(Click for larger images.)"Hello! It’s been a looong time coming, but I’d like to comment on my first Regency gown ever, made from your pattern, in a turkey red paisley. I had made the gown and worn it for our Regency afternoon gathering last October, but since I am such a procrastinator, I didn’t have enough time to make the chemisette at that time, and because I had lowered the bodice in anticipation of wearing a chemisette beneath, the dress looked a little risqué without it. :-) I’m lucky I even got the chemisette done in time for the next Regency gathering I attended. I couldn’t find the material I wanted locally, a 100% cotton lawn or voile, or something similarly light, so I ended up getting a polyester material that I wasn’t happy with. As a result, I put off making the chemisette. The very last day before the dance I found the material…in a thrift store…in the form of a dust ruffle! That’s why the chemisette has a seam down the middle of the back. I also changed the sleeves of the gown a bit to make them flatter because the puffier ones did not look so good on me when I test made the bodice. Also, I attached undersleeves. The sleeves and bodice are bound in piping that I made from your instructions, because I wanted the gown to be of one material but have small special details (also see the buttons on the back). I topped off the gown and chemisette with a bonnet with handmade ribbon flowers and a reticule. This is the first gown I have made, and I’m very pleased with the way this turned out. Thank you for your helpful answers and great pattern! ~ Bonnie" Splendid outfit! Turkey red was very popular during the middle of the Regency, and it's such a gorgeous color to use for today!
(Click for larger images.)"Hi there! I purchased your Regency Gown pattern in late 2005. This year my daughter went to the Austen Evening in a beautiful gown I made from your pattern. We are very very happy with the result and will direct others to your site. ~ Regina M." This is a sweet, charming ballgown. Doesn't her daughter look wonderful?
(Click for larger images.)
Caroline D. had a Horatio Hornblower-inspired wedding aboard ship in England!
Her entire wedding followed the Regency theme, and doesn't everyone look fantastic? What fun!
(Click for larger images.)"Here are some photos of my two sisters and myself in our Regency gowns. We can't wait to start working on our next ones! ~ Leila" These sisters are so darling! I love their hairstyles and demure expressions!
(Click for larger images.)"I am sending pictures of a few of the dresses I have made for my girls using your pattern. I have also made oodles of pantaloons and have even used that pattern to make jammy pants for my son. We all have had such fun with our dresses and have worn one of them almost every day. Sadly, my big girls are outgrowing the dresses, but my youngest will have many years left! I was browsing the S&S message board about two years ago and saw the picture Carol posted of her daughter Olivia in her yellow nightgown and I knew that I must get that pattern right away (and I DID make my youngest a yellow nightgown similar to Olivia's :-) ). Now, I need to make up some spencer jackets, especially after seeing some of the other pictures from your site. I just wanted to say 'thanks' for the pattern that has brought so much joy to our lives this past year! Sincerely, Jennifer P." What a bevy of beautiful dresses! And aren't her daughters adorable? I love all the play clothes and dressier ones as well. Thanks for sharing!!!
(Click for larger images.)"I ordered your Regency Gown pattern some months back to make myself a Marianne Dashwood costume for Halloween. (Big Jane Austen fan here!) I really love the pattern and was extremely satisfied with my results! The only major alteration I made when using the pattern was to drop the neckline lower. I added some adornments, too. Thanks again for making such a great pattern! ~Kate P." I love the color and trimmings used for this gown! Don't they go perfectly with her china-doll complexion and beautiful hair? Great job, Kate!
(Click for larger image.)"Dear Jennie: Thanks for your wonderful website and beautiful patterns. Last year I purchased the l9l0's Tea Gown pattern to make a dress for my son's wedding. After many drafts and trials on bodice pieces, I completed the gown you see in the pictures. Your kind and prompt help by e-mail was invaluable! I appreciated your service. This dress was just a practice dress for the one I intended to cut from more expensive fabric. I think I probably made this one for less than $l5. I got all the fabric on discount tables. It was a fabric that I think would be called "charmeuse" in a sandy color. I used a low-priced black lace with a little silver thread running through for the bodice inset and underskirt, taking tucks in the skirt near the hem. I lined the dress with a silky silver fabric. I have to admit that I never did construct the dress from more expensive fabric and wore another style for the wedding; but I wore this dress on Easter morning and received numerous compliments that day and each time I wore it afterwards. I also took the completed dress to our county fair and it drew first place in adult clothing construction dress category. I was thrilled. Thank you again for your beautiful patterns and friendly, efficient service to your customers. Sincerely, Lori Z." Wow! Isn't it utterly amazing what you can do with fabric finds from the discount table? Lori is so charming in her tea dress!
(Click for larger images.)"This is a Regency dress that I just finished. I used the Sense and Sensibility pattern as a base, and created a crossover bodice. The fabric is a lavender silk chiffon over a white silk habotai. On the back seams I did a some beading. It really makes the back more interesting. This is my sixth Regency dress, and by far my favorite, thank you for letting me share. Thank you so much for all the work you put in to make Sense and Sensibility a wonderful website. Love, Heidi G." This is such a breathtaking rendition of a crossover gown! The fine, flowing fabric and the pale color are so evocative of the early Regency, and Heidi certainly has the look of a Regency maiden! Beautiful!
