I just did a post on Miss Emaline's Circle of Fashionable Friends about an 1860's dress I made for my China doll (to see the finished project click here) and This young lady was kind enough to ask to see more pictures of the one I made for myself! So I scavenged around and found these. They are not very good but they'll do the job! It is an 1860's afternoon dress made of cotton calico. 
For the bodice I used this pattern and cut the neckline different and for the sleeves I used this pattern. I'm sorry to say that my dress is not ironed in ANY of these pictures. For shame!
Here is the dress with a cotton blouse underneath for morning and day time.
I trimmed it with white piping (everyone is always telling me that they didn't do contrasting piping in the 1860's... All I can say is, "Were. You. There?") and also with a pretty cotton lace. There are covered buttons fastening it down the front.
The skirt is 4 panels around to fit over a hoop, with a gathered ruffle sewn on near the hem, hand gathered into a waistband and sewn on to the bodice. This picture shows the truest color of the ruffle but still doesn't quite do it justice.
There is a growth tuck just above the ruffle because I made it too long and then did not have time to make it look like it was supposed to be there before the event we were going to. phew! And as is most often the case with me... it is still there looking weird to this day.
So there you have it! The best part of this dress is how much fun it is to wear! The ruffle makes the skirt have a great weight and it moves really beautifully! I wish I had some better pictures but alas... ah me... and all that. =]
Have a lovely day!
Marguerite
For the bodice I used this pattern and cut the neckline different and for the sleeves I used this pattern. I'm sorry to say that my dress is not ironed in ANY of these pictures. For shame!
Here is the dress with a cotton blouse underneath for morning and day time.
I trimmed it with white piping (everyone is always telling me that they didn't do contrasting piping in the 1860's... All I can say is, "Were. You. There?") and also with a pretty cotton lace. There are covered buttons fastening it down the front.
The skirt is 4 panels around to fit over a hoop, with a gathered ruffle sewn on near the hem, hand gathered into a waistband and sewn on to the bodice. This picture shows the truest color of the ruffle but still doesn't quite do it justice.
There is a growth tuck just above the ruffle because I made it too long and then did not have time to make it look like it was supposed to be there before the event we were going to. phew! And as is most often the case with me... it is still there looking weird to this day.So there you have it! The best part of this dress is how much fun it is to wear! The ruffle makes the skirt have a great weight and it moves really beautifully! I wish I had some better pictures but alas... ah me... and all that. =]
Have a lovely day!
Marguerite
