I curved the back seams and added more boning. I made the petticoat with a drawstring waist but, it slipped so I added a waistband. I also added pockets.
Rated 5 out of 5
Monique Motyl –
Easy to assemble. This pattern will work for everyone.
Rated 5 out of 5
Dana Reese –
I absolutely adore the Period Impressions Polonaise and used it for a recreation of the peach finale dress in the film Pirates of the Caribbean. It fit perfectly and I made it in one day! I give it 6 out of 5 stars.
Rated 3 out of 5
Sheri Jurnecka –
I have used this pattern several times making both day and evening gowns. I modified the back, curving the seams for a more correct period look. Sheri is wearing the first dress she made using this pattern in the photo on the left (she added a stomacher). She is wearing a day dress made for the Poldark Picnic in the photo on the right (this one closes by lacing in front).
Rated 5 out of 5
Karen H. von Bargen –
I have finally calmed down enough (from Halloween, mind you) to send along my comments about this pattern. I HATED this pattern. The bodice was WAY too short and had to be modified over and over and over, the sleeves were too tight, something I knew in advance and had to recut a couple of times. The directions were good and the dress had the potential to come together easily enough but for all the modifications to make it fit. Our rabbit offered his opinion and peed on the pattern and I had to throw it out! Never again! At least I have enough yardage to make a nice quilt. Just so you know. Gotta love that rabbit!
Rated 5 out of 5
Frannie Germeshausen –
I’ve joined the dozens of happy, peppy people who’ve made the Period Impressions 1770 Polonaise and Petticoat. I was really pleased with the outcome. They fit closely (which they should), but since I have plump arms I had to adjust the front of the arm’s eyes and make the sleeve a little wider. The only problem I had was with her pleating and box pleating instructions. The math just didn’t work, so I adjusted things (the skirt, the box pleated ruffle on one petticoat) to fit and look good. I had a lot of fun with the trimmings. The peach dress is trimmed with an antique gold lace and more than 100 ribbon roses. The green dress is trimmed simply with some green silk pinked ruching I was lucky enough to find on sale. I’m planning to make a day dress. I really like this pattern. These pictures of Frannie were taken during Carnivale at two balls held in Venetian palazzos.
Rated 5 out of 5
Sally Norton –
Very easy to make, to modify and to wear. It looks good on every type of body. I cut the back of the skirt wider to accommodate a bum roll, slightly longer to create a demi-train and added a stomacher. I also added the deep lace ruffle on the skirt (copied from a portrait). As with all patterns, make a muslin first and then use the muslin as your lining.
Rated 5 out of 5
Christine James –
It’s a great pattern. Easy and attractive. I’ve made it up several times and will probably use it again. I added a ruffle to the skirt and bows at the bodice closure to the gown shown at center. I added a ruffle to the skirt robe and quilted the skirt on the gown shown on the right. Both are correct for the late 18th century.
Rated 5 out of 5
Autumn Adamme –
This pattern is good for everyone. I’ve used it several times for both day and evening wear. I did ribbon work on a day dress and ruching on a formal gown.
Rated 4 out of 5
Kathleen Crowley –
I made this version by the book (no tweaking the pattern). But I made it out of vinyl tablecloth fabric in two hours. Happy 4th of July!
Rated 5 out of 5
Rowenna Miller –
I’ve made this pattern three times, twice adjusting the back to be en fourreau (bodice cut in one piece with the skirt) and once as printed. I would recommend making a muslin of the bodice – as another reviewer mentioned, the sleeves are a bit tight on the smaller sizes and the waist a bit short (for me, anyway!). However, the pattern takes adjustment very well. I would recommend cutting the back en fourreau or curving the seams, as another reviewer mentioned, as the only part I am unhappy with in the gown I cut per the pattern is that the back does not look quite properly tailored.
I also found that the top of the bodice gaped a bit – this may be my narrow shoulders, but be aware that you may need to adjust the neckline or take a pleat in the shoulders to ensure proper fit.
I polonaised the back by pulling the skirt up and under the gown to create poofs rather than using loops – I’ve seen more prints and extants that use this method than the loops, so felt it was more historically representative.
I have not made the petticoat – I use my own (probably terribly backwards) methods to construct petticoats.
