Did I mention how much I love Sense & Sensibility???

As you might have guessed from earlier posts, I love Sense & Sensibility's patterns. I now have most of them, but was VERY excited when it was announced that the Regency patterns are now available as e-patterns, and the remainder of the patterns are soon to follow. That's instantly downloadable patterns! Just purchase, download and print on your home printer, and you're set to sew! How cool is that? If you're interested in purchasing a pattern, visit the Sense & Sensiblitiy site today!

The Ultimate Regency Dress Adventure

What do two girls who love Jane Austen do? They go to England and retrace her footsteps of course!

We should have posted about this long ago, but life seems to have gotten away from me this year.

The first things we packed were the Regency gowns I had made us, and our underpinnings. Sadly I didn't get around to making my stays, but Mel did!

After picking up the car, the first place we went was Chawton. We stayed at a lovely B&B called Shepherd's Court, which I would recommend to anyone! We managed to find Steventon, the village where Jane Austen was born and grew up.

Finally the day to visit Chawton arrived! We got dressed up, and set off across the fields to Chawton after breakfast. No mud, but our petticoats were six inches deep in dew! We arrived early and had time to sit in the sun and dry out a little before Jane Austen's House opened.

It was so much fun spending the day in Jane Austen Land, wearing clothes inspired by her time.

As well as Jane Austen's House, we also visited Chawton House Library, which was once owned by Jane's brother Edward Austen Knight. The grounds are slowly being restored to their Georgian glory, so once again our gowns were very fitting.

Our whole trip was an amazing experience, but the Jane Austen parts were really special. Especially the days we wore our dresses!

Underpinnings

Long weekend this weekend, and Jodie and I are planning on making our Regency Underpinnings, that is our stays and a couple of chemises each.

We went out to Spotlight last night, and got everything we will need. I cut out my pattern this morning.

First attempt at stays, hopefully we manage it ok.

So sew!

I realised the other day that it might be a good idea to have some sort of a wallet to keep all the important documents for our holiday in! So last night I sewed one! (pictures later, I'm at work and just wanted to share the joy). My silly sewing machine worked like a dream - I am suspecting it didn't like the fine lawn I was trying to sew last time I used it.

Because of some impending changes to my job, I want to get sewing on a new work wardrobe. This should double as a holiday wardrobe I hope. I now have the vintage simplicity pattern I've been lusting after for ages, plus I've ordered a vintage 1940s slip pattern from one of my favourite vintage sites.

I have a new toy. But I'm going to torture you till I manage to get some photos! teehee

I went thrifting at lunchtime (no tupperware today), and found 2 tablecloths and a handtowel. One tablecloth is a tea cloth that will make lovely shopping bags (Koalas and kookaburras, and looks brand new!), the other one is a huge cotton damask with drawn thread borders that have sadly seen the washing machine too many times. If any of it can be salvaged I want to use it for an apron! The rest of the fabric, well I might make a cloth for my table, not sure what to do with the rest yet. I'll see how much I've got to play with.