2018 “In Review”

Geesh! This year has proven to me that I’m not in control of time (or anything for that matter) in any way. I can’t believe the year is almost over… there were so many things that I had intended/scheduled to make but absolutely did not. I don’t know about anyone else, but this year kicked my butt. In terms of “upping my game”- in terms of quality events- in terms of meeting new people- in terms of turning my life upside down. It was a lot to cram in there.

Surprisingly, I’m alive. *CHECK*

This year, I had made a “resolution” to follow the “Must Do List” and to keep up with the Historical Sew Monthly. That went well for about 4 months. Then I tanked HARD. Moving really disrupted everything. I mean, my husband’s job was terminated at the beginning of January, so it’s been an entire year of upheaval- now that I look back on it. We’re finally getting into a “groove” in our new little town and I’m so excited to have some stability. I have an awesome friend who watches Anne once a week so I can get a solid day’s work in and the commission waitlist is getting smaller for Virgil’s Fine Goods. I know that once I get to where I feel I have a handle on things it’ll all go topsy-turvy but for now I’ll enjoy the little bit of routine we’ve got goin’ on.

Anyway, back to this year…. How did I do? On a scale of 1-10 (10 being best) I would say I fall around 4 or 5. I kept up with work stuff but personal projects didn’t go as planned in any way… If I were being graded at school, I would qualify it all as a D, but I’m getting close to 30 so I don’t even know why I would think in terms of that….

I still haven’t made my birthday apron yet- adlkfjahkdljahfdh- but I guess that’s the trade-off when I want to garden, do canning and craftting while having a kid under 2. It’s going to happen next year though. IT MUST.

The Must-Do List (2017) Progress

Finish Yellow 19th Century Ball Gown– Now I need to blog about it
Add more trim to Green Check 19th Century Gown
Finish Regency Stays- Busk Pocket, add real straps
Add Buttons to Black Regency Gown
Fasten Straps to Regency Petticoat
Re-Make Wool 18th Century Petticoat
Trim White 18th Century Petticoat–
Trim Pierrot Jacket– Now I need to blog about it
Hem Ian’s 19th Century Shirt

Wellllllll that’s not great. BUT I did make some fun things this year:

Finished Personal Projects:

(a lot of these will get their own blog post soon, I just have such a hard time getting nice photos to use!)

The 1908 Purple Dress
1908 Corset
1810 Yellow Silk Evening Gown
1760s-1770s Small Hoop
1760s-1770s Chine Saque Gown
Anne’s 18th century kit (cloak, mitts, gown, cap)
Anne’s 19th century dresses (3 dresses and corded cap)
1800-1805 White Ikat Crossover Gown
1787 Silk Cap
1810 Trimmed Straw Bonnet
1919 Christmas Dress for Anne
Late-1770s Linen Dress for Felicity

Unfinished Personal Projects (These will be added to next year’s “Must-Do” List)

1805 French Blue Bonnet- I just need to hem the ties!
1800 Green Corded Bonnet Repro- Add brim and trim
Felicity’s Rose Garden Dress Redo

All in all it was an alright year for historical clothing but next year is gonna be wayyyyyy better!

 

1780’s Ruffled Silk P’cote

YAY!!! A two-fer! This project has been on my list for a while now. I’m glad to have finally ticked it off the list AND have it qualify for the Historical Sew Monthly! Let’s revisit the list again, shall we?

The Must-Do List of 2018

Finish Yellow 19th Century Ball Gown–
Add more trim to Green Check 19th Century Gown- Will post about this sometime soon!
Finish Regency Stays- Busk Pocket, add real straps
Add Buttons to Black Regency Gown- Literally just the buttons.
Fasten Straps to Regency Petticoat- I have to re-find the scraps for that one…
Re-Make Wool 18th Century Petticoat- Complete re-do
Trim White 18th Century Petticoat- I need a flounce to lengthen it!
Trim Pierrot Jacket- Just needs the ruffle on the hem
Hem Ian’s 19th Century Shirt

Hm, well… I was hoping to get more done in the first month, but I suppose those two things plus mom’s purple dress is actually a lot of stuff to do in a month’s time.

