I had a lot of fun making this suit. All of the pieces fit very well together, and although some of the markings were incorrect, it was obvious to me what went where. The bust size is closer to 36″, and the waist size is actually about 27.5″. It wasn’t clear to me why the fitted lining would be the length of the jacket, which has its own lining; I extended the fitted lining four inches down to my natural waistline and mounted the girdle over it. The armholes are very tight, as is standard with Victorian dresses. The skirt, which I interlined with pink canvas, weighs a ton. Actually, the whole costume weighs a ton, with all of the fabric layers (six at the armholes!), interlining, lining, steel boning. It is drafted to accommodate the very rounded hips that are a result of tight corseting. I made hip pads to make up for my deficiency instead of trying to refit the pattern here. I didn’t expect any instructions at all, so I was pleasantly surprised to receive one page that explained various pattern markings and some of the construction points particular to this design. As this pattern line is geared toward Theatrical Costumers, one should take this caveat seriously. I am not a professional costumer, but I do have advanced sewing skills and a strong background in historic clothing construction, which is why, I believe, this pattern worked for me. I developed a construction plan before beginning, took my time, and enjoyed this historic experience. The suit is made of plain black wool with black and white houndstooth trim. The girdle and collar are grey silk taffeta. The collar and plastron are white Alencon type lace over white peau de soie/grey taffeta. I would try other patterns from Ageless Patterns based on my experience with this pattern.
Bridget Conlogue –
I had a lot of fun making this suit. All of the pieces fit very well together, and although some of the markings were incorrect, it was obvious to me what went where. The bust size is closer to 36″, and the waist size is actually about 27.5″. It wasn’t clear to me why the fitted lining would be the length of the jacket, which has its own lining; I extended the fitted lining four inches down to my natural waistline and mounted the girdle over it. The armholes are very tight, as is standard with Victorian dresses. The skirt, which I interlined with pink canvas, weighs a ton. Actually, the whole costume weighs a ton, with all of the fabric layers (six at the armholes!), interlining, lining, steel boning. It is drafted to accommodate the very rounded hips that are a result of tight corseting. I made hip pads to make up for my deficiency instead of trying to refit the pattern here. I didn’t expect any instructions at all, so I was pleasantly surprised to receive one page that explained various pattern markings and some of the construction points particular to this design. As this pattern line is geared toward Theatrical Costumers, one should take this caveat seriously. I am not a professional costumer, but I do have advanced sewing skills and a strong background in historic clothing construction, which is why, I believe, this pattern worked for me. I developed a construction plan before beginning, took my time, and enjoyed this historic experience. The suit is made of plain black wool with black and white houndstooth trim. The girdle and collar are grey silk taffeta. The collar and plastron are white Alencon type lace over white peau de soie/grey taffeta. I would try other patterns from Ageless Patterns based on my experience with this pattern.