"Plain Jane" day dress and a simple poke bonnet

Two days to go before this year's Jane Austen Festival. Two! I'm travelling over on this Friday and apart from small, last minute sprucing up to be done on some gowns, my wardrobe for the week is ready. I think. Maybe.
I pushed myself to finish a plain day gown during the weekend, just something very simple that can be worn with all the spencers, chemisettes and on its own, too. The gown pattern was yet another variation of my basic bodice and hem patterns and I especially like the slim silhouette of the front of the dress. This is actually the only Regency gown I've made with actual puff sleeves. The fabric is possibly viscose or some other cotton blend, it was a lucky and cheap find in a fabric shop closing sale. The colour is much creamier than what the photos show and the fabric has small rectangular spots woven in.

Trying the dress on with the 1790s red spencer and the Shetland lace shawl I knitted a couple of years ago.

Close-up of the fabric, the colour doesn't really photograph right

Big Regency puff sleeve

The green stays and the top edge of the petticoat show through the dress. I have to wear the old white stays with the white gowns and one last project I need to whip up is a bodiced petticoat.

 

 

 

 

The two middle buttons close too, but I couldn't bend my arm that far and there were no ladies maids handy.

I also finished another hat project; I've talked about the merits of paper yarn in hat making before but this time I really think that the result is exactly what I wanted. I don't know what the situation is elsewhere, but here in Finland paper yarn in several colours and thicknesses is a crafts shop staple. I guess people mostly use it in weaving tapestries, rugs and tablerunners and the like, but it is really a very versatile material, being durable but pliant, and definitely more easily attainable than for example straw.

For my poke bonnet I used 200 grams of 0.8 paper yarn (by Lappajärven värjäämö) and a size 5 (European) crochet hook. The pattern is my own. First pictures, then the pattern :)

I think I look pretty silly wearing bonnets :)

I added wire to the brim to keep it in shape

 

 

 

 

Poke bonnet pattern

200g paper yarn ( I used the 0.8 variety, using different thickness means that you need more/less of the yarn)
Size 5 (metric sizes) crochet hook (the hook can be quite large, otherwise crocheting this stiff material is rather difficult and the result will look uneven)
Thin wire for the brim (without wire support the brim wants to curl from the edges so this is a must!)





 Abbreviations (I decided to use the US crochet abbreviations):

st - stitch
sc - single crochet
cs - chain stitch
dc - double crochet

Make beginning loop and croched 2 cs.
1. Crochet 8 sc on the beginning loop. Do not close the round but continue to crochet as a spiral (here would be a good place to mark the beginning of the round so that it's easier to keep track of the increases on each round)
2. Crochet 2 sc on each st of the previous round. 16 st.
3. *Crochet 1 sc, crochet 2 sc on the next stitch* Repeat *-* all the way to the end of the round. 24 st.
4. *Crochet 2 sc, crochet 2 sc on the next stitch* Repeat *-* all the way to the end of the round. 32 st.
5. *Crochet 3 sc, crochet 2 sc on the next stitch* Repeat *-* all the way to the end of the round. 40 st.
6. *Crochet 4 sc, crochet 2 sc on the next stitch* Repeat *-* all the way to the end of the round. 48 st.
7. *Crochet 5 sc, crochet 2 sc on the next stitch* Repeat *-* all the way to the end of the round. 56 st.
8. *Crochet 6 sc, crochet 2 sc on the next stitch* Repeat *-* all the way to the end of the round. 64 st.

You should now have a circular piece about 15 cm in diametre.

Still working in spiral, crochet 10 rounds  of sc without increases.

19. *Crochet 2 sc on the next stitch, crochet 7 sc* Repeat *-* all the way to the end of the round. 72 st.

Crochet 9 rounds of sc without increases.

 If you want/need to make the crown of the bonnet bigger or longer you should make more increase rounds and/or add more rounds without increases in between. Just make sure that the increases are even and aren't made right after one another; spread them out! The crown should be long enough to accommodate a bun hairdo.

NOTE! Remember to strech and pull out the weave as you make the hat; because you're working with paper yarn that does not stretch on its own like wool would, the hat needs to be pulled into shape every now and then while working it. This is really not that clear when explained, but if you try to crochet paper yarn, you'll see what I mean :)

The brim begins here; it is worked by crocheting back and forth.

