Happy New Year!!!!
This is the time of year a great many people make New Year’s Resolutions and those of us with historic sewing obsessions put in writing the projects we hope to accomplish in the coming year. While I don’t have the standard list of garments, I have some projects and a small wish list.
In hopes of starting off on the right foot, I have pre-arranged a new Tuesday Millinery Fashion series. I actually have posts for the whole year prepared already. This Tuesday there will be a brief introduction to the series. Then, each week I’ll share some millinery fashion information from 1864.
I have previously mentioned the Commemorative & Memorial project This year I want to see the research turn into a strong collaborative presentation display filled with recreated examples of what the wives, mothers, daughters and friends created in memory of those who fought in the Civil War.
In the land of millinery, I plan to get ahead on straw millinery this winter so there will be plenty available when people are looking come spring. I will be making a few fashionable 1864 forms for those who want to be on point fashionably this year as well as favorite late 50s and early 60s shapes. I also have some post-war hat shapes I will do because they are just fun. There will be more doll millinery available as well in both straw, buckram and soft styles.
Fanciful Utility fans have a new round of FanU Fabric Swaps to look forward to. Those will be announced soon. I would like to do at least one social or educational gathering this year such as a book signing or workshop. I still need to work on that.
With Lily’s increasing interest in interpreting history, this year must result in a whole new wardrobe from the skin out. For my sanity, I hope this will include some weekend sewing sessions where she will be learning the skills to make her own clothes as well. This to-do list includes:
2+ drawers 2+ chemises 2-3 petticoats Corset remaking her cage Altering her current dress for summer cooking New plaid dress *see below New tbd dress CoatA fun project for both Lily and I is a set of matching dresses. Well, sort of matching. We have a blue and red plaid semi-sheer. The plan is do up the dresses to show how dresses of the same fabric can be made differently including age differences.
At the top of my short need and want list this year is a new cage. The cages I use are now well over 10 and 15 years old. It is really time for a new one. I also have a particular necklace I want to recreate. I would just buy the original, but it is too small. Beyond that, this will be a year of creating what I am in the mood for. I do have a stack of fabrics that are waiting to become the assigned garments including several dress lengths, my travel ensemble and a bolt of off cream wool/silk that could become coats for all three of us. I also have a length of carpet that is waiting to become carpet bags.
I have absolutely no idea what Dan needs for this year.
I have a few non-sewing projects I want to work on. First is the chair I started working on over the summer. This will come back out when the weather turns warm again. Working on the porch just doesn’t work in the cold and snow. I want to try some wood carving for a couple small items.
I am still in search of the right replacement trunk and a commode.
Oh, I almost forgot. We need to at the very least get a large fly that can be set up in multiple ways including a sleeping area. The A frame tent I have just isn’t large enough for two or three of us. (It also needs repairs.)
If I Had My Own Blue Box: 
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