How to Make an 18th century Gown by yourself with NO pattern

This video is kindly sponsored by Brooklinen

While I've made countless 18th century gowns for myself and others at this point, I've never had to pattern on myself by myself. Considering the most detailed part of the gown is often the back, that creates a very complex problem! But with a ball looming and a new pair of stays to fit over, I had to come up with a system to work through those issues. And along with a couple days of diligent hand sewing, I was able to pattern, fit, and make an 18th century ball gown in time.

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00:00 Design
07:42 Patterning
18:16 Back, Front, First Fitting
23:53 Finishing the Bodice
27:19 Sleeves
33:37 Skirt
36:41 Reveal

[Kattaccino]

My toxic trait is thinking I could do this despite never having worked up the courage to make an 18th century gown WITH a pattern 😂 your mastery is on full display here.

[JillianEve]

I feel projects like this show us how important community was for textile production. Awesome job doing it alone!

[Kairi]

As a recluse I struggle bussed to make my Italian gown, so this video is good reference for when I tackle the cut away one day. Also for anyone doing 16th century dress for the first time DO NOT DO A PURE LINEN BODICE FOR YOUR FIRST TIME! LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE!

[vwdwvlg]

I’m just so blown away with your skills. I’ve been sewing clothes for 50 years and am 65. I’ve sewn by hand and think I’m pretty good, but you so far pass me like my a 10 year old novice! I’m making several items and am researching each of your videos and so enjoy the labor! Thank you! Thank you! For taking the time and patience to do your videos! Best to you!

[nightburststudios]

I’m studying theatrical costuming at uni and I literally just finished a project where we had to figure out and calculate the price of the fabric and notions needed to create this exact dress (1:09)

[kathleenwoods]

I love the methods here. I don't see stuff like the tape trick of yours in modern drafting tutorials, which is annoying, cause like a lot of really advanced cheat-codes its seems perfectly applicable even for a very amatuer sewist!

[hailtothefire_]

Watching you hand sew is so incredibly relaxing. I shouldn't be watching this right now when I'm sleepy. It's just making me want to go back to bed haha

[saskiacowan]

I’m always impressed by how you manage to draft garments on yourself

[anettveg]

I've been waiting for this video, ever since you said a few months ago, that there will be more 18th century content on your channel. All those years working with this period, and you throuroughness shines through every minute of it. More, more, please have more of 18th century. Thanks.

[Turquerina]

This is gorgeous handiwork and your gown feels like what a historically accurate Belle (from Beauty and the Beast) might have looked like! I hope the ball was fun, because the way the gowns moved in that room is truly the stuff of dreams...

[wednesday]

Thank you for having proper(?)/manually done subtitles!

[felinetherapy]

Glorious. Best fabric choice, so regal.

[TheGabygael]

i was actually plannng on getting dressed18th century for my birthday in march. it's the first period i looked into (thanks to Katikut who put the craft on my radar, LBCC Historical who fascinated me and Outlander that made me daydream) but i've gotten quite rusty there and i mever start from a commercial pattern because i'm ~~cheap~~ and i try to go as historical i mix primary sources and tertiary sources as soon as something doesn't feel right

[haleycarmon]

do y’all know how many times i’ve cried trying to fit things over my body?? too many. this video has been sent from the heavens because so many people do not explain or show how to fit without a dress form. it makes me bonkers as a visual learner.

[victoriawu]

The absolute flexing on display here. Beautiful gown.

[florindalucero]

For Halloween last year I needed something like this, but couldn’t afford/didn’t have the time to buy or make something. So I took a corset, an Autumnal wrap dress that had ruffles at the cuff and hem, and a bunch of plaid flannel fabric that I was going to use to make a quilt. I used a white long sleeve cotton blouse, turned the corset around to mimic the straight top of the 18th C, and whipped the fabric into a temporary floor length skirt. But the part I’m most proud of is the wrap dress - I pinned it at the waist front to imitate a stomacher, used the fabric belt to tie gather it at the center back to make a flounce, and the elbow length ruffled sleeves were just right. It was giving Mary from Hocus Pocus and I was so proud!

[Inlandexile]

Bailey has earned herself extra treats and snuggles!

[betsyhill]

Just found this … recovering from surgery and catching up . Absolutely appreciate your teaching style and look forward to your patterns! Thank you!

[cherylrosbak]

You wear those colours so well! That trick with the tape looks so useful; I think I might try it first for padding out my dress form.

[mikuhatsune]

I like your tape method for self fitting. On fitting my first gown last year, I printed the shapes of a gown from PoF that I liked and split and spliced the paper until it fit me. Lots of tape and going back and forth, but I eventually got it. Your method looks like it is a lot easier to manage than that and also takes into account how fabric, unlike paper, stretches in various ways. I’ll try your method on my next gown, so thank you for the video 🤗