HSF 2014 - Challenge #15- The Great Outdoors (Regency Spencer)

The Challenge: #15 The Great Outdoors

Fabric: Navy Blue 100% cotton, white lining.

Pattern: S&S regency spencer pattern, and peplum from TV pattern.

Year: 1795-1810 Regency
Notions: White piping, gold braid & buttons

How historically accurate is it? I believe the pattern is accurate. I also found some images on pinterest of fashion plates.
Hours to complete: about a week snatching hours here and there.

First worn: N/A

Total cost: I'm guessing around £25-35.

Notes: I read this quote "The color blue, while seemingly a natural one for the Navy to choose was actually decided upon by the then monarch, George II, who, seeing the Duchess of Bedford ride out in a habit of blue faced with white, was so taken by the combination that he chose the same for his officers’ uniforms."
on jane austen site and that's one of the things that first sparked off the idea. I'm contemplating a 'skirt' to match to make a riding habit ensemble.

I'd learned a few things making my trial version. So this time I had a different approach to the piping. Hand basting it in place first.

I borrowed the peplum off the TV pattern I had for another project. Modifying it slightly so it didn't overpower the spencer.

The Sleeves were narrowed so I didn't have to add the wrist ties. And I added the trim. I decided to have the focus on the back to show off the peplum effect rather than on the front.

HSF 2014 - Challenge #13- Under $10 (Spencer)

The Challenge: #13 Under $10

Fabric: Unknown as it was 'gifted' to me. Scrap of brown lining.

Pattern: S&S spencer pattern
Year: 1800s Regency
Notions: bias binding, string, buttons

How historically accurate is it? I belive the pattern is accurate. Not sure about the materials as they were a bit of an unknown quantity.
Hours to complete: 25 hours approx

First worn: N/A

Total cost: Well the fabric was free, lining was scrap from another project and I've forgotten what I paid. Bias binding lost the reciept but its been in my stash over a year. String 99p. Buttons I think 50p each? So hoping that it came to around £5 mark, guessing at prices and illiminating cost of fashion fabric as I didn't pay for it.

 So I started by using the sense & sensibility pattern. The piping I made using some bias binding I found in my stash and some parcel string.

I had great difficulty getting the piping to go round the curves and points in the collar.

The sleeves took me a bit of figureing out. I messed up the straps to pull in the sleeve fullnes a bit. The inside of the bodice was faced and lined, all except the sleeves.

 I then added the hook and eye and decorative buttons down the front.

I intend to wear it with a plain white dress and a doctor who scarf...

Nautical Inspired Regency Ensemble - Planning

Just one of my many sketches.

So I got a notion into my head of making a regency naval inspired ensemble. I've spoken of it before here. But I've finally started collecting together materials and sketching out a few ideas.

- The bonnet has been started. Covered in black felt. I've got to line it then start trimming with gold braid and a cockade.
- I have bought a spencer pattern, blue velvet, gold braid, nautical buttons and white lining.
Still trying to decide on how much gold braid and whether to pipe the seams in white or gold.

- I have a sleeveless spencer 'waistcoat' to wear over dress but under the blue spencer.
- I am going to make a new dress from scratch. But should I go for blue with white piping, blue with gold piping. White with gold piping, white with blue piping. Blue with white sleeves and gold piping? Decisions decisions.

 In the two fashion plates above I note the blue spencer is paired with a white dress but....

 You get solid blue dresses.

 And two blue with white sleeves. I'm leaning towards the blue with white sleeves more as it goes with the 'uniform' look more.

Don't think I'll go as far as the gold lapels thought. Maybe a white and gold reticule?

HSF Challenge #23 Gratitude - Sleeveless Spencer

The Challenge: #23 Gratitude

Fabric: Gold coloured 'silk'.

Pattern: Well I started with the S&S Regency gown pattern as my 'base' and made considerable modifications. Which included shanging the shoulder seam to the back, and added a collar. Also changed gathers to darts.

Year: 1795-1820

Notions: Green ribbon. Gold embroidery thread.

How historically accurate is it? It was inspired by several blog posts by others about sleeveless spencers. This one. This one. And this one.

Hours to complete: about 5-6 hours. all hand sewn.

First worn: N/A

Total cost: I'm not sure it was made from my fabric stash. Can't be more than £5.

Above is my sketch I did of how I wanted it to look. I ended up dropping the peplum at the back I also changed how the closure worked.

I sewed the ribbon all round leaving a 'tie' on one 'flap' and a look on the other. It was pure lazyness as I didn't want to bother with buttons and hook & eye.

I'm fairly please with the result the fabric was a bit of a nightmare to work with...didn't like pins and kept sliding about and fraying....but managed to wrangle it. The only problem was pressing it. It didn't want to lay flat.

What makes a spectacular spencer?

I was wondering this the other day. As I want to make one from scratch to go with my dress. Well lets see what spencers caught my attention at 2012's JA festival in Bath.

 Well Aurora's lovely pelisse was stand out to me. Simple elegant with a hint of military style about it. All those buttons!

 The use of colour, silks and piping stood out in the above spencers. I also notice fancy backs of spencers also stand out.
I love American Duchess' spencer here. The colours just pop.
Now I can't do intricate cutting, or use expensive fabrics. But what I can do is embroidery.

 I could go simple but then do a fancy peplum.

 Or I could cut the back more simply and do more intricate embroidery.

Black embroidery floss against a purple or a blue. The collar will have a black velvet collar.
And if I had time I could embroider the cuffs as well?

Late edition: Well after drafting FROM SCRATCH my spencer I've found myself going back to my old faithful 'go to' collar style. Simple stand up. Still gonna velvet it though.

I'm using the same basic pattern for both dress and spencer back. The front needs to be tweaked for the dress. And I still need to do fabric mock up of the spencer. I'm still deciding wether to make the spencer more riding habit-ish with godet at the centre back and a lower front.

Dresses, Patterns etc.

So my mock up of drawstring dress...lets just say it didn't turn out very flattering (pics later) so I will either unpick, adjust or use as petticoat.

On more positive note. Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion 1&2 arrived at the weekend...I've had my nose in them ever since. Wanted to try out some of the patterns but I have tried scaling up patterns before and its been a disaster. And being low on 'scrap' fabric. I decided to make them to the size of the pattern in the book. They might fit a doll. But I like that it would make them quick to put together to see how they looked.

Page 44

This all makes me what to scream. Why can't I get clothes to fit?!!!!!

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Update
I've calmed down now. It doesn't look so bad when I put a sash round it. But it does look like what it is and that's a dress made out of a sheet.

Front

Front

Back

Back (Which is too wide forgot original pattern opened at the back so should have taken some of the width out.)

Front