New Ballgown

Here at last are photos of my new ballgown, courtesy of my bestie who graciously agreed to a photoshoot during a weekend of crazy homework.

The front, and the bertha-that-I-freehanded-which-
took-a-long-time-but-really-wasn't-that-bad.

Sleeves (which mysteriously got twisted) and the back of
the bertha/bodice/skirt.

Housemates: "If we add a fan, it will be like a legit
modeling shoot!"
Hence, the ruffle blowing in the wind. hahaha

As it was a bit chilly, I donned my great-grandma's fur
wrap to complete my outfit.

This actually wasn't the necklace I ended up wearing, but other than that, this was the ensemble! The dress was enjoyable to wear, and I look forward to pulling it out again for the next ball. Hopefully by that point, I will have added another ruffle or two to the skirt, as was originally intended. It's definitely wearable as-is, but I think at least one more layer on the skirt would be a good thing, and more akin to what I've seen in CDVs and originals.

PROJECT IN SUMMARY:
Fabric: I got 16 yards of silk for $15 + $8 shipping on ebay, and barely used half of it. Lining for the bodice and the kick on the skirt came from the stash.
Notions: Mostly from the stash, plus a few spring steel bones to keep everything smooth. $3
Ribbon: Several yards from Haberman's... maybe another $15 or so
Lace: More from the stash, originally from Hobby Lobby. I really loaded it on, especially on the bertha... maybe 6 yards? (Do you like my super meticulous bookkeeping?)
TOTAL: $30ish. Not too bad for a new silk ballgown!

Ballgown Sneak Peek!

I'll be debuting my new ballgown TOMORROW at the Midwinter's Ball in Lansing! *happy dance*

Here are a few detail shots... pictures of the whole dress coming soon.

Bertha!

Lace on the sleeves

The ill-conceived skirt ruffle

I can't wait to put it all on together and see what it looks like! Living on the edge here, having never worn the dress until the day of the ball...

It's Ballgown Time!

Note: these posts are being written up with a delay... I didn't get to posting them over break, but have a good chunk of the dress done.

I had been lusting over the pink ballgown for ages, (you know, the one I kept posting pictures of) but had had no luck in finding fabric for it. Wrong weight, wrong color, wrong sheen... I just couldn't get the correct tone, and didn't want to compromise and ruin my vision of the dress. Someday it will be mine--but for now, I am working on another ball gown!

I had been scouring ebay for fabric for ages when I found... IT. Sixteen yards of bone colored, 34"w antique silk. "Good heavens, that must have been extortionately expensive!" you must be thinking. Try $15.50 with $8 shipping. That's right, folks... all the yards I could wish for of high quality vintage stock for a little over a dollar a yard! I won the bid almost without contest. I was close to doing a victory dance, but didn't want to scare my roommate.

What do I do with this glorious good fortune? Well, that shouldn't come as a surprise... it's ballgown time! It's a very light, soft fabric, so anything very structured is out of the question.

Here is my chief inspiration at present:

So light and feminine!

I plan to add more of the contrasting color, and may do a point on the bodice. (I like the ribbon around the waist, but neglected to get the proper width of ribbon while I was at Haberman's, and don't have time for another trip. Rats!) I like the ruffles around the bottom of the skirt. I was originally planning on tiers, but liked the subtlety of the ruffles and how they show off the delicacy of the fabric. Currently, the skirt is made, and the first ruffle is almost ready to attach. Let me tell you... it is taking FOR. EVER. I don't know why, but this project is crawling along at a snail's pace. A tired snail. A tired snail with no motivation. Maybe it's just because I've been so busy otherwise, but still! The bodice is basically stitched together too, but still needs to have hooks and eyes, boning, and piping. So basically everything. 

Pictures of the progress coming soon... hopefully. You know how that goes. First full week of classes coming up... yikes!

Thanksgiving and a Cravat

The title pretty much sums it up. Between going home, the Thanksgiving festivities, a smattering of other events, and still trying to cram in as much homework as possible, I stayed pretty busy this weekend!

