Quote Originally Posted by Pleater View Post
What is puzzling you about the shift pattern?

My 'thing' is English smacks but I might be able to help.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

Where do I start?? LOL!

I'm used to modern sewing and I've done a good bit of southern American Civil War costuming, which is pretty modern too since they had sewing machines in the 1860s (and I used modern patterns like Simplicity, etc.)

I had to figure out what a lot of the terms were that she was using, like gores, running-back stitch, placket, etc. I also was not familiar with gussets or stroke gathers and some of the hand-sewing techniques. I guess I'm spoiled by modern patterns providing quite a few diagrams... I'm a bit of a visual learner. And there were no pictures on her site of the construction process on an actual garmet. Oy.... I'm glad I did my first practice one on an old bedsheet, because it's a hot mess! I'd post a pic but you might think It's the first thing I've ever sewn

In all honesty... I got so frustrated I threw back a shot of whisky and just ran it through the machine to get it done. haha

I'm totally new to acutally sewing 18th c. garments. I've been doing as much research as possible. My husband and I are going to a ren fair this weekend so I'm just doing what I can to get through that, even though it will lack much historical accuracy. Hope to have that fixed by Oct. for the Stone Mountain Highland Games. I will try to attach the pictures the maker of that shift pattern sent me yesterday.