A Regency Spencer

And because I am a little nuts, I decided that just one new pieces for History Alive would not be enough. Again, I looked at making outer garments, this time a spencer. I have had this one planned for a while, so it was great to finally get cracking on making it. The pattern took quite a bit of time to work up and a couple of mock ups to get it to a point that I was happy with it. I started it all back in April when I was on my Uni easter break.

The original is a piece from 1795. I thought that it would be the perfect accompaniment for my blue dress of the same time period. The thing that strikes me most about this spencer is that it very much looks like it has been cut down from a 1790s gown.

At any rate, I got cracking on it to give myself a new spencer. My version is made from some red taffeta from my stash and lined in a printed cotton. I tried to stay pretty faithful to the original, though I did change the little flare sections at the centre back for a pleat. I just felt that it sat a little nicer. This one just about sent me around the bend when I was making it. So much hand sewing!

I love how it turned out. Now I just need to replace the dress that I wore underneath. I noticed some holes in the hem when I ironed it for HA and then when I was taking it off, the back tore and then I spotted a place where the gathering had pulled out of the waistband on the front. The good news is that I already have a similar dress cut out and just waiting to be made up.