As I positively pine away for sewing while I'm at school, I did fit a few quick projects in while I was home. The first was to hem up a little tree skirt for my mom, which emerged out of a remnant from her stash. After that, the sewing machine was out and threaded, so I decided to keep going. I wanted to make a few cravats for my brother (he just started reenacting, and I couldn't resist the irony of giving him "ties" for Christmas) so I went to the great wealth of knowledge that is the internet and tracked down a tutorial. I found a marvelous one from Sarah over at Romantic History (check it out here!), and after tweaking it a little for a different look, here is the result!

I am quite in love with it!

For the fabric, I used a remnant from my Swiss Body project. The burgundy/black changeable taffeta looks quite sharp in cravat form! It still wants a neckband... I'll add one after I give it to him, to make sure that it will be the right length. I'm planning on making a similar one for myself, too, to wear with the Swiss Body of the same color. It was a quick project--I'd say easily under an hour, even though it was my first one. I'll definitely be making more... lots more! I have a whole stack of fabrics that are now waiting to be transformed into a colorful variety of cravat shapes. Stripes, solids, prints, plaids, single bow, double bow, loose ends, small, large, wide, thin... the possibilities are endless! I have a feeling that my brother will soon have a different necktie for every day of the month. I hope he likes them ;)

New Corset!

[Sorry for the long hiatus! I've been totally swamped with school, but now have a few posts to put up. This one's been written up in the queue for a while, but I just now finally got around to sticking the pictures in.]

Towards the end of the summer, I put on my corset to get ready to docent at my historical village, for which I dress to the Civil War era. I snapped the busk together and proceeded to pull on the lacing. Without too much tugging it stopped tightening, but wasn't nearly snug yet. I checked in the mirror, and sure enough, it had finally laced up all the way in the back with room to spare. Not good! With the Jackson reenactment approaching (the enormous crowning jewel of the summer reenacting season) I did not want to be parading around in an ill-fitted corset, which correspondingly would not support my back and hoop. So I finally got on the ball, and called up my friend to help me whip up a new one. It was a bit of a whirlwind, (hence scant/nonexistent process photos) but here is the general rundown of the project:

Stage 1: Mockup
Pretty self explanatory. I used my friend's pattern as we're a similar size (I'm a little shorter and rounder, but it worked just the same) and cut out the mockup in a fabric that doesn't stretch. I was confused as to fitting something with two closures with a projected gap in the back. Solution: sew a 2"-3" strip in the back where you want the lacing gap to be, and fit the rest as usual. Brilliant!

Many, many pins in the mockup!

Stage 2: Cut out all 34857 pieces
Seriously, there are that many. Gussets here, gussets there... and every piece needs to be cut out in all of the different fabric types. (Lining, canvas, and outer fabric, with more optional fashion fabric.) Snip away!

Stage 3: Sew all 34857 pieces together
3a. Sewed canvas and lining together
3b. Assembled attached canvas and lining
3c. Assembled fashion/outer fabric... partially.

Stage 4: Boning and Busk
Boned the lining/canvas pieces, then attached the outer fabric and stuck the busk in. Not necessarily in that order. This stage closely resembled total chaos. I wound up with a 12" busk, and I think I ended up using 26 or 28 bones total.

Stage 5: Grommets
Ahh. Something I already knew how to do, at last. I used some borrowed awls to make the holes, to avoid fraying that would come from punching holes. Then I stuck in 30 grommets with the Crop-O-Dile that I have stolen from my mom for a countless number of projects.

Stage 6: TRY IT ON NOW
For real. So important! Mine ended up getting a full couple of inches longer after it was boned. Like, I-can't-sit-down-in-this-long. A few bones also hit in uncomfortable spots. (ie. jabbing me in the armpit and causing me to permanently hunch my shoulders. Not good!) My dear brother and father cut the bones down to the proper length, and I was able to adjust things so that it fit well. Crisis averted... fortunately before there was casing to rip off!

