The Bathtub Ginnys perform at LacedNYC Once upon a time, Abby and I went to New York to meet up with our favorite people – Cynthia of Redthreaded and Dandy Wellington –…
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Introducing: The Isabella MacTavish Fraser Wedding Gown Project
The famous Isabella MacTavish Fraser wedding gown c. 1785. Photo by Ewen Weatherspoon. Reproduced with permission of Inverness Museum & Art Gallery Big news! We’ve been hinting at it for awhile now, but…
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Should You Always Wear a Bum Pad for 18th Century Dress?
The split bum, perfect for 1776 – 1790s, worn with polonaise and Italian gowns. This is particularly effective for gowns with the skirts pulled up. From the American Duchess Guide. Ah, bum…
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Ikea Costuming 101 – Making Historical Gowns with Duvet Covers, Curtains, and Sheets
The Italian Gown from “The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Dressmaking” was made with one LJUSÖGA Queen size duvet cover from Ikea. Accurate printed cottons are very difficult to find. Usually…
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1780-81 Glasgow Polo-Sacque Fiddling
Progress! This past weekend I made a lot of good progress on my version of the 1780 – 1781 Polonaise-Sacque Jacket. I am always so very chuffed by how quickly sacque-back things…
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Where to Buy American Duchess Shoes in Europe
UPDATE – November 2021 It’s taken us a decade or so, but we FINALLY have a European website! Huzzah! If you are in the EU or non-EU member state such as the…
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Making A Start: The 1780-81 Glasgow Polo-Sacque Jacket Progress
A quick mockup – feeling excited! At last, and for the first time in 2019, I am sitting down to sew something! The first four months of this year have been taken…