1790s Wrap-Front Gown ... Finally Again

You know those projects that get postponed, only to pop back into your life and demand to be finished? This 1790s voile gown is one of them.

I originally intended to wear it to the Jane Austen Festival in Kentucky, back in July, but I had to cancel my trip on account of the 18th century shoes being delivered, so the gown got buried on my couch, under other projects and occasionally a dog.

The other day I decided it needed some attention, especially since I'd like to wear it to a ball coming up in November, in Tennessee. I have to make at least a feeble attempt to look good standing next to Maggie, so this is it.

You can read more about the start of this gown, including references and whatnot, here. For the latest progress, I added the sleeves, and learned my lesson (again) about armscyes and why it's good to have small holes and not big holes for your arms.

I also put the hem in. I have yet to add the last two ties, to keep the gown closed.

Lilly the dressform doesn't have stays on in this photo, so she looks quite..well..that's not really flattering, is it...

...as you know, "simply" finishing up a costume is never so simple. My Regency stays, made way-the-heck-back-a-long-time-ago were literally fall apart, so I decided to make a pair of 1790s transitional stays, using a pattern developed for a friend, back in December of last year. I'm using non-gathered bust gussets, and added tabs to the bottom of the stays, with the idea of attaching a petticoat to them, via buttons on the tabs. Here's the basic shape:


Since this picture, I've got both layers together, and boning channels placed, and for some insane reason added some quilting, to add body, since these stays are so soft and scantily boned.

More photos to come, when I get the stays done and the whole costume put together :-)