If I Had My Own Blue Box:

I just love it when I stumble across additional examples of pieces. This purple and  yellow hexagon pin cushion is constructed just like the velvet on from my “Hexagons” post.

I like how coarse the stitches are. The beads are much larger.

While we do not have an event quite so fine as The Duchess of Kent’s Grand Dinner and Concert to attend, we do have a lovely assortment of dinners, socials and balls to attend throughout the year as reenactors and interpreters.

These events often call for a special dress. They can also call for a special headdress.

 

The bandeau style headdresses wrap around the head with velvet or ribbon or lace. Be they symmetrical or asymmetrical, a focal point often lands center back. . “The most favorite cap of the season is formed of a round crown, set into a narrow band, which just encircles the head. This band is trimmed in various ways…” (Peterson’s, 1862)

Personally, I just love velvet. The softness. The texture. The way it moves. It is a beautiful material to work with and wear. I am looking forward to making several new headdresses this season. Currently, there are a few in my Etsy shop.

This first example, from 1862 Godey’s, show a simple band  with two millinette pads/ovals to which flowers are stitched. “This coiffure is very simple, and generally becoming. The rosettes are formed of pieces of bias silk about an inch and a half in width; the edges are cut out in point, and the silk box plaited and formed into a rosette, then sewed on to stiff net; the band can be formed into a rosette, then sewed on to stiff net; the band can be of velvet of silk, and a bow of ribbon to match the silk is often placed on one side of the band. One of more colors can be used; rose sublime and black make a good contrast.” This particular headdress is just calling to be made with the aide of one of my pinking machines.

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This “Coiffure Zelia”  head-dress loops heavy ribbon  or velvet around the wired base, a “circular frame.” The heavy ribbon allows for fuller body. This season, I am looking forward to seeing pearls paired with velvet. I may even add turquoise as one description calls for.

“The Coiffure Zelia may be made of velvet or heavy ribbon tastefully  looped upon a circular frame, and these loops are confined by pearl or gilt pendants. Black lace is quilled on the one side and terminates in a bow with floating ends behind. The centre is a pearl or gilt ornament to correspond with the pendants.”

 

This Nerissa head-dress uses pink and black ribbon on a “band of millinette cut to fit the head, and which is stiffened with cap wire.” The description calls for box pleats. While the illustration fails at showing these, I think box pleats would be just lovely, as would directional pleats or tufts of alternating black and pink.

“The Nerissa Head-dress, and engraving of which we give above, is composed of black and pink ribbon. This head-dress is made of a band of milinette cut to fit the head, and which is stiffened with cap wire.

The upper row of ribbon is black and the under row pink, and both colors put on in full box-plaits. the Strings at the back are of black and the bows of pink ribbon. The knot of hair is to pass between the upper and lower bow, and must, consequentally, be dressed quite low on the neck. Head-dresses of this description will be exceedingly fashionable this summer; their comparative cheapness yes beauty recommending them as especially suitable.”

The Esmeralda Head-dress or the Coiffure Esmeralda appear in Peterson’s Magazine, V41-42, 1862 (right) and Frank Leslie’s Magazine, v 10, 1862(left). In both instances, the focal point is atop the head in front, rather than in back, though there is a knot or half bow in that location. The Peterson’s version specifically mentions being “on a foundation of millinette stiffened with a cap wire,” while both illustrations show the form in the illustration.

I have yet to decide if I will make any of the coronet style head dresses. There substantial structural base appeals to me. At the same time, I would want them to fit just right, while everyone’s head is different. Here are two beautiful coronets from Godey’s, July of 1862:

Of course, this similarly shaped coronet appeals due to my current work on To Neto or Not to Net: Revisited.

 

Looking for a head-dress for that upcoming occasion? Please take a moment to visit my Etsy shop to see those I have to offer.

 

Me, on a very day wearing a black and red velvet bandeau.

Surfing books on Ebay, I stumbled across this blue Victorian velvet autograph book and instantly thought “that could be a great FanU project!”, just bigger. But, should it be a FanU project? Is an autograph book appropriate for mid-nineteenth century interpretation? Did they exist in the 1850s? Where they used? How were they used? Did women use them?

