I’ve been wanting to make a robe a la francaise since seeing The Girl in the Fireplace episode on Doctor Who. It’s taken me a long time to get to it though, mostly because every time I thought about it, the thought of making a whole new set of underwear made me go: nah… and grab something else to work on. =D
Judy and I saw this print being put out for quilters and while it isn’t a perfect 18th century re-print, it was close enough that we each bought a bolt of it. Turns out quilting fabric is really not ideal for francaise because it’s only 44″ wide… ah well, live and learn.
This being my first attempt at making a robe a la francaise, it was rough going at first. It’s actually a very simple dress to make though and now that I know what I’m doing, I’m excited to make more. I used the JP Ryan pattern and I ended up writing up a page of notes for myself for the next time I make one.
The photos were taken at the Gamble Gardens in Palo Alto which is a lovely, versatile location and I can’t wait to use it again.
First Worn: GBACG’s “Bal di Carnivale” event 2014