Stage 7: Casing
I admit, I did not do this stage justice. It was the last step and was getting close to the event. (Like, "four hours" close.) So I whipped some bias-cut canvas casing on with the machine, bent two sewing machine needles by going too close to some bones, and got it together enough to wear.

Stage 8: Lace it all up
I like mine laced in three sections, so that I can easily get it on and off myself as I often have to dress without assistance. I'm not sure how accurate that system is, but hey, it's not visible anyhow! I ended up with 15 grommets per side, which neatly divided into sections of 5 pairs per lace. (I ended up using around 8 yards of lacing, but could have definitely gotten away with 7. Better safe than sorry, though... trimming is always an option!)

Stage 9: Look fabulous, in increased comfort!
I love my new corset! It was in places tricky, tedious, and a little frustrating, but all in all it was very worth it. If it comes down to it again, I'll definitely make another one over buying it.

And here, finally, are some photos!

The finished product. Off, it looks pretty shapeless.
But it's not!!

Purple stitching!

Business on the outside...

Party on the inside! I was talked into using my plaid
mockup as a colorful lining. Here, you can partially see
where I ended up putting my bones. 

EDIT: When I made the corset in August, there was a beautiful, perfect 2-inch gap down the back. I have since lost more weight, and now my new corset is lacing all the way up, too! Agh! I'm happy to have thinned down, though... I can always make adjustments. The side seams are still raw, so I'll probably start by pulling those in a bit where they're not too close to the bones.

The Epic Striped Wrapper, Part II

My Epic Striped wrapper made its debut at Jackson. I am a big fan! The frogs are a nice closure, and I'd use them again in a heartbeat. They went on much faster than buttons/buttonholes, and were secure yet easy to get open and closed. It also fits neatly over my hoop, which is a bonus. 

The top. Imagine frogs going all the way to the floor...
Also, it fits me better than my dressform!

I am planning on adding angled welt pockets using the tiny bit of yellow fabric that I have left, and trimming it with the thin navy cording from the sleeves. I also picked up a few more yards, so that I can line the edges of the front panels in the same. And I'll keep on the lookout for a nice navy upholstery cording to replace my improvised ribbon belt. If I can find more of it, I'd eventually like to add a bottom border in the yellow cotton, too.  So while it's not 100% done yet, it's in very wearable condition! It was super comfortable, and I loved the cut of the sleeves for both coolness and practicality.

If you don't have a wrapper already, I can't recommend one enough! They're a must for reenacting, as a state of half-dress is very handy when getting ready can take so long. On top of that, they're fairly easy (depending on the style you choose), and you can pick the craziest fabric your heart desires!

Surprise!! A Shot of the Finished August '62 Outfit!

You thought I forgot, didn't you? Well maybe I did. Of course I didn't! Here, at long last, is the Plaid Skirt/Swiss Body/Garibaldi Blouse outfit all together!

Lookin' a little rough at the end of Jackson, there...

I finally got an okay shot of it all together. (It's pretty impossible to assemble correctly on the dressform, as the Swiss Body is so exactly shaped, and my form has no shoulders.) The other times I've worn it, the sleeves were rolled down and buttoned, and I had a little burgundy velvet bow at my neck like in the original plate. (In other words, it looked a lot closer to the original inspiration!)  Also, the picture makes the skirt look oddly small, whereas in reality it's HUGE. But here you can get the idea!

