Regency Velvet. Rawr.
For a Regency Ball being held in Edinburgh last month, I spent a considerable amount of the last year working on a suit. A suit. Not a tunic, not a nice, simple cloak and braes. A full three-piece suit. In velvet. It was bloody awful. Actually it was a great challenge, really educational, and it's allowed me to learn several new skills! I am now familiar with how suits are put together from the drafting of the pattern up. It's taught me the use of tacking, how to do pad stitching, and how to piece successfully and use grain and piled fabrics properly. With its shirt and waistcoat. My child! The velvet was difficult, frayed constantly, and needed to be worked immediately after cutting to prevent it falling apart. This stuff is a challenge for a novice to use, and I recommend finding someone experienced to give you the benefit of their wisdom! The breeches were pieced heavily to make use of the limited cloth I had available, and they also feature my first ever po