History in my Wardrobe

Mar 3, 2013

KCI Dress Project (8)

Too many times I forget to keep records of what I am sewing. This fabric and project have been sitting in a box in my attic for a few years and this week I got it out to finish off the ruffles and commence work on the sleeve cuffs. It is a slow moving project that I'm working on between client orders. (Many thanks to Sabine who worked out how to make the cuffs, made a wonderful version of this dress and inspired me to get mine completed.)

Original dress at http://www.kci.or.jp/archives/digital_archives/photos/59_xl_AC04428.jpg

Skirt with one row of ruffles attached.

Two rows done!

The ruffles are sewn on upside down, then turned over and pressed.

Four rows complete, just need some more pressing.

Beginning of sleeve cuff.

Test in place.

One cuff complete.

Feb 25, 2013

KCI Dress Project (7)

I finished the ruffles for the dress last night, ten minutes before midnight. Next time, I will do them when I first cut out the skirt, not after the dress has been finished!

Feb 22, 2013

Book of Trades: Ladies' Dress-maker

On the 21 May 1809 John Prince inscribed his name inside The Book of Trades, or Library of the Useful Arts, Part III, London, 1805.

On Friday 22 February 2013 this book became part of my book collection, and herewith I'd like to start sharing it with you. I absolutely love it - the descriptions of the trades are fantastic - what the trade involved and who was involved in the process. To commence, I'll jump through to Page 37, the Ladies' Dress-maker.

Feb 20, 2013

Historic Costume & Dance Tours of England, September 2013

Join us for these tours—filled with the most wonderful destinations, accommodations and
entertainments. We’d love to have you with us!

TOUR HISTORIC LONDON, 1-8 September 2013

Tour the sights of London and attend an evening viewing of Midsummer Nights Dream at the Globe
Theatre. See Kensington Palace, National Maritime Museum, Queen's House, the Old Royal Naval
College, The Royal Observatory and the Greenwich Fan Museum. Spend time at special costume study
tables in the Museum of London, the Queen's own embroiderers and the Chertsey Museum. Drink in the sights of more costumes than you can imagine at the Victoria and Albert Museum and enjoy a guided tour around Shakespeare's Globe Exhibition. Spend a few hours stepping back in time at Dennis Severs House and enjoy special guests, discussions and historical dancing throughout the tour.

VIEW ILLUSTRATED ITINERARY
BOOK NOW—ONLY 13 8 PLACES

TOUR JANE AUSTEN'S ENGLAND, 7-15 September 2013

Travel through the English countryside by private luxury coach and enjoy the glorious views of
Hampshire, Wiltshire, Somerset and Devon. Visit Jane Austen's House Museum and enjoy a guided tour of Chawton House Library. Stay in specially selected bed & breakfast accommodation, stroll through 'must-visit' towns of Lyme Regis, Basingstoke, Winchester and Lacock Village. Dress up and learn some historical dances in Winchester and Taunton, spend time breathing in the history of some of England's glorious buildings and gardens - Montacute House,Barrington Court, Stourhead and view some historical fashions up close at Killerton House and Bath Fashion Museum. Promenade in Regency costume at the Jane Austen Festival in Bath and attend a Costumed Regency Ball in the Assembly Rooms

VIEW ILLUSTRATED ITINERARY
BOOK NOW—ONLY 13 8 PLACES

JANE AUSTEN FESTIVAL IN BATH EXTENSION 15-23 September 2013
We have booked extra accommodation in Bath until the 22 September 2013, so feel free to stay on in
Bath with us. Aylwen has arranged a special day-tour to view costumes from the Snowshill Collection
in Leominster on 17 September 2013 and is taking expressions of interest from those who wish to join her. We depart Bath on the 22 September for Oxford, where we will teach a dance workshop before flying from Heathrow on the 23 September.

BOOK NOW to see the Snowshill Costume Collection—ONLY 7 5 PLACES
BOOK EXTRA BATH ACCOMMODATION WITH US NOW

Tour Leaders
Dr John Gardiner-Garden
Mrs Aylwen Gardiner-Garden

Jan 29, 2013

KCI Dress Project [6]

Finished at last!

PROGRESS DIARY:
I've been sewing my interpretation of this dress over the past few days, taking photos whenever I remembered.
It has ended up quite challenging - I keep looking at pictures and working out ways to copy, wishing I had the actual dress in front of me.
The bodice is the Elegant Lady's Closet pattern, and the skirt will be Jennie's regency dress pattern. I removed about 4 inches from the centre front bodice to make it a fitted bodice.
I don't have time to sew the entire dress by hand and wish to use the machine where possible, but I must say that most of it has ended up sewn by hand, and its taking me longer than I anticipated.

Lining up the stripes on the back

Binding the front open edges

Preparing the front detail. It was easier to bind before cutting it out.

Pinning in place

Close up showing the binding loops

Gathering the centres of the bows

Three more bows to go.

Side shot with flash showing first bow

Three bows, one to go. The mannequin is too large so the bodice is not sitting well tonight.

Jan 27, 2013

Learn to dance like Jane Austen - new book release

Historic Dance VII: 1800-1825

A4 book by John Gardiner-Garden. 642 pages of research, discussion and analysis with dozens of illustrations, musical scores, dance reconstructions, source extracts, transcriptions and translations.

To order, go to Shop.

26 page Preface and bibliography then the following 5 parts (omitting the subheadings
for the Part 4 dance contents):

Part 1 ~ Dance Context ~ 42 pages

~ England ~ 4

~ The private ball according to Jane Austen ~ 6

~ Assembly room dancing ~ 10

~ Public balls according to Thomas Wilson ~ 16

~ Dancing in Jane Austen screen adaptations ~ 24

~ Denmark to Slovenia ~ 27

~ Congress of Vienna ~ 29

~ France ~ 31
~ America ~ 34
~ Australia ~ 39
~ Poland and Russia ~ 41

Part 2 ~ Dance Forms ~ 58 pages

~ Allemande ~ 4
~ The Country Dance ~ 6

~ Variety ~ 6

~ Its mechanism ~ 8

~ Its setting to music ~ 9

~ Its decline ~ 11

~ Écossaise ~ 14
~ The Finishing dances ~ 17
~ Gavotte ~ 19
~ The Mazurka ~ 20
~ The Minuet ~ 23
~ The Polonaise ~ 27

