I now have 2 projects available in the Digital Whimsy section of my Etsy shop. You can find my Whimsy Witch Hat Pattern and my Balloon-Style Bag in the Digital Whimsy section for only $1.58!
Why Digital Whimsy? Because I believe creativity (and accuracy) should be affordable, especially when so many are experiencing financial hardships. Both my Whimsy Witch Hat Pattern and Balloon-Style Bag can be made from creative use of your stash. The Balloon-Style Bag takes only a quarter yard of fabric, be it a quarter yard cut or fat quarter. The Whimsy Witch Hat can be made from a half yard of exterior fabric and a half yard of interior fabric.
Why $1.58? Because each time someone buys a Digital Whimsy, I get to smile, knowing someone out there is going to make one of my projects. I don’t get that with free downloads from other platforms. (I get to see Etsy’s [E] icon each evening when I check my tablet.) The $1.58 price basically works out to $1 for me after the fees. This is my version of a digital download dollar store. If I sell 50 Digital Whimsies, that can cover my gas bill or some groceries.
This historically accurate balloon-style bag was popular throughout the 19th-century, evolving from an elegant, petite silk reticule to a larger, more often cotton workbag by mid-century. This digital download directions walks you through simple, authentic techniques for creating your own workbag. The finished bag is perfect for your 19th-century interpretive waredrobe, being both pretty and versatile with plenty of room inside.
My Whimsy Witch Hat Pattern is an easy to follow pattern. This pattern now comes in 2 sizes, the original size that fits an average to smaller head and a larger size to fit a 23″-24″ head.
I’ve been attempting to enjoy every bit of sunshine and summer-like warmth I can.
I’ve been pretending it is perfectly okay to keep wearing floral and flowy dresses despite the leaves turning.
I’ve been tumbling down a research rabbit hole.
I’ve also been working on a few special projects:
Unveiling Rural Milliners at GCVM’s Fall Fashion & Textile Symposium
I am very excited about my upcoming presentation at the Fall Fashion and Textile Symposium. Unveiling Rural Milliners focuses on my ongoing research into milliners around the Finger Lakes and Genesee Valley regions in an attempt to understand what their shops looked like and what made a successful rural millinery.
Mystery Boxes in the Making
My sewing time has been mostly spent making smaller items for a new series of Mystery Boxes. This set of Fanciful Utility themed Mystery Boxes will be filled with some of my favorite fancy work items from recent years. I plan to have these boxes ready November 1st. (I may also do one or two holiday ornament Mystery Boxes.)
Barrell Letters on Patreon
The Barrell Letters is the first of two series I currently have on Patreon. These letters between family members include casual sibling banter, descriptions of New England farm life from a non-farmer, and travel accounts. A letter posts each Saturday this fall.
Stereoviews on Patreon
The second series currently running on Patreon is an imaged based one. Each Monday, I share part of a rescued set of stereoviews. This stack of stereoviews was in very sad shape when I found it at a local shop. They were tattered, torn, and faded. I’ve tried to enhance the images to be more visible.
Pocket of the Month
I think my Pocket of the Month series on Patreon will come to an end at the end of the year. I have greatly enjoyed the design aspect of this series. But, I think I am running out of inspiration and ideas. At least for now. I may start a new design series pulling from original illustrations. Handkerchief corners?
Reworking & Rewiring
I am also doing some life reworking & rewiring. This needs to include my Etsy shop because sales have plummeted. Yes, I know this is because people don’t have disposable income to spend. But, I rely on my Etsy shop to fill the significant gap between my day job and my very basic budget. So, I have to do some reworking to pay rent, utilities, & buy groceries.
I first learned of bonnets and hats being made of luffa sponge only a couple years ago. I found the idea of a bonnet made from a squash to be both fantastical and completely practical. I figured I would be lucky to ever see one behind glass in a display. I never imagined I would get to hold one, let alone own one. Weeks ago, when I noticed this auction listing, I told myself I could not have it. It simply wasn’t in my budget. When the seller offered my a deal, I couldn’t resist adding it to my collection.
