don’t end up throwing them away!!)
Today New Years Day I am starting a Regency Dress taken from an existing dress already made up, so making myself do the pattern accurately which I know will be vital.sAY A LITTLE PRAYER FOR ME !!!!!!!!
Good luck Ellen…remember to take lots of photos so you can refer to them, as well as notes, etc. I look forward to seeing the finished gown…Happy New Year…X