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Glitch
Winter Millinery of 1864
Bonnets are now worn quite small, though not the marvels of disolnation [sic] we sometimes hear of. They are proportioned in size to the head and features of the wearer. Where the curtain is abandoned, it is replaced by loop of ribbon and falls of lace, so tastefully arranged that the curtain, which generally gives the style to the bonnet, is scarcely missed. We cannot resist describing some charming bonnets from the establishment of that fashionable artiste, Mme. Tilman, of 148 East 9th Street, New York.
A snowflake like bonnet, suitable for visiting or reception, was of white royal velvet, with soft, drooping crown, covered with falls of marabout fringe. Inside were clusters of half-blown roses, bedded in a mass of white tulle.
Another was a puffed tulle, with hanging crown and covered with soft blonde lace, loops of rose-colored velvet, and tufts of forget-me-nots. On the edge of the front was a tulle scarf, which tied under the chin, and took the place of the quilled side caps.
A very graceful bonnet was of violin crepe, with a wreath of autumn leaves and mulberries placed round the crown, and tied at the back with a ribbon and long ends.
Another evening bonnet was very tastefully trimmed with fuchsias round the crown. The face trimming was formed of a fringe of fuchsias, falling over a plait of tulle. The effect of this was charming.
For the street were velvets of rich, soft shades, trimmed with plumes or flowers, some having net crowns of narrow velvet, arranged loosely over white crepe of silk.
The prejudice against the mixture of blue and green no longer exists, and we find this combination in flowers, feathers, ribbons, and, in fact, in all kinds of goods. (Godey’s, December, 1864)
Christmas Swap Fabrics
They’re all here!
The spectrum of fabrics in this swap is fabulous. It seems poinsettas were the popular motif. There is one I suspect my husband will claim.
Victorian Christmas
During the past couple weeks, I have been greatly enjoying these videos. London By Gaslight has shared them twice a week or so (I have had a horrible sense of time, so I may be way off.)
There are a great many other goodies packed into this blog. I highly recommend adding it to your feed.
The Christmas Bonnet
The Christmas Bonnet, by J.E. M’C.(Arthur’s Ladies’ Magazine, 1867)
Two young ladies were busy in their own apartment turning over various bureaus and wardrobes of dresses.
“Now, Louise, what shall we give Hannah for a Christmas present? It must be something handsome, you know, for servants all compare notes over their gifts, and it wont do to seem mean.”
“Why couldn’t we make her a real stylish bonnet? We have plenty of old ribbons and velvets, and you know we served quite an apprenticeship last season at the business in order to have a different bonnet to match each dress. “
“That’s the very thing, and will only cost us a trifle. A new dress for her would cost at least five dollars, but this need cost nothing but the price of the frame. I am sure I am willing to take the trouble to save the money for something I want myself. So, Louise, bring out your bandboxes, and let us pick out and freshen up your reddest ribbons and roses.”
The result of the morning’s work was a green velvet bonnet, with flaming strings and flowers. The sisters enjoyed a good laugh over it, but they knew it was exactly to Hannah’s taste. A few additional trifles were culled out of their wardrobes – mere second-hand finery – too shabby for their own use, but stylish enough to quite turn the head of a young country girl, who was fast learning city ways, and beginning to prefer outside show to substantial comfort.
That velvet bonnet was the admiration and envy of all Hannah’s set. But that was just what she wished. The evil seeds of vanity found a mellow soil in the poor girl’s heart. How they all pitied poor Sarah Jane, whose mistress only gave her a stout pair of overshoes and a warm, knitted hood. Such meanness they all declared it.
