MLS Designs

So, we're all off to Keddlestone on Saturday, and next Sunday we're dancing at a Marie Anntoinette tea party, then April 2nd we're at the minuette ball in Bath. Mummy has been borrowing a coat from school and a modern shirt adapted to look 'right' with her own breeches and waistcoat I made last spring. The coat and shirt have had to go back to school because I need them for an upcoming play, so I'm making her her own.

Yesterday I started the shirt, because I figured I can't really fit a coat pattern very well if she isn't wearing a shirt! Mummy has been saying she'd really like girls clothes to wear for Georgian, but I don't have the time to make any for her, especially when she needs boy's clothes for the demos, so I want to make her boy's stuff really nice to make up for it. So I decided, instead of adapting a modern shirt for her I would make her a proper 18thC shirt, with the proper rectangular constuction.

Boy do I wish I hadn't decided that! Mummy has VERY sloping shoulders, and men usually have very square shoulders, so I have had soooo much trouble fitting the collar and neck gussets! I decided to make the shirt by machine, becase I have so much to do and the rest of her outfit is machined, and I worked out how to put it together looking at various different instructions. It went together fantastically, then I tried it on when it was all complete and the fit around the neck was awful! Absolutely dire!! By then it was time for bed, so I left it till today. We were out all day and had a few hours this evening before we went out for a meal with friends, so I took the collar off, took out the neck gussets and recut the slits lengthening them by 3 times as much I think? New huge gussets and several tries of the pinned on collar later and I have a finished, perfectly (almost!!) fitted shirt! As much as they can be when all they are is rectangles! It just needs ties at collar and cuffs and lace frills.

So, tomorrow it's onto coat patterning! I bought 2 lots of fabric last week, to go with what she has already. Her waistcoat is old gold, and her breeches are red floral damask. I found some bright, deep crimson chenilley velvet upholstery fabric, it's not right, but I think it will look nice, for a day coat for her, that I will make for Saturday, and she can wear for the Tea Party. I also got some old gold and brown fabric, it's sort of a taffeta, with lines of raised threads in a diamond pattern, with brown 'spots' at each conjunction, that I will use to make an evening coat and breeches for the ball.

She loves the fabrics and is very happy with the plan, except she would love an embroidered waistcoat like Clare! She was saying so so often that I had to tell her my plan for her birthday present, a waistcoat with ribbon embroidery! I'm not sure if I'll be able to get to it though, ( her birthday is March 20th) I have so much to do for the ball, so I've decided, as a surprise, to make her another waistcoat that she can wear to the Tea Party with the new red coat. I have 2 small scraps of brocade in a lovely narrow red, gold and cream floral 'regency stripe' that I think will be just enough for a waistcoat, hopefully she will like it :)

So that's what I'm up to at the moment! I also need to finish my dress for the Tea party, but my outfit for Saturday is all sorted, I'm wearing my Ikea duvet cover Anglaise, brown linen petticoat, the mits Clare knitted for me and my cardinal cloak. I'm going to see if I can wear the jumps under the dress as well, fo extra warmth. IF I have time (ha ha!) I want to make a muff, with a skin of cream taffeta with yellow taffeta and rococo ribbon trim.

And now, bed!

I'm making up for weeks of almost no posting today :o)
So, my red wool is nearly done, (depending on how busy the pub is I may get it done today, at least tomorrow) I have my old print jacket and linen skirt and my new Indian print for day times, and my Gaulle for the dinner (I don't think I can fit my Sunflower sacque in my suitcase :'( I'll try, but probably not - it means hoops and another underpetticoat, as well as the dress and petticoat) so I'm sorted, at a pinch, for UTR, I want more, but I feel I can move on.
So next I want to make my chemise dress! I'm thinking of making it by machine (all my 18thC stuff so far this year has been done by hand) and TRYING to achieve a down and dirty quicky job (HA! Like it's ever going to happen!) Any way, hopefully it won't take aaages.
After my chemise dress (which is for Jenny-Rose's picnic) I think I better make our Regency stuff for the New Lanark ball, which is the weekend after I get home. I can ony make it if the fabric has come, but I think it must have done by now, so hopefully my friends will be bringing it to dancing on Sunday. I will leave things like hemming and sewing on buttons for Clare, or for the car ride up to Scotland.
I still want to make other things for UTR though. I don't really want to wear my old print jacket, so have plans for 2 new ones. Mummy bought me some fabric from Ikea (duvet covers and pillow cases actually!!) and I have pictures of them hanging on the line after washing ( they're under here, along with a LOT of waffling! )
Then there's my Lampas jacket and pink silk petticoat. I am really struggling coming up with a style for the jacket! I love the fabric, and want to do it justice, but it's a very big pattern, and I only have one yard. I don't really NEED it, so maybe I shouldn't force it to become anything, and just keep waiting for inspriation to hit? It's so pretty though :'( I bet this is all moot anyway, there's no way I have time to fit it in! But at least half term is coming up, a week of sewing! Although I have to make a couple of Victorian bathing suits as well for a trip to the seaside at the start of the week!! And then after term starts again it's the yr 7 play, with 70 odd children to cloth and organise!
Anyway, I really think this is my last post of today, so sorry for cluttering up your Flist!!!!