from the designer: “At the height of Edwardian fashion was the tea gown.

”The Duchess Sarah Bedford created the tradition of afternoon tea, and when the Industrial Revolution provided women the opportunity and means for more leisurely activities, afternoon tea became a ritual that revolutionized women’s roles as well as attire. Edwardian husbands may have been masters of their wives for most of the day, but for a few hours every afternoon, women were allowed to undo the laces of their corsets and entertain their own guests in their own chambers - in their own way.

“Tea gowns, in sharp contrast to the contorted garments worn throughout the rest of the day, were corset-less, pastel in color, lacy and resembled lingerie. In addition to the sexual intrigue that often times ensued during the height of the Belle Époque era, afternoon tea offered women the chance to bond and converse with other women outside of societal restraints. Like in the knitting circles of old, here the roots of feminism can be traced.

”While not meant to be a refuge from a corset, Belle Époque should certainly be knit in such spirits, accompanied by tea and friends.“

SIZE

S M, L, XL

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest: 40 43.5, 48, 51.5 inches

Length: 30 31, 32, 33 inches

MATERIALS

Austermann Accapella 50% Kid Mohair 50% Acrylic; 167 yd/150m per 50g skein; color: Arctic Ice; 8 8, 9, 10 skeins

1 set US #6/4.0mm double-point needles

24-inch US #6/4.0mm circular needle

Notions required (optional)

1-2 yds 0.25 inch elastic

2 sets of snaps

1-2 yds 2 inch satin ribbon

4 yds 2 inch coordinating sheer ribbon

NOTE: Garment is worked in the round to the armholes, then the front and back are separated and worked back and forth to the shoulder.