It fits! The final fittingof the robe a l'Anglaise was a success!
Those shoulders will be slid further up onto Lisa's shoulders next time, but for this try-on we were just checking that the pieces went together (stays, stomacher, petticoat, and overgown) and that everything fit.
No photo from the front as we did not have a scarf or fichu to fill in the front for modesty. (18th century ladies wore their gowns pretty low.) But trust me, she looked beautiful in it and we are both happy and relieved that the gown is done.
I do need to hem the robings on the front now that we know that their length is good, and a seam popped open a few stitches by her elbow that I will close. That will take about thirty minutes and then I can call this project done.
I went back through my records and found this photo dated August, 2022 of Lisa in a fabric store with a snippet of her Aunt Leslie's wedding gown fabric to hand and looking for the perfect complementary fabric to use with it. She waited a long time for her outfit, for sure.
My next sewing project will be haversacks for the October Great Lakes Congress show. In fact, I'm in such good shape for Feast that, even though it's Feast week, I may pull out my pony pouch tubs today and take inventory so I know what I need to make.
I just got in more of this fabric (the first batch sold out within a half hour) and I'm looking forward to switching gears from 18th century clothing to 21st century model horse sewing. I love to sew, and I love both aspects of my sewing life, but with Abby gone, I feel a need to get closer to my horsey roots.
But in the meantime, here is the song, my favorite of all, that will be heard all over Fort Ouiatenon this coming weekend, Hell on the Wabash.
Bring on the fife and drum corps, the bagpipers, the fiddlers, and dulcimers! Five more days to wait!
