The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Dressmaking

Create authentic, show-stopping 18th century gowns for reenactment or cosplay by using traditional hand sewing techniques from the era.
With the popularity of Outlander, Penny Dreadful and Game of Thrones as well as the popularity of conventions like Comic Con fans are eager to create period gowns that emulate the characters they love. Lauren Stowell and Abby Cox, owners of the popular online store American Duchess, have teamed together to recreate four complete dresses from the 18th century. Whether readers are experienced seamstresses or are new to hand sewing, they won’t want to miss this comprehensive guide.

The projects include The English Gown, The Sacque, The Italian Gown and The Round Gown. Each project is broken down into easy-to-follow steps and Lauren and Abby tackle every detail?fabric, patterns, stitch techniques, accessories, shortcuts and troubleshooting. Whether you choose a romantic 1790s muslin gown or a grand sacque gown of silk taffeta, you will feel like you just stepped out of your favorite novel or period of history.

Lauren and Abby’s company, American Duchess, has been featured on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Reno Gazette Journal, the Today Show and Garmz.com. Their historically accurate shoes have been used in productions by the New York Metropolitan Opera, Ford’s Theater, Broadway’s Cinderella, The Jimmy Fallon Show and The Knick.