For October, I have not one but two pocket designs for you!
One is a quilted spiderweb.
One is an embroidered fallen leaves design.
If you are a Patreon member, hop over to Patreon to download this month’s pocket designs. If not, you are welcome to join!
I spent the day at the Fashion History & Sustainability Symposium hosted by the Cayuga Museum of History and Art with Anneliese of the Sewphisticate. The program, presented in the Carriage House Theater, progressed from the history of hidden, deadly risks in fashion through the shift to ready-to-wear and fashion consumerism to the impact of fast fashion. I was delighted with the cohesive arch that carried through the presentation from history in the morning to present and future in the afternoon.
The opening presentation by Nellie Ludemann, of the Seneca Fall Historical Society, looked at the Silent Killers of the Past. She covered chemicals found in fashion, such as arsenic and mercury, as well as flammable aspects. I did not know celluloid could explode at a temperature close to that at which it becomes malleable.
The following presentation by Megan Gillan, guest Curator for the Cayuga Museum of History and Art, walked us From Dressmaker to Department Store. With a general overview of the transition from made-to-order clothing to standardized, mass-produced clothing and the advent of the department store. This included highlighting local to Auburn makers, merchants, and department stores I was not familiar with.
After lunch, the program shifted to the present exploring ways for Fashioning the Future and Breaking Barriers in the Clothing Industry with Denise Nicole Green, PhD, from Cornell University.
Keynote Allysa Hardy brought the discussion back around to the laborers behind fashion presently and the people behind the fashions. Of course, this was of the most interest to me as it parallels my work with the people of the millinery industry. Her presentation brought real names and faces to the story. Accompanying Hardy’s presentation was a copy of her book, Worn Out: How Our Clothes Cover Up Fashion’s Sins. I look forward to reading her work.
As the program wrapped, it did not wind down. Rather, it built a churning desire to know more and do more.
Following the program, we explored the Museum’s exhibits. The first floor featured Fabrication: Telling Stories Through Clothing.
The exhibit had many beautiful pieces that told stories beyond the garments themselves.
Upstairs included a quilt exhibit that was eye candy for textile geeks. This is the image that is also homework because I am pretty sure both main prints are in Susan Greene’s book and possibly a third.
One last photo, which is proof I am bad at selfies. I will be putting in my Loops (ear plugs) as the neighbors are having a party and I am very sleepy.
The question of whether one can or should weather a corset and/or cage while doing farm labor, or other manual work comes up. A particular post from many years ago comes to mind each time this question comes up. These images show it is not only possible to do work in a corset and cage, but it can be safer.
Wearing a corset provides support and protection for my torso and back. This is important when lifting fence rails, carrying rocks, and pushing a wagon full of corn.
A cage keeps petticoats and skirts from tangling around my legs. At a proper mid-calf length, a cages is not near my feet for triping over.
I was notably younger and in better shape in these photos from a decade and a half ago. But, I still stand my my claim that a corset and small cage made this kind of work easier.
Are there activities I would not recommend a cage for? Yes, of course. Activities involving fire are on that list, especially if the wearer is not very well versed in both cage wearing and fire safety.
Did some women choose adjust their attire for working around the home or farm? Yes. Moore’s Rural New-Yorker shows us shortened skirts and even the addition of trousers were discussed for the sake of efficiency and safety.
Moments after I hit upload on this video I realized something else I wanted to say:
Why Ag Fair?
Why do those of us who enter do so year after year?
Some of us have been entering Ag Fair since we were little, some since we started working or volunteering at the museum. For me, my first entry was when I was five. I still remember gathering wild flowers with my dad and carefully writing out the first lines of the Gettysburg Address. I remember looking for my penmanship entry among all the other entries and how excited I was when I saw the ribbon.
As an adult, entering the Blue Ribbon contest each year is a way for me to hold on to some of those childhood memories. More so, it is a way to hold on to my connection with my grandmother, as well as many of the other amazing people I’ve been honored to know over the years of Museum.
Ag Fair is a chance to catch up with Museum friends that you might not see throughout the year. We may come and go, missing each other as the season rolls on, but it is almost guaranteed that we will see each other Fair weekend. For those of us who are artisans or who are crafty, the fair affords us the opportunity to see each other’s work. We may hear stories or see the occasional photo here and there. But it’s nice to be able to see pieces in person as they are displayed.
The Blue Ribbon contest part of Ag Fair is a way to reflect on the work that I’ve done over the year. It gives me a chance to look at each of the projects I’ve done. It also gives me a chance to push myself to learn something new, to explore it different technique or an art that I haven’t tried before. At times, like last year, it gives me they opportunity to share completed work with visitors who see me working on pieces throughout
If I Had My Own Blue Box: 