Building an 18th century kit

I keep going back farther in time with each new impression I put together.  My husband has joined the 33rd British group and I am putting together a camp follower impression.  I am going to sew the underclothes first to get in the hang of hand sewing again.  So far I have only made a pair of linen pockets from the Kannik's Korner Pattern KK-6001, view A.  I used cross-stitch directions from Sharon Ann Burston to embroider my initials on one pocket and my husband's on the other.  I have a JP Ryan stays pattern and Kannik's Korner shift and bedgown patterns coming in the mail this week, so I'll have plenty to keep me busy this summer.

One pocket KK-6001, view A in progress

Completed pair of pockets, KK-6001, view A

1815 Regency / Empire Attire

This post is way overdue to document my first attempt at Regency era attire. Last summer my husband attended the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo and had been building his French impression over the past year. Although I did not attend the Waterloo event (I went to Amsterdam instead, so don't cry for me), I did put together a basic wardrobe because if you ever have an excuse to make a Empire waist dress, you make one!

I made a simple linen chemise using the Laughing Moon pattern and then I started work on a sheer muslin dress using materials that I had in my stash using the Laughing Moon's fall front pattern. My dress design was inspired by an original in the Kyoto Museum Collection.

Kyoto Museum Collection

I used a woven cotton for the inset front panel to replicate the insertion on the original.  I used the same woven material for the fall front bodice and trimmed the puff sleeve band.

To accessorize, I made a silk reticule from my bonnet scraps using a pattern from the American Girl's Book (pg. 265). I used leftover silk satin from my wedding dress to make the piping and self-fabric cording.  The interior is lined in white silk. I also made a silk ribbon to tie at my waist to break up the silhouette. I wore a coral necklace and gold lead hair pins that I purchased in Paris years ago.  For footwear I wore my bridal slippers made by Robert Land.  Overall, this was the atheistic I was going after.

What I was most excited about was my hair!  I am admittedly horrible when it comes to dressing my own hair. I've attempted rag curls and pin curls before in the past, with bad results.  This time I used bendy straws and IT WAS AMAZING.  No kinky ends, lots of bounce, even with my largely straight thick hair.

Ta da.

1815 Morning Dress

I recently completed a morning dress for an upcoming overnight event at an inn.  I was inspired by several originals including this:

1815-1818 Met (Accession Number: 1975.274.2)

I purchased the fabric at Michael Levine's in Los Angeles for entirely too much per yard, but when you are making a Napoleonic-era dress and the bee print fabric is called "Josephine" YOU BUY ALL OF IT.

BEES!

I used the Laughing Moon #130 Wrapping Front Gown pattern with modifications so there is no lining, just extensive hand finishing.  I drafted up my own collar and trimmed it with a ruffle made with the selvage edging (see image above), which I also used for the ruffle along the bottom.  The sleeves are very long, and made even longer with a cuff ruffle.  A self-fabric tie is the closure. Overall,  the instructions were clear, I had fun with self-fabric trim, and now I need to work on a cap!

Finished Laughing Moon #130 Wrapping Front Gown with modifications