Fitting 1840s

I decided to whip up an 1840s dress for a local event with my Victorian costuming friends and figured I'd document the progress since it's a new-to-me era.

I started out with the 1852-1856 pattern in Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion 1, combining the half-high lining with the overlays to create a bodice pattern that went all the way up to the neck. I also used the sleeve lining to figure out a starting point for the sleevehead of my sleeve. These were the measurements I got from measuring the little 1/8th scale diagram, so they may not be totally accurate, as well as my little 1/8th diagram before scaling up. (Dashed lines are where I figured I'd have to shorten the pattern.) I scaled up the pattern using radial enlargement, which can get a little bit wonky at times, but overall is the quickest way I know how to do this without using some sort of technology that is not my hands. (You can see where the little scale diagram is taped at the bottom for the process.)

( In which I go into the process in detail, with many notes )

Up next is cutting out the fabric.