I went looking.

The first article I came across was this. It suggested that yes, indeed autograph books were used in the mid-nineteeth century. They seem to be personal and social at the same time. This passage also suggest they were for men. What about women?

Autograph Books.

There is no good thing on earth that is not abused. Humility becomes, in the hands of Uriah Heep, an instrument for the satisfaction of his own aviaries. Friendship is but too often affected, for the purpose of obtaining, at your hands, valuable favors. Even religion is sometimes used by the knave as a cloak for his selfishness. But the good things of this earth are far more frequently abused, through want of thought, that from intended malice. By one who thus unintentionally errs, especially if his error be practical in its effects, a few practical suggestions will not be taken unkindlly.

Everything that is abused must have its uses. This is implied in the very expression. Let us then examine first the uses of autograph books; and these will appear more clearly for a comparison with the photographic album. Here we have the expression of the heart as portrayed in the countenance. And is it not portrayed there? Do not the features in their varied expression or in their habitual cast, tell of the temporary emotions or of the deep-seated principles of the soul? Hence one component part of the value whic we set upon the likeness of a friend. A second component of its value to us, consists in the pleasant associations connected with it; and our valuation or it varies in proportion to the number or the character of these associations. Again, in it has been presented to us by the friend himself, it has to us a value as a token, a visible sign, of his friendship, an assurance that he cares for us.

In each of these particulars the autographic album has a value only secondary to that of the photographic. The handwriting expresses, perhaps not so well as the eye, yet does express clearly the character of the man. Did you ever notice the habitual hand-writing of your friends, and did it not in almost every case comport with his known character? An energetic man will make his strokes bold and clear; a dandified man will attempt a style of chirography that is full of flourishes, a man that is careless in everything else, will be careless also in his penmanship. True, there are exceptions to this rule; so also is a man’s physiognomy sometime wonderfully deceptive. But both of them, as a general rule, bear witness to a man’s character.

Neither does the autograph fail in its office of bringing before the memory by association, kind recollections of the past. The circumstances of our acquaintance, of the relations which we have borne to each other, of the many kindnesses performed by one or the other, cluster around the autograph as freely as they do around the portrait of a friend. And the value of the autograph is still further enhanced by the fact that it is almost always the gift (non the less valuable because not costly) of the friend himself, bearing on the very face of it as an assurance of respect or of regard.

Thus much for the simple signature. But how much is its value increased when we add to that, expressions of good will, and direct assurances of regard. For we know that these words of friendship are not the hollow, oily professions of those who are actuated only by the desire and expectation of valuable services, whose friendship will turn into indifference or hatred when their selfish ends are accomplished. Have you not felt, my reader, the power of the schoolboy attachments when in college you have met with a former companion? Did you not at once, however slight your previous acquaintance may have been, rejoice even in the midst of college-mates to see a face whose familiarity dated several years back? How much more will college friendships be valued hereafter when in the midst of selfish strangers we look over the autographic momentos of our class-mates. Add yet to this the gentle reminders of scenes of pleasure in which we have mingled, and we shall have a partial idea of the value which in after life we shall place on these manuscript volumes. [continued] (Nassau Literary Review, 1862)

Next, this student lament about autographs. It, too, talks of autograph books owned by men, signed by men. What about women?

Autographs.

I have an excessive hatred of a certain kind of stuff written in Autograph books. It puts a modest mad like myself quite to the blush. To have a classmate tell you in so many wordst that you are a “man of talent,” a “a fine fellow,” and “that there is no one of all the class whose friendship is so much to be desired” – all this, I say, is exceedingly embarrassment to a man of innate modesty. [continued] (The Yale Literary Magazine, 1852.)

At last, The Works of Charles Lamb… in which we see verses written for women’s autograph books. 9 verses titled “In The Album of….” or “to….”. If these were actually written for women, in their autograph books, then we have women owning autograph books in the 1850s.

What is that you say? Why don’t I just look at autograph books to see who owned and wrote in them?
 Looking…. 

While the weather out side was frightful this weekend, I stayed warm and cozy inside with my laptop writing away on To Net or Not to Net: Revisited.

Here is a shot of the cover as I worked on it:

What will you find inside?