(Click for larger images.)"I just wanted to show you the latest dress I finished for Olivia using the Regency pattern. I made it early in the spring for another project, but didn't get around to finishing it because the girl I wanted to send it to, was no longer living there! So I saved it for Olivia and it now fits her. I used the Regency dress pattern and drafted out the side back piece (easy) then moved the shoulder seam to the shoulder, again (easy) and finally I scooped the neckline where I wanted it so the jumper can be worn either with the buttons in the front, or the back. That way, little girl's who want to dress themselves and want button up the front can do so! Olivia loves her new dress, can you tell? One of these days I will get all my pictures together with finishing touches, and then hopefully write up a little article for the wardrobe with this pattern...along with the pantaloon pattern. ~ Carol K." Carol also made the beautiful Romantic dress you see below Olivia's jumper. Carol is a prolific seamstress and shares her lovely creations many times each year!
(Click for larger images.)"Here are some pictures of me in the dress I made to wear to my daughter's wedding from your 1909 Edwardian Dress Pattern. ~ Jacqueline S." Isn't this a stunner? I love the overlay and the gorgeous lace used for this lovely mother of the bride!
(Click for larger images.)"We had so much fun making this dress! Faith actually helped even though she is only two and a half! She aided me in the pinning, and in some of the hand sewing. She felt so big and helpful...she just beamed! I think she has a real ownership of that dress. We made many fun memories that I'm sure I will always remember...even if she doesn't. But the greatest thing about her helping me is that I have a goal of having my girls help me so much that they don't remember a time when they didn't...or even when they learned the skills they will have. I thoroughly enjoyed making this dress and learned a lot as well. Your online instructions made it very simple to complete and I haven't sewn a dress in over 20 years! Thanks for being a precious part of that process in our lives! ~ Amy H." Darling!
(Click for larger images.)Isn't this a cute way to use the Regency Gown pattern? This young lady made a darling empire-waist blouse from it!
(Click for larger images.)"I've been meaning to send you some picture of my Regency ball gown that a friend and I made way back in September '05. I chose a satin for the undergown/lining. The over dress is made from a voile from Ikea. I wore the dress to a Hornblower convention in October held in Portsmouth, UK during Trafalgar weekend (21st October is Trafalgar day) 2005 was the 200th anniversary of Trafalgar, and we had a grand dinner on the Sunday night complete with Regency dancing. The buttons on the gown are Naval themed with anchors and chains. The dress is a tad creased after its latest outing (I tacked roses across the bodice and the hem) as a flower fairy to a birthday party. I did think because the dress was for a one off that it didn't matter, but I have the bug and I want more dresses now so I think it's the time to think about making some stays. Thank you for the wonderful pattern. ~ Ceri J." Luscious colors and that shimmery voile is wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Ceri!
(Click for larger image.)"I made a beautiful dress for my daughter off your pattern, but still have not gotten around to making mine (though I'm hoping to soon). We have old-time Grange dances here, so I thought it would be really cute to make us matching ones. I made this dress in honor of my daughter's weaning. She gets compliments on it every time she wears it! I added some piping around the neck and waist lines, and some eyelet ruffle on the bottom hem. She loves her "spinning dress" and wants to wear it every time she dances. Thank you for the pattern! ~ Mrs. Q." Absolutely precious!
(Click for larger images.)Genevieve made this lovely Regency ballgown for an event in New Zealand. Yep, they even have my patterns way out in the Pacific!
(Click for larger images.)"These are the two Regency gowns that my mother made for me. The yellow one was my Recital gown in 2005. The red one was my Christmas dress last year. ~ Elissa P." Sweet!
(Click for larger images.)"I wore my summer crossover gown to work Wednesday, and my friend kindly took some pictures of me outside. I was surprised when I saw the front view at how modern looking it is - I suppose the fact that I made it shorter has something to do with that, but I didn't expect it. I wasn't sure if I'd have enough fabric, and I knew I really wanted that extra panel on the skirt - that was important, and I'm glad I made it! I asked my friend to take a closeup so you could see the fabric, but it's not very easy to see the gold dots on it - I really fell in love with it as soon as I saw it - and only $2.99 a yard! I'm intending to make an early spring gown next, with long sleeves, I think! And a higher neck. Well, thanks for making the patterns, Jennie! I know I need a lot of practice, but I just love these gowns - I feel the urge to make a multitude of them! Cheerfully, Lisa G." See? Regency gowns can work for everyday as well! This lovely librarian is a fellow Jane Austen fan and created an Austen display at her library recently. The crossover gown was just an appropriate addition!
(Click for larger image.)"I made my Regency gown from some stretch crushed velvet that I had found at a garage sale. Because of the stretchiness of the fabric, I simply sewed the seams, and then serged them all - which eliminated the need for snipping curves, and reduced alot of bulk where the gathers are in the back and the tops of the sleeves. I also didn't embellish it much - aside from the off-white sheer ribbon roses at the center front of the bodice. The buttons I chose for the back just happened to be in my friend's box of random buttons she had collected over the years. They're a heavy, dark brass and have a beautiful design on them. All my friends love this dress! I'm looking forward to making a few others. Blessings, Michelle M." Michelle also mentions that she's found the Regency Gown pattern works great for maternity! I can echo that, having made quite a few maternity gowns for myself from it!
Back to Page Four | On to Page Six
