free at last!!!

It is done. One miniature regency jacket, finished (well nearly). The visit to the Castle museum that started the whole thing seems so long ago. ( 3 or 4 weeks!)

Analysis -     my fingers hurt.  lost the scissors - have stood up to check.  Squidgy chair has eaten the tv remote. - Jane Austen works well as an audio book.

The overall shape doesn't seem too bad, could be more tapered to the band to give the triangle shape -






 sleeves seem a little wide at the top and hang awkwardly unless worn.
 The top layer is on the cross and the lining  on the grain and they argue. The sleeve caps are the high spot -  should have increased the depth by a couple of cm to show the fancy work more effectively - and the cording is back to front (oops). Having 3 layers at the sleevehead was not the problem I thought it was going to be but I did leave in a strip of interfacing to support the seam.

Buttons have been the downfall. The tiny doll's ones were covered and used on the sleeve details - it looks ok but they are so thick and hardedged that they still don't look like they belong.  the 11mm cover buttons were a menace - I even bought the gadget- just don't go there! This brought on serious tantrums, and they are too big!!


What did surprise were the fun bits -  the quick experimental makes - like the facing prototype - solving the sleeve cap questions, putting it together and it beginning to look someting like. I even began to nearly enjoy tacking- I have never done so much on one garment!
The major moans - wrong bits and pieces - need to locate sources locally or find alternatives. The time taken, and the time wasted. The fiddly finishing when the fingers were too big- like the cuffs.  Some of the problems were lack of confidence in what I was doing, not being decisive with some decision making early enough. Should not have ducked the collar - OK the same style is on the next make but I cannot stop thinking of this as a Jane Austen bomber jacket. It also lacks the delicacy and the finesse of the original.
Using the Janet Arnold pelisse drawing as a start point was sound, but did cause some head aches - while she shows the pieces they are not as pattern pieces, not marked up, with seam allowances or instructions. Perhaps a commercially available pattern would have been safer and quicker.
 I do need more contact time with the original garments, both inside and out, checking the how it is done not only what is done. Some of the museums seem very approachable and helpful so worth an email or two.
What has been great are the conversations this has started- the interest shown, and shared, and the insights and advice - I hadn't realised just how big this area is or how widespread. There is so much to learn...

Last known sighting of the lesser grumpy regency spencer?
                          It is the same colours as Connie's granite worktop you know...


Tinkerbell blue  is next!!!