~ In Poland ~ 27

~ In Russia ~ 28

~ To the West ~ 30

~ The Quadrille ~ 32

~ Its origins and first devotees ~ 32

~ Its form ~ 33

~ Its stepping ~ 35

~ Its debut in England and Scotland ~ 37

~ Its diversification ~ 39

~ Quadrillemania ~ 41

~ The Scotch Reel ~ 47
~ The Waltz ~ 49

~ Arrival in England ~ 52

~ Arrival in America ~ 56

~ Arrival in Australia ~ 57

Part 3 ~ Dance Technicalities ~ 158 pages
~ Style ~ 4

~ Deportment ~ 4

~ Management of arms and hands ~ 6

~ A new naturalism ~ 7

~ Knowing appropriate steps ~ 7

~ Shunning exhibitionism ~ 8

~ The reality of the ballroom ~ 10

~ Etiquette ~ 14
~ Honours ~ 19

~ The bow and courtesy ~ 19

~ Honours in quadrilles ~ 20

~ Putting on and taking off the hat ~ 21

~ Holds and positions ~ 22

~ Turn out ~ 22

~ Five positions ~ 23

~ Standing ~ 26

~ Carriage of the arms ~ 26

~ Couples dance arm holds ~ 28

~ Formations ~ 29

~ Couples ~ 29

~ Triple minor set ~ 29

~ The Quadrille ~ 31

~ The Ecossaise ~ 32

~ Figures ~ 33

~ In the Quadrille ~ 34

~ In the Country Dance ~ 40

~ In the Écossaise ~ 43

~ À Droite et à Gauche / Chassez-dechassez ~ 46

~ À Droite sur les Côtes ~ 49

~ Allemande ~ 50

~ En Avant et en Arrière ~ 51

~ Back to Back / Dos à Dos ~ 51

~ Back / Retreat and Advance ~ 52

~ Balancé ~ 52

~ Cast off ~ 52

~ Chaîne Anglaise ~ 56

~ Chaine ~ 56

~ Chaînes des Dames ~ 58

~ Change / Change over ~ 58

~ Change sides ~ 59

~ Change Places ~ 59

~ Chase ~ 59

~ Chassé Crois(s)é ~ 60

~ Chassé out / Chassé ouvert ~ 64

~ Contra corners / Turn corners / Swing corners ~ 65

~ Crossing Over / Traverser ~ 69

~ Dechassé ~ 75

~ Demi Promenade ~ 75

~ Dos-à-dos ~ 75

~ En Avant et en Arrière ~ 75

~ En Avant les Huits ~ 76

~ Figure / Figure of eight ~ 76

~ Forward and Back / En Avant et en Arrière ~ 79

~ Forward all Eight / En Avant les Huit ~ 82

~ Gypsy~ 83

~ Half Promenade / Queue de chat ~ 83

~ Hands across / Moulinet ~ 83

~ Hands round ~ 84

~ Hands three / Rond de Trois ~ 84

~ Hands four / hands four round / circle ~ 86

~ Hands six / circle ~ 86

~ Hey ~ 87

~ Ladies’ Chain / Chaîne des Dames ~ 87

~ Lead around ~ 89

~ Lead down and back ~ 89

~ Lead outside ~ 94

~ Lines / Les Lignes ~ 95

~ Moulinet (Le) ~ 96

~ Petit tour ~ 96

~ Pirouette ~ 96

~ Poussette ~ 96

~ Promenade / La promenade ~ 97

~ Right and Left / Chaîne Anglaise ~ 100

~ Set / Setting / Balancer ~ 105

~ Set and change places ~ 112

~ Set and change sides ~ 112

~ Set contrary corners ~ 113

~ Set Four in line / Balancez Quatre En Ligne ~ 113

~ Set three in place and three across ~ 114

~ Swing ~ 115

~ Swing corners~ 115

~ Swing round~ 116

~ Tour de Mains ~ 116

~ Tour sur place ~ 116

~ Traversez ~ 116

~ Le Tiroir ~ 116

~ Turn with both hands / Tour de Mains ~ 116

~ To the Right and to the Left ~ 119

~ To the Sides / À Droite sur les Côtes ~ 119

~ Traverser ~ 119

~ Turn corners ~ 119

~ Turn right hand / Turn left hand / La Main / Swing ~ 119

~ Steps ~ 122

~ Country Dance Steps ~ 126

~ Quadrille Steps ~ 129

~ Assemblé ~ 130

~ Balancé ~ 131

~ Ballonné ~ 131

~ Balloté ~ 132

~ Battement ~ 132

~ Bending / Plié ~ 133

~ Bourrée ~ 134

~ Change of the Feet / Changement de Jambe ~ 135

~ Chassé ~ 137

~ Contretems / Contretemps ~ 140

~ Coupé ~ 140

~ Entrechat ~ 141

~ Eschappé / Flic Flac / Fosgladh~ 142

~ Flic Flac / Fosgladh ~ 143

~ Glissade ~ 143

~ Jeté ~ 145

~ Kemkossy~ 149

~ Kemshoole ~ 149

