Happy New Year - Long Time No See!
Happy New Year, and happy 12th Day of Christmas!
I'm really sorry for disappearing after May last year! There was still a lot of sewing going on in my life, but I wasn't doing a good job photographing what I made, and I also abandoned some of the challenges I had started. I realized that, although I was enjoying being a part of the Historical Sew Monthly, I was planning to spend time and money on things that I just didn't need to make, and wouldn't have any use for, just to fill some of the challenges. The first five months went well for me, but then I had to take a little break. This year, I intend to make good use of the challenges set by the wonderful Leimomi Oakes over at the Dreamstress, however I won't necessarily be sewing something new for all of the challenges. Instead, I plan to showcase some of my already constructed garments - things that I made but never photographed, or never posted about.
Sewing is not a difficult habit for me to keep up - I sewed 30 things last year! - but writing and taking pictures are where I fall short, as you all know. So, while I love the original intent of HSM being geared toward self-improvement, I'm going to try and use 2019 as the year when I improve not only my sewing, but also my documenting.
However, this would be a really dull post without something pretty to look at, so here's a small sampling of some of the things I made in 2018 that I wore frequently and never blogged about.
Pink Floral Stripe Ensemble
This was an outfit born out of boredom. January arrived, and after Christmas I suddenly found myself with a lot of free time, and a lack of things to sew. So, I decided to make an outfit that relied on pattern matching for some of its charm. Each seam connects the printed pattern perfectly, the zone-front/cut-away section in the front is aligned exactly, and the center front also matches up perfectly! Although I sewed this ensemble in January, I re-set the sleeves in July, which also fit with the HSM Sleeve Challenge for that month!
Small things: Caps, Pocket, Breastknots
On September 1st, I started Whole30. I've been very happy with the results and success that I've seen because of it, however I quickly realized that as I lost weight I had to alter some of my clothes. I'm still losing weight, and because of that I've been hesitant to sew many new gowns or jackets. (Even though 18th century clothing is designed to accommodate bodily changes, there's also a certain point when things are just too big and can't be altered any more.) So, I started sewing accessories. I've made a few caps out of linen and silk gauze, I sewed a new pocket out of some blue ticking, and I expanded my collection of breastknots as well!
Some modern stuff: Lemonade Dress, Harry Potter Dresses, Maxi Dress Cacti, 4th of July Dress
For Christmas last year, my parents and a friend from church gave me a wonderful serger! I've enjoyed using it to make a number of modern, fun outfits, including some things made out of knit material, which the machine handles wonderfully! The two cotton dresses (the Lemonade Dress and one of the Harry Potter ones) were made using commercially bought patterns, but the all of the knit clothing was made either by draping or using a pattern of my own creation.
Trailing Vines Gown, Petticoat, Trim; Shot Silk Petticoat
One of the biggest accomplishments for me in 2018 was being trained and cleared to give tours of the Governor's Palace! Working there has been one of my goals for a long time, and when I learned that I would be able to achieve that particular dream I immediately set upon creating a wardrobe fitting of the location. I made a new printed cotton gown and petticoat out of a reproduction fabric, using the JP Ryan Gown pattern, and then added some self-fabric trim to the skirt. This is an outfit that I've altered - I've now added additional pleats in the back, and taken a few inches off of the front (I might even change it to a stomacher at some point!), in addition to taking in the petticoat. I still have a ton of fabric left for the trim, so I may just cover the whole gown in trim at some point!
This gown has become one of my favorites, not just because of how pretty it is, but also for how versatile it is. I can wear it with the printed cotton petticoat, but I've also been able to wear it with a few other petticoats, including a Silk Lutstring petticoat that I sewed this fall. One of my friends has a petticoat out of this material, and I have been head-over-heels for the fabric for multiple years now. I finally realized that it would actually be a good investment, since I would be able to wear it with a number of gowns, so I whipped one up for myself. There's nothing quite like the rustle of silk as you walk through a pleasure garden to make you feel like you're in the 18th century!
