A Regency Dress
Behind the skirt
A drab and insipid summer frock has been ripped apart and given a new life in the Quimper Hitty wardrobe. This rather diaphanous fabric, with tiny printed dots on delicate warp-lace stripe woven cotton is perfect for a Hitty sized Regency style dress. Inspired by the bicentennial of the publication of Pride and Prejudice, the Human seamstress gets to work…
Original dress front.
The front opening of the original dressing had a nice soft and drapey knit facing. I used the slightly stiffer faced fabric for the bodice of the Hitty dress, as it was easier to work with than the gauzy fabric on its own. The grey lining of the original dress (plain weave handkerchief weight cotton) was useful for the Hitty dress bodice lining.
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Regency dress pattern
As usual, a new pattern has to be devised. I used my Hitty nightgown pattern, but I moved the side seam way over to the back, and sloped it so that the dress would have the characteristic “diamond” shaped back of a regency dress. I also lowered the neckline but used the nightie sleeve pattern without alteration.
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Original dress hem
The skirt of the Hitty dress was cut from the hem of the original dress.
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The back view
So far so good! This is a nice view of the right side sloped back seam..
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Some sewing pictures showing the rest of the process can be seen if you click here…
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Quimper Hittys 
Ooh, lucky Hittys – a new dress! And another historically accurate one at that. They are a privileged lot to have such a knowledgeable and talented seamstress at their beck and call.
Some of the Quimper Hittys are going to have a Jane Austen party, with two other dresses that are being made by talented Hitty friends. So I have to get this one done!!!
Looking wonderful so far.
Thank you! I wish we lived nearer the Costume Museum in Bath so I could do more intimate research…we have no dresses of this vintage in the Museum where I work.
perfect fabric,,,very clever use of “insipid” dress!! Constance will be lovely.
This dress may be going to Patience…she has been plaintively meeping for a new dress since September….We’ll see who suits it when it is done.
The Quimper hittys are so lucky to have a human seamstress. Patience or Constance will love this new dress for sure.
I think an elegant tea party is imminent!