SHANNON'Sdresses

GEORGIANdress

March 2009

This is the ill-fitting green dress that I mentioned in the blurb of my gold georgian bodice. It is made from exactly the same pattern as my yellow georgian dress, but I obviously somehow managed to get something wrong. Most likely, as it had been so long since I last sewed something, I forgot the seam size I usually use and made it too big on this one. No matter, even though it doesn't quite fit it still produces a nice effect. In fact believe it or not, but a diagonal bodice cutting like this is actually a style of the period. I just did it by accident.

So, to remedy this little unexpected mishap, what I did was match together the underskirt and stomacher of another dress I was making - the grey dress - and simply wrapped the green dress over the top and secured it with pins. This did not end up being very secure however, but it had to do. I guess I'll just have to find a really teeny tiny person to model it on properly.

I am actually pleased with the skirt though. The tucking up of the skirt to produce a gathered and 'poufed' effect (for lack of a better word) is known as a polonaise. I've always wanted to produce the effect properly, and it actually worked really well.