If I Had My Own Blue Box:

Alas, no home

These poor bonnets never did find a home last year. Each is waiting for the right time and person.

The first is one of my favorites from last year. I just love the combination of the velvet calla lilies and pink & green silk.

This is a smaller straw hat. (It fits my head perching forward.) It would be good for an adult with a smaller to average head or a child. Find it on Etsy.

This little hat is ideal for a late war to post war impression. Light weight, made of fine hemp-straw and silk, it sits back over the hair as it begins to rise. The inspiration for this bonnet comes from this 1865 wedding bonnet at the National Trust Collections (below) Find it on Etsy.

**Note: I am going to make a point to share my millinery work here first as the listings are complete. This means, to get the first look and chance at pieces, subscribe to my blog. You can opt to have the new posts go to a feed or your email.**

Published in:

on February 10, 2016 at 2:30 pm Leave a Comment

A “I want that”

You know those times when you see an outfit in a photo, painting or illustration? This is one of those times. In this case, it is all Kitty Calash’s fault for mentioning The Yale Center for British Art in her Frivolous Friday post.

This ensemble in the center of Wilkie’s The Pedler instantly caught my attention. Often, when I see clothes, I envision how they would feel to wear them. This looks all too comfy to me.

I see a shorter red wool or linen skirt with what may be a deep hem/hem-backing or another shade of red as a trim or a tuck, a long sacque style bodice closing at a high waist with a belt, from under the bodice hangs low a key and scissors, a kerchief with a border drapes around her neck, peeking out of the bodice/sacque is a white collar. As I know much less of this era, I am not quite sure what that white collar is. A chemisette?

For warmth, I would work the skirt/petti in wool and the bodice/sacque also in wool. For comfort in warmer weather, I would work the skirt in wool or linen with the sacque/bodice in something lighter. cotton? light linen?

(close-up) The Pedler, by Sir Davie Wilkie at The Yale Center for British Art.

Kneeling in the forefront, we have a back view of similarly tempting, comfy clothing.

We can see the side slit in her skirt. Her sacque style bodice is shorter, gathering in at a more natural location with the aid of the string/cord holding the blue cloth style apron in place. She has a smaller kerchief showing at her neck that almost appears to reach down the front of her, held under the blue cloth. I do like how that shade of blue is brought out by the golden color. (Lydia Jane, I think this is an outfit you will want to see.)

(close-up) The Pedler, by Sir Davie Wilkie at The Yale Center for British Art.

While visiting The Yale Center, be sure to look at First Class – The Meeting and Second Class – The Parting. Also, take a peek at Strange Faces. A story comes to mind for me. Besides that, she has a nice example of a turn over shawl and a bonnet.

Published in:

I Forgot to Categorize This.

on February 5, 2016 at 4:30 pm Leave a Comment

You must see this

I lack words for how much you must see this….

1746-1823 album with swatches, sketches, illustrations and notes.

***Please see Carolann’s note below in the comments about the published version of this.***

Published in:

I Forgot to Categorize This.

on February 5, 2016 at 1:00 am Comments (4)

Now Would be a Really Good Time

(Rescue furbaby needs meds)

Published in:

I Forgot to Categorize This.

on February 3, 2016 at 7:00 am Leave a Comment

GVHSA – Pin Ball – Resources

Articles and blogging about originals:

Winterthur’s Pin Balls – Katie Lovely “Having a Ball”

Articles and blogging on making pin balls:

Koska the Cat’s “Strawberry Pinball“, “Knitted Pinballs“, “Pinball Beginnings” and “Pinball Progress“

Needlework ideas and patterns:

A Pinboard for a pattern book
Check out page 36-37, 93, 123, and a few others of this original Design Book.

Needlework helpers

The Illuminated Ladies’ Book of Useful and Ornamental Work (start on page 160)
The Illuminated Book of Needlework (start with the second page 97. The first part has a history of needlework.)
The Lady’s Manual of Fancy Work. (Page 25 starts a nice showing of stitches for Berlin work. Page 41 starts an illustration free discussion of embroidery. Page 131 starts a section on color theory.)
The Ladies’ Hand Book of Fancy and Ornamental Work. (be warned, this book is full of projects.) (Page 63 begins Berlin work.)
Queen Stitch

Published in:

I Forgot to Categorize This.

on January 29, 2016 at 6:00 am Leave a Comment
Tags: GVHSA

Examples of a Turn-Over Shawl

A nice example of a Turn-Over Shawl is on Ebay this week. I hope they keep the photos up for a good long while.

