Regency Bodice

Remember me saying that I fancied making a Regency dress for the summer? Well, I went and grabbed myself a copy of Simplicity 4055, read a number of reviews online, and started sewing.

Normally in a Simplicity pattern I’d cut a size 18, but I’d read that this pattern came up large, and I knew I wasn’t going to be wearing umpteen layers of Regency underwear underneath it. So I checked the measurements, took a deep breath, and cut out a size 14. I made a muslin, and it fitted absolutely perfectly!

I have to say that this is the first pattern I’ve ever made that I haven’t had to alter in the bust, or at least think “oh well, I’ll just have to wear a padded bra”. I suspect this means that almost everybody else who makes this dress is going to need to make a full bust adjustment, or actually wear Regency stays underneath.

The bodice is made from three layers. The spotty mesh is basted to plain black poly-cotton, which are treated as a single layer. It’s then lined with another layer of the same poly-cotton. The sleeves are also underlined, with black dress net (crinoline). The spotty mesh is very light and floppy, and I knew that I wanted the sleeves to stand up by themselves. I also wanted to keep the translucent quality of the mesh, so the net seemed like the perfect solution. Structurally it’s worked really well, but the armscye seams are incredibly scratchy, despite being run through the overlocker. I think I might have to bind them with tape, to enclose the edges of the net completely.

Unfortunately I didn’t make a muslin of the sleeves, which have come out just a tiny bit too tight. I’ll be alright as long as I don’t want to go around waving my arms above my head, but next time I’ll make them slightly larger around the bicep.

I plan to make the skirt in plain black poly-cotton, overlaid with the spotty mesh again. The slight spanner in the works with that plan is that the spotty mesh is only a metre wide (40″), and the pattern uses the full width of 115cm (44″) fabric. I haven’t had a good look at the pattern pieces yet – I might be able to lose a little bit of width at the hem of the skirt. Alternatively I think I have enough of the mesh to put a seam at the centre back, and leave the the centre front hanging in two pieces. I’ll have to see.

I’m trying to make this dress completely from materials already stashed in my Shed, so now I’m hoping that I’ve got enough narrow lace to trim the mesh layer of the skirt. It also needs three buttons for the back of the bodice, but I don’t think I’m going to have any trouble finding three black buttons in here!