If I Had My Own Blue Box:

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

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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

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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.)

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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

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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

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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

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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:

Photos of your completed project
The era of your project
Plans for its use (if any previously in mind)
Inspiration and/or documentation you particularly liked or found helpful
Your favorite part of the project
A self reflective accuracy rating (if this applies) (optional)
Total cost of project (optional)

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on January 20, 2016 at 4:00 pm Comments (8)
Tags: Sew Alongs

2016 Happenings?

Last year we took a nice cruise on the Canandaigua Lady. I am now pondering what we could do this year….

?Another cruise?

?A picnic?

?A trip on the canal?

I really want to do a warm us up tea at the Caledonia Village Inn. A Saturday afternoon by their warm fire sounds so nice right now. I need to pick a date that soon. (though, I am noticing they open at 4.)

I stumbled upon Granger Homestead’s Mystery Tea. While this is different than what I have in mind, is sounds like it could be fun. What do you think? This is such a lovely home.

I also want to do a couple of those sewing get togethers that seemed to fall through the cracks this past year.

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on January 19, 2016 at 4:00 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: Sew Alongs

From “The Farming Daughter”

Michaela, The Farming Daughter, shared the winter bonnet she made with my pattern. Please, take a look: http://thefarmingdaughter.com/2016/01/18/the-bess-bonnet/

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on January 19, 2016 at 6:00 am Leave a Comment

Doll Millinery and Accessories

With my reduced attention span during the last two months of being a germ magnet, I’ve been working on some much smaller projects. Doll projects actually.

Cali has a new work bag that is in the same style as the work bag we are doing for the sew along. Her little bag is about 3″ wide. It is made with a bold cotton print and muslin lining. It is trimmed with pleated silk ribbon.

As Cali is a time traveling doll, both backward and forward in time, I have yet to decide if she will be sharing her adventures here on this blog or over on Don’t Paint the Cat. Who knows, she may get demanding and ask for her own blog.

I made a second one of the same fabric for another doll wanting one.
I loved the look of the small gauging around the little center, I went ahead and made one of silk as well. This one is a blue and green shot silk. It is worked in black thread and trimmed in black silk ribbon for the handles and bow.

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Of course, the ultimate accessory is a nice piece of millinery. Here is Cali in a fashionable straw hat with a little pink silk ribbon. (she may or may not be keeping this one.)

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This quilted silk hood will keep her snuggly warm. It is hand quilted on a rose and gold shot silk, in a double scallop pattern.

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This wadded hood is made with a slightly smaller pattern for a slightly smaller doll. Thus, the snug fit on Cali. (This will be available.)

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Here is a straw toque style hat waiting to be trimmed. Cali doesn’t like this one for herself. Her head is wider and not as deep. It will be so cute trimmed out in velvet.

2016-01-15-06.21.43-1.jpg.jpeg

Here are a few millinery pieces I did a while back. The straw is made with tiny 3-4mm straw plait. I have more of this that I am looking forward to working with this year. The drawn bonnet mimics a human size drawn bonnet I did two years ago. To keep warm, there are a pair of winter bonnets in black and a blue-gray silk.

Besides Cali and Mea’s dress fabric stash tucked away in their trunk, there are many other items I would like to make for them….

Dreamy To-Dos:

Cute silk reticule
Fichu
Parasol and umbrella
Miser purse
Chatelaine (This one is going to be different as it will have Cali’s time traveling needs attached.) ?
They need a few bonnet and hat boxes
With all the walnuts around, I really aught to make her a nut purse.
A cap – Wow, this one.
Eventually, when they have an 1860 friend, she’ll need a cage.
Okay, I rather like this mantle.
Everyone needs a cozy wrapper.
They need a few books.

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on January 16, 2016 at 1:00 am Comments (1)
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How do I …. My Shawl

I am being asked more and more frequently about repairing or strengthening shawls.

Oh, how I wish I had taken classes textile conservation and preservation already. But, I haven’t.

Before proceeding, I want to say I do not encourage the wear of original shawls.

What causes damage to a shawl

Folding creases the thread and causes fractures.
Dryness can dry out the fibers and make them brittle.
Moisture can invite mildew or mold.
Moths can eat holes.
Time is just time as it wears away the life of fiber.
Chemicals/dyes can cause some threads/fibers to be less stable than others. These can deteriorate quicker.

Reading up on the options

Conservation of Historic Clothing at the Museum of Textiles.
“Fabrics use for stabilization” (also read this Terms sheet.)
“Reinforcing Fragile Textiles” from Methods of Conserving Archaeological Material from Underwater Sites by Donny L. Hamilton from Texas A&M University

Further reading

“Preservation begins at home: How to care for your textile collections” by Julia M. Brennan. (This is one of the nicer, easy to follow articles for at home.)***
Caring for Textiles blog.
The Museum Textiles “Issuu” page.
“A Conservator’s Approach to Viewing Textiles”, Textile Society of America, Proceedings of the Seventh Biennial Symposium, Sante Fe, NM, 2000.
Preserving Textiles: A Guide for the Nonspecialist, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana: 1999, 92pp.
“Treating Mrs. Robertson’s 1802 Dress”, Costume Society of America, Dress, Earleville, Md, 1993-4, pp. 65-73.
“Fabric Wallcoverings: Historic Use, Cleaning and Conservation”, Historic Preservation, The Interiors Handbook for Historic Buildings, Vol. II, Washington, DC, 1993, pp. 5. 21-24.