Brain Hat
The HSM Challenge for the month of October was Fabric Manipulation, and so I made a brain hat! It was perfect not just for the challenge, but also for the season - I wore it for the first time while passing out Halloween candy! The pattern and instructions came from the new American Duchess book, and this was definitely one of the most fun pieces that I worked on this year!
Capelet
Anyone who knows me knows that I am always cold. Like, always. So, after making myself a brain hat, I decided to finally make myself the little caplet I've wanted for a while now. I purchased the fabric for it back in March, a beautiful plush red wool from Fort Fred, and I used some of my silk lutstring to line the hood. At some point I may tweak the hood a little, but this cape has quickly become one of my favorite accessories!
Christmas Jacket Green Wool
After a few months of only sewing petticoats and accessories, I wanted to add a new jacket or gown to my wardrobe. On December 20th I cut out a new jacket from a striped 100% wool that I found for $4 (!!!) this summer. Clearly, I had gone insane, because I also worked 70 hours that week. Nonetheless, I finished a new jacket for Christmas! I've added some trim as well, using the pinking shears from a friend, but I don't yet have any pictures of that on the jacket.
1943 Dress
This year I was honored to get to be in Un-Colonial Christmas, portraying Lois, a young lady working at a USO in 1943. Of course, that also meant that I would be wearing clothing from the 40's, and so I whipped up this dress using McCall's M7433, a dress from 1943!
Hopefully this at least makes up a little for being gone the last few months, and here's to 2019 - a year not just for sewing, but also for taking pictures and writing!
I'm really sorry for disappearing after May last year! There was still a lot of sewing going on in my life, but I wasn't doing a good job photographing what I made, and I also abandoned some of the challenges I had started. I realized that, although I was enjoying being a part of the Historical Sew Monthly, I was planning to spend time and money on things that I just didn't need to make, and wouldn't have any use for, just to fill some of the challenges. The first five months went well for me, but then I had to take a little break. This year, I intend to make good use of the challenges set by the wonderful Leimomi Oakes over at the Dreamstress, however I won't necessarily be sewing something new for all of the challenges. Instead, I plan to showcase some of my already constructed garments - things that I made but never photographed, or never posted about.
Sewing is not a difficult habit for me to keep up - I sewed 30 things last year! - but writing and taking pictures are where I fall short, as you all know. So, while I love the original intent of HSM being geared toward self-improvement, I'm going to try and use 2019 as the year when I improve not only my sewing, but also my documenting.
However, this would be a really dull post without something pretty to look at, so here's a small sampling of some of the things I made in 2018 that I wore frequently and never blogged about.
Pink Floral Stripe Ensemble
This was an outfit born out of boredom. January arrived, and after Christmas I suddenly found myself with a lot of free time, and a lack of things to sew. So, I decided to make an outfit that relied on pattern matching for some of its charm. Each seam connects the printed pattern perfectly, the zone-front/cut-away section in the front is aligned exactly, and the center front also matches up perfectly! Although I sewed this ensemble in January, I re-set the sleeves in July, which also fit with the HSM Sleeve Challenge for that month!
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| The pattern matching was headache-inducing, but oh so worth it! |
 |
| I love the back of this jacket, there's so much fullness that it could easily be worn with a large false rump, or panniers |
Small things: Caps, Pocket, Breastknots
On September 1st, I started Whole30. I've been very happy with the results and success that I've seen because of it, however I quickly realized that as I lost weight I had to alter some of my clothes. I'm still losing weight, and because of that I've been hesitant to sew many new gowns or jackets. (Even though 18th century clothing is designed to accommodate bodily changes, there's also a certain point when things are just too big and can't be altered any more.) So, I started sewing accessories. I've made a few caps out of linen and silk gauze, I sewed a new pocket out of some blue ticking, and I expanded my collection of breastknots as well!
 |
| I added a double ruffle to my silk gauze cap, and it's so poofy! |
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| For the 100th Anniversary of the end of World War I, I wanted to wear a poppy, but obviously they didn't do that in the 18th century. So, I made myself a breastknot to resemble one instead! |
Some modern stuff: Lemonade Dress, Harry Potter Dresses, Maxi Dress Cacti, 4th of July Dress
For Christmas last year, my parents and a friend from church gave me a wonderful serger! I've enjoyed using it to make a number of modern, fun outfits, including some things made out of knit material, which the machine handles wonderfully! The two cotton dresses (the Lemonade Dress and one of the Harry Potter ones) were made using commercially bought patterns, but the all of the knit clothing was made either by draping or using a pattern of my own creation.
