another century

While I wait and wait for a fitting so we can finish the fully lined trousers, I bring you a few pictures of what we are up to now. We're heading back to the late eighteenth century, and these are shapes that I haven't cut for a few years now. That can be either good or bad- good because it allows a chance to fine tune the patternmaking process for these (which you won't find much of in books), good because I can improve on the past and every year brings a bit more knowledge and a more experienced approach, but it can be bad if you can't remember what you did 5 or 6 years ago.

I'm really happy with these- right from the mock-up stage, they felt right.

We were very productive this week- getting a suit jacket together for a fitting as well as a pair of breeches, a waistcoat, two coats and a half a period shirt made. I have another waistcoat, and a pair of breeches in the basket to start on Monday.

The photo on the left was what was on Susy's table on Thursday at 5 pm and this picture on the right is where she is at today ( Friday) at five. Still a way to go for a fitting but the fronts are looking good.

We are waiting for our designer to get back from the ballet where his show opens tomorrow. We will be adding trim to these costumes, and there is a big box of it in the other room just waiting to be pinned onto each costume. While we wait for him, we have done a baste up in the real fabric for these two coats, so hopefully we'll get them fit next week , then they can come apart to be trimmed as required.

This is a coat that Silvia was working on, and finished basting together this morning. She put the waistcoat together today and again we wait for fittings.

This is a very romantic looking period of design, and everyone that I have fit in these designs is very pleased so it makes for a good mood all round.