This is the result of my latest project: a dress made from a Vintage Vogue pattern (V2787). I’ve used this pattern before and since I’ve got time to get used to it I think this dress turned out better than the last one.

There is a 1940’s sew-along that I wanted to take part in: “Sew for victory” hosted by Lucky Lucille, and that encouraged me to make this dress. Well, to be honest, I bought the fabric last summer and was already determined to use this pattern together with this fabric, but sometimes you need a little push to get started…

The back of the dress – not as amazing as the front, but in this case I blame the pattern =P

The hat and shoes was borrowed from my sister, Lisa (or Lizzie J as you can read about in the post below.)

Photos by Gerd Jansson

Hello all you lovely visitors of Miss Sophie’s Atelier!

This is my letter to you, me being one of Miss Sophie’s friends, where I tell you a little bit about myself.  In my everyday life, my name is Lisa and I’m Sofia’s younger sister, but on this page, you will more frequently get to meet my alter ego, Lizzie J. She’s the woman you see gazing into the distance in the photos, popping up in different times and locations, wearing beautiful historical costumes.

Eliza Bennet… ehm, I mean, Lizzie J

I share my sister’s interest in costume history and have done so for a long time. In high school, I wrote a paper on women’s fashion history during the 20th century. In my teens I sewed some garments that I’m still very proud of, among them a 1950’s dress. I’ve also learnt the hard way what hard work lies behind a readymade garment. To my prom, I sewed a Titanic-inspired evening gown, which, I fear, wouldn’t have been finished in time, had it not been for my sister and her ability keep cool and sew on, and to attach reluctant buttons and bows to a slippery fabric.

The Titanic-inspired evening gown I wore to prom. I can only take credit for the front, since my sister helped me with the back. She also made the reticule, which was the Edwardian equivalent of a hand bag.  

Even though other interests now occupy my time, I’m very happy that my sister has the talent and patience required to turn pieces of fabric into lovely creations. For me, you see, that means that I occasionally get to wear the results! And that’s something that I really enjoy, as you hopefully will be able to see in the photos of me.

Going a bit anachronistic in between takes

Except for modelling, I’ve been my sisters “right hand” in this enterprise, when it comes to discussing ideas as well as trying new things at photo shoots. I’ve helped out where I’ve been needed, sometimes in front of the camera and sometimes behind it.

Miss Sophie having a cup of tea in the garden. On this occasion, I was behind the camera.

When I’m not working with Miss Sophie, I’m studying ethnology and I am currently writing a paper on superheroes. I share my sisters’ passions for tea and history and I love to just walk around in old cities with old buildings, IRL as well as in videogames, for instance Assassin’s Creed II, where you jump around rooftops in renaissance Italy.

Bad jokes, books and board games are things I refuse to live without, as well as singing, learning languages and countryside walks.

Now you know a bit more about me. You’ll probably see more of me in photos to come. Or who knows, perhaps we’ll run into each other on a renaissance fair in the summer!

Yours etc.

Lizzie J

P.S. Considering the name and the picture, it hardly comes as any surprise that Jane Austen is on the list of my top-ten favorite authors. I’m currently reading Persuasion for a book club meeting in two weeks. Can’t wait! And for those of you who have not yet seen Lizzie Bennet Diaries, the Emmy-award winning modern day adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, Congratulations! 100 episodes of greatness await you!

P.P.S. Actually, I don’t have a list of favorite authors. But if I did, Jane Austen would most certainly be on it! As would the brilliant Irish author Marian Keyes, for that matter.

Last Saturday was the opening day for my exibition in Gamla Linköping open-air museum! The exhibition is called “Född i fel tid” (“Born in the wrong era”) and in it you can see some of my historical garments and photographs. My inspiration is the movie “Midnight in Paris” by Woody Allen, where the main character wishes that he was born in the 1920’s, instead of living in the present era.

The idea of an exhibition was born a year ago when I helped my cousin with her exhibition in Pargas, Finland. I liked the idea of having a little space of my own to show some of my creations. And I’ve actually planned and executed exhibitions before, since it was an important part of my education as culture and media producer.

Lots of stuff in the car when we arrived at the museum on the opening day… The red building is called “Curmanska magasinet” and when you pass through the doors, my exibition is on your right hand side.

The finishing touch: putting up the signs – two hours before the opening…

Making sure that the TV and the movie is working.

This last autumn, my friend Stina and I made a short movie with one of my Regency dresses. We have been making films together for more than ten years now and this time we wanted to make a movie that shows just how beautiful autumn colours can be. My sister Lisa was kind enough to be in front of the camera and she did a marvellous job!

I bought mead (non-alchoholic) and lingonberry juice from the general store in the museum…

… and served together with home made historically inspired canapés. I found some old recipies that I just had to try: ham and herbs in puff paste (a recipie from 1664, originally named “Een Skincka in uthi een Pastey”), and mini pies with saffron (15th century or so recipie).

But the most unusual recipie I tried was from 1609: carrots filled with hard-boiled eggs, almonds and raisins.

Family, friends and colleagues were there, as well as other interested people! Big thanks to all of you!

And here you can see some more of the exhibition, my dress from 1780’s and my green medieval kirtle.

A journalist and a photographer from the local newspaper showed up, and here I am – posing in my tricorne hat together with my early 1960’s dress. Definitely born in the wrong era!

The exhibition is open every day, Mon-Fri 10-17 and Sat-Sun 11-16, until 8 June. No entrance fee! And did I mention that Gamla Linköping open-air museum is a gorgeous place?!

Big thanks to Gamla Linköping open-air museum, and to my family and friends for all your help and advice! I couldn’t have done it without you!

Photos by Fride Jansson and Lisa Jansson

Some weeks ago, me and my sister Lisa went into town to take some new pictures of my 1780’s costume. She got dressed up at home (actually in another outfit, but historical as well) and do I have to say that the people on the bus stared quite a lot…

Anyway, adjacent to one of the old churches in Nyköping there is a house that today serves as a parish house and café, but was originally built in the 1720’s as a private home for one of the priests. I have a special something for this house – I spent some time there as a child, and in my early twenties I worked in the café – so I knew immediately that I wanted to include the house in the photos.

It was quite a chilly day, so Lisa wanted to keep her jacket on while I made all the camera adjustments, as you can see in the picture above.  The broom is unfortunately not from the 1780’s -I made it the same morning with dead branches from the woods. The cap is also made specially for the photo shoot, since I actually didn’t have one before.

Try tying (modern) shoe laces with a corset on… it’s hard!

Chatting…

I think my sister will agree when I say that the most fun was to see the reactions we got from the people passing by. Most people just stared, probably wondering what we were up to, but one woman with a small child stopped for quite a long chat, and the little girl was really excited and thought that my sister looked so pretty. A fairy tale coming true? One young man took a photo (in secret…) and an older woman said some really kind words when passing by. And I made a new friend this day! He stopped by and all three of us had a really long talk, and this spontaneous chat actually resulted in a new friendship!

The result of the photoshoot will be displayed in the upcoming exhibition I’m working on, and on this blog of course. All in good time!