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| My "Lemonade" Dress |
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| A close-up of the front detail |
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| I paired it with a floppy sun hat for a day in Boston! |
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| Draping my 4th of July dress... I don't have any pictures of the finished product, but it's cut the same as my Harry Potter dress |
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| The only picture I have thus far of my Cacti dress is this one, posing with a bear in Busch Gardens |
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| A Harry Potter Dress! |
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| I paid close attention to where the pattern would appear so that I could show off as much of the map as possible |
Trailing Vines Gown, Petticoat, Trim; Shot Silk Petticoat
One of the biggest accomplishments for me in 2018 was being trained and cleared to give tours of the Governor's Palace! Working there has been one of my goals for a long time, and when I learned that I would be able to achieve that particular dream I immediately set upon creating a wardrobe fitting of the location. I made a new printed cotton gown and petticoat out of a reproduction fabric, using the JP Ryan Gown pattern, and then added some self-fabric trim to the skirt. This is an outfit that I've altered - I've now added additional pleats in the back, and taken a few inches off of the front (I might even change it to a stomacher at some point!), in addition to taking in the petticoat. I still have a ton of fabric left for the trim, so I may just cover the whole gown in trim at some point!
This gown has become one of my favorites, not just because of how pretty it is, but also for how versatile it is. I can wear it with the printed cotton petticoat, but I've also been able to wear it with a few other petticoats, including a Silk Lutstring petticoat that I sewed this fall. One of my friends has a petticoat out of this material, and I have been head-over-heels for the fabric for multiple years now. I finally realized that it would actually be a good investment, since I would be able to wear it with a number of gowns, so I whipped one up for myself. There's nothing quite like the rustle of silk as you walk through a pleasure garden to make you feel like you're in the 18th century!
Brain Hat
The HSM Challenge for the month of October was Fabric Manipulation, and so I made a brain hat! It was perfect not just for the challenge, but also for the season - I wore it for the first time while passing out Halloween candy! The pattern and instructions came from the new American Duchess book, and this was definitely one of the most fun pieces that I worked on this year!
Capelet
Anyone who knows me knows that I am always cold. Like, always. So, after making myself a brain hat, I decided to finally make myself the little caplet I've wanted for a while now. I purchased the fabric for it back in March, a beautiful plush red wool from Fort Fred, and I used some of my silk lutstring to line the hood. At some point I may tweak the hood a little, but this cape has quickly become one of my favorite accessories!
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| I'm wearing my Trailing Vines gown with a black silk petticoat here |
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| I look worried because I'm telling guests at the Palace about the mob that formed after the gunpowder was removed from the Magazine! |
Christmas Jacket Green Wool
After a few months of only sewing petticoats and accessories, I wanted to add a new jacket or gown to my wardrobe. On December 20th I cut out a new jacket from a striped 100% wool that I found for $4 (!!!) this summer. Clearly, I had gone insane, because I also worked 70 hours that week. Nonetheless, I finished a new jacket for Christmas! I've added some trim as well, using the pinking shears from a friend, but I don't yet have any pictures of that on the jacket.
1943 Dress
This year I was honored to get to be in Un-Colonial Christmas, portraying Lois, a young lady working at a USO in 1943. Of course, that also meant that I would be wearing clothing from the 40's, and so I whipped up this dress using McCall's M7433, a dress from 1943!
Hopefully this at least makes up a little for being gone the last few months, and here's to 2019 - a year not just for sewing, but also for taking pictures and writing!
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