1780s anyone? Lots and lots of layers, but so pretty.
“Let other pens dwell on guilt and misery.” Jane Austen
If you’re a fan of Downtown Abbey or anything Jane Austen, you’ll probably like my recent newspaper piece about a young historian who is such a skilled seamstress she can whip up a dress from pretty much any era.
The Regency era gown she’s holding is from the Jane Austen era. It was made from an upcycled sari. While this detail isn’t in the story — that kind of thing also happened in the early 1800s, when Eastern fabrics were trendy. 🙂This rolled hem is about 1/8 inch in real life — all hand stitched.The silk Regency gown is on top. It’s hard to see, but the white chemise a la reine underneath is modeled after a painting of Marie Antoinette. All cotton — unusual for its time — this version began as curtains from Target! To the right, a printed cotton dress reflects what the Industrial Revolution brought to fashion in the later 1800s. Prior to roll printing, prints had to be applied by hand with blocks and then colored in with dyes.
A longtime journalist, Nora Edinger also blogs and writes books. Her Christian chick lit and faith-related non-fiction are available on Amazon and on this site. She lives in Appalachia with her family and a goodish puppy named Finn.
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Pretty incredible. Such detail! My hands do fine in garden soil but I could never do such precision work as your friend. My ex-husband was big on re-enactments, civil war, revolution, ww1. He found a dressmaker in the NC foothills who made his ‘uniforms’. He & his friends made me chuckle comparing authenticity.
I hear what you’re saying about re-enactors. They really get into it. I once wrote about a 2,000-person Civil War event and they worried about every last detail. I’m not sure what was in all those authentic metal cups they were carrying around, though. Every person I interviewed seemed somewhat drunk. :O
I know. The rolled hems on that translucent apron fabric were perfect. I have the technical skills to do it. But, I don’t think I have the patience or maybe even the eye sight for such stuff at this point in life! So it goes. 🙂
I am in awe of her work- beautiful, innovative (upcycling), and historically on point down to the hand stitching. Truly a labor of love. I appreciated the practical insights she provided on bustles and straight backed church pews. Thank you for adding some additional pictures of her work onto your post.
🙂 You’re welcome. I’m always afraid of slow file openings if I post a lot of art, but her work is so pretty it’s worth it. I liked the upcycling thing, too. I bought a skirt made from an old sari several years ago. Whenever it actually gets warm (it’s like 40 right now…), I plan to wear it!
Some people are just so gifted! I am totally admirative. Thank you for sharing, Nora. If this talented young person — or you as you feel the need to practice the language 😉— ever visits France, tell her she should make the trip to the Centre du Costume de Scène in Moulins. I have been there several times (their main display changes every year) and enjoyed it every time.
Wow, what a gift she has. So talented. I need to share this posts in my monthly updates Monday…still need to write it up. I would love to see these works of art up close. Thanks for sharing, this was a fun one to read. Oh, and the photos are great too, they show the details and just all the work involved in hand stitching such an item.
Lovely post Nora, such a talented young lady.
Prompted me to keep and read my volume of Jane Austen novels bought in a charity shop as part of my current declutter.
Thank you for visiting my blog 🙂
P.s just your fascinating article Nora from the link. Mention of stays reminded me of mum & aunt r.I.p in early years referring to their respective corsets.
A good enough reason put forward also re straight church benches.
Thank you for sharing .
Nora Edinger -- JOY Journal 
I wish there had been more photos!
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There are in the paper version. I’m going to add a couple more to my post!! Her work is stunning.
Monday blessings!
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It takes longer to load, but the pix are there. 🙂
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So beautiful! Thanks. I love that she recycled a sari!
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🙂 Me, too.
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Beautiful works, sewing with hands is a brilliant idea! 💜
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🙂 I’m not sure I’m up to something like this, but I do like to do small quilts.
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This is a great idea! 👍
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🙂
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Pretty incredible. Such detail! My hands do fine in garden soil but I could never do such precision work as your friend. My ex-husband was big on re-enactments, civil war, revolution, ww1. He found a dressmaker in the NC foothills who made his ‘uniforms’. He & his friends made me chuckle comparing authenticity.
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Her work is even more beautiful in person!
I hear what you’re saying about re-enactors. They really get into it. I once wrote about a 2,000-person Civil War event and they worried about every last detail. I’m not sure what was in all those authentic metal cups they were carrying around, though. Every person I interviewed seemed somewhat drunk. :O
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Sounds about right.
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🙂 Hope all is well with you!!
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The dresses are incredible! Each one must take hours and hours to create. So much of the work is very fiddly.
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I know. The rolled hems on that translucent apron fabric were perfect. I have the technical skills to do it. But, I don’t think I have the patience or maybe even the eye sight for such stuff at this point in life! So it goes. 🙂
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I calculated that it took her some 50 hours to make this one!
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Unbelievable in today’s world, I know. 🙂 She dances in them, though. So, they’re like wearable works of art.
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And a lot of patience!
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That’s surely the truth!
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I am in awe of her work- beautiful, innovative (upcycling), and historically on point down to the hand stitching. Truly a labor of love. I appreciated the practical insights she provided on bustles and straight backed church pews. Thank you for adding some additional pictures of her work onto your post.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 You’re welcome. I’m always afraid of slow file openings if I post a lot of art, but her work is so pretty it’s worth it. I liked the upcycling thing, too. I bought a skirt made from an old sari several years ago. Whenever it actually gets warm (it’s like 40 right now…), I plan to wear it!
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Oh wow
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🙂 She certainly does beautiful work.
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Very interesting. She is so talented. I think I will stick to the piano, Nora. lol. i never did well at sewing in school. I enjoyed reading this.
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🙂 You certainly learned piano well!
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Some people are just so gifted! I am totally admirative. Thank you for sharing, Nora. If this talented young person — or you as you feel the need to practice the language 😉— ever visits France, tell her she should make the trip to the Centre du Costume de Scène in Moulins. I have been there several times (their main display changes every year) and enjoyed it every time.
http://www.cncs.fr/explorer-les-collections
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Ooo. I’ll have to pass that along if I run into her anytime soon. You never know — visiting France is on my bucket list!
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If you do, please let me know!
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🙂 Will do!!
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Wow, what a gift she has. So talented. I need to share this posts in my monthly updates Monday…still need to write it up. I would love to see these works of art up close. Thanks for sharing, this was a fun one to read. Oh, and the photos are great too, they show the details and just all the work involved in hand stitching such an item.
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🙂 I just saw some pictures from the wedding reenactment mentioned in the story. They were amazing!! Wish I could share those, too.
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Lovely post Nora, such a talented young lady.
Prompted me to keep and read my volume of Jane Austen novels bought in a charity shop as part of my current declutter.
Thank you for visiting my blog 🙂
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P.s just your fascinating article Nora from the link. Mention of stays reminded me of mum & aunt r.I.p in early years referring to their respective corsets.
A good enough reason put forward also re straight church benches.
Thank you for sharing .
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🙂 I don’t think I’d last long in a corset. I’d be one of the fainters!
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Me too 😹
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