Okay, I really need beter titles for these.
This bonnet already has a new home. I happen to love how the shape came together. It has a gentle rise from the tip to the crown. The brim has the very popular spoon shape.
Like all my bonnets, this is hand sewn. It is wire through the brim & cheektabs.
Please visit my Etsy store to see each of my bonnets as they become available.
Here is the second bonnet of this week’s sewing spree. This is the bonnet for someone who want the brim further back from their face. It is a high-brim with a gentle curve to the brim. This is a small to medium size high brim bonnet. It is entirely hand sew. The straw is a narrow whole plait of real straw with a beautiful rage of golden tones. It is wired through the brim and cheektabs.
Please visit my Etsy Store for each of my straw bonnets (and other goodies) as they become available.
This is my first straw bonnet of the summer. Right now I’m with a fantastic narrow whole straw plait. I love the golden colors it has. I also love the sweet smell of the straw.
This bonnet has already found its new owner. It is an average size high brim spoon bonnet popular in the early 1860s. The rows of straw plait are hand sewn, with the brim and cheektabs wired.
Please visit my Etsy Store to see each of my bonnets as they become available.
Announcing my new pattern!
Pre-orders are now being taken through November 25th. Pre-ordered patterns will be shipped on December 1st or 3rd. As this initial printing will entirely depend on the number of pre-orders, be sure to order early. Please visit my Etsy Store to place your order.
Whether for a ball or a summer day, a fichu is a lovely accessory. From light and airy to soft with hints of color, fashionable fichus were worn with day wear as well as evening and dinner wear. This pattern will guide you in making a fashionable fichu extending the versatility of your Civil War era or antebellum, 1850s wardrobe. With the four popular shapes of the era included in this pattern along with the many variations of embellishment described in the pattern directions booklet, you can make an almost endless variety of era accurate fichus.
Each pattern includes:
A single sheet pattern with four fichu styles
A directions booklet with observations of fichus, directions and fashion descriptions.
Please visit my Etsy Store to place your order.
Since several people are looking to make a fichu as a gift, I thought it would be nice to get them started with some fabrics while we wait for the pattern to ship.
EDIT: November 2014: My Fichu Pattern is officially out of print and sold out (the last copy left the Genesee Country Village earlier this month). I plan Not to reprint this pattern due to the cost of doing so.
I finally sat down and put the fichu pattern together. Okay, I’ll admit, it was getting to the printer to get the main pattern scanned that was the hurdle. From there, the layout for the directions booklet fell right into place. This pattern follows the same format as my quilted hood pattern – a pattern page and a booklet containing observations, directions and fashion information accompanied by photographs and illustrations.
Here I am wearing one of the variations of the pattern. The pattern offers three different shapes for the lappets as well as multiple ways to embellish the fichu.
This is another version of a fichu, without lappets.
ESC Publishing and I are very excited to bring you…
This book is packed full of detailed instructions for making historically accurate sewing accessories. Each one is based on an extant example or nineteenth century directions. The 180 pages contains 117 illustrations, templates and numerous project variations, over 68 variations actually.
Fanciful Utility will be ready for pre-sales in July!! Please visit the Sewing Academy for a video preview and to order.
Some updates from the Publisher:
1: I need to have the last details from the bindery on the final price, but it won’t be more than Dressmaker’s Guide ($30), and includes all the projects and templates and techniques, plus you’ll gain the skills you need to design your own project from imagination or an extant example, so it will be a very valuable book for dozens of projects to come.
2: When we get that final pricing back, we’ll finish coding the shopping cart, and open full reservations immediately. If using a credit/debit card, your information will process about a week before the book ships. We’ll add cover shots and such when that shopping card goes live. The book has black & white illustrations, templates, and a color photo section of the gorgeous samples Anna made for the book project.
2.5: We are looking at the probability of offering two different binding options: normal perfect bound (softcover with spine) and spiral spine.
3: We’ll be able to process credit and debit cards with Visa, MasterCard, and Amex logos, and yes, we’re pleased to be adding a PayPal option as well!
4: Books will be shipping by the end of July, if not sooner (this is based on the binding house schedule; they usually try to push us up the line toward the top, because they’re lovely!).
5: You’ll be able to reserve and pay for your copy at http://www.thesewingacademy.com… and don’t worry, we’ll have the announcement and link put up LARGE on the front. 🙂
We can’t wait to see snapshots of what everyone will make with the book! You’ll all be thanking Anna for making this great resource available.
Regards,
Elizabeth Clark
Only a few months behind where I planned, I finally have the first batch of shawls up on Etsy for sale. Each of these shawls are 100% wool in sizes common to the mid-century and Civil War era.
Currently available (left to right)
A natural white shawl of light weight 100% wool, measuring 60″ square.
A brown and blue plaid shawl of light weight 100% wool, measuring 59″ square.
A semi-sheer white shawl of very light weight 100% wool, measuring 61″ square.
A dark blue shawl of light weight 100% wool, measuring 58″ square .
A red shawl of light weight 100% wool, measuring 59″ square.
During the mid-19th century, most shawls fit a within a standard size range:
• Square shawls were in the range of 55 inches to 70 inches square with 64 inches square being standard.
• Long shawls are double squares, sometimes called plaids, which were 55 inches wide by 110 inches long to 70 inches wide by 140 inches long with 64 inches wide by 128 inches long being the most common.
• Three-quarter shawls are 3/4ths the width and 3/4ths length of a standard double square shawl. A three-quarter shawl would be 48 inches wide by 96 inches long.
• Scarves are much longer than they are wide. A shawl 3 feet by 9 feet would be considered a scarf. These were more popular earlier in the 19th century.
The exceptions to these standard sizes include lace, knit or crochet shawls.
Pulling from one of my shawl databases I can give you an idea of how sizes were distributed. In the 1850s, 25% of shawls in the database were under 55″ square or 55″ by 110″, 63% were between 55″ and 65″ square (or 55″x110″ to 65″x130″) and 13% were larger than 65″ square. Between 1860 and 1865, 23% of shawls in the database were under 55″ square or 55″ by 110″, 46% were between 55″ and 65″ square (or 55″x110″ to 65″x130″) and 31% were larger than 65″ square.
Thank you for the wonderful response to the release of my Quilted Hood Pattern. I have been floored, completely floored, by the level of interest. I didn’t expect the stock to run out so quickly, then run out again in days over Thanksgiving. You are all amazing.
As of this morning, I’ve asked my printer for a larger run which he will have available Friday. I put the Etsy listing back up so people won’t get nervous or think they are completely gone. Check here to order.
Pardon the break in the “12 Homemade Gifts of Christmas” Series.
My Quilted Hood Pattern is finally ready for pre-order. Please see my Etsy store to order your pattern.
Special 0ffer – Pre-orders made by November 1st will be signed.
If I Had My Own Blue Box: 