Dabbling

 While I haven't posted in some time I have been keeping busy with a few projects. Finishing up the robe a l'anglaise (as I'm loosely naming it) and starting in on some clothes for my husband. I'll say right off the bat that I'm using a pattern that it is made to be a simple to sew Halloween costume rather than a for reenactments.....obviously :) Now with that said I figured this would be a good place to start rather than jumping right into the deep end and wasting my money or time.

Butterick pattern B3072

The motivation behind this entire project was a Colonial themed dinner that is costume required at Riley Farms in Oak Glen, CA. Unfortunately my husband will be having surgery four days prior to the dinner and so for the second year in a row we won't be able to attend.

George Lord Vernon 1767 by Thomas Gainsborough

 While searching for inspiration for the project I came across this portrait. I like the colors and had this partially in mind when I purchased my fabric.

 The black will be for the breeches & the green will be his coat, both are bottom weight fabrics.  I had some rust colored cotton hanging around to test out the vest, for the shirt I used muslin.

This sleeves of this shirt are one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen. Can you say Popeye arms? When I have the opportunity I'll remake this and take a few inches out of the width. I omitted ruffles from the sleeves and the neck of the shirt. Ruffles at the sleeve if I'm not mistaken denote that the person didn't work with their hands. The persona I've got in my mind for this is a merchant.

To be able to adjust some of the extra fabric out of the back of the vest I made some tabs I'll sew on. I added grommets and then covered them with embroidery floss.

And last but not least I finished my robe a l'anglaise project.

 Self fabric buttons, ruffled trim ,red velvet ribbon and daphne ruffle at the sleeve.

 Happy Sewing :)