Baker Lane Dressmaking & Design

Emmeline Apron

2010-12-02T08:46:00.000-08:00

Bitsy polka dots...

Or brilliant bulbs...

You can take your pick with this reversible apron pattern from Sew Liberated. It's a perfect fit for gift-giving and party-wear during the holidays with its feminine empire styling. Coordinating or contrasting fabrics for the apron body and a third fabric to tie it all together. I've made this pattern numerous times for gifts, and it is almost as much fun to make as it is to wear!

(Don't miss designer Meg's blog for Montessori parenting tips and tales.)

Changing Seasons

2010-11-25T08:32:00.000-08:00

Bethany Lynn over at Diary of a Seamstress is doing lovely things with our Changing Seasons pattern. Don't miss her blog for all sorts of sewing inspiration!

"Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes"

2010-04-07T15:50:00.000-07:00

One of your favorite things, too? We thought so!

Lizzie models her Easter dress from the Sense and Sensibility Girls' 1914 Dress pattern in white poly cotton border eyelet with baby blue batiste lining and satin sash.

Little Lizzie: A Girl's Regency Gown

2010-02-03T20:47:00.000-08:00

Befitting the belle of the ball, this regency gown is fashioned in dupioni silk.

A contrasting sash of apricot shantung ties pertly in back. May I have this dance, Miss Lizzie?

Pattern: Sense and Sensibility's A Girl's Regency Gown Pattern

An Apricot Confection: Very Easy Vogue 8469

2010-01-21T17:37:00.000-08:00

Can't you just taste summer in this luscious silk?

Silk shantung whipped up easy as pie with Vogue 8469.

Won't Sarah look lovely when she stands as maid of honor in her sister's Valentine's weekend wedding?

Winter Wonder

2008-12-08T19:56:00.000-08:00

Flattering and fashionable (not to mention warm!), this skirt was cut from Folkwear's #209 Walking Skirt pattern in purple wool and trimmed with black middy braid and jet buttons. Don this with boots, a sweater and a tam, and you'll be set for an afternoon of shopping!

After Lorna Doone

2008-11-22T19:34:00.000-08:00

When the wind turns biting, a skirt like this one is oh, so cozy! Inspired by tartan dirndls worn in Lorna Doone (2001), I fashioned this skirt from heavy blanket flannel and here, you see it paired with a modern top. For a more dramatic effect, a fitted westkit, or laced bodice, worn over a chemise would fit the bill.

Tip: check out Lorna Doone if you haven't seen it!

Autumn Leaves

2008-08-22T12:51:00.000-07:00

If you've ever envied the trees their autumn dress, let a frock like this one cheer your mood! One-piece modified empire dress is constructed in leaf-flecked cotton with muslin sleeves and features a full muslin lining for comfort and durability. Antique mother-of-pearl buttons close front placket.

In Timely Fashion is Back & Better Than Ever!

2008-08-15T16:25:00.000-07:00

When I began my English studies two years ago, many things had to take a back burner. One such project left to simmer was In Timely Fashion, "a site designed for those who find delight in 'past-dressing'–not for special occasions only, but on a daily basis." I launched the site back in 2002 but was unable to do much with it afterward. Hence, it comes as a great pleasure to see that a talented young woman has taken up the editorial duties of ITF. Amanda Kastner has done an outstanding job of updating the site's organization, layout, and graphics. I think you'll be delighted with the results of her labors and inspired in your own endeavors to create clothing that's old-fashioned-ly elegant. Enjoy!

Edwardian Whites

2008-07-25T19:08:00.000-07:00

Can you imagine the delight of donning this ensemble for a picnic on a summer afternoon? Another relic from the Bath Costume Museum, this is actually a corset cover and petticoat that would have been worn under street clothes. Nowadays, a lady would not be thought improper for appearing nearly anywear in something so lovely!

Lavender Lady: We have not forgotten!

