My First Regency Gown: Installment #5

I'm eager to sew (and get the final product) but I've got to get it right first! 

I've been making pattern alterations this week. I think the reason I kept avoiding working on this project was that I thought these alterations would be difficult. I was right!

Firstly, I'm using the neckline supplement because the regular neckline is too low for me (or at least seemed to be based on my muslin). I'm trying the high, ungathered neckline. The “instructions for modifying the original pattern” are, in my opinion, more like “a few comments on the subject,” not instructions.

The pattern pieces for the supplement are also confusing and not clearly marked. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are needed here. Be prepared to be confused at first, but if you pay close attention to “these guides are meant to be used as overlays” from the beginning that will help. I think I halfway missed that originally which only added to my confusion. You'll want to figure out what all those unlabeled lines on the supplements mean before you trace.

Second, I needed to lenghten the bodice. I thought I read somewhere for a more modern empire waist to lengthen the bodice 2” all around the bottom edge. The pattern doesn't have any instructions about how to do this and doesn't even have this note. I lengthened each of my bodice pieces at the bottom edge as best I could (it wasn't perfectly clear to me how to do that with curved pieces). That isn't the usual place to lengthen pattern pieces.

I was very concerned about this method of alteration so I looked on the pattern website's “Sewing Tips” page. No comments there about lowering the empire waist, this way or any other. So, I'm torn. Do I try it this way (I'll be making a muslin) or do I back up and lengthen the bodice pieces the usual way (by slashing them and inserting the extra length)? Or both ~ two inches at the bottom to extend the bodice and one inch in the bodice to accomodate my long torso. Hmmmm.