A “Turn-Over Shawl” is A shawl that when folded in a triangle, shows all four finished borders. This is done by attaching 2 borders on the right side and 2 on the wrong side.

The three-quarter back view shows the Vs of the two border pairs. These are set on opposite sides so when folded over, both sets of borders form their Vs. You can see the “right side” construction of the top V in one of the photos. This shawl is made with a center piece of black wool, 4 paisley type borders and black wool borders that are frayed. The right and wrong sides of the paisley type borders can be seen in the other two photos. A border such as this one could have been purchased at the time.

There is another one over on Etsy as well. This shawl is 58″ square, within the common size perimeters for the mid-century. Again we can see the borders set in pairs on opposite sides so they will make Vs when the shawl is folded. While this border is narrower than the Ebay shawl’s, the way it is folded and photographed really shows how dramatic and lovely the look can be. The seller includes a teaser photo of one corner showing the right and wrong sides of the border. The color thread clearly shows the construction details. (btw – Please do not dry clean an antique shawl as the seller suggest.)

I believe Genteel Arts just did a workshop on making a turn-over shawl.

Additional examples:

http://www.meg-andrews.com/item-sold-details/Norwich-Turnover-Shawl/8011

http://www.clevelandart.org/art/2012.447

https://www.augusta-auction.com/component/auctions/?view=lot&id=14956&auction_file_id=33

http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=149561

http://www.antique-textiles.net/shawls/1820-1825-turnover.html

Published in:

on January 25, 2016 at 6:50 am Comments (2)

Snowed in?

Yesterday, some of the Sew Along ladies asked if they could have the next set of directions early so they could sew during the storm they are expecting this weekend.

This made me really wish I had thought ahead to write up a special set of “Snowed in” project directions. What a neat idea would that have been?

We do have a fun Work Bag Sew Along project we are in week 3 of. You are welcome to hop back to Week 1 of the Sew Along to keep your hands busy and warm inside.

I do have these FanU templates to offer. These projects can easily use what you have in the stash:

A boot

A button keep, aka “balloon bag”

An additional Sea Shell

A Tri-lobed Needle-book

Two Christmas Ornaments

Published in:

I Forgot to Categorize This.

on January 22, 2016 at 4:34 pm Leave a Comment

Sew Along – Work Bag (week4)

By special request due to the storm approaching the east coast, I am sharing this post early.

This week we are attaching the balloony section we gauged last week to the covered paste board.

Cotton Work Bag

We are attaching the long section we gauged last week to two of the the covered pasteboards (the ones that are backed with the lining fabric.) The gauged fabric will be attached along the curved section of the pasteboard. The flat side will not have fabric attached.

2015-12-27-22.44.22-1.jpg.jpeg 2015-12-27-18.14.39-1.jpg.jpeg

We will attach the pasteboard and the gauged fabric right sides together with the decorative side of the pasteboard, using a whip stitch. Line up the center point you marked on one side of the gauged fabric with the bottom center of the pasteboard. Pin these points together. Line up the quarter points with just above the curve on the pasteboard. (I’ll get a better photo of that.)

On each end, fold a quarter inch of the gauged fabric under. Line this fold up with the top of the pasteboard curve where it meets the flat side. Pin both ends as well. (sorry, I will try to get a photo of this.)

Using a whip stitch, attach the folds of the gauging to the pasteboard. Go through both the decorative and lining fabrics, but not the paste board.

2015-12-29-17.26.45.jpg.jpeg 2015-12-29-17.26.56.jpg.jpeg

2015-12-29-18.34.07.jpg.jpeg

When one side is finished, it will look something like this. You may need to coax the gauged fabric to lay flat aligned with the pasteboard. (outside and inside shots.) (Yes, I make use of the salvege.) 2015-12-29-18.00.36.jpg.jpeg 2015-12-29-18.01.08-1.jpg.jpeg

Repeat the pinning and whip stitching process with the second covered pasteboard.