2008-07-20T20:11:00.000-07:00

On this beautiful morning I was again reminded of how wonderful the Lavender Lady design is to wear! And I was so excited to find such a charming little coordinate for my sweet Juliana. I apologize for all who are anxiously awaiting the release of Lavender Lady, but I wanted to let you know, we have not forgotten! My time stays pretty full with these sweet little ones and other endeavors, but I do hope to have this pattern out ere long.

Blessings,

Mandy

Little Gowns for Little Women

2008-07-18T19:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen anything so sweet as these delicate muslin girls' gowns we discovered in the Bath Costume Museum? Perfectly comfortable on sultry summer days!

Van Gogh's Mmlle. Gachet in her Garden at Auvers-sur-Oise. June 1890.

2008-07-13T11:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a young woman enjoying the glories of a summer garden in the country of France. When we saw this painting, we couldn't help thinking its subject looked like she was wearing a dress made from the Catherine's Choice pattern! Fine art can afford some wonderful inspiration for planning a feminine wardrobe.

Image: 1st Oil Paintings.com

2008-06-16T19:27:00.000-07:00

Special thanks to Jennifer over at New Little Blessing for a positive review of our first pattern, Catherine's Choice!

Now, Here's an Idea!

2008-05-26T18:21:00.000-07:00

During the Regency period when necklines were at a fashionable low, women, for modesty, warmth, and variation, often wore chemisettes to fill in their necklines.

Image courtesy of Sense and Sensibility Patterns

You can make a chemisette from scratch, but here's another option that incorporates a perhaps beloved blouse you may not wish to part with. This is was a linen blend blouse I bought several summers ago. The collar being my favorite thing, I decided to salvage it by creating a chemisette that I could wear to fill in the scoop necklines of Regency gowns. It could also work with v-neck sweaters.

Try on the blouse and decide how long your chemisette will need to be to cover the bust and leave enough room for a casing around the ribcage. After removing the blouse, you will cut off the blouse a few inches below the bust and at the sides to remove the sleeves and sides.

Narrowly hem the chemisette at the sides. Then turn up the lower edges 3/4". Turn under raw edge and stitch down. You will need a piece of twill tape or 1/4" ribbon long enough to go around your ribcage, plus a few inches for the placket overlap. This you will run through the bottom hem. Try on the chemisette for size Then back stitch in the front to secure the tape or ribbon. Sew a hook and bar where the placket overlaps. Change the buttons if you like and take pride in your resourcefulness!

A Wardrobe for Katie

2008-05-26T17:55:00.000-07:00

Katie, how's this for inspiration? These patterns date from the 50's and 60's and should be pretty close to your size already! Let's start a sewing club when we get back to school, alright?

Opening Shop: Rebecca Newton, Dressmaker

2008-04-20T14:52:00.000-07:00

If you've been hankering for a custom-made dress, now is your chance! I will be accepting custom projects from May to July 2008 while I am home from school for the summer. Although I primarily work with Baker Lane and Sense and Sensibility Patterns, I am happy to negotiate other projects as well. Drop me a line to discuss what you have in mind at regencyreb@gmail.com.

Anna's Rescue Mission

2008-02-08T06:10:00.000-08:00

The moths dared to touch Anna's gray wool skirt,

But "a curved row of tonal freehand flowers sewn on by machine in 'artistically messy' fashion" fixed that!

Images: Pleasant View Schoolhouse. Used with permission. (Thanks, Anna!)

Denim, Her Way

2008-01-10T16:35:00.000-08:00

Lillibeth of The Pleasant Times submitted this as a lovely feminine application of denim. Great find from the Spiegel catalog!

For a Grandmother

2007-12-29T16:51:00.001-08:00

I loved the colors, patterns and textures of my grandmother's ensemble: a pleated wool skirt, a silky navy blouse with a conservative pattern of paisleys, and a chunky cable knit sweater and cap. What could be more perfect for this warm and spunky woman!

It's In the Blue

2007-09-22T21:47:00.000-07:00

RetroGirl over at the Sense and Sensibility Forum fashioned this skirt from Butterick 5041 and a length of fabric she found on the bargain table. Isn't it lovely?