Anyway, back to this project: I made this white silk petticoat in preparation for a Burnley and Trowbridge workshop I attended in 2013. I decided to hem it at “walking length” but it looked goofy-as-all-get-out in pictures. I’ve worn it a few times since then and have never been happy with it. The last time I wore it (probably in 2015) I decided I wouldn’t wear it again until I lengthened it with a flounce…. It’s been a while.

And full disclosure… I finished it yesterday… So technically it’s the January challenge but I was 5 days late! Sorry.

Uggggggghhhh, that first photo! I’m so glad I took the plunge to do the ruffle.

The Challenge: January: Mend, Reshape, Refashion.

Material: White silk taffeta from B&T

Pattern: None? Just a ruffle addition 1.5x fullness

You can’t escape the baby…

Year: 1780s

Notions: Silk Thread, Pinking Chisel

How historically accurate is it? I would say 95%. The entire petticoat is handstitched and the pinked edge of the ruffle is done with an antique pinking chisel then a small ruching channel gathered and attached with running stitch. I’m sure there’s probably something I did non-HA but I don’t know what it is!

Pretty, pinked goodness.

Hours to complete: For the ruffle addition, it took me approximately 5 hours to finish- unfortunately that was over 4 evenings because I have a baby and babies make things harder to accomplish in quick time.

I love any silk that’s squished. Makes it look like whipped cream!

First worn: For these pictures!

Total cost: $30 for the 2 yards of fabric it took for the ruffle.

Takeaway: As I was putting the lovely ruffle on, I decided I also want to redo the pleating and waistband because it’s BAAAAAAAAAAAAD. It’s one of those things that you look back on and think… WTF PAST ME!? Eventually I’ll get to that. I have to bleach some linen tape first…. Onto the “Must-Do List” it goes, again!

What’s up, 2018?

Gosh, it’s a new year again? Jeezy-Pete’s!

Every new year comes with some [sort of] resolutions. Honestly, I don’t like to call them that but that’s what they are! Last year my strugglebus was the “Must-Do” List, this year is… the Must-Do List. In addition to that, I also want to try to keep up with the Historical Sew Monthly; with the goal to be much more strategic and PLAN what I would like to do. This is also necessary when you have a baby, otherwise nothing– and I mean NOTHING– will get done……………………………So what’s the plan, Stan?

The Must-Do List of 2018 

Finish Yellow 19th Century Ball Gown– ALREADY DONE HAHAHAHA
Add more trim to Green Check 19th Century Gown- Will post about this sometime soon!
Finish Regency Stays- Busk Pocket, add real straps
Add Buttons to Black Regency Gown- Literally just the buttons.
Fasten Straps to Regency Petticoat- I have to re-find the scraps for that one…
Re-Make Wool 18th Century Petticoat- Complete re-do
Trim White 18th Century Petticoat- I need a flounce to lengthen it!
Trim Pierrot Jacket- Just needs the ruffle on the hem
Hem Ian’s 19th Century Shirt

^^^These items are intended to be finished by the end of the year (sooner than later) and should be incorporated into my plans each month. I’ve already got a good start! The Yellow Ball Gown was finished just a couple days ago for a ball that just happened! Can’t wait to have pictures, though it didn’t turn out how I wanted was hoping it would.

What’s going on, 2018?

January:
HSF Challenge: Mend, Re-Shape, Re-Fashion= I have a few in mind, and I really should check off something on my MDL (like the White Silk Petticoat) but I kind of want to do something with my yellow cotton bustle dress. I made it 4 years ago and would like to fit into it again/refashion it so it isn’t so bland!
     Events:
6: JASNA Dayton Ball= Yellow Dress!
27: Ohio Historic Costumers Tea= 1908 ensemble for my mom 🙂 If you’re in Ohio and would like more information on this event- I’m the organizer! The event is private, so please message me for any questions or if you would like to go.