I feel a little weird asking this, but I need to understand what is going on with my Patreon supporters. In the past month, I have lost several Patreon supporters through cancelations and downgrades. This equates to a significant loss in income for me. I need to understand why this is happening. If it is something I can fix and improve on, I want to and will. If it is something out of my hands, I need to know it isn’t me. Thank you for understanding and considering this survey.
at the Genesee Country Village and Museum on Saturday, November 9th. You can attend in-person or virtually. The full day program features 4 presentations:
Opening: “Unveiling Rural Milliners” with Anna Worden
Keynote: “Turning the Shoe Wrong-side Out: 19th century Construction Revealed” with Nicole Rudolph
“‘A Different Habit’: the Public Universal Friend, Gender and Clothing in 18th America”with Tricia L. Noel of the Yates County Historical Society
“Textiles in 19th Century Ontario County Or Did Our Fore-Mothers Really Spin, Weave and Make All of Their Fabric and Clothing By Hand?” with Wilma Townsend of the OCHS
To round out the day, in-person attendees can explore the textile vaults with Curator, Brandon Brooks.
The pattern now includes the original size and a larger size. The original size fits an average to smaller size head. (It seems to work well for children too.) The larger size is meant for an average to larger size head, 23″-24″.
I revised the price as well.
$1.58
I call this the “everyone should have a witch hat” price.
You may notice I created a new shop section called “Digital Whimsy.” This is a reminder to myself to share some of the other small patterns I’ve created over the years as well.
First, I want to say thank you to all readers and subscribers who have stuck with me over the years. I know it has been a roller coaster ride in terms of content, both amount and type. I appreciate each of you.
Coming back to the Barrell Letters – I’ve spent the morning uploading letters to Patreon from this incredible collection I have been transcribing. While I have a vision of the letters in a single publication accompanied by information on each of the places mentioned in the letters, I find I am eager to share some of the letters now.
I am setting up a letter to go live on Patreon each Saturday morning for the next several weeks. I have letters uploaded through October with a couple more left to transcribe.
I forgot to post on Saturday that August’s Pocket of the Month design went live on Patreon. This month’s pocket is a pair of shadow cats, a historicly inspired design. The cats are meant to be appliqued. But, I can see them quilted or embroidered as well. Done in applique, I can picture nearly endless possibilities.
Updates:
Fancy Work Fair – I am still trying to decide if the online Fancy Work Fair is feasible and when I can do it.
Millinery – I find I have hit a sewing funk and lack any motivation to sew. Thus, a hiatus on new millinery. Flip side of that is my Etsy shop is a third of my income. So, I must find a way to get myself back on track.
Mystery Boxes – As yet another summer migraine set in, my mind wandered to Mystery Boxes for fall. I am picturing Fanciful Utility themed boxes this year. I think I have 10 boxes to fill. This will mean making lots of little things. (Hopefully, this will inspire me to sew again.) Please comment ideas of what you would like to see in boxes this fall.
Research – I have two research projects in progress, one of which will be excitedly announced soon-ish. The other will be shared soon-ish as well.
Who would be interested in an online Fancy Work Fair?
Please respond in the comments.
For much of my life, I have enjoyed participating in a 19th-century style fair alongside family and friends. I always love seeing what others create, the effort they put into their work, both in craftsmanship and research.
For several years now, I’ve toyed with the idea of an online fair, giving others the opportunity to share their work as well. I have absolutely no idea if others are interested. I acknowledge this could be lots of fun for people, or it could be an utter disaster.
This is what I have in mind:
Something very small to start, focusing on small pieces of Fancy Work. This would be 3 to 6 categories set on either function or materials. (Potential categories based on function: Needle-books, Pen Wipes, Frames. Potential categories based on material: Reclaimed objects, Flora, Leaves, & Twigs.)
Participants would enter by submitting photographs and a description with context & documentation. There would be a minimum & maximum number of photos, including interior and detail photos. I think this would need to be done with either a Google form or a Facebook group.
Images of entries would be shared either on a website or Facebook group (tbd) for all participants to enjoy.