Feminine, Fashionable, & Frugal!

2007-09-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

Erica created this fetching skirt for as a class recycling project last spring. She lengthened an old denim mini skirt by sewing on a width of red bandana print fabric and ruffle of white jacquard that she salvaged from another garment. We give her an A+!

Sisters Share

2007-08-27T14:15:00.000-07:00

My sister made me a gift of this lovely Emma James skirt (right). The fit and flare of it makes me want to dance! Amy is wearing a stretch denim skirt I bought at Dress Barn.

Inspiring Images (& A Skirt Tale)

2007-08-25T07:27:00.000-07:00

Seeking old-fashioned inspiration for your wardrobe? The Baker Lane Inspiring Image Archives offer a wealth of it! Now viewable on Flickr, the gallery includes images of most of the custom projects I created while dressmaking at Baker Lane. Enjoy!

Psst! Notice the broomstick skirt I'm wearing. I didn't make it, but it was a favorite for years. Only when it was in shreds was I convinced to retire it to the rag bag. Then, o happy day, I found its twin at a thrift store, in red!

Skirt Tales

2007-08-16T14:16:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth in Alaska wears a far-from-dowdy hand-me-down from Grandmother.

A move accross campus prompted me to take inventory of my wardrobe. I had hoped to find some clothes I could toss out, or at least pass along to the Free Box (the place for student shoppers) because I'm taking up more than half the closet my roommate and I share. However, what I discovered surprised me; I have more than 20 skirts and I don't want to part with any of them. I guess you could say I collect skirts.

Since it's obvious my closet won't hold all the skirts I see and love, and because not every skirt I like will fit, I thought I'd expand my collection to include other people's skirts. When I see a pretty skirt, I'll ask its wearer for permission to photograph it! Or if I spot your skirt photo on the web, I may just ask you if I may post it here. These photographs, along with shots of favorite skirts in my collection, will appear in "Skirt Tales," a series celebrating feminity.

Pink Gingham

2007-07-30T14:39:00.000-07:00

Another Regency gown from the Sense and Sensibility Girl's Regency Gown pattern for a little woman...a very little woman!

Back view

Changing Seasons

2007-07-14T07:47:00.000-07:00

Inspired by a Sense and Sensibility Clothing catalogue offering from several years ago, Baker Lane is pleased to announce the release of "Changing Seasons", a pattern for Motherhood in sizes 6-26. It affords numerous options for neckline, sleeves, and skirt, and is flattering for all seasons of motherhood: pregnancy, breastfeeding, and beyond!

Visit Baker Lane for information on ordering.

Regency Gowns for a Little Woman

2007-07-07T13:01:00.000-07:00

Ladies have long loved Jennie Chancey's easy, elegant Regency gown pattern. Now, with the release of her little girls' pattern, Empire gowns are becoming quite popular among a younger set! Miss Lizzie models one of her new dresses, fashioned in a cotton print with pearly white buttons. More pictures of Lizzie and her dresses can be seen at her family's blog.

Maryhill Museum

2007-06-28T18:37:00.001-07:00

This regal beauty was the coronation gown of Queen Marie of Roumania, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. It is part of the permanent Queen Marie collection at the Maryhill Museum in Washington state.

Another collection of interest to the fashion enthusiast is the Theatre de la Mode French fashion mannequins and design sets on temporary loan to the museum. More information is available on the Maryhill museum website. I snapped a few pictures during my visit in May, but they only hint at the marvelous couture detail of these miniature ensembles; my photography does not do them justice!

2007-06-03T17:25:00.001-07:00

This summery frock from Changing Seasons, the soon to be released motherhood pattern from Baker Lane, is fashioned from a cheerful cotton print with a coordinating peter pan collar and flower buttons.

It was a ball!

2007-03-02T10:59:00.000-08:00

Should Hillary Clinton Wear Skirts?

2007-02-14T19:36:00.000-08:00

Fashion designers can dictate what women wear but woe unto the men of God who ask the women of the church to dress like ladies. Double standard?

