I based the pattern for the top off of some illustrations I have of period clothing, especially from Fitting and Proper. The skirt is sort of ok (I made the waistband wrong for the period. It's made out of hand dyed linen (using walnut). The cap is actually a little late - it was based on one of the Kannick's Korners patterns, which was appropriate, but which turned out to be too big for my big head and long hair, so I got out my copy of the Workwoman's Guide,(which is from the 1830s) and found one that was very similar and so the cap is sort of a combination of both.
What I plan to do is take the top apart at some point in the future, and cut it down to an appropriate size - but not until I am ready to get a new dress form. I also need to make some new underpinnings - I need some 18th c style stays. I was working on a pair when I started losing the weight, and they of course will not fit me any more.
What I want to make is a dress either like this:
http://dept.kent.edu/museum/exhibit/ohio/labels/2.htm
or like this: http://www.columbia.edu/itc/barnard/theater/kirkland/3136/18th%20Century%20Gallery/pages/1784.htm
Thanks for posting your knitting history for me, also. Anyone else?