Jane Austen Festival -- 2019

Two years ago Daughter #3 and I got to go to the Jane Austen Festival in Louisville, Ky.  We are so fortunate to live on 2 hours from there so it's an easy road trip.  We missed last year when my husband's father died within days of the event.  This year we spent months planning and preparing--we were going.

Once again, I used the pattern from Sense and Sensibility's An Elegant Lady's Closet.  This year I also made chemises for us our fabric was rather thin and see-thru.  It was my first time to sew a gusset--in the underarm!

For my daughter's  dress, I graded up to a size 28 at the shoulder, a 32 at the back and a 32D plus an 1¼ at center front and back.  The skirt is very full so it accommodated the 5 month baby to be just fine.  The sleeve is a size 30, but was still a little tight.    The fabric is a lovely embroidered dark brown voile with a deeply embroidered border that I used for the hem.  I also added lace to her sleeve hems.  

The hat is an unadorned straw hat available online that I decorated with a dark brown satin bow with a small white &taupe butterfly in the center of the bow.

My dress was made from the same pattern using a 22C bodice, 20 skirt, and 24 sleeve.  

The fabric is a very light shirting from JoAnn's, and I trimmed out the neck, sleeve hems and dress hem with lace.  My "bag" for the day was a wicker basket with a drop-in drawstring bag to keep my phone, change purse, and small purchases secure and private.  I thought I was being so original with this idea, but there were baskets everywhere!

We were so busy at The Festival--the were lectures, we took a book binding class and made a small journal, the duel, touring the vendors, a beautiful tea in an air-conditioned building (what a reprieve!), and of course, we ended our day participating in the promenade.  It was such fun.  We're already making plans for next year.  I've already purchased a new pattern to try from Laughing Moon Mercantile.  In the meantime, there are other projects calling.