If I Had My Own Blue Box:

Sunday was the third day of the Genesee Country Village and Museum’s Domestic Skills Symposium, the final workshop day. I taught my Millinery in Miniature workshop, focusing on straw millinery techniques in doll scale.

My workshop was once again in Foster House, on the village green. The kitchen makes a nice space for a sewing circle style workshop. Here it ready to go.

Each participant could choose one of two styles to make.

Here is Cali modeling one of the participant’s hats and showing the little hat I taught with.

Read More:

• Domestic Skills Symposium Part 1
• Domestic Skills Symposium Part 2
• Domestic Skills Symposium Part 3
• Welcome to my Christmas Holiday Shop
• November in a Nutshell

Saturday was day two of the Genesee Country Village and Museum’s Domestic Skill Symposium, my first day, a day filled with five excellent presentations. (I was at Granger Homestead’s ChrisKindle Market on Friday, a much loved tradition with Dan.)

The morning started with friendly faces at registration and tasty goodies at the bar. It also provided time for some Christmas shopping at the Flint Hill Store and the artisans displaying their handcrafted wares. (Shhhh, I bought mom the middle one and Dan the little on he had been looking at.) It was really nice to have quality wares so easily available. Here are some of the goods offered:

The first presentation, “Cloaks, Pelisses, Mantles, and Mantlets”, by Ann B. Wass, (history and museum specialist at the Riversdale House Museum, Riverdale Park, Maryland) covered outerwear from 1795 to 1845, focusing on showing original garments and comparative fashion plates. She even touched on one of my favorite topics: shawls.

The following presentation, by historic gastronimist Sarah Lehman, was “Food of the Dead: A Culinary History of Funeral Food.” While food isn’t usually a topic of interest for me, this framing certainly had my attention. Both the topic and the style captured the audience. I would happily listen to another of Lehman’s presentations and look forward to he upcoming book Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine.

Following lunch, we learned about “The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful: Cosmetics of Early America” from Katie Cannon, curator of Education, DAR Museum, Washington, D.C. Hearing about the science behind what went into paints and cosmetics was interesting. Many attendees had fun trying out the silk beauty marks, and viewing or smelling the samples she brought.

The second afternoon presentation was “Uncovering Coverlets: The Figured and the Fancy.” I always enjoy listening to GCVM’s Curator of Collections, Peter Wisbey present. He walked us through the coverlets of New York, filled with motifs connecting to the area and little clues about their history. It was exciting to hear some of the coverlets could be connected with sales receipts. His end story was down right hysterical, and reminded me of the many stories told by Stuart over the years.

Wrapping up the day was “From Well Drinks to Swell Drinks: The History of Bitters” by Joe Fee, c0-owner of Fee Brothers, Rochester, NY. It was delightful listening to the history of bitters and the Rochester context. It was not so delightful as I learned I really do not like whiskey anymore.

At the end of the auditorium presentations, it was time for door prizes. The amazing Anneliese was first to be called, but she was hard at work in the kitchen. When I stepped out to call for her, my name was called. I picked a special handcrafted something I can not tell you about because it is a gift for somebody.

Read More:

• Domestic Skills Symposium Part 1
• Domestic Skills Symposium Part 2
• Domestic Skills Symposium Part 3
• Welcome to my Christmas Holiday Shop
• November in a Nutshell

This winter bonnet is soft and warm, in a pretty purple plaid. It is entirely hand quilted and hand sewn, based on an original bonnet in my collection. Inside is a local wool batting and white jacquard silk. 

How pretty is this pink and green silk?!

Back when my days were filled with home visiting, classes, multiple museums, tutoring sessions and volunteer events*, I found the joys of color-coding my schedule. Color-coding was my way of making sure I didn’t find myself driving half an hour east when I should have been driving an hour west. There are times I miss that version of an eighty hour work week that tossed me in bed with pneumonia one November.

This November, though not the same kind of busy, is going to be a busy one. I’m rather looking forward to this….