But now began the serious trouble of Hannah’s life. She had nothing fit to wear with the bonnet. Her “blanket shawl” did very well with her old dark straw, but it would look poorly enough with this gay top-know above it. Every cent must be saved now to get herself a flimsy cloth coat with shiny buttons. But after it was bought, it was found to have no warmth in it, and poor Hannah shivered and chattered with cold every time she went out with it on. Even her pride did not keep her warm. Then her dress did not match her coat, and she laid awake many a long night contriving ways and means to get her a new on. A sleazy imitation of French merino was one she had her heart set on. A good substantial delaine would have been much prettier and more becoming; but Hannah could not see that.
The young ladies who had started her on this course of folly felt no responsibility to see how she came out. They felt they had done a very handsome thing in the way of Christmas gifts, and now all they desired was that Hannah should show her gratitude by discharging her household duties faithfully. But she had little heart in her work now. Her brain ran all the time on her new finery. She became careless in her work, and sharp words were frequently spoken, which as often brought surly or fretful answers. The final result was that poor Hannah wended her way to an intelligence office with her velvet bonnet upon her head, and all her flimsy finery about her, and took her seat with a score of others to wait for a new mistress.
She was surprised to see that the plain and neatly dressed girls were always chosen first. Ladies scarcely gave a second glance at her gay bonnet, though she felt sure it was as fine as many of the ladies wore themselves.
A weary time she had waiting and her next situation was far from being one that would improve either mind or heart.
Ladies little know the mischief they often do by giving domestics cast-off finery wholly unsuited to their wants or circumstances. It is a far greater kindness to bestow on them a much plainer gift, which will be of real service. A prudent, kind-hearted mistress will take her pains to instruct a servant in the care of her clothing, and will give useful suggestions with regard to the best way of making a little money go the farthest. Such advice, will hardly fail of being well received, and will usually result in much good.
It is idle to say that it is none of our concern how our servants manage their affairs. It is our duty to do them good by every means in our power, and God will not hold us guiltless if we turn away from these duties. Above all let us guard against fostering that love of dress which ruined so many of our poor serving girls for this life and the next. Seek to fill their minds and hearts with something higher and better, even though the work costs us time, and thought, and labor. The Master’s eye is upon us. He will certainly call us to give a strict account of stewardship, when the day comes that we shall be no longer stewards.
Happy Yuletide
I would like to thank everyone who participated in my Fanciful Utility 12 Days of Christmas Give Away. I hope everyone found it to be festive fun over the last two weeks.
We are well into our Yuletide locally. Friday night was our annual Celtic Ceildih, a beautiful instrumental concert in honor of the area’s deep Scottish roots. Saturday held our Hometown Holidays where residents pack the village proper for a parade, tree lighting, meeting Santa, decorating cookies, special breakfast, lunch and dinner, and shopping at both shops and craft sales. Some years the village is blanketed in snow and frigid, yet filled with people holding their hot potatoes to keep warm. (this year mother nature offered a soggy, grey day.)
We are hoping to get our tree up and decorated this evening. I may have to make a new tree skirt because I forgot to pick up more linen tablecloths this summer at yard sales. (there really is logic in there.)
I still have several items in my Etsy store that will make lovely gifts. There are an assortment of needle-books including smaller round ones that fit nicely into sewing boxes and shaped silk ones. There are a few sewing balls and a couple sewing boxes.
I also added a couple special items including a doll’s straw bonnet. This bonnet is made from tiny straw plait hand sewn the same way I make full size straw bonnets.
I would like to see any orders meant for Christmas be made this week. This way I can get them out by Friday to safely reach their destination on time. (I do send packages Priority Mail with insurance. But, I just get too nervous about packages getting detoured.)
“Holiday” FanU Swap – Sign-up Day
Today is the day to sign-up for the special FanU “Holiday” Swap!
This month’s swap is a little different because it allows us to have a little holiday fun with our fabrics. For the “Holiday” Swap, Swappers will exchange holiday, Christmas, winter themed cotton fabrics We will mail our fabrics on December 10th.
Please read all the details below.
To Sign-up, simply comment below with your email and mailing address. (I’ll erase those before approving your comment, so the whole world doesn’t have that info.)
What is a Swap?
