Hello, Jordan!

Summer's just around the corner!

I don't know about you, but spring and summer seem to inspire the project bug in me! I discover forgotten fabric stashes and get to dreaming and scheming--or find a project I'd long forgotten in a sadly half-done state and feel a fresh zeal to finish it up. I hope your creativity is in full bloom as summer approaches with all its possibilities!

If you've created something new from any of my patterns, please feel free to share your pictures and comments. I always love to read what you're doing and see the fruits of your labors. You'll see a new "Pattern Story" in this newsletter, and I'd love to receive many more for future editions. Those whose stories and photos are published receive a $15 gift certificate!

You'll notice a sidebar banner in this issue that I've made our "Link of Note." Even if you live nowhere near Vermont and have no plans to travel there, you simply have to click on this banner and visit the Governor's House website! They offer weekends for Jane Austen enthusiasts to gather in historical garb, engage in Regency Era pastimes, watch Austen film adaptations, and more--all in a gorgeous mansion just right for the time period. Talk about a dream vacation for the historical costume lover or devoted Janeite! Click and drool--and perhaps make some travel plans!

Since my last e-newsletter, Benjamin Chancey made his arrival on April 14th, and we've enjoyed him wholeheartedly! He is a contented darling of a baby at seven weeks old. Such a joy! Now I have to compete with his devoted siblings for his attention. ;-) There's just nothing like a new baby in the house! 

I hope you're enjoying a beautiful June wherever you are and keeping those creative juices flowing! 'Til next time....

Warmly,

Jennie Chancey,  owner & designer

More Fun Links!   

• Don't miss our dear friend Rebecca Newton's Dress Parade! She's creating dreamy historical fashions this summer on a limited basis, so be sure to check her gallery.
• Meant-to-be-Modest offers darling swimwear for moms and daughters that is easy to wear and provides excellent protection from the sun in addition to being modest with a flair. My daughters love their swim outfits and use them all summer long!
• The Smiling Victorian is a fun "photo pool" on FlickR, featuring hundreds of antique photos with smiling subjects--considered a rarity from the days of long, slow camera exposures that required people to sit very, very still. Lots of fun to browse!

We've got a late Spring Sale in progress right now through midnight on June 7th! All patterns are 10% off through Saturday, so don't miss an opportunity to grab something if you've had a pattern in mind or want to send a gift. Order Fulfillment is on vacation during the sale, so all patterns ordered through the 7th will be shipped the Monday and Tuesday following.

The summer session of my Regency Film Costume Class will run from June 16th through July 26th. I've changed the syllabus to include the new BBC adaptation of "Sense & Sensibility," and I'm looking forward to dissecting the costuming for this film and the others with a new batch of students! Registration is open now, so be sure to click here if you'd like more information. Get a group of friends together and you can take the class for a discounted rate! The class is $25 for individual students or $15 per group member for groups of five or more (family members don't need to form a group--they're free). Contact me through my Feedback Form if you'd like to form a group, since your members will need to use a special link to register at the discounted rate.

Finally, I've added a profile page to Facebook for Sense & Sensibility, so be sure to stop by and share a comment or even a fan photo! It has been so much fun over the past few weeks to see who has added herself as a "fan" and to put faces to the names of so many customers all over the world. I've also uploaded five photo albums chock-full of pictures of outfits made from my patterns, including many that do not appear on my main site. I'll continue to add photos from time to time, and I look forward to seeing what you have to share as well. Don't be shy; it's great to see all the wonderful work you are doing!

   

Here is a picture of my first Regency dress/pelisse outfit and my cousin and sister in their dresses. I simply love all of the Sense and Sensibility patterns, especially because I am permitted to use them professionally.  When a friend commissioned me to make a dress for her little girl, I knew exactly where to find the perfect pattern.  Her description of the “dream outfit” fit the Regency dress and pelisse closely, so I ordered the patterns.  Needless to say, the little girl loves the outfit, and I loved making it!  I have since used the pattern to make three more dresses, and I’m in the midst of helping my eleven-year-old sister as she creates her own version. 

~ Jordan N., age 15

Wonderful work! You can produce similar outfits using my Girl's Regency Dress, Girl's Regency Spencer/Pelisse, and Girl's Pinafore/Pantaloons patterns. And, as Jordan mentioned, professional seamstresses can use my patterns without paying a licensing fee. It's my pleasure to see others create items for sale from my patterns, so don't hesitate to do so!

So, do you have a pattern story to share? I'd love to read yours! I won't be able to use them all in the e-newsletter, of course, but those who don't make it into this venue are still welcome to submit their pictures and comments for the website's Show and Tell section! Please send clear, well-lit photos in JPEG format (the more, the merrier!), along with a short (500 words or less) story. Remember that it's the personal details that make these stories so much fun. And if you're featured here, you'll win a gift certificate!