~ Minuet (Pas de) ~ 150

~ Pas de basque ~ 150

~ Pirouette ~ 151

~ Rond de Jambe ~ 152

~ Seby-trast ~ 153

~ Sissone ~ 153

~ Tem(p)s Levé ~ 156

~ Temps de Courante ~ 157

~ Zephyr (Pas de) ~ 158

~ Walking / Pas marché ~ 158

Part 4 ~ Dances in Detail ~ 316 pages

~ The Alexander ~ 4
~ Allemande (3) / Strassburger ~ 6
~ The Battle of Leipzig ~ 17
~ La Boulangère (1) ~ 19
~ Butter’d Pease (2) ~ 22
~ The Caledonian Quadrille ~ 24
~ The Chase (1) ~ 46
~ Congo Minuet ~ 48
~ Countess of Yarmouth’s Fancy ~ 53
~ The Cushion Dance (2) ~ 56
~ The Czar ~ 61
~ Downfall of Paris ~ 63
~ The Duke of Kent’s Waltz ~ 68
~ Dutch Dollars ~ 72
~ Elegance and Simplicity ~ 74
~ The Fair Circassian ~ 75
~ The Fairy Dance ~ 77
~ The Good Girl ~ 79
~ Haste to the Wedding ~ 83
~ Italian Monfrina (1) ~ 87
~ Italian Monfrina (2) ~ 89
~ La Josephine ~ 91
~ Juliana (1) ~ 93
~ Juliana (2) ~ 95
~ Lady Caroline Lee’s Waltz ~ 99
~ The Lancer’s Quadrille (1) / The Strathy Lancers ~ 102
~ The Lancers’ Quadrille (2) / The Duval Lancers ~ 111
~ The Lancer’s Quadrille (3) / The Hart Lancers ~ 143
~ Money Musk (2) ~ 163
~ Morgiana in Ireland (1a, b, c) ~ 165
~ Morgiana in Ireland (2) ~ 168
~ Mr Turner’s Academy Cotillion ~ 174
~ La Napoléon ~ 177
~ Nichol’s Favourite ~ 180
~ The Perigodine ~ 182
~ Pleasures of the Town (2) ~ 186
~ Polonaise (3) / The Polonese Russe ~ 189
~ Quadrille Français (1) ~ 192
~ Quadrille Français (2) / Paine’s 1st Set~ 206
~ Russian Dance (1) ~ 240
~ Russian Dance (2) ~ 243
~ The Scotch Reel ~ 245
~ Sir Roger de Coverley (2) ~ 255
~ La Tempete (1) ~ 263
~ The Triumph (1) ~ 266
~ The Triumph (2) ~ 271
~ The Union Waltz ~ 276
~ La Vinetta ~ 278
~ The Volga ~ 280
~ Waltz (1) / French Waltzing ~ 282
~ Waltz (2) / German Waltzing ~ 299
~ Wilson’s Quadrilles ~ 308

Part 5 ~ Dancing Masters ~ 38 pages

~ The Profession ~ 3

~ The importance of dance classes ~ 3

~ The changing repertoire ~ 6

~ The teachers of dubious quality ~ 6

~ The teachers of quality ~ 11

~ Calling ~ 14
~ Publication and Notation ~ 16

~ Publication ~ 16

~ Notation ~ 16

~ Lives and Works ~ 19

~ Anonymous ~ 19

~ Becker ~ 22

~ Blanchard ~ 23

~ Campbell ~ 23

~ Cassidy ~ 23

~ Charpentier ~ 23

~ Clarchies ~ 24

~ Dun ~ 24

~ Duval ~ 24

~ Gourdoux-Daux ~ 25

~ Hart ~ 26

~ Lund ~ 26

~ Moreau de Saint-Méry ~ 27

~ Nichols ~ 27

~ Noke ~ 27

~ Paine ~ 28

~ Peacock ~ 30

~ Rice ~ 31

~ Rosenhain ~ 31

~ Saltator ~ 32

~ Schaffer ~ 32

~ Simonet ~ 32

~ Stender ~ 33

~ Strathy ~ 33

~ Théleur ~ 33

~ Thompson ~ 34

~ Voiart ~ 34

~ Wilson ~ 34

Jan 24, 2013

Tour Jane Austens England, 8-15 September 2013

Earthly Delights Historic Costume & Dance Tour of England: Week 2

Travel through the English countryside by private luxury coach and enjoy the glorious views of Hampshire, Wiltshire and Somerset. Visit Jane Austen's House Museum and enjoy a guided tour of Chawton House Library. Stay in specially selected bed & breakfast accommodation, stroll through 'must-visit' towns of Winchester and Lacock Village. Dress up and learn some historical dances, visit a working 19th century silk mill, spend time breathing in the history of some of England's glorious buildings and gardens - Montacute House, Barrington Court, Stourhead and view some historical fashions up close at Killerton House and Bath Fashion Museum. Promenade in Regency costume at the Jane Austen Festival in Bath and attend a Costumed Regency Ball in the Bath Assembly Rooms.

