(Please note that this workshop is in two sessions: April 28th and May 5th. The hours are both 10am-5pm. There will be a lunch break in each session.)

Do you look at images of Victorian ladies and wish you could dress just like them? Now you can! Come make an early Victorian bodice from the 1840s, with the typical fan-shaped pleating at the front. You can wear it to Victorian balls, teas, Dickens Fair, SASS events, or any occasion you desire. It’s perfect for lady scientists or Gothic Bronte heroines. You can even use it as a base for a modern or fantasy gown! For inspiration, please visit my Pinterest board at https://www.pinterest.com/cjscholar/fan-front-1840s/.

We’ll start with a historically accurate bodice pattern, and augment it with authentic 19th century dressmaking techniques to make a custom gown just for you. We’ll cover measurements, pattern adjustments, fitting, period sewing techniques, trimming, boning, hand finishing, making skirts without a pattern, and much more.

• In the first session (April 28), you will cover a brief overview of the styles worn in the era. You will take measurements, trace off the correct pattern pieces, and then make and fit mock-ups.
• In the second session (May 5), you will then move on to cutting and constructing your bodice and adding boning. We’ll finish out by concentrating on closures and facings, and cover skirts if time.