For my first Regency Dress, I have chosen to do a really simple style to be as a "basic" dress for my wardrobe.
It's a simple cotton print and I believe it might be mattress ticking, but it's awful thin. The fabric is pretty sheer and wrinkles easy, as you can tell. I've got 14 yards of it, so if I mess up, there's more to use! My only fear with the fabric is how stiff it gets when you iron it. I washed it twice to get the sizing out and break it down a bit. It turned to a lovely drape, but the ironing is kind of worrisome. Darn stuff.
For the style, I turned to one of my favorite movies. I really love the dresses in the
1995 Sense and Sensibility. Most have the slightly lower waistline and very drapey fabrics that make my heart go a flutter.
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| I love the drawsting neckline and sheer fabric |
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It will be more full like this gown,
and will also have 3/4th sleeves |
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The entire dress will be handstitched; like the
short stays and
petticoat I made to go under it.
I don't think you'll get the sizing out. It sounds to me like you have organdy and the stiffness comes from the weave and not really any sizing. Nice fabric tho!
ReplyDeleteOooh...those dresses are my favourites too!
ReplyDeleteHowever, if you have a stiff fabric, you might do better to pick a slightly more structured style, which will work with the fabric. Apron front perhaps, like the biased and pintucked apron front in the 19th century Fashion in Detail would probably work. I know from experience how much getting halfway through a project and realizing that it is never going to look the way you imagined sucks (stupid luna moth dress...grumble...grumble).