Greetings from Nashville

[libertybelle78]

Hello all,

I am really happy to have found this forum. I am about to start my first Regency dress, and I want to make sure I have done plenty of research before I cut into that beautiful fabric!

I have never portrayed this time period, as most of the events around Middle Tennessee pertain to the Civil War. I am SO excited to have an opportunity to branch out, but I am finding the research to be a little more challenging. I look forward to reading through the posts here so that I can get going in the right direction.

I am hoping to go to the Jane Austen Festival in Louisville, Kentucky this July. Will I meet any of you there?

Cheers,
Christy

[Eleanor]

Welcome Christy!

You'll find a lot of good information here and links to other sites of great help. I love this place! Will you be drafting your own pattern for your dress or looking for a good commercial pattern?

If you are looking at commercial patterns, check out the pattern review forum: regencysa.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=reviews

With kind regards,
~Barbara

[libertybelle78]

I have found some wonderful things already, like the Robert Land shoes

I only own one pattern - the Period Impressions 1809 Day Dress. The drawing is inspiring, but the instructions are very vague. There are no notes on finer points, such as how a skirt is gathered. I know in the 1860s that is a real issue, and depends greatly on the fabric and purpose of the dress. I am really frustrated.

Thanks for pointing me in the direction of the pattern reviews. I will read up and try to select a new pattern. There are two dress lengths of reproduction fabric that just arrived at my house today and I can't wait to get started!

Thank you for the warm welcome.

Cheers,
Christy

[bennettgirl]

Hey Christy
I actually just finished a dress made from this very pattern, the 1809 day dress! the pattern as is is not very historically acurate but it works fine with a couple of changes.
the back is to long for a regency dress so you need to shorten that by atleast 2 inches, then the sleeves are too big as well take like 2 inches off the bottom of the pattern and they will be better. the worst part is the skirt, it's way to wide and gathered all around best thing to do is to ignore it. only very early regency dresses were gathered all around most later dresses had a smooth frot and were gathered in the back. what i did is use 3 panes of fabric for the skirt, one in the front just as wide as the front bodice and two gathered in the back. turned out pretty nice and i made it with less than 4 yards of fabric instead of the 7 or so the pattern calls for. hope this helps.
Julia

[The Doctor]

Greetings Christy,

I am the Doctor, and I am one of the co-founders of the RSA's TN group, based out of Nashville. We recently had our very first event/meeting at Traveller's Rest near Brentwood.

You can see images from our event at the RSATN website which can be found below in my signature.

I hope to see you at our next event... just as soon as we figure out WHEN and WHAT that's going to be.

[libertybelle78]

Thank you so much, Miss Julia! I feel better talking to someone who has been successful with the pattern. I think perhaps I have been putting the cart before the horse in not starting with foundation garments. If I make the dress before the stays than it won't fit properly, will it? I was really glad to hear that you didn't use all the fabric the pattern calls for. It said over 7 yards was needed, and all I have is two 6 yard sections of period reproduction roller prints. One is a delicious Turkey Red that I cannot wait to see in a dress!

It is so nice to make the acquaintance of the Doctor! I have heard the highest praise of you from my old friend Mr. Allison and Ms. Staggs. I believe you also met my very dear friends Ms. Jordan and Mrs. McClelland on Sunday at the picnic. I was so envious of the lovely day you all had that it made me more determined than ever to finish my dresses. I look forward to meeting you in person.

Thanks to both of you. I am really excited about venturing into this time period.

Cheers,
Christy

[bennettgirl]

You are welcome! if you run into any problems with the pattern, feel free to ask me any questions.
Oh and I don't know if you have a dress form, but what i did is have my stays on my dress form so i could fit the dress properly. it worked pretty well.
good luck!
julia

[bazookababy]

Hi there and welcome!

I'm going to try my hardest to go to the Jane Austen festival in Kentucky this year. What an event that's shaping up to be!

Good luck with your adventures in dress making. I haven't made the period impressions pattern, but I've made about 20 or so dresses from the Sense & Sensibility pattern and I will say that while not 101% historically accurate, it is fairly simple to put together and is easy to modify. : )

Stephanie C.

[bennettgirl]

I'm so going to the JA festival in kentucky! we should all meet up!

[libertybelle78]

I think so too! Events are so much fun when you are with friends.

[lastbloom]

Welcome! I'm new here, too

I agree with Julia's comments about the 1809 pattern. I've made it twice, and it does make a nice dress once you play with the pieces to get a more accurate look. I have just been looking at the Lady's Guide to Plain Sewing and the gathering technique shown is very basic. Just two rows of running stitch, gathered to fit the bodice band however it pleases you, and then sewn to the bodice between the two rows of gathering stitches effectively capturing the gathers and holding them in place. I hope that wasn't confusing! It's just your basic gathering as far as I can tell.

Meg

[libertybelle78]

Oh, thanks Meg! That helps a lot. It sounds something like the gauging I do with my 1860s dresses. I am also going to look for that book, too.

Thanks again!!