February:
HSF Challenge: Under= Pocket Hoops. I plan to go to the Francaise Dinner in March, so I need to make up some hoops for that. I also need new stays, but I doubt that’ll happen before this.
Other projects: I may start working on a quilted petticoat to match Felicity’s! I would love it to be finished by the time I go to an 18th century event this year.

The Polite Maccaroni presenting a nosegay to Miss Blossom, 1770-1780, Lewis Walpole Library, 772.6.0.1

 

March:
HSF Challenge: Comfort at Home= Regency Peignoir. I have some lovely white ikat and want to make this peignoir, but I’m not sure I have enough! If not, I’ll make a shorter one in plain white.

1812-1814 Ikat Peignoir, T.798-1913 V&A

      Events:
17: Francaise Dinner. I’m going to be making up a lovely chine into a saque-back and if I’m lucky, have some fantastic fringe to add to it. I’m super excited about this project above all others this year, I think.

I have 9 yards of this!

1760s Robe a la Francaise, LACMA,

1760s Robe a la Francaise, Les Arts Decoratifs, UF 72-12-1 AB

1755-1765 Robe a la Francaise, The Met, T.16&A-1961

April:
HSF Challenge: Buttons and Fastenings= 1920s dress. I really, really, really want to do a 1920’s ensemble with a ton of buttons. These are some of my inspirations:

Events:
21-22: 1803 Muster, Cincinnati
28: Great Greenbriar River Race (triathlon) I really want to do it this year!

May: 
HSF Challenge: Specific Time= Edwardian Lawn Dress. I’ve always wanted one and I feel like this year is the year!

June:
HSF Challenge: Rebellion and Counter Culture= I’m kind of stumped on this one as to what I want to do. No decisions yet, but these are quite intriguing!

Paul Poiret – Robes sultanes d’intérieur – 1911

Events:
TBD: Edwardian Luncheon. I really REALLY REALLY want to host an Edwardian Luncheon somewhere in Ohio, complete with croquet and bocce. I’m currently working on finding a venue.

July: 
HSF Challenge: Sleeves= ?? This is the month I’m going be clamoring to get JAF ready. No plans as of yet.
Events:
13-15: Jane Austen Festival- Louisville KY. I’ll be at this event again with the Virgil’s Fine Goods store! No real plans for clothing as of yet, since I’ll be spending most of my time working on stock.

August:
HSF Challenge: Extant Originals= Green Corded Bonnet. This has been on my to-do list and I’ve already made up the pattern and have the fabric- I’ve just gotta make  it 😉

“Bonnet ca 1800’s”, MFA Boston, 43.1585

September:
HSF Challenge: Hands and Feet: 18th Century Baby Shoes- Anne will need some, after all!
Events:
1-2: Fair at New Boston. I’ll likely be focusing on items for Anne, rather than me. She’ll need a new regency dress, cap and bonnet!

October:
HSF Challenge: Fabric Manipulation= Tambour Kerchief OR Block printed Bedgown. We’ll see!

Detail from English Robe a l’anglaise, ca1780-1790, LACMA

Detail from “Plucking the Turkey” ca1775, Henry Walton, Tate Museum

Events:
6-7: Feast of the Hunter’s Moon. I would like to have a short cloak and bonnet by the time this one rolls around. I’ll also have to make sure Anne is warm in her 18th century stuff.

November: 
HSF Challenge: Purses and Bags= 18th Century Sewing Bag. I would like to make a fun sewing bag for events. I never have anything to put it away in!

December:
HSF Challenge: Neglected/UFO= We’ll see what this one ends up. If I missed a challenge or need to finish something, this will be the time to do it!