KCI Dress Project (11)

I was able to wear my dress at the Hyde Park Barrack's "Redcoats and Convicts" day yesterday in Sydney. As well as dancing every half hour I had a table in Merchants Row and sold white cotton bonnets.

My dress felt very comfortable with the following added features: 

• padded hem.
• cartridge pleating the back skirt

I am still not sure if/when I will add the bodice slashing - maybe when I can find some matching silk taffeta as my blue fabric is very thick and heavy.

1820s silk dress from the Metropolitan Museum of Art

I have long admired this dress at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and was so pleased when I went reading costumers' blogs this afternoon to discover that it is being reproduced by Kleidung um 1800. I love this blog, and find so many of the posts so inspirational  - they keep me going, keep me hoping to one day produce garments how Sabine does.

I was so inspired by Sabine's discovery of how to make the fans that I wanted to try for myself. Thank you Sabine, for saving me hours of thinking, plotting and constructing.

Following the instructions Sabine shared with us on her blog, this is what I've managed to make tonight. I have had a roll of pink/blue silk in the attic for many years - its about time it saw some light.

KCI Dress Project

My KCI Dress Project is a 2-part project. The first part of the project is to make a ballgown inspired by the trimmings of this gown. The ballgown will duplicate the bodice puff decoration, have short puffed sleeves and only two rows of flounces on the skirt. The second part of the project is to make a gown as similar to this gown as possible. 

Summary of the existing dress at http://www.kci.or.jp/archives/digital_archives/detail_59_e.html: the existing gown is made of a brown and blue striped silk taffeta. It has a separate jacket and dress, matching belt, silk taffeta cording and puff decoration on the bodice and four rows of flounces on the bottom of the skirt. 

Left cuff

bodice and sleeve details

Rows of flounces, piped

Slightly padded hem

right sleeve cuff

Close-up of the bodice trim