Bennett gowns~Step 1~Bodice Lining

OK..... Step 1............ Bodice Lining..........

Here are explicit instructions.

First of all I took an Empire-waisted dress of mine and I traced the bodice onto paper. The method I used for this is: Take as many pieces of paper that you need and tape them together. Then pin the waist tightly to the bottom of the paper and pin the base of the armholes to the paper. Then trace that line. Then remove the waist pin and put it at the top of the armhole (stretch the fabric if there is elastic) and trace the armhole. Continue like this. Then cut it out and fold it in half. Trim the non-matching parts. Then fold muslin in half and put the pattern at the selvage edge. Then trace the pattern onto the fabric and cut it out. You now have 2 fabric pieces. Then sew the shoulders and the sides, leaving the armholes, neck, and waist open, and cut a straight line down one side, so that you have a back opening. Then try it on. If it fits, fold over all the raw edges and hem them. Don't put any fastening on, this is just a lining. Leave the seams on the obvious side, since you will put the actual bodice on that part. Save your pattern. You are now done!!!

The model for this was my sister Augusta, for whom I will be making a "Bennett" gown as well.