Verdict: LOVE IT!! It's a comfortable, fun outfit to wear. The taffeta in the skirt is stiff enough where if it's hot, I can get away with no over-petticoat. The waist is only about half-boned, but at that it lays nicely and I have no bunching problems. Next time I'm going to pin the blouse down to the skirt though, as it kept bunching up when I raised my arms. (Hence, the bunchy top of the blouse sticking up in the photo.) All in all though, I'm a major fan. I made the swiss body by making a toile of my ballgown bodice and doing some serious carving to get down to the shape I wanted, and shifted the lace-up to the front. Worked like a charm! You can't see it here, but the blouse is a sheer and solid white stripe, which was a curtain in a previous life. Nice and light... but I really should make a corset cover to go with it. *Adds it to the list*

Total project cost:
Blouse:
Old curtain: $2 at a garage sale
Buttons: Stash
Total: $2 and change
Swiss Body:
Burgundy/Black shot taffeta (stash, originally around $6 at Jo-Ann's red tag sale)
Grommets (also stash)
Ribbon lacing (also stash)
Boning (also stash!)
Total: Free from the stash!
Plaid Taffeta Skirt:
Taffeta: Jo-Ann's red tag again! $16 for 4 yards
Velvet Trim: Some stash, had to order about $4 more
Hook and Bar closure: (stash)
Total: $20
Outfit Grand Total: $22

For all of the pieces that it needed, this outfit went together very inexpensively! Here's the original fashion plate again, from August of '62. I was in high style sporting something out of this month's Godey's!

Parasol Photos and Jackson!

Well, I fell off the face of the earth for the past week and a half. Sorry for the long wait on the parasol photos... here they are, in abundance! It was a nice day, so I trotted outside with Oswald (my faithful camera) and had a shoot.

Ta-daaa! This parasol is like my child ;*)

The still-bunchy insides :/

Folded up and ready to hit the road!

I can't get over the original lace!

The end. (Pun intended!)

The lining still isn't the best [insert understatement of the century] so I'll probably end up fiddling with it some more, eventually. For now, it keeps the sun off and looks super stylish, so I'm satisfied with that! Many ladies were quite envious of my Chantilly shade :)

The Jackson reenactment was this past weekend, which accounts for my absence. In the past couple of weeks, I have:
- Recovered the parasol
- Finished The Epic Striped Wrapper
- Re-set the cartridge pleating on the skirt of the blue and white plaid
- Boned the burgundy Swiss body
- Other miscellaneous maintenance and adjustments
- Made an entire new corset

Surprise! Yes, I just cranked out my first Victorian corset. The one I was wearing didn't fit too great (as it wasn't fit to me) and was too large to the point where it laced up all the way in the back and was still not nearly as tight as it should be. My very knowledgeable friend came over for a few sewing sessions/lessons and showed me how it was done. Look for another post about the corset experience after the JACKSON post, which will be next :) So many posts in the queue right now... be excited!!

Recovering the Parasol, Part I: Restoring, not Destroying

It is a truth universally acknowledged that it is terrifying to take scissors to an antique, with the intention of dismantling it. Here is a diagram of this horrifying process: 

Nevertheless, I took my tiny Ginghers to the parasol, in an attempt to get the silk off. The whole time, I muttered to myself, "I am restoring, not destroying!" It was only moderately comforting, but after a few minutes, the shock of cutting into an original piece wore off somewhat.

Phase 1: Separate lace and silk.

They were sewn together near the end of the spikes. A dozen or so snips, and the lace was free! Now we get a better picture of the condition of the silk canopy

Destroyed side

Not so destroyed side... looks like a pattern piece to me!

Phase 2: Remove silk from parasol

This took a little longer. Both the top silk and the lining were securely stitched to little holes in the spokes (will be handy later!) and to a few points up the line. Nevertheless, this went pretty much without incident. Since the lace is quite securely fastened on, I decided to leave it be and just attach the silk under it, if possible.

No more silk! Except for the little guards on the spokes,
which are still intact.

Next step: use the extant silk to make a pattern. There are salvageable panels from both silk shapes, so it shouldn't be too bad... I hope! My trip to Haberman's yesterday furnished me with the material for the new canopy. I happened to find silk in exactly the same color as what had come off the original! (I should have enough of it to line it, too, should I decide to do so in the same color.) It also furnished me with the gumption to get this show on the road! My frog closures for my wrapper also finally arrived in the post yesterday. Now, I have to get these two projects cranked out so I can get going on the rest of my pre-Jackson sewing madness!

The Parasol of Destiny!

