This is the outfit I made for a Victorian Tea last week. I was in Truly Victorian patterns from the skin out - TV105 combination underwear, TV110 corset, TV101 bustle petticoat, TV261 four-gore underskirt, TV362 wash overskirt, and TV463 French vest bodice (modified because I can't stand collars tight around my neck). Everything went together so easily, and fit like a dream. Your patterns are extremely well drafted and the sizing method made them so easy to adjust. I got a ton of compliments, and I certainly felt like the best-dressed person at the tea! I just wish the photos were better - the flash made the fabric seem shinier than it is, and since I had to dress myself, I wasn't able to tie back the underskirt and overskirt as they should have been. (It was hard enough to get myself into the corset!) Still, I'm sure nobody noticed that little detail. I can't wait to find another occasion to wear it again, and I'll try to get some photos in natural light.

Thanks for a wonderful product, and I'll certainly be back for more,

L. D.

Hi ya'll!

I needed something to wear to our Cowboy Ball and, being a tight wad, went to the Goodwill store to see if I could find something to fix up. No dress, but I did find some drapes with potential. I had been looking at your patterns and decided the drapes looked somewhat like the draping I saw in some of the overskirts. I bought the bodice pattern from you all, just sort of draped the drapery and sewed up a skirt. The bodice from your patterns is what pulled it all together and made it look great. I am NO seamstress, but the bodice went together easier than a lot of so-called "easy" patterns I have tried in the past. I've since bought several more patterns and a bunch more drapes to start making some for friends. I wont be winning any "authentic costume" contest with these, but we love them and are having a blast with our $10 drapes from the Goodwill and our wonderful, easy fitting, TV patterns.

THANKS!

C. T.

(P.S. - I know I need a bustle to give it a better look in the back......that's the next project)

Hi Heather,

just wanted to drop you a quick note with a few pictures of my new early bustle outfit. Patterns used were: TV 108 for the bustle, TV 201 for the petticoat and skirt, TV 305 for the overskirt and TV 401 for the blouse. I used cotton for all of the garments as this will be my summer outfit.

I also use the skirt and bustle with a different (store-bought) blouse to go Cowboy Action Shooting, I carry the holster under the bustle with the help of a few strategically placed slits in all garments.

The patterns were very easy to use and the explanations are very good and easy to follow.

Greetings from Ravensburg in sunny South Germany,

N.

Hi,

I just thought you'd like to the results of pairing TV208 and TV400. I used your patterns to make a c. 1871 dress for an exhibit at the Museum of American Finance.

Best,
A. Z.

For all your help and advice over the past few months, here's a couple of pics of the dress I made with my aunty for my wedding 2 weeks ago...

J. T.

Surrey
United Kingdom

Dear Heather,

Please find attached photos of your splendid riding habit pattern made up in 'tropical mode' depicting the days of the Raj in India.

I can not express how please I am with the results! Truly fabulous!

Kind regards,
Pandora Harrison,
London

I saw that you have lots of comments and photos posted on your site, and so I wanted to share the first ever garment I made from your patterns!

The pattern was great! I've since ordered several more from the Early Bustle catalog and can't wait to get started with them. I love how the patterns can be altered or trimmed differently to create very different looks, and how all the pieces play so well together. I recently acquired some antique pictures and I am very much looking forward to trying to recreate a couple of ensembles.

Thanks for providing such neat stuff!

Heather-

I've attached a photo of Stephanie in her dress. I know it's not perfect, and we still need to decide on trim but she loves it!

G. J.

TV422 Dinner Bodice with TV221 underskirt and TV324 Overskirt. The re-done bodice turned out FABULOUS. I will send better pics later, but I am proud of this!!! Your patterns rock. It's not quite done yet - I added little black rosettes to the bodice corners and there will be a black bow on the tail of the bodice.

Thanks for all your assistance!

J.

Ladies:

I wanted to send this photo of my 17 year old daughter modeling her gown made from your patterns for our county's 4-H Fashion Review. Isn't it stunning? She is a 2 time Colorado State Fair Creative Clothing Grand Champion for her ballgowns. She (and I coaching) enjoyed using your patterns and she added many special features including all those yards of ruffles and ribbon to hide the raw edge of the ruffles. Can you see the ribbon at the neckline that has little rosebuds every inch?

She will be wearing it to a homeschool Civil War Ball in October (though it is in the style of 1870's - she figured no one would care!)

Blessings to your business, and we'll look forward to hopefully using some more patterns in the future. I think next year she might make a Shakespeare era outfit for a dramatic recitation as she wants to pursue acting/filmaking in college!

S. M.
Fort Morgan, CO

Dear Heather,

I just wanted to thank you for your wonderful patterns. I made an early bustle outfit for your patterns for an event I helped with in April of this year.

I made your grand parlor skirt, tie apron overskirt, and the vest basque bodice in a red cotton brocade, black velvet, and balck twill. All the patterns were so easy to follow and are the best I have ever used. I have enclosd a picture of my outfit; everyone at the event loved it and wanted to know where I rented it from :)

Thank you for all your help.

S.

I just finished my first Truly Victorian dress, and I love the way it fits. I did have to make some fitting alterations to the pattern, but your instructions are so clear and precise that I had no trouble at all. This dress is cotton, the next one will be silk taffeta - I'm really getting bold!

Thanks, - a photo is attached. D.B.

Hello!

I just wanted to share a few pictures of a costume I recently completed using the 1872 Vest Basque pattern TV 405, & the 1872 Overskirt pattern TV 303.

I had picked up a bustle dress very inexpensively at a costume shop that was going-out-of-business in our area (the 'before' pictures), but it needed a lot of work to fit me well, and it was very plain. I used the two patterns listed above to re-cut the bodice, and to trim the skirt (the 'after' pictures). I am thrilled with the end result! I wore the dress last weekend (for the first time since completing the bodice) to an Old West Festival in the Cincinnati area, and received rave reviews from patrons & staff. I must have told a dozen people (including the Annie Oakley reenactor, who loved the costume) about your website, and how wonderfully the fitting system works on your patterns. I look forward to making my next creation with your amazing patterns!

Regards
J. B.
Cincinnati, Ohio

Hi!

I thought I would send you some pictures of the TV456 gown I made over the weekend, since I noticed you don't have many pictures from this time period on your site.

I loved the pattern! It was so easy to follow and the sizing info was very helpful. It fit like a glove.

Thank you so much! -M>

Dear Heather,

I have finally finished my first victorian dress (patterns TV 202, 305 and (a slightly altered) 400) and I am soooo happy!! I just had to show you what I created, so I hope I uploaded the picture correctly.

Thank you, thank you, for creating the real thing. As far as I can see, you are the only one in the world that makes affordable and historically correct patterns (and that are available in other countries). Please never stop.

This is only the beginning for me.... There are so many more dresses I want to make, it'll take years before I'm done, I hope. I got such a great response to this one, my friends and family can't wait to see what I'll create next.

Greetings,

T.K.
(The Netherlands)