Regency Gown Design Kit
I’m so pleased to officially launch the first of my Making History costume design kits.
When I first had the idea for Making History these kits were what I had in mind, and even though they’ve taken a bit longer to sort out than I imagined, I’m so pleased they are finally ready.
The idea was to create a fun costume design kit that didn't require a lot of sewing expertise. As a child I loved dress-up dolls, making outfits for my Barbies, and sketching outlandish fashion designs, and I wanted to harness some of that excitement in an adult-friendly way.
The idea is simple, there are fabric background sheets with a printed figure that you can create fabric clothing for. These can be stitched in place (or glued if you want!) and further embellished with beads, feathers, sequins and ribbon. The kits include templates, an introduction to the fashion style and instructions but there is also a wide scope for doing your own research, designing your own outfits and creating a unique piece. The finished artwork can be framed, bound in a book or stitched onto a tote bag, banner, quilt or other textile project.
The first one is based on the Regency period, but there will be more to follow.
Regency Gown Design
I knew that the first kit would be the Regency. I feel like i’ve been researching this project since childhood and have already created a range of products, an exhibition and a book about the stories of Jane Austen. Like many of my generation I have been in love with the Regency period since 1995, when the dual masterpieces of BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and Ang Lee’s Sense and Sensibility film came onto our screens. It was the start of an obsession with historic costume in general, as well as Jane Austen and the Regency period, so the style will always have a special place in my heart.
This period is a good starting point. The fashions could be exotic and highly decorative, but the main shapes are fairly simple, meaning you can focus on the fun parts - coming up with a design and adding embellishment.
The Details:
Create your own Regency fashions. Stitch three beautiful Regency gowns, perfect for a Ball. Start with an illustrated fabric base and decorate with fabric, ribbon, sequins and embroidery. A range of templates are provided as well as instructions, a guide to Regency fashion, fabric and embellishments to get you started
The kit is suitable for beginners as well as advanced stitchers. Sewing instructions are provided and you can create the outfits at your own level, adding difficulty or simplifying as needed.
I hugely enjoyed creating the example outfits for the instructions, so whether your interest is from history, textiles or a passion for Jane Austen novels I hope you have fun designing and making your own evening gown designs.
Notes:
I used a wide variety of sources to research this project over a number of years. Here are a few that stand out:
Dress in the Age of Jane Austen - Hilary Davidson
The Costume History - Auguste Racinet
100 things to wear (from the National Trust Collections)
How to read a dress - Lydia Edwards