The 1912 Project

Ahh the Titanic.  

As many of you already realize this year, in April is the 100th anniversary of her fatal voyage.  It has launched many events for this year at Museums and tea rooms around the world. 

 An opportunity for re-enactors to gather in Edwardian Costume and Historians to reflect on the folly of man's pride and ambition.

Janyce over at the Vintage Pattern Lending Library has almost as large a task in front of her as the launching of the Titanic.  

She wants to release all of the patterns from La Mode Illustree - once France's foremost publication of fashion of that era.  

This requires the digitizing of all of the patterns along with scanning the illustrations and writing directions.  She has enlisted the help of seamstresses to test sew each and every garment for her.  So far 400 people

( me included) have gleefully responded, so many in fact that we have been divided up into groups, 33 at last count.! As she completes the patterns she randomly selects a group to send them to.  Upon receiving your pattern assignment your fun begins.  

 This duster pattern was recently released to the participants in one group. 

This skirt is the most recent release.

This wrap should prove simple enough to create, but what an opportunity for some fine embellishment.

Some of the participants have plans to only sew muslin's, some have plans on making costumes to fit themselves or others, and a few have plans on making doll clothes.

Click on this picture to see more

 The participants have all different levels of sewing experience, which provides an excellent testing ground for the Library.  The resulting sewing directions from such a base should provide a superior product when they are offered to the general public.  

 In addition to the web-site a face book group has been launched and the sharing of knowledge and resources is impressive.

So we all have something to look forward to then.  A year of Edwardian fashion to fulfill our Downton Abby dreams.

If your participating please comment with a blog link so we can follow your progress as well:)