My book review of American Duchess's Guide to 18th-Century Dressmaking! This really isn't a small guidebook at all but a veritable encyclopedia of 18th-century sewing and fitting techniques, all beautifully illustrated with clear, full-color photos and sharp line drawings. You learn how to cut, drape, fit, and stitch gowns from 1740-1790, including an Italian Gown, which is the main option in my pattern. As an added bonus, there are instructions for accessories, including an apron, chemisette, hat, muff, and reticules. Read my full review!

I'm working on our practice dress before I make the real [first communion dress]. This is out of a table cloth my son decided to use scissors on. :)

Hello, Jennie, My daughter made the 1780’s Girl’s Portrait Dress and loves it. She’ll be wearing it to her piano recital later this year. (Her name is Waverley, and she’s 10.)  I just realized you have a Show and Tell section. That’s really neat to see others who worked on the same pattern and to

Hello from Wiltshire, UK. I have sewn mostly soft furnishings for the past 10+ years, but despite this I really wanted to make my daughter’s First Holy Communion dress. I first found the Portrait Dress via Pinterest and then tracked down Sense & Sensibility patterns. Reading the blog and seeing other people’s creations on ‘Show

When I decided to make the flower girl dress for my daughter for an upcoming wedding, I had a definite vision in mind. It didn't need to be period specific, but I wanted to coordinate the style with that of all the bridesmaids. After searching oodles of patterns, the Girl's 1780's Portrait Dress best fit my vision.

This was my first experience with Jennie's GORGEOUS patterns! I love the easy, common-sense instructions, the appendices and the history included. My 8yr old's gorgeous Easter dress is my favorite project I've ever made. I'm already in progress with two other Georgian patterns for he,r and I cannot wait to fill her closet (and maybe mine) with these beautiful dresses!

I made this dress out of this beautiful blue taffeta and white cotton lace for my then-eight-year-old niece to wear to a formal wedding. Because of her age and size, finding formal off the rack clothes for her was a nightmare. Nothing we found in the stores was suitable. I took matters into my own hands and offered to sew her dress, and my niece was ecstatic.

Out of all the patterns I've designed in the past 18 years, the Girls' 1780s Portrait Dress pattern is, hands down, my own daughters' very favorite. I've made them so many dress-up dresses from this pattern in toiles and stripes and prints, and they want new ones as soon as they outgrow them! But this year, both girls asked if I could make dresses that looked more like something "Felicity" (the now retired--sigh--American Girl doll) would wear.

My niece, Neko, loves dresses and has fairly expensive taste. It is a good thing her auntie can sew. I had lucked out last year and found 10 yards of green taffeta for just $1.00 a yard. I bought all of it just waiting for the right pattern to come along, so when I came

Dear Jennie,For my new gown I have used your new 1780's pattern and I was very pleased with it. It was a joy to work with as all your patterns! I have adopted it a bit as I wanted a round gown, so I have changed the front into an apron front. I used silk taffetta and lined it with cotton.

This dress was made from Sense and Sensibility's 1780's portrait dress pattern with some fitting alterations. I added buttonholes and daisy buttons to close the back. When it came time to mark the tucks and hem

When I created the Girls’ 1780s Portrait Dress pattern, I knew I’d want to follow up with a women’s version. The construction of the dresses offered in this pattern comes from the study of dozens of portraits, plus scrutiny of extant gowns for women from this time period, but I've stuck with conventional machine techniques in the instructions to allow for ease of sewing.

(Looking for the paper version rather than the ePattern? Purchase from one of our many retailers worldwide! Please note that Patterns of Time carries my entire line and is well stocked.)

These are the pictures of Ana-Gloria's Easter Dress and my second time with the 1780 Portrait Dress. This time I made the gathered bodice and it went together beautifully and was so much fun to make.

My daughter Olivia wanted to look like a princess, and I wanted to find something classic-looking for her First Communion. The portrait dress looked like a perfect fit. Not being a particularly advanced seamstress

I have no experience with historical sewing, so I make no claims that the lace or anything else on this dress is period-correct :) When I had trouble finding a modest and elegant pattern for my daughter's first communion dress

My daughter, Kyra, absolutely loves this dress.The sash is not as wide as the pattern calls for, since I only had a minimal amount of the blue, but it went perfect with the blue flower fabric. I also had to put in an elastic

Hello Mrs Chancey!My name is Lexi and I am 19. I started sewing from your Regency dress patterns when I was 17, and have continued to enjoy them! I just love your new 1780's pattern! It was the one

Two years ago I found this Nativity Toile and made dresses for my then 2-yr-old and 3-month-old granddaughters. This year those dresses were passed down to younger sisters and I made the Portrait

This is my first attempt with a Sense and Sensibility Pattern, and it won't be my last. I had so much fun putting this together. I have made several 1860 dresses, so it was fun to make something from the 1780's.

I found this lovely dotted voile in my "stash" and just knew it was perfect for the new 1780's Girls' Portrait Dress pattern. I love being able to switch out ribbons and sashes for new and fun looks on the same dress! Geneece A.