When finished, you will have two sorta horse shoes attached to the gauged fabric. Take some time to play around with how these fit together. It is a rather nifty combination. 2015-12-29-18.32.24-1.jpg.jpeg 2015-12-29-18.32.30.jpg.jpeg 2015-12-29-18.33.02-1.jpg.jpeg 2015-12-29-18.33.13-1.jpg.jpeg

Lay the workbag out flat to check your stitches. 2015-12-29-18.33.49-1.jpg.jpeg

You have completed this week’s step. (You can turn it right side out if you want.)

——————————————————————————————————————————-

Silk Work Bag

We are attaching the long section we gauged last week to two of the the covered pasteboards (the ones that are backed with the lining fabric.) The gauged fabric will be attached around the entire circle on each side.

2015-12-29-20.16.03-1.jpg.jpeg 2015-12-27-21.15.13-1.jpg.jpeg

We will attach the pasteboard and the gauged fabric right sides together with the decorative side of the pasteboard, using a whip stitch. Mark each circle in quarters. (pencil on the inside lining is fine.)

With the first pasteboard – Fold a quarter inch under on each end. Line these up with the top point on the pasteboard. Pin. Line center point of the gauged fabric up with the bottom point on the pasteboard and pin. Do the same with the side quarter points. (Sorry for the lack of photo.)

Using a whip stitch, attach the folds of the gauging to the pasteboard. Go through both the decorative and lining fabrics, but not the paste board.

2015-12-29-20.25.57.jpg.jpeg 2015-12-29-20.27.09.jpg.jpeg

When one side is finished, it will look something like this. You may need to coax the gauged fabric to lay flat aligned with the pasteboard. 2015-12-29-22.03.08.jpg.jpeg

Repeat the pinning and whip stitch with the other pasteboard side.

When finished, check your work. Once you turn this one right side out, it will be be difficult to turn it inside out again.

2015-12-29-22.02.37.jpg.jpeg 2015-12-29-22.02.32.jpg.jpeg

Published in:

I Forgot to Categorize This.

on January 22, 2016 at 9:59 am Comments (2)
Tags: Sew Alongs

Shawls Sizes & Shapes

For more in-depth information, read Paisley, Plaid, & Purled: Shawls of the Mid-Nineteenth Century

PPandP book cover

—————————————————————————————

Square shawls should be 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 should be 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 19^th century.

The exceptions to these standard sizes include lace, knit or crochet shawls.

Next, consider weight. One of the mistakes I observe is the use of wool which is more of a blanket weight than a shawl weight. The weight of fabric is determined in ounces per linear yard. If you want to think of wool weights in terms of modern suit weights, a tropical weight is the lightest and regular is generally the fabric worn for a winter suit.

weights-chart

For more in-depth information, read Paisley, Plaid, & Purled: Shawls of the Mid-Nineteenth Century

PPandP book cover

————————————————————-

Published in:

Favorite Topics - Shawls

on January 21, 2016 at 5:00 pm Leave a Comment

2016 Sew Alongs

After test driving the Sew Alongs in two formats with making a Work Bag and a Pin Ball, I have decided to continue them through the year. I think a couple months for each will be a comfortable pace that will not overwhelm. (sorta like the fort-nightly challenges just spread out.)

This year’s Sew Alongs will include:

January thru March – a Work Bag and/or Pin Ball (in progress)
March thru May – Purse (That which holds coin. This can include a miser’s style purse, an embroidered purse, a sewn purse, etc. The key is this is for holding coin.)
May thru July – Slippers (These slippers can be of needlework, braid work, knitted, quilted, etc.)
July thru Sept – Apron (of any type and purpose)
Sept thru November -TBD Head garment for the home or shop (This can include a cap, head wrap, etc.) or A “Carry In” (A type of bag or carrying device that could include a travel bag, pocket, etc.)

Sew Alongs are open to any historical era and skill level.

House Keeping: We will continue to use this blog and Facebook for sharing and support. For those not on Facebook or those who do not blog, please comment below and feel comfortable emailing me your project results so I can post them in the blog.

Please, share your progress as you work through your projects either in the comments section for that Sew Along or in the Facebook Group. Encourage each other as we work along. Remember, we are a mix of historical eras, skill levels and with different goals. (Yes, we have an assortment of site interpreters, reenactors and theatrical costumers.) The span of the Sew Along is a guideline, not a deadline. Continue to share your progress even after a new Sew Along has begun. Do not feel there is a firm deadline. We simply are going to encourage each other to work towards completion.

Upon completion of your project, which can be any time after the Sew Along starts, please share: