Knit Regency dress

[msmcknittington]

OH. MY. GOD.

This dress is knit, ca. 1800. It's still gorgeous.

I've been thinking lately about tackling a multi-year long project. The on that was kicking around my head was an Irish lace crochet Edwardian lingerie dress. (Say that six times fast!) But this? Amazinggorgeousastounding -- in Danish. The Danish bit is a puzzler, but I'm way better at knitting than I am at crochet, and it's not like a picture tells you a hell of a lot more than a paragraph long description.

The stitch actually looks a lot like the Butterfly slip dress from Rowan mumblemumble by Jennie Atkinson. It wouldn't be any worse than knitting a shawl . . . right? RIGHT?

Perhaps I'll try losing some weight first, so I don't have to knit quite so much to cover my body.

*wanders mumbling into the night of ludicrous knitting/costuming projects*

EDIT: And, what do you know? An 1820-ish gown I actually like. A lot of the time, the 1820s/30s seem like the fluffiest, silliest period, and so I find a lot of it unattractive. But this? This I would wear.

Comments

[beraht.livejournal.com]

Ooh. Those're both gorgeous.

[msmcknittington.livejournal.com]

All I can picture is William Shatner saying that now.

[aikea-guinea.livejournal.com]

I'm fairly certain I want one of everything on that site.

[msmcknittington.livejournal.com]

I know! It's all so beautiful. Too bad it's not a catalogue.

I'm seriously thinking about trying to knit that dress. I could pack it away, and then when I find the illegal immigrant that wants to marry me for a green card, I already have the dress. Or I could just flounce around in it, without a marriage of convenience.

[bklynwebgrrl.livejournal.com]

That is a nice dress from an otherwise very fussy period. I was so crushed to find out my house is from the 1830s because the clothing from that period isn't my favorite and I wanted to have an outfit that matches my house. Never mind the outfit for my husband as I do not like men's clothing from that period at all. It's a neat transition of 1830s mutton sleeves with 1810 slimer cut skirt. I bet it wouldn't be that hard to work two patterns together.

[msmcknittington.livejournal.com]

What? You mean you didn't want to make your husband a corset to get that fashionable wasp-waisted look? Hee. I like to think of the 1820/30s as the 1980s of the 19th century. Questionable taste and over the top fashions.

The other thing I like about the linked dress is the wide neckline, which is something that's very flattering on me, and a slightly raised waistline. True empire waists usually hit me at the bustline, so it looks like I'm hiding a second trimester pregnancy under the skirts. Not flattering.

[bklynwebgrrl.livejournal.com]

I hear that. It would seem to hide a belly but that's because it makes everyone look like they have one. The nice thing about now is that you can pick the period you like and go with that.

Actually Frank (husband) has worn my dresses before so I can hem them. But I can't make him wear a corset for anything.

[msmcknittington.livejournal.com]

What I find hides a belly very well (besides extreme corseting) is ruching across the stomach. I didn't really believe that until I started trying on bridesmaid dresses for a friend's wedding, and the ones with ruching across stomach actually did make me look slimmer. Unfortunately, that only applies to modern clothing, but it's useful to know.

Hee hee. I can't imagine any boyfriend, past or future, wearing one of my dresses so I could hem it. Though that might have more to do with my being very short than any unwillingness on their part.

[bklynwebgrrl.livejournal.com]

I think we're only about four inches apart height wise and he's very slender so it works out ok.

I bet you can put ruching on a stomacher which covers 18th century. Also maybe a victorian bodice with psudeo ruching sort of gathering in the middle... I think I remember seeing one some time... maybe that was a collar.

[beraht.livejournal.com]

How tall're you? I'm pretty short for a guy.

Just sayin', is all.

[msmcknittington.livejournal.com]

I'm 5'2", though I fudge on all my official papers and say 5'3". I think I've even talked my doctor into this -- "Are you sure it says 5'2"? I don't think I'm shrinking!"

Most of the guys I know are 6 or more inches taller than I am, and quite a few of them are 10 inches or more. Maybe it's all those crazy tall Swedes and Norwegians in the state.