When I first started reenacting, I didn't realize how crucial it was to have a parasol. Laugh if you will--it's pretty much a necessity! Once you've used one for ten minutes and realized that having your own portable shade cools you off a solid ten degrees, you're spoiled for good. I've been meaning to get one for a while now, but hadn't run across any in the right style/price. Finally, I caved: I had some birthday money, and was getting one before my next event no matter what! I stalked eBay for a while, until I found... IT. The parasol.

I've always loved the lace ones, but they're always significantly more expensive than their plain silk counterparts. This one, with the carved handle to boot, was the most spectacular one I'd seen up for sale anywhere near the double digit price range. I stayed up late until the bidding came to a close, and won it for only $65!

I then ran around the house and told my brother how fashionable I was about to be approximately 62 times. It finally came the other day, and now I have to set to work on it so it's ready for Jackson at the end of the month. The ivory silk needs to be completely replaced, but the original lace is in very good shape minus a smattering of small holes that can be easily fixed.

Here are a few more shots of it, because I'm in love:

The underside, showing off the carved
handle and the lining.

Even the finial is carved all fancy-like!

Isn't it delightful!
(This shot makes the lace overhang
look longer than it really is.)

I've seen other originals lined in a light pink, and am considering something along those lines, depending on how ambitious I'm feeling once I reach the fabric store. A trip to Haberman's in Royal Oak tomorrow should supply me with the necessary materials... now if I can only get the pattern mock-up to go smoothly!

Progress posts will be made. Stay tuned! :)

The Epic Striped Wrapper, Part 1

Last weekend, I decided to whip up my new wrapper, which has been waiting to be made for a while now. I have one already, and it's hands-down the piece of clothing I use the most at events. It's so nice to have something to throw on in the mornings for breakfast, etc. without having to get completely dressed. (I always put my corset on before eating, which would force me to finish dressing for the day before food, hair, or anything else could really get done. Not good!) The making of another wrapper came less out of dissatisfaction with my first one, and more out of finding the BEST. WRAPPER. FABRIC. EVER!

Destiny? Destiny.

The moment I saw it, I knew it had to be a wrapper. That was last summer... since then, it's been pushed aside for other projects. In the wake of my Hastings sewing and with almost a month left until Jackson, it seemed like a good time to get it rolling.

I wanted to make a different style than I had previously, so I pored over every original wrapper I could find on the internet. (Not as daunting as it sounds... there aren't nearly as many examples as I would like!) I settled on a design that was comprised mostly of a single pattern of fabric, to highlight the stripes I am madly in love with. I also wanted pagoda sleeves, since half the beauty of a wrapper is lightness/coolness. I ended up with a cross between these:

   

I had bought a little bit of a complementary yellow fabric at Hastings, and decided to use that for jointed sleeves as in the second original. I set to work altering/drafting, and arrived at this!

It also fits over my hoop, which makes it
look more like the other examples.

The sleeves are jointed just above the elbow, and are very comfortable as a result. I shortened them a little bit, so as to keep them out of the way. (They fall about halfway down my forearm.) My next step is to add front panels in the yellow cotton, which will be fastened with ten navy blue frog closures that I bought on Etsy: 

I am looking forward to the frogs, as my current wrapper is closed with a double row of buttons. Not very quick to get on and off! My favorite part of this one so far is the back. I decided to try a V pattern, and was very taken with the result:

Looks lopsided, but isn't really.

And just because I love it, here's a closeup at the waist:

Cartridge pleats and contrasting piping... yum! :)

 I'm hoping the frogs come soon, so that I can put them on and get it finished up. After that, all I have to do is hem the neckline and the bottom. Then, it will be belted, probably with a navy blue cord to match the frogs. All in all, it went together pretty quickly!

Hastings/Charlton Park Report

Well, it would seem that blogger ATE the Charlton Park post I put up before, so I shall write another. The internet cannot prevent me from proclaiming my love for this event!