This pattern works equally well as a working gown for lower-class day wear or an upper-class evening gown. I cut the skirt fuller on the evening gown. I’ve attached pictures of the gown done in blue linen for day/work wear and another done in burgundy silk for evening.
Ellie Farrell –
I curved the back seams and added more boning. I made the petticoat with a drawstring waist but, it slipped so I added a waistband. I also added pockets.
Monique Motyl –
Easy to assemble. This pattern will work for everyone.
Dana Reese –
I absolutely adore the Period Impressions Polonaise and used it for a recreation of the peach finale dress in the film Pirates of the Caribbean. It fit perfectly and I made it in one day! I give it 6 out of 5 stars.
Sheri Jurnecka –
I have used this pattern several times making both day and evening gowns. I modified the back, curving the seams for a more correct period look. Sheri is wearing the first dress she made using this pattern in the photo on the left (she added a stomacher). She is wearing a day dress made for the Poldark Picnic in the photo on the right (this one closes by lacing in front).
Karen H. von Bargen –
I have finally calmed down enough (from Halloween, mind you) to send along my comments about this pattern. I HATED this pattern. The bodice was WAY too short and had to be modified over and over and over, the sleeves were too tight, something I knew in advance and had to recut a couple of times. The directions were good and the dress had the potential to come together easily enough but for all the modifications to make it fit. Our rabbit offered his opinion and peed on the pattern and I had to throw it out! Never again! At least I have enough yardage to make a nice quilt. Just so you know. Gotta love that rabbit!
Frannie Germeshausen –
I’ve joined the dozens of happy, peppy people who’ve made the Period Impressions 1770 Polonaise and Petticoat. I was really pleased with the outcome. They fit closely (which they should), but since I have plump arms I had to adjust the front of the arm’s eyes and make the sleeve a little wider. The only problem I had was with her pleating and box pleating instructions. The math just didn’t work, so I adjusted things (the skirt, the box pleated ruffle on one petticoat) to fit and look good. I had a lot of fun with the trimmings. The peach dress is trimmed with an antique gold lace and more than 100 ribbon roses. The green dress is trimmed simply with some green silk pinked ruching I was lucky enough to find on sale. I’m planning to make a day dress. I really like this pattern. These pictures of Frannie were taken during Carnivale at two balls held in Venetian palazzos.
Sally Norton –
Very easy to make, to modify and to wear. It looks good on every type of body. I cut the back of the skirt wider to accommodate a bum roll, slightly longer to create a demi-train and added a stomacher. I also added the deep lace ruffle on the skirt (copied from a portrait). As with all patterns, make a muslin first and then use the muslin as your lining.
Christine James –
It’s a great pattern. Easy and attractive. I’ve made it up several times and will probably use it again. I added a ruffle to the skirt and bows at the bodice closure to the gown shown at center. I added a ruffle to the skirt robe and quilted the skirt on the gown shown on the right. Both are correct for the late 18th century.
Autumn Adamme –
This pattern is good for everyone. I’ve used it several times for both day and evening wear. I did ribbon work on a day dress and ruching on a formal gown.
Kathleen Crowley –
I made this version by the book (no tweaking the pattern). But I made it out of vinyl tablecloth fabric in two hours. Happy 4th of July!
Rowenna Miller –
I’ve made this pattern three times, twice adjusting the back to be en fourreau (bodice cut in one piece with the skirt) and once as printed. I would recommend making a muslin of the bodice – as another reviewer mentioned, the sleeves are a bit tight on the smaller sizes and the waist a bit short (for me, anyway!). However, the pattern takes adjustment very well. I would recommend cutting the back en fourreau or curving the seams, as another reviewer mentioned, as the only part I am unhappy with in the gown I cut per the pattern is that the back does not look quite properly tailored.
I also found that the top of the bodice gaped a bit – this may be my narrow shoulders, but be aware that you may need to adjust the neckline or take a pleat in the shoulders to ensure proper fit.
I polonaised the back by pulling the skirt up and under the gown to create poofs rather than using loops – I’ve seen more prints and extants that use this method than the loops, so felt it was more historically representative.
I have not made the petticoat – I use my own (probably terribly backwards) methods to construct petticoats.
This pattern works equally well as a working gown for lower-class day wear or an upper-class evening gown. I cut the skirt fuller on the evening gown. I’ve attached pictures of the gown done in blue linen for day/work wear and another done in burgundy silk for evening.