Kalamazoo 2012!

For those of you in the Midwest, you've probably heard of and/or attended the Kalamazoo Living History Show. I went yesterday with my friends that I Civil War reenact with, and had a few fun finds!

Red linen (a yard for $2--score!!), white linen,

yellow and blue embroidered cotton, and a new fan.

I also got some teas, a pair of rooster sewing scissors for my mom, and some seed beads which will probably be woven into something for Civil War. The total damage was just under $30, which I was quite pleased with!

I've been looking for red, white, and blue linens to make a patriotic apron like this one that I found in the Custis Lee issue of the Civil War Times magazine: (he was on the cover recently... I don't remember the month, though.)

Great, yes? I love the variety in size of the stars--it gives it a really great handmade feel. The original is silk, but I'm making it in linen so that I can use it for cooking, etc. in addition to decorative purposes. I reenact as a relocated Southern civilian sent north to live with family for safety. Patriotic aprons were all the rage last year but they were all Union, which comes as no surprise as I live in Michigan. I think it will be fun/interesting/instructive to have one from the other side walking around too! Now to find at least semi-affordable blue linen...

The fan has been dubbed Adelbert Ames after the Union General, in keeping with the color. He's so pretty and glossy... I can't wait to bring him to a reenactment!