The event last weekend was one of my favorites of all time. Great company, epic battles, a short appearance at a barn dance, varietous scenarios, and a more relaxing atmosphere than usual made it more than memorable. Out of the photos that have popped up on facebook, here are my favorites! They were taken by TGDavison Photography. Check out the rest of his Hastings photos here... they're amazing!

Here's my newly trimmed blue plaid in action! You can't see the sleeves very well, but get the general idea.

This is my favorite picture of the weekend--it shows my dear friend's nephew-to-be impressing me with his ability to spot colors. I'm wearing my green linen weave striped dress with the pagoda sleeve day bodice. (It has an evening bodice too, for less formal parties and dances that don't quite warrant a ballgown.) On top is... THE APRON!! It still needs one star, but close enough was close enough... I wanted to wear it! I donned it for almost the entire weekend, and it generated a not inconsiderable amount of comment. It was the only patriotic apron I saw at the event, which was surprising given that there was quite a rash of them last year. Either way, I am quite in love with it!

All in all, it was a more than successful weekend. I'll definitely be back... thank you Charlton Park for a great event!

Last Pre-Hastings Post!

Whew! Tomorrow morning, I leave for Charlton Park! I'm very excited (like, ASDKJHASKJHD!!) as it's my first time to this event. I still haven't completely packed but wanted to check in with the promised photo of the trimming on the plaid.

Half done--here's what the dress looked
like before and after the new trim.

It looks better finished (believe it or not, it's rather slimming on, too) but here's a feel for what I did. After the event, I'll post a photo of the finished dress and a more detailed description of the trimming process.

I sadly did not finish my new hat quite yet... it still wants some wiring on the brim, and some trim and ties. I'm not too distressed, though, as I have my straw bonnet.

The hat as is, chilling on my dresser.

And now... TO PACK!!!

Hobby Lobby!

I recently made a trip to Hobby Lobby with my mom (love that place!) and did not end up broke! I got some glass headed pins which I've been needing for reenacting, and some much-needed large skirt fasteners. Then, skimming the fabric remnants, I discovered a whole bolt of my favorite lace sitting there. "What?" I thought. "They can't be clearing it out, though..." A speedy trip to the trim section confirmed that they didn't have it in stock, which was quite alarming. At $15.75 for 11 yards (which later measured out to be closer to 12), it was a great deal anyhow, so I picked up the whole thing and now am quite stocked up for lace! Now if only I can find the right wide lace for my pink ballgown...

The coup of the day.

This stuff is ridiculously soft.

If I run out anytime soon, there will be the additional problem

of my having used 12 yards of lace in a short time frame.

I've been working on the apron and the stays some more. I'm also on the lookout/hunt for pink silk, as I am planning on making this next!

*fireworks and dramatic music*

Miracle Corset!

I just had to share this piece recently featured by "Two Nerdy History Girls" that totally rocked my world--a corset that laces itself! Too good to be true? Ha! Not anymore!

Front: Strings are attached to tabs,

which then get together tied in front.

Back: A string per pair of holes,

wrapping around to the front.

Genius? I think so! Despite the fact that it's later (the museum dates it to the 1830s-1840s but the lacing was probably installed afterwards), I am going to try this on my teal stays (if I ever finish them). It may not be accurate for that time, but if anyone gets close enough to tell... well... they shouldn't be so close. In the meantime, I will be able to dress myself, and will not get stuck in my stays if there's no one around to free me! I'd try it on my Victorian one too, but that one laces up a little differently every time I wear it, and thus would not be as efficient.

Check out the original post over here, or see the LACMA Museum page for more images and higher resolutions here.

The 18thC Bug Strikes Again!

This summer, I've been volunteering at a local museum and working with their exhibits group. We just finished our newest exhibit, which focuses on the First Ladies. For the opening last night, they had a few costumed interpreters dressed like first ladies, and I was asked to be Abigail Adams! (Coincidentally my favorite first lady... :D) A lovely woman whom I know from both the museum and reenacting lent me a complete 18thC outfit, including underpinnings and a silk dress she made, and *drumroll* a cap, fichu, pearl wedding necklace, and earrings THAT WERE ALL ORIGINAL PIECES FROM THE 1770s!!!!! I was so excited I almost passed out. In this awesome ensemble, I wandered around the museum and told visitors about my famous husband and son, and my time in the White House. My family and a friend even came to see me! All in all, it was a wonderful evening.

