Lorna has put together a step-by-step tutorial, showing how she created a pelisse (coat) from my Regency Spencer & Pelisse pattern. It includes excellent photographs and inspiring original images and shows how easy it is to modify my pattern to reproduce an extant garment. Pop on over to Lorna’s blog for all the fun. Thanks, [...]

Laura Singer has put together a photo tutorial to show how she modified my “Swing” Dress pattern to work for a nursing mother:   Hello Mrs. Chancey, I contacted you a while ago about your recommendations for making the swing dress nursing friendly. I documented the process in a photo tutorial on my blog, which [...]

My good friend, Casey, over at Elegant Musings is hosting a “Sew-Along” this month and into February. Lots of ladies get together to sew from one pattern and share the results. Casey took a poll, and my 1940s “Swing” Dress Pattern won! I was very honored and am excited to see the beautiful results that are sure to follow. If you’d like to join in, jump on over to Casey’s gorgeous blog for the sewing schedule!

I’ve received several questions about what to use when tracing pattern pieces for repeated use (paper? tissue? interfacing?). My absolute favorite choice is Swedish Tracing Paper, which is washable, reusable interfacing (“paper” is a bit of a misnomer). You can even make your fitting toiles from this stuff, as it will stand up to sewing [...]

One of my long-time customers and forum members has a lovely sewing blog that she fills with beautiful photos as well as helpful tips and tricks. She has been putting together a Regency Era bodiced petticoat from my instructions and posting detailed photos as she goes.

So, you’ve made your first outfit from one of my patterns. It went together without a hitch…until you put it on and stepped in front of a mirror. “Wait a minute!” you exclaimed. “This waistline is way too high! This sleeve just doesn’t hit me where I thought it would! How am I supposed to be comfortable in this?”

If you are usually a size 0 or 2 in off-the-rack sizes and have a petite frame (particularly if you are narrow through the shoulders with a measurement of less than 15″ from shoulder to shoulder), you will need to make some adjustments to your bodice pattern pieces to obtain a perfect fit.

No matter how well designed a pattern may be, it cannot fit each individual perfectly. Each human body has its own quirks, and each person has different fitting needs. You may find that you need to enlarge a pattern beyond the sizes available on the sheet, or you might need to shrink it. Perhaps you would like to reduce a woman’s pattern to fit a little girl. Or maybe you found an out-of-print pattern you’d love to make … but the sizes are too small for you. Anything is possible once you know the basics of resizing patterns!

Understitching creates a beautiful, professional finish to linings and button plackets. Here’s a video to show you how to do it!

There are so many fun ways you can alter your gown bodice to make it uniquely your style! Below I’ve illustrated two additional ways to change the look of your gown. The first method creates a fitted bodice with darts under the bustline. The second gives you a more “fan”-shaped bodice with the gathers in the center. I strongly recommend that you play around with a muslin bodice or two first until you achieve the exact fit and look you want. You might want to try different neckline treatments while you are at it (I’ve done a bodice with a “V” neckline and darts).