Both garments are easy to make. The pattern pieces fit properly and the instructions are thorough. I made this for a friend who wears a size 10. It’s a perfect fit. The skirt is smooth in front and gathered at the sides and back which is correct for the Regency era. The dress closes at the back with a hidden zipper. Changing the closure to hooks and eyes or buttons would be easy.
Rated 4 out of 5
Amanda –
I made View C. It’s easy and cute. The neckline is a little low, but not too bad. Watch out when gathering the bodice; if you don’t gather evenly you’ll look lopsided. I had to rip it out and re-gather a few times. Otherwise, it went together easily.
Rated 5 out of 5
Jennifer –
I had no trouble with this pattern, it went together very easily. I altered the back so that instead of a zipper, it closes with buttons. I also decided to make a back and side back piece instead of gathering the back. These alterations were easily made. It would be easy for a beginner to make up this pattern.
Rated 5 out of 5
Teresa –
I actually took the effort to pick apart my dismal failure of a dress last weekend, with some surprising pleasant results. I discovered that I merely over-compensated the first time through. When I originally made the dress, I had lowered the waist band because my measurements showed that the pattern’s waistline would be far too high (after all, it’s not the dress that is supposed to be pushing things up). It turns out that I could have lowered it by half as much as I did. Once I raised the waist band so that it fell to my natural under-bust line the dress looks quite lovely; and, of course, being a Simplicity pattern the directions are very easy to follow, The construction is simple enough for a beginner (as long as you don’t have my odd measurements). Careful measurements and adjustments would probably also need to be taken if you are planning on wearing a Regency corset under this dress. My Regency corset raises my under-bust line a good three or four inches, which means that instead of lowering the pattern’s waistline by an inch or two, I need to raise it an inch or two.
Rated 5 out of 5
Jana –
This is an excellent pattern. The instructions are well written and the pattern is well-drafted. I had no problems at all. It makes up into a charming dress. Highly recommend: This is a very easy pattern to use. I pretty much sewed it straight from the pattern and instructions in a size 18. It is a low-cut dress so the easy solution is to add a scarf that goes around the back and front and tucks into the front of the bodice for daywear. You could also find a very cute high-necked blouse pattern and make a “dickie” or false blouse without sleeves and leave sides open. Add ties that wrap the blouse around each side and tie.
Wear very good support undergarment or regency corset to wear as ball gown or do a muslin and add more fabric to front to bring the neckline up a bit. You could also add a fabric piece straight across the front. The only change I made to the jacket was to add self-fabric covered buttons to close the jacket and I added just a little bid more to the jacket back to make it dip a little lower.
Rated 4 out of 5
Mary Alice –
Overall I’m happy with gown I made from this Simplicity pattern using a silk sari with gold embroidered border. My reservations are mainly fit issue with the bodice. The bodice is very low cut. I’m very small busted and wear padding in most of my costumes. So I raised neckline some to cover my undergarment/padding. I should have made test muslin, but did not. When I sewed the neckline banding to the bodice I discovered I had not raised the neckline enough and undergarment was peaking out and bodice and was gapping in front. I ended up adding a wide lace inset across the bodice front to cover undergarment and fill in gap. The pattern is well drafted, the instructions are clear and the construction is fairly straightforward. However, I would not consider this a beginning level pattern, because of need to make test muslin and have the skills to make any alterations to bodice. For beginners, I highly recommend the Sense and Sensibility Regency Gown Pattern.
Lorraine Carson –
Both garments are easy to make. The pattern pieces fit properly and the instructions are thorough. I made this for a friend who wears a size 10. It’s a perfect fit. The skirt is smooth in front and gathered at the sides and back which is correct for the Regency era. The dress closes at the back with a hidden zipper. Changing the closure to hooks and eyes or buttons would be easy.
Amanda –
I made View C. It’s easy and cute. The neckline is a little low, but not too bad. Watch out when gathering the bodice; if you don’t gather evenly you’ll look lopsided. I had to rip it out and re-gather a few times. Otherwise, it went together easily.
Jennifer –
I had no trouble with this pattern, it went together very easily. I altered the back so that instead of a zipper, it closes with buttons. I also decided to make a back and side back piece instead of gathering the back. These alterations were easily made. It would be easy for a beginner to make up this pattern.
Teresa –
I actually took the effort to pick apart my dismal failure of a dress last weekend, with some surprising pleasant results. I discovered that I merely over-compensated the first time through. When I originally made the dress, I had lowered the waist band because my measurements showed that the pattern’s waistline would be far too high (after all, it’s not the dress that is supposed to be pushing things up). It turns out that I could have lowered it by half as much as I did. Once I raised the waist band so that it fell to my natural under-bust line the dress looks quite lovely; and, of course, being a Simplicity pattern the directions are very easy to follow, The construction is simple enough for a beginner (as long as you don’t have my odd measurements). Careful measurements and adjustments would probably also need to be taken if you are planning on wearing a Regency corset under this dress. My Regency corset raises my under-bust line a good three or four inches, which means that instead of lowering the pattern’s waistline by an inch or two, I need to raise it an inch or two.
Jana –
This is an excellent pattern. The instructions are well written and the pattern is well-drafted. I had no problems at all. It makes up into a charming dress. Highly recommend: This is a very easy pattern to use. I pretty much sewed it straight from the pattern and instructions in a size 18. It is a low-cut dress so the easy solution is to add a scarf that goes around the back and front and tucks into the front of the bodice for daywear. You could also find a very cute high-necked blouse pattern and make a “dickie” or false blouse without sleeves and leave sides open. Add ties that wrap the blouse around each side and tie.
Wear very good support undergarment or regency corset to wear as ball gown or do a muslin and add more fabric to front to bring the neckline up a bit. You could also add a fabric piece straight across the front. The only change I made to the jacket was to add self-fabric covered buttons to close the jacket and I added just a little bid more to the jacket back to make it dip a little lower.
Mary Alice –
Overall I’m happy with gown I made from this Simplicity pattern using a silk sari with gold embroidered border. My reservations are mainly fit issue with the bodice. The bodice is very low cut. I’m very small busted and wear padding in most of my costumes. So I raised neckline some to cover my undergarment/padding. I should have made test muslin, but did not. When I sewed the neckline banding to the bodice I discovered I had not raised the neckline enough and undergarment was peaking out and bodice and was gapping in front. I ended up adding a wide lace inset across the bodice front to cover undergarment and fill in gap. The pattern is well drafted, the instructions are clear and the construction is fairly straightforward. However, I would not consider this a beginning level pattern, because of need to make test muslin and have the skills to make any alterations to bodice. For beginners, I highly recommend the Sense and Sensibility Regency Gown Pattern.