A small group of judges would award virtual ribbons. I would love to be able to award real rosette ribbons if I can afford it.
The goal: Make a “recreational dress” reflecting those worn in the Genesee Valley during the 19th century for GCVM’s Great Outdoors Weekend.
Epic Indecision: Local vs Quasi-Local vs General
Aka: What caused the major delay.
With starting this project 3 or 4 months ago, one would have thought I had plenty of time to complete it. One would be wrong. As I collected images of women in recreational situations, I discovered a wide range of clothing. Some, simply had their skirts pulled up with skirt lifters. Others wore shorter, above the ankle length skirts with either loose or fitted bodices. Still others wore attire more like gymnastic ensembles: short above the calf skirts with trousers brought in at the ankle and loose bodices. Narrowing images down to local, meaning the Genesee Valley, and distinctly hiking images, I narrowed my options. The images of what would eventually become Letchworth State Park, mostly stereoviews, showed women wearing shorter skirts, roughly above the ankle, with less skirt support for the 1860s images. Details are difficult to determine because of the scale and frequency of wearing shawls. Some appear to possibly have their skirts pulled up over a presumably durable petticoat. Much clearer images of women hiking at Satatoga Springs, approx 250 miles east, show calf length skirts paired with trousers.
I wanted to do a separate skirt with sacque type bodice or two different skirts to show both versions from images but did not have enough fabric. This meant I remained undecided until the weekend prior to the event I needed for.
Fabric Decision
I determined this ensemble had to be made from my stash because it was not a garment I planned to make and hadn’t planned for. If I had allowed myself to purchase fabric, I would have considered a linen because it was often recommended for travel attire or a tropical wool. Looking through my stash, I settled on a light weightwool/silk blend with a very narrow stripe in tan and white. The material is very smooth, being less likely to snag and durable. The light color has the benefit of not attracting ticks.
Cut and Making
The few textual references I have relate dresses for hiking with travel attire and walking dresses. My previous research found recommendations for cutting armscyes loosely for travel clothing. I opted to do the same for this dress.
The image from Saratoga Springs showed very full bishop sleeves. Following this, I cut full Bishop sleeves with a fitted wrist. While the fullness combined with looser armscyes created a very comfortable sleeve, I found they still pulled when reaching far forward or across the body due to the length. I added 3 inches to each sleeve, figuring full flexibility essential for hiking with a walking stick.
Again, taking from images, I cut the bodice a little fuller and gathered it into the waist. I did a jewel neckline, as shown in images. I feel this neckline is not the most practical or functional for hiking.
In Hindsight – Lingering Questions
This is a dress I wish I would have made in my twenties when I could have tested it, really tested it.
● Why a one-piece dress vs. sacque & petticoat? Rationally, I see an ensemble of a separate sacque and petticoat as sensible. In an urgent situation, the top or bottom could be removed, leaving the other. With a one-piece dress, this isn’t an option. This could be my twenty-something memories creating a picture of “hiking.”
● I lined the entire bodice with quality muslin. In hindsight, I regret this. The cotton combined with the wool makes this bodice far too substantial for comfortable wear in higher summer temperatures. It negates the purpose of the lightweight fabric. I wish I had done a partial lining. As it is, it is more suitable for a fall hike in this area. Though, given the shawls in some of the pre-Letchworth images, the visits to the falls may have been in the fall.
● After finishing the skirt and the majority of the bodice, I printed some of my reference images. This is when I noticed a detail I previously did not see on my phone: The bottom of three of the skirts has a wider band of something. These are not fashionable dresses, indicating this likely isn’t just decorative trim. Is it a wider hem tape? Is it something similar to hem facing but on the outside? My skirt has an interior hem facing and wool hem tape. (The lower right image may also have the same band going up the front of the skirt.)
If I do get a chance to wear this hiking, some additional accessories are needed. I have rubber over-shoes that fit my balmorals (which need to be re-soled before hiking in). An appropriate hiking stick is important to me. A straw hat would be an easy and logical option for me. But, I recently became aware of a quilted fabric hat that I am itching to make.
If I Had My Own Blue Box: 