I made the tunic twice for myself and once for a friend. It’s attractive and easy.
Rated 5 out of 5
Sally Norton –
Extremely flattering and very easy to make. The long line of the polonaise has a slimming effect. This pattern will work for any figure.
Rated 5 out of 5
Loren Dearborn –
Deceptively easy, but very time-consuming with all those ruffles! The ruffles are cut on the bias and they take a lot of fabric. I used less fabric by alternating the fashion fabric with lace flounces. You might just lace flounces for a summer dress. I had some problems getting the skirt to hang correctly. I solved this by adding ribbon tapes with ties to the back of the skirt under the polonaise. OK for beginners.
Rated 5 out of 5
Lisa Carmody –
I had trouble getting the bodice to fit correctly and needed help. With help, it did turn out well and looks very pretty.
Rated 4 out of 5
Trystan L. Bass –
This pattern is deceptively simple. It looks complicated, but I think a very patient beginner could do it, and it would be a great first intermediate pattern for someone who is stretching their sewing wings. The darts are tricky if you need to modify the fit, but that’s why we do a muslin. Make sure to adjust your muslin over a corset, if you’re wearing one.
The ruffled underskirt is a challenge. It’s not difficult, just incredibly time consuming. A rolled-hem foot will become your new best friend because hemming those miles & miles of ruffles is tedious. Trimming them is even more labor-intensive. The finished skirt is worth it though.
The coolest thing about the pattern is how the pleats on the side create the bustled effect — without the hassle of a structured bustle. The pleating is quite easy to do, just requires a lot of pinning and checking before sewing. But the results are awesome. You get a lot of bang for your sewing buck out of this pattern. I am definitely going to use it again.
Rated 5 out of 5
Heidi Schultz –
I don’t think this was made to be worn over a corset and certainly not over a tightly laced corset. I had to completely re-do the side darts, and shorten the back by several inches. I have no idea how they expect this to go over a bustle, there were no directions for this alteration in my pattern (though it said there were on the envelope) Once fit properly, it looks quite nice, but I did not expect to do the number of alterations I had to. Be prepared to fit this several times. If I decide to make another polonaise, I will use the new Truly Victorian polonaise.
Rated 4 out of 5
Deborah Borlaise –
Very, very pretty dress. Not difficult. I just love it. Sewing the ruffled walking skirt does take a long time but, combined with the polonaise, it’s the perfect summer gown.
I used lawn for the ruffles on the skirt as suggested on the pattern and plain old muslin for the skirt base. Note that the lawn does wrinkle easily, so perhaps a slightly heavier fabric ultimately would have been better for something that you typically sit on. I followed Lorraine Carson’s advise and brought the ruffles up and all around. Remember to get more fabric if you decide to do this. You will think that you’re NEVER going to stop ruffling; definitely use pre-ruffled lace unless you have a ton of time on your hands.
The tunic was very easy. Take care with your undergarments and measurements. I measured myself in modern undergarments (don’t know why I did that). When I put on the period undergarments, everything was in the wrong place. I couldn’t get the tunic to fit right. It was a good thing I had decided to make up a muslin first. A friend may ultimately receive that one as it fit her nearly perfectly. Once we re-measured in the correct undergarments andmade the proper adjustments (with the help of my friend Dawn), the pattern made up beautifully. I’m really very happy with it and would be interested in making another. But not the skirt, at least not without pre-ruffled lace.
Rated 4 out of 5
Kyrsten Comoglio –
It’s easy and very pretty.
Rated 4 out of 5
Lisa Prindle –
I definitely recommend this wonderful pattern. I wanted to show everyone a variation on this pattern. All you have to do is completely button up the front of the polonaise. The result gives you another fantastic 1880’s look and all for the price of one pattern.
Rated 4 out of 5
Lorraine Carson –
None of the pattern markings match up for sizes 16 and larger. The ruffled petticoat made by Lorraine is shown in the picture on the right.
Rated 3 out of 5
Lisa Dyrke –
I strongly advise ruffling the WHOLE skirt. The pattern has the ruffles ending under the back of the polonaise, but sometimes the polonaise gets askew and the lining shows. Otherwise, this had to be one of the easiest patterns I have worked with. Fitting is a breeze. I was disappointed, however, that it came printed on tissue instead of the nice, heavy paper I’m used to with Past Patterns.
