Finalist in the Costume Society's Janet Arnold Patterns of Fashion Award 2012

 

For my competition entry I reproduced a c.1837-41 Morning Dress in calico using the hand sewn techniques that it would have originally been created with. I did this by scaling up the pattern that Janet Arnold took from the original, and using my own measurements and research taken from the original garment in the Gloucester Museum Collection.

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Before I undertook this project I had barely used hand sewing, to begin with this was a challenge; however I have now greatly improved in both my hand sewing skill and in the time taken to sew. This project has introduced me to new areas of costume research and the technique and determination needed for hand sewing, I have used these skills in my costume work since.