Home Education Day at the New Market Battlefield

This past week here in Virginia, we thought spring had arrived... until yesterday. When we got up this morning to leave for New Market it was blowing snow!

I wore my new 1860's day dress and the wool spoon bonnet I made. :)

My awesome friend and fellow history buff and seamstress, Abigail. I'll be helping make 18th century clothing for her and her 7 siblings soon, so I'm sure you'll be seeing some posts on that!

Bundled up. Brr....

The Finished Francaise

1770's hair. :)

With the ball coming in 13 days, I decided to try out doing some good 1770s hair.

Black ostrich feathers, two tiny cardinals, and some flowers and ribbons. :)

Hairspray, 1 lb of bobby pins, and some really, really, ghetto hair product.

Just to give yall an idea of my normal hair. And, after much cursing, pinning, spraying, spraying, and then spraying some more, this was the result! :)

A Jacket from Costume Close-Up and the Beginnings of a Sack-Back Gown!

I have been sewing, really. I just completed my sixth (6th!!) project of the year so far and I am starting on the seventh! Anyway, number 6 was the cotton print jacket from Costume Close-Up. I had seen pictures of it online and was thrilled to see it in person and get some good pictures when I was in Williamsburg. I made a few alterations to the orginal pattern so that it would close over a stomacher and added the ribbons as you see in the last picture. I'm not sure I'm happy with them though- I may replace them with real silk ribbons or make eyelets for lacing. Also, the jacket is reversible to a blue cotton floral print that I bought at the ever-excellent Wal Mart! Overall, I am very happy with this project. It was a huge learning experience (my first time sizing up a period pattern from a book!) and I feel proud of sewing it all by hand using techniques that are new to me.

Here you can see my current project- a 1760-70ish cotton sack-back gown for the Spring Ball. The fabric is from Reproduction Fabrics. This was my first time ordering from them, and I am impressed with their selection and service! Anyway, the pattern is by me based on the Costume Close-Up francaise and it is going together surprisingly/worryingly well. I have wanted to make a sacque ever since I started making historical clothes so this is scary and exciting!

Anyway, I am sewing the whole thing by hand using period methods I've read about and seen in clothing at Williamsburg. It's going to have a matching petticoat and stomacher with gathered and puffed trim, as you can kind of see on one of the robings and the detail of the sleeve. There at the top you can see a pic of the lining, which I decided to make with ties instead of lacings. (After making my new stays, which will be in the next post, I don't feel like making any more eyelets!!)

Leave comments and feel free to give me advice and your opinions on the jacket! :)

Two Regency Dresses

This is Rebecca! She and her mum hired me to make Regency dresses for the Vintage Ball. I am very, very, very happy with how both of them turned out!

Becca's dress is loosely patterend of the Simplicity version of the Sense and Sensibility gown pattern. She picked out the ideal cotton print, which looks perfect on her! I modified the sleeves to be elbow-legnth, and used a false-button closure on the back. I trimmed it with white ribbon and little seed pearls around the neckline.

Below is unfortunately the only good picture I have of Mrs. B. in her dress. Again, I modified the S&S pattern, although this time I made it a drop-front gown. It crosses over underneath and closes with hooks and eyes, and then the "apron-front" part attatches with thread loops to some vintage wooden buttons I had in my stash. I'm quite pleased with it!

An 1874 Mourning Gown

I made my first bustle gown for the Vintage Ball this year. Above are the images I used for research, and down here is the result! As you might be able to see, the jacket has little tabs around the bottom and tails with tassels. I got my idea for the tabs from a 1870's tintype, which I have somehow managed to lose in the depths of my research. :/ Anyway, I've got this on over a mid- Victorian corset I made, my Regency shift (I know, I know, not accurate), a petticoat and a bustle pad. The skirt portion has a pleated ruffle, and is constructed with 5 gores. I made up the pattern as I went. :)

Vote and I will give you a cookie.

Okay, maybe not, but I do need yall's opinion.

This being the senior year of fabled greatness, I have a few formal events coming up which, of course, require my wearing fabulous vintage/historical clothes.

I can't help but be inspired by the ever stylish clothes worn by Audrey Hepburn! Who could resist such loveliness? So, vote on which one is best and I'll make it!

This dress is from Love in the Afternoon. I love the blue bow at the waist!

The little black dress from Sabrina.

The ever-classic Givenchy gown from Breakfast at Tiffnay's!

Vote, please! :D