Wednesday, December 31, 2008

The Pink Gown


Well, I finished it last night, in time for New Years Eve. Or, more correctly, New Years Eve night since I don't think I'll wear it until later this evening.

Did you know New Years Eve is a popular time for women to have babies around here? On the news there was a special report about how many women have scheduled inductions for this day! Anyway. . .

This dress was inspired by the one Lizzie wears in the 1995 Pride and Prejudice. I always admired her pink gown and when I found the fabric for mine I immediately thought of hers! My fabric is just a plain cotton print (from Wal-Mart, they are getting rid of their fabric department in a few weeks so lots of things are on sale) and Lizzie's dress appears to be a sheer fabric but oh well, it at least is similar in color!


I used the long sleeve variation of the ELC drawstring dress. I think I'm getting the hang of putting these gowns together since this one only took me three days to get done. One day for cutting out the fabric and sewing together the bodice, one day for sewing and setting the sleeves and seaming the skirt, and one day for attaching the skirt and putting in the waist drawstring and the hem.


I made this dress with pleats and I made the train a teeny bit longer. I had more fabric to play with than I did with my striped dress so I was able to cut a more generous length for the skirt.
The one thing that bothers me now is the neckline. On Lizzie's dress she appears to have lace trim around the neckline of her dress. I have some off white cotton lace that would look nice on the neckline of my gown but I'm not sure if lace trim is period correct. Does anyone know? I know for 1860's things lace was most often used on an accessory item like a removable collar or undersleeve cuffs rather than being sewn directly to the garment itself. I honestly have no idea if the same is true for regency era gowns or not.

Anyway, since this dress is done now I have to focus on making new curtains for the boys room! I found some really nice drapey dark blue fabric at Wal-Mart on clearance for long curtains for their windows and got six yards. Their curtains will take a little more than two yards since the material is 60" wide so I have enough left to do something with. I think I'd like to try to make a gown like the one Elinor wears in the 1995 Sense and Sensibility, the plain blue one. The fabric I have feels and looks like a linen although I'm sure, based on a burn test and based on feel, that it is definitely a blend with some synthetic fiber. But for around the house wear I suppose that would be okay. I have no where to wear my regency gowns to as far as living history goes and no one besides my husband cares about what fibers I use in my sewing!

Happy New Years Eve!

Love,


Sarah

19 comments:

  1. That is just beautiful Sarah!!!! That particular dress of Elizabeth's is my absolute favorite:-) I am so envious(okay not really that bad) of this dress;-) How much material did this dress take. I have some that my friend sent me and I'd love to make one after the baby comes or perhaps before.

    Anyhow, just lovely!

    Happy New Year!!!

    Lots of love,
    Sommer

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  2. Oh, it's lovely, Sarah! I love the fabric you chose...I'm sure you'll look absolutely beautiful wearing it!

    ~Emily

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  3. Beautiful!!

    Happy New Year, and God bless!

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  4. Oh, it's beautiful! And , yes, lace was used to decorate sleeves and necklines in the mid Regency. I haven't seen it on earlier gowns but I'm sure they did use it.

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  5. Oh my goodness, Sarah; you amaze me! You are such a good and quick seamstress, and your dress is beautiful!

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  6. Beautiful dress! I love the fabric!

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  7. So pretty!! As always! :)

    Amy

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  8. Happy New Year! The color of your dress is near Lizzie's and looks pretty. Only I hope the neckline of yours comes higher than hers. Lizzie’s is (blush) low.

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  9. Lovely! That's one of my favourite gowns from that movie (I do like the costumes even if I have issues with the directing!) and yours is so pretty! I believe lace would be period correct if you'd like to add it, and it's certainly movie-accurate if you're just going for a copy of the film gown.

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  10. You all are so sweet!

    Sommer, I had a 4 yd. piece for this dress and had quite a bit of scrap left over. (I made the dress in size 16, with about 45" length for the skirt front, 48" for the back). I didn't follow the lay out for the pattern (I never do!) but it all fit on the fabric I had with plenty left over! :)

    Nicole, yes, my dress neckline is higher than Lizzie's! I love her dresses but so many in the movie are sooooo low cut. I'm also working on a fichu to wear at the neckline as well since it will double as a modesty cover for nursing the baby when he gets here.

    Thank you for the lace tips! I think I'll add some but am going to look for a white lace rather than use the off white I have (using that on the blue dress). . .hmm . . .I think a trip to Hancocks is in order. . .

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  11. love the dress but did you just slip and tell us the baby is a boy? look above you said "when he gets here"

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  12. This dress is so lovely! I love all these fabrics that you find. I can't find them here and must work with simple colours.

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  13. Thank you! Wal Mart always had some decent fabrics and I'm so incredibly sad that the last one nearby is closing up its fabric department. :( They had this same print in blue as well, and red and gold.

    Janice, oops, yes, I guess I *did* slip up - but yes, the baby is another wee boy. I can't wait to meet him! :) David doesn't mind me telling people anymore, since he found it so difficult to keep the "secret" himself! lol

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  14. Aww three boys! Lucky you!

    Out of curiosity, how early did you know you were pregnant?

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  15. How beautiful!!! I just love the things you make :)

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  16. Three boys will be fun!

    With my first three pregnancies (my first one ended at 6 weeks) :( I found out I was pregnant the first day I missed a period. With this last one it was a little later. I didn't think I was pregnant and because I was having "mood swings" my husband jokingly said I must be pregnant. He bought me a test and I honestly did not expect it to be positive at all but - it was!

    One thing - I've found the $1 preggo tests work just as well if not better than the name brand ones. I used a $15 test with my first one and it gave me a false negative before I retested with one from the Dollar Store.

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  17. I have just stumbled upon your blog a few weeks ago. Today I was skimming through the older posts and found this!! I just adore this dress--just beautiful and the print is just lovely!! I would love to buy a dress such as this!! Thank you for sharing your lovely talent!!

    Affectionately,

    ~Unfurling Flower~

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Thank you for your lovely thoughts!