(For the HISTORIC LONDON TOUR that leads up to this tour see Tour 1)

ITINERARY

DAY 1, Sunday

After a continental breakfast we farewell those staying in London or traveling elsewhere and greet those joining us for Week Two of the tour. We leave South Kensington early by private coach to spend the day in Winchester, sightseeing in the morning, attending an afternoon dance workshop, followed by a traditional English Pub Dinner and some more dancing before retiring for a good nights rest at Chilworth Manor.

High Street, Winchester

Jane Austen is buried inside Winchester Cathedral

Chilworth Manor, luxurious accommodation near Southampton

DAY 2, Monday

After breakfast at Chilworth Manor we travel to visit Jane Austen’s House Museum in Chawton, pause to enjoy some delicacies at Cassandra's Cup next door for lunch and then spend the afternoon at Chawton House.

Jane Austen's House Museum

Enjoy tea at Cassandra's Cup in Chawton

View the house, library and gardens of Chawton House

DAY 3, Tuesday

After breakfast our private coach will take us to visit the Whitchurch Silk Mill, where we spend the morning viewing a working Georgian silk mill and share in a group luncheon. Afterwards our coach will take us to Killerton House to view a wonderful historic costume collection. Dinner is scheduled upon our arrival at Farthings Country House Hotel in Taunton.

Whitchurch Silk Mill

Killerton House

We have arranged a private study table at Killerton House

Relax in the Farthings Country Hotel

DAY 4, Wednesday

After breakfast our coach will take us to visit the magnificent Montacute House where several scenes of the 1995 film version of Jane Austen's novel Sense and Sensibility were filmed and wherein are housed a selection of portraits from the National Portrait Gallery in London. After purchasing your lunch from the National Trust restaurant our coach takes us to Barrington Court, a manor house that some believe may have been owned at one stage by an early Austen family member, and was "Kellynch Hall" from Jane Austen's Persuasion and where we have been invited to dance on the sprung dance floor inside.

Montacute House

Sense & Sensibility was filmed at Montacute House

We have been invited to dance inside Barrington Court

DAY 5, Thursday

After an early breakfast we leave for Stourhead House and Gardens, another Jane Austen film location. We have a specially booked guide to show us around before we break for a group luncheon. After a day out we journey to stay the night at Beechfield House Hotel.

Stourhead House

Stourhead Gardens

Temple of Apollo, where the P&P proposal scene was filmed

Beechfield House Hotel, a wonderfully relaxing luxury hotel near Bath.

DAY 6, Friday

After breakfast we depart for Bath, spending the morning in Lacock Village, a wonderfully preserved village dating from the 13th century, that played the village of 'Meryton' in the BBC’s 'Pride and Prejudice'. Here the Bennet girls, in particular Lydia and Kitty ‘whose minds were more vacant than their sisters’, shopped for bonnets, sought the latest tittle-tattle from their Aunt Philips, and hoped to attract the attentions of the officers - in particular a certain Mr Wickham. After a light lunch we depart for Bath, where we will attend the Jane Austen Festival and celebrate 200 years of Pride & Prejudice. A private study table has been reserved for us at the Bath Fashion Museum during the afternoon.

Lacock Village Main Street

Colin Firth as Darcy in Lacock Village

Lacock Abbey

Cauldron in the Cloisters

Bath Fashion Museum

DAY 7, Saturday

After breakfast we dress for the Jane Austen Festival Promenade. After meeting old and new friends alike you have plenty of time to walk around Bath and use your special entry ticket to visit the Roman Baths, Fashion Museum and Assembly Rooms at your leisure. In the evening we have reserved tickets to attend a Grand Regency Ball & Dinner in the Bath Assembly Rooms.

DAY 8, Sunday
We have booked extra accommodation in Bath until the 22 September 2013, so feel free to stay on in Bath with us. Aylwen has arranged a special 1-day outing to view costumes from the Snowshill Collection in Leominster mid-week and is taking expressions of interest from those who wish to join her. We depart Bath on the 22 September for Oxford, where we will teach a dance workshop before flying from Heathrow on the 23 September.

FOR THE HISTORIC LONDON TOUR that leads up to this tour SEE Tour 1

Book now one of 13 places on this tour.