Should Hillary Clinton Wear Skirts?

Modern Victorian

2007-01-25T05:01:00.000-08:00

Mum just emailed me the link to Modern Victorian. Had I seen their website? Nope, and boy, does this make me happy! Even though the prices are so far out of my range at this stage of my life that they might as well be on the moon, it's thrilling to see designers drawing on the elegance of the past. Kudos, MV!

Back to the Ball

2007-01-24T18:58:00.000-08:00

As the idea of building four original costumes for the Centennial Ball grew increasingly overwhelming, I grew less inclined to tackle the project. My friends and I are still planning to attend the event February 24th, however, we will be wearing gowns from my existing costume trunk. The four of us are going as the daughters of a missions-minded minister in 1907. Rachael and Laura are donning Edwardian afternoon gowns of ivory linen; Andrea is to appear in an embroidered Empire gown that we shall pretend is our great-grandmother's wedding gown from 1807. I am the eldest of the group and something of an old maid. My costume consists of a brown walking skirt, which I shall pair with a frothy ivory blouse and an "antique" brooch. To unify our costumes, we will all wear blue sashes in shades suited to our complexions. Our excitement is mounting; I am certainly relieved my sewing responsibilities will be limited to making sashes and taking a tuck here and there.

Denim Hoop Skirts?

2007-01-23T04:52:00.000-08:00

Josh predicts the next trend among fashionable women will be denim hoop skirts. If I don't get it started, someone else will! It sounds good to me, except I have difficulty imagining European women squeezing onto the Metro in them! It could work in the midwest US, however; maybe I should try introducing the trend at C of O...

2007-01-01T13:43:00.000-08:00

I had good intentions of working on costumes for the ball while home over Christmas holidays. Instead, I painted my room and unpacked my books. Ah well... I'm now contemplating some handsewing projects that I can take back to school.

2006-12-15T07:08:00.000-08:00

My friends, Rachael, Laura, and Andrea, and I have decided to portray four sisters from 1907 for the Ball. I'm the eldest, and a bit prim; Rachael is the free spirited Bohemian; Laura is a tomboy; Andrea is a persistent little flirt. Of course, our costumes must reflect our personalities! I've been commissioned to work on the girls' gowns over Christmas break, and I'm wondering "What have I got myself into?!" I don't even own a sewing machine.

For my costume, I'd like to do a waist along the lines of this pattern from Past Patterns. It's ten years out of style for 1907, but I'm an old maid, so it will work.

Butterick has pattern along similar lines. See Butterick 3417. Depending on how good a deal I can get on fabric, I may even make a skirt to match from Butterick 3418. Otherwise, I shall have to wear my Folkwear Walking Skirt.

For the other girls' costumes, I think I will use the same skirt pattern with variations. Rachael's waist should have a V neckline with an high-collared inset; Laura wants a square neckline, and Andrea wants something off the shoulder. I'm hoping to find some vintage evening gowns to tweak. I haven't found existing patterns for the girls' and I don't have time to draft draft patterns for each girl's dress.

Laura Ashley Returns

2006-12-11T20:41:00.000-08:00

I knew it. The Laura Ashley company would, eventually come to its senses, and reproduce some of the winsome styles that were once so popular. I've been a Laura Ashley imitator all my life, and since I've decided not to pursue fashion design as my vocation, it is a happy thing indeed to see other companies producing pretty things for ladies. It's about time.

(On a side, I never realized Mrs. Ashley was Welsh.)

http://www.styledash.com/2006/12/03/laura-ashley-the-remix/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/arts/sites/fashion/pages/laura_ashley.shtml

My Quandry

2006-12-11T06:44:00.000-08:00

College of the Ozarks is celebrating 100 years of Hard Work. In February, there will be a gala Heritage Costume Ball. Donning Edwardian costume for an evening of fine dining, music, and historic dance sounds delightful! I'm having some trouble locating examples of evening attire from the period, either pictures of extant garments or fashion plates. As I glean inspiration on the web, I will post it here, a blog just for fashion and costuming!