Sheri Jernecka –
I made the tunic twice for myself and once for a friend. It’s attractive and easy.
Sally Norton –
Extremely flattering and very easy to make. The long line of the polonaise has a slimming effect. This pattern will work for any figure.
Loren Dearborn –
Deceptively easy, but very time-consuming with all those ruffles! The ruffles are cut on the bias and they take a lot of fabric. I used less fabric by alternating the fashion fabric with lace flounces. You might just lace flounces for a summer dress. I had some problems getting the skirt to hang correctly. I solved this by adding ribbon tapes with ties to the back of the skirt under the polonaise. OK for beginners.
Lisa Carmody –
I had trouble getting the bodice to fit correctly and needed help. With help, it did turn out well and looks very pretty.
Trystan L. Bass –
This pattern is deceptively simple. It looks complicated, but I think a very patient beginner could do it, and it would be a great first intermediate pattern for someone who is stretching their sewing wings. The darts are tricky if you need to modify the fit, but that’s why we do a muslin. Make sure to adjust your muslin over a corset, if you’re wearing one.
The ruffled underskirt is a challenge. It’s not difficult, just incredibly time consuming. A rolled-hem foot will become your new best friend because hemming those miles & miles of ruffles is tedious. Trimming them is even more labor-intensive. The finished skirt is worth it though.
The coolest thing about the pattern is how the pleats on the side create the bustled effect — without the hassle of a structured bustle. The pleating is quite easy to do, just requires a lot of pinning and checking before sewing. But the results are awesome. You get a lot of bang for your sewing buck out of this pattern. I am definitely going to use it again.
Heidi Schultz –
I don’t think this was made to be worn over a corset and certainly not over a tightly laced corset. I had to completely re-do the side darts, and shorten the back by several inches. I have no idea how they expect this to go over a bustle, there were no directions for this alteration in my pattern (though it said there were on the envelope) Once fit properly, it looks quite nice, but I did not expect to do the number of alterations I had to. Be prepared to fit this several times. If I decide to make another polonaise, I will use the new Truly Victorian polonaise.
Deborah Borlaise –
Very, very pretty dress. Not difficult. I just love it. Sewing the ruffled walking skirt does take a long time but, combined with the polonaise, it’s the perfect summer gown.
I used lawn for the ruffles on the skirt as suggested on the pattern and plain old muslin for the skirt base. Note that the lawn does wrinkle easily, so perhaps a slightly heavier fabric ultimately would have been better for something that you typically sit on. I followed Lorraine Carson’s advise and brought the ruffles up and all around. Remember to get more fabric if you decide to do this. You will think that you’re NEVER going to stop ruffling; definitely use pre-ruffled lace unless you have a ton of time on your hands.
The tunic was very easy. Take care with your undergarments and measurements. I measured myself in modern undergarments (don’t know why I did that). When I put on the period undergarments, everything was in the wrong place. I couldn’t get the tunic to fit right. It was a good thing I had decided to make up a muslin first. A friend may ultimately receive that one as it fit her nearly perfectly. Once we re-measured in the correct undergarments andmade the proper adjustments (with the help of my friend Dawn), the pattern made up beautifully. I’m really very happy with it and would be interested in making another. But not the skirt, at least not without pre-ruffled lace.
Kyrsten Comoglio –
It’s easy and very pretty.
Lisa Prindle –
I definitely recommend this wonderful pattern. I wanted to show everyone a variation on this pattern. All you have to do is completely button up the front of the polonaise. The result gives you another fantastic 1880’s look and all for the price of one pattern.
Lorraine Carson –
None of the pattern markings match up for sizes 16 and larger. The ruffled petticoat made by Lorraine is shown in the picture on the right.
Lisa Dyrke –
I strongly advise ruffling the WHOLE skirt. The pattern has the ruffles ending under the back of the polonaise, but sometimes the polonaise gets askew and the lining shows. Otherwise, this had to be one of the easiest patterns I have worked with. Fitting is a breeze. I was disappointed, however, that it came printed on tissue instead of the nice, heavy paper I’m used to with Past Patterns.