New Projects

I've been really terrible at keeping up with my blog for the past... year.  I kind of got wrapped up in my wedding and all of the projects associated with it.  I haven't even finished blogging about my wedding dress!  I also have many recent costuming projects and Regency Society of Virginia events to write about, as well.  I promise I'll get to this backlog of posts soon.

But right now, I'm working on several new projects for the next RSV event - our Ladies' House Party!  I'm so excited about this.  We are renting an 1800s plantation house on the James River for a long weekend next month, and I plan to equip myself with a large enough Regency wardrobe to last for four days!  I'm pretty close to being there already, but I'm also using this as an excuse to add some more variety to my costume closet.  I've been wearing the same two dresses for over two years now, just switching out the accessories and overdresses.

Apron-Front Gown

Blue Day Dress

They are fine dresses, but I have to admit I'm getting a little sick of them.  I'm overdue for a new Regency dress, I think.  I've also been wanting to make my undergarments a bit more historical, as I've been wearing a modern tank top with a built-in bra all this time.  Therefore the first new garment I am making is a linen shift.

I've been sewing it by hand, simply because I started it that way by following the directions (Laughing Moon 115) and it made sense to keep going that way once I'd started.  I'm rather enjoying it.  :)  And I think it'll be much more comfortable and sturdy with the flat-felled seams, as opposed to machine-stitched seams and serged seam allowances.  Not to mention more accurate!

The shift is almost done; I just need to hem it and add the neck casing.  My next project after that will be a yellow cotton bodiced petticoat, using the La Mode Bagatelle pattern.  I've fallen in love with yellow as a Regency color, and I have recently acquired 5+ yards of a lovely yellow sprigged cotton voile:

This will be my new Regency dress!

It will look so nice over the yellow bodiced petticoat, with my yellow boots and yellow embroidered shawl (which I just finished!) and my gold velvet spencer.

Let's see, what else do I want to make?  If I have time, I definitely want to make the Laughing Moon stays as well, a new spencer, a new bonnet, and if possible a pelisse.  I have fabric for all of these things, but will I have the time?  We shall see!  But I probably won't be blogging much between now and then.  :p  Come August I will have more time, but more on that later...