This week I have mostly been using Blue Thread...

Here is Angela's blue dress all finished! Doesn't she look a treat in it? Look out for her at events across the UK this summer, and don't forget to say hello!

Mucking about with that V&A frock.....

This week I have mostly been unpacking parcels....but am getting on with Angela's outfit for getting out and about. Here you can see it pinned and tacked on the dummy. It's becoming less and less like the original with every day that passes! The peplum that's been added is because Angela has an unusually long back measure, and I'd already cut the bodice, using that time honoured technique of 'reckoning you're about my size'. Naughty dressmaker. I really like it though, so it was a happy accident.

The cut of the bodice was transferred to a block of (sort-of) the right measurements, following the diagram in The Cut of Women's Clothes. It goes together pretty easily, and is comfortable to wear. The collar was made using our new machines, which have a scallop stitch and a feather stitch. Stitching it took a few minutes, cutting it out using tiny embroidery scissors took forever. It's really pretty though.
The skirt was cut using the 1909 petticoat pattern near the back of whichever one of the Francis Grimble books covers 1909 - I'm always getting The Edwardian Modiste and The Voice of Fashion muddled up. It's become a bit of a go-to pattern at the museum, and I've adapted it by putting a deep inverted box pleat at the back. It's a nice shape and doesn't take a lot of fabric - economy being forever our watchword! With nearly 200 people needing costume, it helps if we can stretch our resources.

Hopefully, sometime next week, I will be able to show you the finished outfit.

Meet Kitty!

Well here it is, my first pattern all finished and ready to buy.

This pattern is based on a genuine baby's dress in my collection. It was a gift from my friend Kitt - hence the name - who works as a volunteer living historian at a local National Trust property. It's quite nice when a dress comes to me that way, as often it comes with its history, and I get to know the person who once wore it, even if they are long gone.

The original dress is all white, as was traditional for babies for many, many years. A beautifully turned out baby, in a snowy white frock, was a credit to its family, and most especially its mother. We all know how tricky it is getting and keeping our whites bright and clean! I've made this pattern up in colours too though, and it's worked very well. I'll show you the dresses in a day or two.

I think this dress in white would make a lovely Christening outfit for a precious little girl who was already up and running! Once they grow a bit, a long gown becomes impractical and baby gets fidgety. My niece has learnt to crawl this week - if I can catch her, perhaps I could persuade her to show you how sweet this dress looks on.