Finish my 18thC Dress

So I finished this and wore it, then decided that the red trim limited it to what I could wear it with, I have some cream net and ribbon to retrim it with, and should do some alterations to the lining, zig zag finish the internal seams so they don’t fray and take the hem up a bit because its a shade too long.

Then I took the dress to bits. Well not completely, but I finished it for an event with a bit of a deadline – long term I want the dress to be more configurable and give me different ways of wearing it.

So far I’ve:

• Taken the ruffle off the skirt and re trimmed it with a slightly different ruffle that goes all around the skirt.

• Taken off the red box pleated trim, made a short full skirted jacket and used the trim on this.

• taken off all the bows and roses.

What I need to do now is:

• make a different coloured underskirt, I’ve almost finished this.

• take out the lining of the dress and remake it with a lined skirt

• add two buttons at the back to give me the option of a polonaise

• make a black chemise with attached lace sleeves for wearing underneath

• take white lace off sleeves and add to white chemise

• trim dress with gold organza ribbon and add attachment points for flowers and bows.

So far all I have left to do is to sew 10 hooks on to the overdress so I can lace it over my stays and sew a hook on to the skirt.

I need to do this tonight, as I plan to wear the thing out on Friday night!

Have bound the neckline properly and put a ribbon in as drawstring.

Have also partially assembled skirt, just need to finish the waistband properly and hem.

The overdress so far looks like this: I need to finish the sleeves properly and attach the lining, hem it and decide on how to make the thing lace up.

Not a stunningly good sewing job, but as they are underthings I don’t care too much as they wont be seen.

I have pretty much everything cut out, now its just a matter of assembling the last few pieces.

Bind neck edge of chemise and insert ribbon.

Assemble skirt.

Assemble panniers

Finish sleeves on over dress

Hem over dress

Hem skirt.

Decide on trimming and lacing closure method for over dress.