This is a chance for to exchange fabric with a small group of people. Each group will have 8 people exchanging pieces of fabric. All you need is a half yard of fabric and envelopes along with your copy of Fanciful Utility.
To Participate:
1: Sign Up Day!
On sign-up day, groups will be assigned on a first-in basis; the first eight will be the first swap group, second eight in the second group, etc. **Please be certain you will be able to fully participate by mailing your fabrics on the Mail-Out Date.**
The Greene Swap Sign-Up Day: January 1st
2: Mail-Out Day:
Place a 9×9″ piece of fabric suited to the mid-19th century in envelopes for each of the 7 other people in your swap group, stamp them (be sure to double check at the post office, but the small 9×9″ pieces should mail in a regular envelope with a normal stamp), and send them off no later than the Mail-Out Day.
The Greene Swap Sign-Up Day: January 10th
3: Get Fanciful!
Use your Fanciful Utility templates and techniques to make a project from the book, or copy your own from 19th century sources. We’ll all look forward to seeing your projects! You don’t have to sew right away, but don’t keep us waiting forever to see all the fun things!
(If you need a copy of Fanciful Utility, you can purchase them from the publisher at www.thesewingacademy.com
Fabric Guidelines:
- For the cotton and silk categories, your fabric should be early to mid-nineteenth century appropriate. (If there is a want for an earlier or later group, we can do that.) Prints and motifs should reflect those available in the 1840s, 50s and 60s. Cotton should be 100% cotton. Silk should be 100% silk.
- To keep the swap and sewing possibilities interesting, please avoid solids as best we can.
- Fabrics that do not work well for sewing cases should not be swapped. These include sheers, gauzes, heavy, thick, easy-to-fray, slippery and stretch fabrics.
- For the “crazy swap” category, think crazy quilt in a sewing case. This could include satins, velvets, textured fabrics. Quality synthetic fabrics are invited.
Swapper Guidelines:
- Please be certain you can fully participate in the swap before you sign-up.
- If something arises after you sign-up that will effect the date you are mailing your fabrics, please email your group so everyone is aware.
- If you fail to fully participate in a swap, you will not be able to sign-up for future swaps. (We do understand medical and family emergencies. I need to be able to ensure swappers will receive fabrics when they send fabrics out.)
Q&A
Yes, you can participate in 1, 2 or 3 of the swaps.
Yes, if we end up with multiple groups, you can participate in more than one group to swap more fabric. If you participate in 2 groups, you should swap 2 fabrics.
Yes, you can swap large and small scale prints.
Yes, you can swap now and sew later.
Yes, we would love to see what you’ve made with the swapped fabric.
Yes, you can use your own fabric in your swapped project.
A Velvet Hood
This is likely the last hood for a bit. I sorta hit a wall working on it the last few days.
When the velvet arrived, I knew it wanted to be a hood. It is an incredibly soft silk and rayon blend. (It also turned out to be a nightmare to cut because it is so slippery and has such a soft drape.) The lining is brown polished cotton. Inside, I added two layers of wool for warmth and a layer of cotton to firm up the body. The ties are a vintage silk/rayon single faced satin.
The Coziest one Yet
This green plaid silk hood is the fluffiest I’ve made. With 4 layers of wool quilted in, it is uber-cozy!
To keep it soft enough to curl up in, I did not wire this one.
“I Just Had to Have It” Swap
Maybe I should have done a snow themed swap this month. The last of the swap fabrics (along with some other packages) were stuck in the depths of snow the Buffalo area got hit with. Waiting for these to arrive really made me think about all the people waiting for medications and other essentials.
Here they are, the widest array of fabrics swapped yet.
The assortment we ended up swapping is really quite amazing. The fabrics really highlight the tastes of the swappers. We are quite the group.
Next month, we are having a little fun swapping Christmas/holiday fabrics. I can’t wait to see what we come up with.
If I Had My Own Blue Box: 