Here is the working Contents

1. Research—Then and Now
2. In a Word (Definitions)
3. How Was a Hair Net Worn?
4. How Were Hair Nets Constructed?
5. How Were Hair Nets Trimmed?
6. Who Wore a Hair Net?
7. When & Where Were Hair Nets Worn?
8. Bibliography
9. Appendix
      Directions for Making Hair Nets
      Fashion Descriptions
      CDVs in Full

Several times a year, concerns about what can’t be done in a corset comes up. Reality is a well fitted, nineteenth century corset supports the body, it does not restrict it.  Here are some photos of what can be done while wearing a corset with a DDD bust. (Please note this is well before the recent abdominal damage which give me shoe trouble without a corset.) Oh, I should say this was with a small cage too.

Moving and position a wagon. This was up hill at one point.

Moving a wagon full of corn from said wagon to the corncrib.

Building a rail fence including moving the rocks, which were on the ground.

After our official Day of Great Laziness at home, it is time to get back to work and think about the year ahead. For me, this means a pretty new planner and a few changes from the norm.

Usually, I start the year with a nice long project list including some personal things and some shop things. This year, I’ve decided not to do that. Lists help me organize and plan. But, they can also stress me out and I become trapped by my lists. So, for now…. no list.

While I do have some UFOs, I figure we all do and I will get to them when I feel like I will get to them.

I need this year to be about me. Me happier. Me healthier.

What does this mean for my blogs and shop?

If you had a chance to read my 2017 review, you saw I have three simple overarching goals for 2018:

• Focus, Streamline, and Simplify – This goes for my millinery, FanU pieces, and the Etsy shop. I was considering adding shop sections for vintage pieces. Nope. That just doesn’t do it for me.
• Make time for the Joy. Some time around mid-November it hit me that I just wasn’t enjoying what I was making. Part of it may have been burn-out, part just the year. But, I became very aware that I need to take more time to do some projects that are just for the fun of it.
• Sink my teeth into something. What this is going to play out to be… we shall see.

I also have some simple framework goals for the blog that are rather open ended:

• I have started a monthly project post that I hope to continue through the year. Each one will be something small with some guidance or direction on how to do it your self. They won’t quite be a thorough as the Sew Alongs.
• Another blog goal is to write a Monthly Update. These updates will fall sometime during the month with a combination of, well, just about anything that is going on, including project information, personal updates, events, activities, who knows.
• One more I’ve added: I would like to hear from you, my readers, more. I enjoy reading your comments. If you make one of the monthly projects I would love to hear about it.

Then there are the two big writing projects that I will work on when the moments feel right:

• Wintering Warmly – There are some spacial, technical things I need to work out to get that on ‘paper’.
• To Net or Not to Net: Revisited is much closer to being available. I need to just lock myself away for a few days to get some solid writing and layout completed.

For now, I would like to know what events and activities you are looking forward to in the coming 2018. I have a couple nifty things I’ve been talking about with folks. When those details get worked out, I’ll be very excited to share.

It is that time of year. Time to reflect on the year past and look forward to the year ahead. Well, 2017 was quite a year. I could call this post simply “A Year in Review” or “Personal Reflections on 2017”, or something more accurately: “The Good, the Great, and the Ugly” or even “The Stone that Tried to Kill Me.”

It really was that kind of year, wasn’t it.

Here we go…..

The Good

The world of millinery went rather well this year. By the time the snow fell again, I made 57 straw millinery pieces this year. I lost track of the winter hoods. I also added a line of evening headdresses, focusing on simple, classic looks of the mid-nineteenth century.

Thanks to some wonderful people, a trio of original bonnet blocks arrived early in the summer. I’ve only been able to really work on one, Serenity, which I Love. (It was a mobility thing.) I look forward to working with the other two. I also had a beautiful custom block made for Regency era pieces. I still need to start the adventures with this block. Accompanying the trio of blocks, was a beautiful hand dyed length of straw awaiting being sewn up. (I’ve come to notice I do this thing where I save things I really, really want to do for the end or when I’m feeling particularly good. I need to fix that because this comes too close to the dessert or favorite food thing. You know, where you save your favorite part of a meal for the end so you can enjoy it, but then you end up too full to truly enjoy it.)

