The Dreamstress

For a quite different, but equally gorgeous, take on the Sophia, we have Loran’s modern and minimalist (if it’s remotely possible for the Sophia to be minimalist!) version in the most gorgeous peacock blue taffeta, with a lining in black.

It’s so dramatic!  It’s so divine!

Her daughter calls this her ‘magic fairy cape’, and she is not wrong!

Loran made a Large.

Kate Motz of @katestangledstring

As we saw from the mantle inspiration posts, there are a lot of examples 18th century mantles in silks with small scattered floral patterns.  Kate chose a similar fabric for her mantle lining, and it just makes this mantle so special!

Her outer is a fine worsted wool, interlined with a midweight woollen wool (the pattern includes instructions on an optional interlining, for maximum coziness), and then lined with her beautiful silk.

The effect is both lush and restrained.  So beautiful!  I can absolutely imagine this in a film!

Kate made a Medium

Emily of @historicthimble

I’m not sure I need to say anything at all about Emily’s beautiful Sophia, because her photos do all the talking:

Is that not late 18th century winter wear personified!  The classic red with black lining is just so iconic!  And so delightfully cheerful!

She says “The mantle will keep you warm and dry, plus the hood is ample enough for your hair to be full of secrets.” 🤣  Love it!

Emily made her Sophia in Extra Large.

A huge, huge thank you to all the testers!  You really helped make these awesome patterns, and you were awesome to work with 💛

Emma also made two versions of the Charlotte!

First she made a goth-y View B in velvet for her daughter:

Love how this shows this isn’t only a historical garment!  (and love that neck clasp she used!)

Then she made a historical View A for herself:

I absolutely love that Emma made her version as a working class mantle in very practical wool with equally practical lining and linen ties.  It really shows how versatile this pattern is, and how this shape can go from 1780s high fashion to 2nd half of the 18th century and into the 19th century working class wear.

As good as Emma’s mantle looks on her, it’s equally adorable being modelled by Poppy the guinea pig in our cover photo!

Emma made her mantles in Medium.

@isabel.northwode

Speaking of 1780s high fashion mantles, Isabel made the iconic black-with-white-lining mantle that is seen in so many fashion plates of the period.

Her finishing details are just perfect.  She had some things come up and wasn’t able to model it before this post, but she’s going to be adding trim and taking pictures, and I am SO excited about that, because everything Isabel makes is just sublime.

She made her View B in Small.

Alethea of @modest_modiste

From classic black and white, to classic silk taffeta.  Alethea made her View B in the faaaaaaaabulous shot silk:

Then she braved the very muggy NZ summer to put on a full 18th century outfit (it’s a Demelza dress!), complete with ridiculously extravagant 1780s muff, to model it.

Her mantle is just gorgeous, and I live in hope that, as we’re both in NZ, I’ll get to see it in person some day.

Alethea made a Small.

Eva Bellman of @workingclassheroines

Eva chose the most beautiful mulberry wool for her Charlotte Mantle, and had fun experimenting with the construction directions to see if they could be adapted, and if other techniques would work.

She cut her hood with the face edge on the fold, so she could just fold back the fabric to form a self lining, and not have to sew that edge.

It gives a beautifully soft, unstructured look to the hood.  Very cozy!

She also switched out the ribbon fastening for a tab connected by two buttons.  This is such a great finish if you want to use your mantle for historybounding and modern wear.

And she also treated us to a photo of her gorgeous dog.  💛

Eva made an Extra Large.

Nina of @nina.virgo

And last, but absolutely not least, I have the massive privilege of having a pattern tester who is also a model!  (and one of my best friends, general co-conspirator, and my pattern editor).

Nina made her View B Charlotte in the most beautiful silk-cotton voile with tiny dots woven in (which I may have talked her into buying 🤣).  Spotted gauzes were very fashionable in the late 18th century, and a number of fashion plates show mantles made in them.  So while the blend of her fabric isn’t absolutely accurate, the general aesthetic is spot-on (sorry, not sorry).

Her Charlotte mantle is just perfection, and the amount of things she checked and questioned in the pattern is hugely, hugely appreciated.

Nina made a Large.

Thank you all!