Chilling with my pals Martha Washington and Dolley Madison
Photo Credit: John McKay at the Plymouth Canton Patch

(To see the rest of the article, go here.)

But now...

My pining after my very own 18thC outfit has grown to become unbearable. I went to the custom corset pattern generator (link!) earlier, which I've had in the back of my mind for some time now, and made myself a pattern for stays. They're a little early for Rev War, but should do the trick of squashing me flat as a board without too much trouble or the cost of another pattern. I then found a piece of fabric that was exactly the right size and weight in my stash, which was left over from making my Civil War reticule. Destiny? I think so. It's a lovely thick teal moiree, which I think will look stunning with the white binding I'm planning. I am lining the stays with the ticking fabric that I recently found in the JoAnn's remnant bin. (At about $6 for 3/4 yard, I couldn't resist. I have a longstanding love affair with ticking fabric, and no idea why.) I knew it would come in handy--it's a bit sturdier than most cottons, and I expect it to wear up decently well. I may still have to stick a layer of canvas in to thicken it up--we'll see! Now to raid my sewing stash for every inch of boning I have, and I'll be off! This will be verrrry interesting, as I've never attempted a corset or stays of any type before. I guess I have to start somewhere, and this looks easier than the Victorian corset that's also on my sewing list!

The pattern cut out on the fold.

No, the ticking stripe color does not match the teal.

No, this does not bother me.

They do not call me "She-who-starts-189-projects-at-once-and-thus-finishes-them-all-very-slowly" for nothing. (Well, if anyone did, it would be warranted anyhow...) In my defense, I'm over half done with my patriotic apron star appliques, and got a good chunk of the hemming done earlier. I still plan to have it done for Hastings, as well as my new hat! The new stays will be more of a side project, for when I'm not busy with Civil War sewing.

One last bit of news: I am currently in the middle of a giant Horatio Hornblower binge, having been introduced to it by a friend. So good! Highly recommended. I like it even better then Sharpe, though they're both great Napoleonic Wars dramas.

Appliques and Straw Wrangling

I had a lot of time to sew in the car during my recent trip, but only utilized a fraction of it. (Partially due to darkness, partially due to the overriding desire to read instead.) Still, I got a bit done on my new apron! The appliques are well underway, and the waistband together with the skirt pleated in, and ready for buttons. I'm quite happy with it so far!

So... many... stars...

(I decided to go with 11)

Thousands of tiiiiiny little stitches!

As fond as I am of my straw bonnet, I've been wanting a cute little '60s straw hat for some time. I finally found a straw hat at a consignment store and liked the weave, but it was waaaaay off shape-wise. Too tall, brim flipped up, and a little bulged out at the top--not good! So I took scissors to it, and am now pretty happy with the shape for my 1860s impression.

[Disclaimer: I have no idea what I'm doing with hats, so this very likely is the wrong way to go about such an operation.]

The original, after it had been cut and relieved

of its... colorful fabric band and floral arrangement.

I cut the top off, flipped it upside down to fix the curve, and moved it down to make the crown shorter.

In progress! [Note: it did not fit well during this stage.]

I then trimmed the excess off of the bottom and bound it. At that point it was getting close, but still misbehaving as the seam was rather... poufy. 

Mmm, not quite right.

I then hit it with a steaming iron, attempted to tack the seam to the inside of the crown to fix the issue, and voila!

Aha! I steamed it with the iron a little more

after this, and now it is nice and flat-ish.

Now, at long last, I have a nice little 1860s straw hat to keep the sun off of my face. I still have to add ties, wire it, and trim it, but hey, that's the fun part, right?