I did make it to a couple events. I am aware that I made it out to the Independence Day celebration in modern clothes. Though, I don’t remember much at all. I did make it to the GCVM Civil War event in July. I set up my Millinery Shop and managed to pull off period clothes that didn’t hurt. I had two excellent helpers. Thank you Elyse and Elizabeth.  It wasn’t until packing up time that I did damage to myself. I also made it to Preparing for the Holidays, where I got to spend an exceptional day working with a great craftswoman.

The Great –

It is all a bit of a blur right now, but 2017 was pretty awesome for workshops.

In June, I had the pleasure of offering my Millinery in Miniature workshop for the national ALHFAM conference co-hosted by the Genesee Country Village. This was an incredible opportunity. It was great to get to attend parts of the conference as well. (see below)

In November, I offered two very different workshops at the Museum’s Domestic Skills Symposium. On Friday, I offered Tools and Trims, a completely different, kinda crazy workshop looking at how to mimic the trims of the later 18th and 19th centuries. I spent much of the year acquiring pinking machines and dies for this workshop. On Sunday, I offered a favorite with a twist: A Pin Cushion Sampler. This year the sampler included Victorian favorites: a strawberry, a walnut, a seashell and and acorn.

 

The Ugly

Ah, the ugly. That which dictated much of my 2017. I mentioned in my 2016 personal reflection that I started feeling ill around the time I was releasing my second winter hood pattern, November Thanksgiving-ish. As it turns out, that is when my gallbladder started spitting out stones causing all sorts of ruckus. I just had no idea. I figured I was eating something wrong, then had pulled a back muscle. Now I know I carry pain differently and have some stress coping mechanisms. It has made for an interesting, dysfunctional, challenging, eye-opening year.  Now, 3 ER/Urgent care visits and 4 surgeries later, hopefully we are wrapping up the gall stone drama.  (Please meet the 12mm stone that finally did me in to the right.)

2017 Goals

With 2017 playing out the way it did, many of my personal and millinery goals kinda just didn’t happen. I did not exceed my 2016 sales. I did not sell 100 publications. I did not explore straw techniques to the extent I wanted. I did not explore straw dying in the back yard. I did not set aside a monthly amount for a new house. I did not finish either of my personal fiber goals. I did not make it to Farmer’s Museum nor Rose Hill this year.

On the other hand…. I did do pretty decent for someone who totally got her butt kicked by a 12mm stone. I actually feel pretty darn good about that. Despite utter exhaustion on many days and this weird pain in my side, I made some pretty great pieces this year, I kept the shop up, and learned a few things.

2018 Goals and Plans

In many ways, the goals of 2017 are a do-over. I do have three over-arching goals for 2018:

• Focus, Streamline, and Simplify – This goes for my millinery, FanU pieces, and the Etsy shop. I was considering adding shop sections for vintage pieces. Nope. That just doesn’t do it for me.
• Make time for the Joy. Some time around mid-November it hit me that I just wasn’t enjoying what I was making. Part of it may have been burn-out, part just the year. But, I became very aware that I need to take more time to do some projects that are just for the fun of it.
• Sink my teeth into something. What this is going to play out to be… we shall see.

Don’t worry, there are some more specific things that are on the list for 2018:

• I have a couple books to finish. Wintering Warmly has, um, ballooned or, um, something like that. There are some spacial, technical things I need to work out to get that on ‘paper’. To Net or Not to Net: Revisited is much closer to being available. I need to just lock myself away for a few days to get some solid writing and layout completed.
• If you haven’t noticed, I have started a monthly project post that I hope to continue through the next year. Each one will be something small with some guidance or direction on how to do it your self. They won’t quite be a thorough as the Sew Alongs.
• Another blog goal is to write a Monthly Update. This was inspired by a favorite blogger I follow, Victoria Elizabeth Barnes. Her blog meanders beautifully between stunning antique finds and adorable foster kitties. I enjoy the way any one of her posts can have a little of both, as well as what is happening in her life, projects she is working on, what she is reading and such. My monthly update posts may fall just about anywhere in the month.