Wolcott Mill!

Providence shone upon me this year in the form of scheduling, and placed my fall break and the Wolcott Mill reenactment on the same weekend. Usually, Wolcott is the weekend before and coincides with midterms, which puts attending pretty much out of the question. So while I wasn't able to camp this year, I was able to daytrip out for part of Saturday! It was chilly and damp, but I was just thrilled to be dressed and at an event.

Since I haven't done any fall events before, my entire wardrobe is geared for summer weather. I decided to wear the "Black Hole" dress, and accessorized with a pashima shawl, kid leather gloves, a black velvet belt with a mother of pearl buckle, a jet and gold brooch, my little reticule, and my new boots from Jackson. In order to stay warm in my thin cotton, I cheated a bit and layered a black long-sleeved shirt under the dress. I also lived on the scandalous side and went without a bonnet or hat, as it was unseasonably late for straw, and I haven't gotten around to making anything of silk or wool yet. One of these days!

The whole ensemble!

The military portrayed the Battle of Sheperdstown, fought just after Antietam in September of '62. I was there for Part I, by the end of which the Union had swept the field. (According to my history, however, the ultimate victory in Part II went to the South.)

The Confederate skirmish line towards the beginning of the battle.

Overall, it was a lovely event. I hope to camp for this one after I'm done with college and can take a weekend away without worrying about the piles of homework I'm leaving behind. Until then, I'll have to start in on some warmer clothes. My purple plaid is pretty thick. If I let out the hem on that (which I have to do anyhow) and make a coat/cloak, hood, muff, and some flannel underpinnings, I should be ready to brave the October weather!

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.

Evidence of Me in 1861

Hey look: I found a picture of me at Hastings... from 1861!

Strolling down the street, collecting admiring glances
from all the men in uniform. So, business as usual.

Ha! But for real, check out the outfit...

Look familiar?!

This stylish young lady is strolling around Baltimore, MD, boldly sporting a CSA 1st National Flag apron. Adding to her accessories, she has a Colt revolver jammed into the waistband of her apron. I may have to branch out in my accessorizing at events ;)

I was pretty excited when I ran across this in an issue of Harper's Weekly. To see the whole issue and/or a better resolution of this picture, head over to Son of the South here. Or just head over there anyway--Paul has the ENTIRE Civil War run of Harper's Weekly up on his site, among other things. It's so awesome, I have no words for it. Just go.

And while I'm posting about my apron again, I may as well add that it has been updated! I got it some military cuff-size buttons back at Hastings, to add to the Southern feel of the thing.

Ta-daaa!

And I recently found another very similar extant apron, this one being a children's piece made from cotton. It's currently housed at the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond, and there's more info on it here. Also, it lets you zoom in enough to see stitching and construction details. Super helpful!

This seems to be the most popular style of Southern patriotic apron, which makes sense as the flag is so easily adapted to this form. I really love this piece, though!

That's all for now! I'm hoping to still post here and there, but now that classes are in full swing, we'll see what happens. For the immediate future, I'll be posting project wrap-ups from earlier in the summer that didn't fit into other posts, some research and inspiration, and a variety of other things. No brand new projects for now, though :(

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!

Remembering Antietam

**I realize that I've missed the Anniversary by a few days. I regretfully had too much homework to do a proper write-up at the time, but am posting it now.

Antietam. It's the battle I've studied most, but I still get a bit of a gut-wrenching shock when I hear the word. There was so much death in so little time, on so little land. Granted, the entire war was bloody. The entire war was tragic. One casualty is too many, because that's a home without a father or a son or a brother. But at Antietam, 23,000 men fell in under 12 hours.

The eastern edge of the Bloody Cornfield

The sun rose over a heavy fog on September 17th, 1862 in Southern Maryland. By the time it set and the fog had burned off the land, it had taken its place as the bloodiest single day in American history. Between a cornfield, a sunken farm lane, a little church, and a small stone bridge, 23,000 casualties were inflicted between the two sides, leaving both armies badly battered. Tactically it was inconclusive, as neither the attacks nor the defense had gone as planned. Ultimately, George McClellan was able to claim a strategic victory for the Union, as Lee's army would withdraw from Maryland in the days following. Years later, history would regard the Battle of Antietam/Sharpsburg to be a major turning point in the Civil War for having shifted the advantage to the Union, and boosting their flagging morale. It opened the door for Abraham Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, changing the very face of the war itself. History's course was altered dramatically, yet again.

Burnside's Bridge, site of the third and final phase of the battle.

As we mark 150 years since that warm September day, I propose that we take just a minute to think of those 23,000 men as more than a number. Some fought for ideals while others fought for pay, but by and large, ordinary soldiers on both sides fought not primarily for politics, but for country, family, honor, and loyalty. The soldiers and civilians alike of the War Between the States deserve more than a mention in a textbook here and there--their legacy is a part of American today, whether it's realized or not.

The Bloody Lane in the evening

"History never looks like history when you are living through it."
-John W. Gardner

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!

Jackson!!!

The Jackson Civil War Muster is the biggest event in the state (maybe even Great Lakes region?). It's big. And fun. While it isn't as picturesque as Greenfield Village, or as across-the-board accurate as Charlton Park, it's still a great event. It's the place to be if you're looking to do some shopping at the sutlers. And the battles... aghh the battles! They definitely rank at the top of the local events I've seen. The park re-landscapes the field each year for the selected engagement. In years past, they've grown corn and wheat, dug out huge embankments, and lined up trenches to name a few things. This year the landscaping was pretty tame. The battles represented were 2nd Manassas and Stones' River. New as of this year, they split the battles into two phases, one early in the action and the other showing the conclusion of the conflict. It was a nice effect, as it gave a better feel for the whole thing and how it was won or lost. My favorite part was during 2nd Manassas, when the Confederates ran out of ammunition and repelled a charge by throwing rocks, which was a first among the reenacted battles I've seen!

The guest of honor on Saturday was Mr. Harold Becker, whose father fought in the Civil War. Nope, that's not a typo: his father was in the war 150 years ago. "How?!" you ask. His father, who lied about his age in order to enlist, was 71 years old when Mr. Becker was born in 1917. Thus, the 150-year bridge. Awesome? Awesome.

Mr. Becker, me, and my handsome bro-han.

As I mentioned, the sutlers at Jackson are quite numerous. I didn't do too much in the way of purchasing, but did get a new pair of boots which I have been badly needing, and a small gold [can't remember name!!] to fill with lavender and hang from my belt :)

Aren't they cute! They're quick to get on and off, too :)

It's pretty tiny--only about 1" across!

And now, I can't wait for the next event! I was hoping to hit Wolcott Mills in October, but it's not looking good judging by the syllabi I have been receiving this week. Hopefully I can still at least daytrip!