• November 5th – The Peddler’s Market – I was so hoping to earn a space at this event. But, it seems no one  has dropped out yet. With two days to go, I will be surprised if I get the phone call. Instead, I will be going as a buyer. This is a nice, often packed, selling event where bargains are to be had at the end of the NY antiquing season. I have a short list of things others are looking for. (This happens to be a year that the Symposium and Peddler’s Market are not on the same weekend.)
• November 11th – I’ll be heading to my Favorite arts and crafts sale – Granger Homestead’s ChristKindle Market. The front yard of this historic house museum in Canandaigua, is filled with huge tents and decked for Christmas. Inside the tents are smaller tents, each with local artists and craftsman, ranging from painters to wood-workers, doll makers to potters. I am on a quest for a certain item for a gift.
• November 12th – Is the Genesee Country Village and Museum’s Domestic Skills Symposium. This year’s presenters will be discussing Outer Wear, Funeral Food, Early American Cosmetics, Coverlets and the History of Bitters. Could there be a more information packed day? Oh, and there will be food – “Traditional Mourning Food.”
• November 13th – Is Millinery in Miniature, my workshop at the Symposium. I will spend the day showing others how to work with straw, while making a doll size hat.
• November 19th – I will be back out at GCV for Preparing for the Holidays. Making Christmas gifts will be the theme of the day for those of us in Foster Tuffs, on the Village Square. I have several gift ideas in mind to work on while there. I do need to find a bottle, or tin if lacking, in the house for taking the emery in.
• November 20th to 27th – Immediately following Preparing for the Holidays, I am going to roll into a writing lock down. The week of my Thanksgiving recess I will be finishing the writing and formatting of a new Winter Hood Pattern. (I am also hoping to get the car’s exhaust worked on as well. Our presence is a little too well announced at present.)
• Weekly – I need to make at least one winter bonnet and one gift item for the Christmas Holiday Shop in my Etsy Shop. I am going to try to have that ready on the 20th as well. 
• November 30th – All details must be in place for a December 1st launch of the new Winter Hood Pattern.

 

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• My “day job” consisted of home visits in 6 school districts for at-risk families in a literacy program. On the weekends, I managed the gallery, then by a different name, at GCVM. In the evenings, I ran a tutoring center. I was also averaging 10-13 reenacting/living history events a year. I added morning school tours for Mills Mansion. Oh, there was an archeological dig in there too.

​For my purple lovers! 

This plaid is so very pretty and makes a sweet winter bonnet. Inside is soft wool and a silk lining. 

Made directly from an original in my collection, this bonnet is entirely hand sewn . 

100% silk taffeta 

Local, hand combed wool 

100% silk 

Cotton sateen ribbon

Have you ever looked at photo of a great dress, a truly great dress, but there was just something missing? For me, that is often the collar and cuffs. Be it a beautiful fashionable dress or a basic utilitarian dress, women protected their clothing from perspiration with personal linens in the form of collars, fichus and cuffs. Including these simple cotton pieces can really make or advance an outfit.  Skipping this finishing component can really set your image back.

Here a sampling of women at work domestically from Lilly Martin Spencer.

Collars, cuffs and fichus varied and somewhat evolved as years and decades went on. You will want to study your particular years of focus to determine the shape, width and treatment that is appropriate for you.

In general, each will take a minimum of material; a fat quarter of fine muslin, lawn or organdy can make nice collar and cuff options. I suggest starting simply, with a hand rolled hem and bias binding for the collar and a simple, hemmed and folded cuff. The fichu directions below can be made a half yard of fabric. Having a few of these on hand is very handy. 😉

 

Resources:

• Making a Kerchief
• Making a simple collar – See The Dressmaker’s Guide

​Here is a blue and black check silk taffeta winter bonnet trimmed with black silk taffeta ruche. Lightly hand quilted with local wool so it is soft and warm. Inside is black polished cotton. 

Made directly from an original in my collection, this bonnet is entirely hand sewn . 

100% silk taffeta 

Local, hand combed wool 

100% cotton, polished cotton 

Cotton sateen ribbon

Tonight I have a brick red and brown check silk taffeta hand quilted with a pretty design. It is filled a super soft local wool and lined with black polished cotton. The brim is a little deeper than the other recent winter bonnets I have offered. 

Find it in my shop.