29. Crochet with no increases until there are 18 st left of the round. Crochet 2 cs and turn work. 
30. Crochet 2 cs on the 1st "sc" of the round, crochet 7 sc, then 2 sc on the next stitch. *Crochet 8 sc, then 2 sc on the next stitch.* Repeat *-* all the way to the end of the round. Turn work.
31. Crochet 2 cs (1st stitch of the round), crochet sc all the way to the end without increases. Turn work.
32. Crochet 2 cs (1st stitch of the round), crochet 8 sc, then 2 sc on the next stitch. *Crochet 8 sc, then 2 sc on the next stitch.* Repeat *-* all the way to the end of the round. Turn work.
33. Like round 31.

Make 3 more rounds with increases, always adding one stitch more between the increases (10, 11, 12). After an increase round there's always a round without increases, so altogether you need to crochet 6 more rounds.

After completing the 6 rounds described above, crochet one more round without increases.

The lacy gingerbread edging on the brim is optional. This is how you make it:

In the corner of the brim, crochet 3 cs and connect it with a slip stitch on the short edge of the brim. This is the first double crochet. Make 8 more double crochets on the same corner stitch, *jump over 2 stiches on the brim, crochet 1 sc, jump over 2 stitches on the brim, make 6 double crochets on the next stitch*, then repeat *-* until you've reached the other corner of the brim. Then make trebles on that corner like you made the first, connecting the last double crochet of the group of 9 with a slip stitch on the short edge of the brim. Cut off yarn and weave in the ends.

Finally, add wire to support the brim and to keep it in shape. Because the brim is worked back and forth, it wants to curl in different directions on the corners, so wire is definitely needed. You can insert the wire after you've finished the bonnet, or crochet it in while you're making the brim.

That's it! I will probably add this pattern to Ravelry as well.

The to do list, so far...(and loads of photos)

Still no sewing here, except for this folk dress, a feresi it's called, and some ribbon weaving. So, a good time to list the pieces I mean to make when I get my act together again.

First, the pelisse. Or more like, THE PELISSE. It's gorgeous. It needs to be made. It's so ultra-stylish and perfect that I'm a little scared to try my hand in making a replica of it. I saw it in September at the Museum of London and instantly thought "I need to make this for Jane Austen Festival next year". Obviously, the museum has better pictures on its web pages (here) but here are some of mine as well.

I can't decide which colour my pelisse should be. The original is fairly light bluey-grey and it looks very nice but I don't think it's really me.

The trimming is lovely. I can't make out what fastenings this thing uses.

Then there's this spencer, from a museum in Stockholm. It's actually the jacket of a riding habit which I spotted in a book about Regency women, fashion etc. (Persson, Helen: Empirens Döttrar - Kultur och mode under tidigt 1800-tal). I just want the spencer because the braidwork and embroidery are to die for.

I should also make new stays, both 18th century and Regency. I don't really like staymaking, so I'm putting it off, only I can't really make new gowns before I have the stays, so it's a vicious circle. I did finish that black swallow tail jacket, though, and I'm very pleased with it. Here are some pics of it:

The stomacher is pinned on the stays.

I filled out the bum roll :)

The black ribbons are apron strings.

I'm standing on a stool to get a full lenght photo. Black clothes don't photograph well without good lighting. This ensemble has somehow very Dutch or French feel to it (at least to me).

 Lastly, some close-ups of the red frilly spencer.

The front is pinned togehter, and the top is adjusted with the ribbons.

New year, new spencer

Happy New Year! First day of the year 2013 today, and I'm diligently documenting my first costuming event for the year. I cheated a bit; I started making the new spencer yesterday and only finished today, but that counts, no?

The spencer in question has been on my to-do list for a long time, ever since I first laid my eyes on it. I'm talking of this delightful little number:

The Christie's auction house page states that it's from the 1790s, so a perfect companion to the white round gown I have!

I was really prudent and didn't buy any new material for this jacket; I took apart a pair of linen capris I had made some years ago (which I never wore anyway because wide-legged capris? I don't think so :P ). I really wanted to use the nice fabric for something, so luckily there was just enough for this little project. I used my standard Regency bodice pattern for the back and remodeled the front by using my drop-front gown pattern. Because I didn't have any extra material, I chose to make the sleeves elbow lenght, but that goes nicely with the period look anyway. I used the same sleeve pattern as for the black print jacket. The jacket is entirely hand-sewn and lined with white batiste.

The original spencer has nice trim around the hem and the neckline, so I might add some to mine as well.

All the pieces cut (except the sleeves)