Regency Ball Ensemble, Post #1: Shoes!!

My work on the Tree Gown has been neglected much of November because of something that came up.  In late October a friend alerted me to a program being run by our local library system for the month of November commemorating the bicentennial Pride & Prejudice’s first publication.  There were events scattered throughout the month (that I didn’t make it to), culminating in Regency Ball the evening of November 30th!  There is also a dance workshop happening for it earlier the same day.  I signed up for both!  The Ball is being held at City Hall.  The building dates from the 1840s, but I’m willing to let that slide ;o)

This is the room the Ball will be held in:

So, long story short, this impending event meant that I decided I needed a Regency Ball ensemble.  The Regency dress I already have just wasn’t gonna cut it.  I’m betting hardly anyone else would notice too much, but it felt like too good an opportunity to pass up.

“Tree”: Bodice Foundation Muslin

I have not been working on “Tree” as much this month as I’d originally envisioned.  Towards the end of October a friend let me know about a pretty nifty event happening in town at the end of November and I’ve mostly been working on a project for that.  It’s been very fun and I’m looking forward to blogging about it soon!

However, I have been getting somewhere with Tree too.  I decided to start with the bodice foundation as it appears from all the images I’ve so far seen that the whole skirt gets mounted to it, so I figured I’d better get that sorted first.  I’ve now done 2 bodice foundation muslins.  It’s still not perfect but I’m hoping I can get away with just fiddling with muslin #2 and the pattern rather than make a 3rd.

Let me start by showing you the pattern pieces for the bodice foundation as traced from Tim’s “originals”

UFO Fall Coat, Vogue 8307

Hot on the heels of finishing my UFO fall dress from last year the other week I finished a UFO fall coat, also from last year.  I had hopes to finish it to take with me to the UK for last Fall/Winter, but it didn’t happen.  A winter coat happened instead, which was probably for the best.

I used Vogue 8307:

UFO Dress from last Fall: McCalls 6433

I started this dress a little over a year ago, but didn’t manage to finish it before I considered fall over.  As much as I love wearing fall colours, it somehow doesn’t feel right to me to do so once December arrives.  It may seem silly in a time when most traditional sartorial rules have been thrown out the window, but I also follow the ‘no white after labour day rule’.  So, I left off this dress and focused on more wintry sewing.  Going through my UFOs a couple of months ago I found this and decided it should be finished.

Here is McCalls 6433

“Tree” Intro

Between now and March 29, 2014 I have two big sewing projects going on (in addition to other small and medium/everyday ones).  These are for the annual Toronto Garrison Ball – a big military ball.  Because I’m married to a member of the Canadian Forces, I get to go!  I’ve gone three times now.

2009: