Why I shouldn't carry my own credit card

So... I went fabric shopping yesterday.

Fabric stores in Edmonton are pretty limited.  The cheapest silk I can find is $45/m.  Ouch!  Thankfully we were in Calgary this weekend so I could take time to find a few things I can't get at home.

Since I've convinced my husband, B, to come with me to the Regency ball in May I figured I should maybe make him a costume.  I ordered all the patterns I need from Spencer's Mercantile in Hamilton, Ontario.  I lived 45 minutes away and never knew it existed!

Back to fabric - there's a odd little fabric store in Calgary called Reena's Fabric and Saris.  You'd never know from the outside, but it has a great selection at reasonable prices.  Plus, saris!  Great for making Regency dresses.

We found B's fabrics right away.  Nice cream satin for the breeches, green and gold damask for the vest, and a heavy wool suiting for the tailcoat.

Pretty!

Of course I spent more time figuring out my dress... I was thinking about making a crossover dress, but now I'm thinking I should make a gold gown with a red overdress.  Yes, I think yes.  Now that I've written here I'll stick to it.  Yes...

Sari with beads already attached!  Yay!

 New projects are exciting and all, but I still have to finish B's 1930s housecoat.  It's one of my projects for HSM Challenge #3 - Stashbusting so I have to get a move on.

~M

1818 Regency Ballgown

So, I got to go to a ball.  A real ball!  I didn't expect to get tickets, as it was sold out, but I did with a week to spare.  Thank goodness I had part of a pattern done.

I took a dozen or so dresses from fashion plates and extant examples and put them into this:

I look pretty good if I do say so myself.

1818-ish Ball gown
Challenge #2: Blue
Fabric: discount bin satin and drapery lace
Pattern: Self-draped based on fashion plates and extant examples. Bits and pieces of various dresses combined into one.
Year: 1818-ish
Notions: stash lace and organza flowers, thread
I'd say 50% accurate. Poly satin and lace pattern are way off; however I tend to wear slightly off fabrics anyway so for me it's 70% accurate.
Hours to complete: 10-ish. I was on a super tight deadline!
First worn: Feb 28th at a Regency ball.
Total cost: $60 CAD

I found the fabric in the discount bin (hurrah!), but didn't realize until I got home that it smelled like moth balls.  Now my entire sewing room and my ironing board cover smell like mothballs.  Because that's an easy smell to get rid of...

There's another ball in May 2015 which I'm planning to make a new dress for.  1. I want a mothball free gown and, 2. I really want a crossover gown.  I'm planning to use Sense and Sensibility's Elegant Lady's Closet.

I know the lace is a bit off for the period, but as you'll notice in my accuracy post I'm likely to wear something off anyway.  

Thoughts?  How do you represent yourself in historical sewing?  

Up next...
1930s men's housecoat.