Chemise Dress Madness!

Yay, I finally got my copy of Cut of Women's Clothes from the library! I am hoping to convince my friend to make dresses together since it seems so simple, but I had some questions first.

Specific to Cut of Women's Clothes:

1. I am assuming I need to cut two each of the sleeve and the larger pattern piece? It seems fairly obvious that I would, really just looking for confirmation.
2. Is the little rectangle ABCD a shoulder strap?
3. Is there something particular that should be done to the sleeves where they attach to the dress in order to make them gather? I am still not very handy with my ruffle foot on my machine, so any advice on hand gathering would be appreciated. Or is it just the simple sew long stitches across and pull fabric along threads?

General questions:

1. Do people general make their dresses with multiple layers or am I just seeing slips/regular chemises underneath the dresses?
2. I am debating making it two layers and having the bottom one be another color to peek through while I dance. I am assuming that I cut it exactly the match the chemise dress pattern and then just sew them as one, but I'm not sure if I want to have the front of the overdress be left open from the waist down or sewn closed. What do people think?
   
3. Have people had luck using elastic instead of drawstrings? I don't like the idea of having a tight thread digging into my skin while I move, but want to make sure there's not going to be some tragic flaw if I use elastic.

Okay, that's all for now. Thanks in advance guys and I'll be posting pictures as I go!

I'm trying to decide on my neckline and sleeve choices for the Chemise a la Reine.

Neckline: Ruffle or no ruffle

Sleeve: Poufy sleeve or plain to the elbow

I see from the paintings that most had at least one ruffle, and the sleeves varied. Sometimes I think I want a uber girly ruffly gown and sometimes I think it'll be too fussy. Any experience out there from the ladies who made and wore these??

(x-posted from my journal)



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I have my Regency short stays on, too, to show how the chemise and stays look together. I'm so glad it's done!! And my gown pattern arrived in today's mail, so now I can go look at it and see if I can get the pattern cut out. Tomorrow I will wash the fabric before cutting the gown out.

Oh wait. I have to make the petticoat and bum pad first. Darn it! LOL!! Just as I thought I was about to start on the gown I realized I had MORE underthings to make!

While I'm waiting for my dress pattern to come in, I decided to start thinking about a hat to go with my chemise a la reine. I could make one from scratch, but I don't feel like it. I like the look of straw with these gowns. Any chance I can decorate a cheapy Michael's Arts and Crafts straw hat to get the right look?

I love what Lissset la Cousette did with her hat!!

(x-posted from my journal)

The under chemise requires flat felled seams. This is my first try at such a technique! Fiddly, but not too horrid.



One sleeve down...one to go!

I'm using the Simplicity 4052 underthings pattern for this chemise. I already made the short stays 2 years ago.

Hi all! I have been thinking of making a chemise dress as a ballgown for dancing and am curious to know if anyone has any experience with lots and lots of movement in them. They look fairly flowy, so I don't think it'll be a problem, I just thought I'd ask in case there's something I'm not thinking of.

Also, when/if people wear stays under their dress, are they short stays or, say, a "normal" corset. I currently have a nice, simple Victorian one that I dance in and I'm wondering if the shape will be the same. Obviously, the priority here should be comfort and personal preference, but I'd at least like to know if I'm going to get dirty looks from people who are hardcore historical costumers. :P

Hi!

I'm new to the world of 18th century-style costuming and I have no idea where to get a good set of (relatively inexpensive) stays. I'm not a skilled enough seamstress to make my own set. Do any of you have particular recommendations?

Thanks so much!

Hello Ladies!
I have an event in July for which the chemise gown is just perfect. I've bought my pattern (Wingeo), I have my fabric. I made a pair of short stays a few years ago from the Sense and Sensibility pattern.

First I need to make the under chemise and a petticoat. Thanks to jennylafleur, I have great instructions for the petticoat. I can use the S&S pattern for the chemise. As soon as my new coupons for Joann's are valid, I'm going fabric shopping!

Wish me luck!

Sleeve question:

I am redoing the sides, as they've got the tendency to be pulled upwards when moving too much - and I am considering altering the sleeves, by pulling out the upper gathering part, as I am not too happy with them.
The Neckline has already been altered, it's now adjustable, and not fixed anymore. (it wasn't really fixed, but I gathered the lace on a piece of fabric, so the lace fixed the neckline)

What do you think? 
Or would the more flexible neckline solve my problem by itself?
I feel rather bulky with the "pouf" at the shoulders






 

Thanks everyone for all the help! I think I can figure out how the pattern works. Just a big tube.. :-) Now on to the fabric stores to find nice fabric! (Oohh dangerous, let´s see how much fabric I will carry home)

/Anna