I stumbled across a file of CDVs and other photos I forgot about. (I’ve been so focused on my Shawls CDVs for the upcoming book.) Some of these photos need to be shared and chatted about. I’ll start of with this one of a who we assume would be mom and two sons:
I’m trying really hard not to show this project. But, I just can not seem to make up my mind.
I have no idea how these tiny cropped photos will show…
The top is a lilac silk I have on hand. The second is a blue I will need to order. I will need to order a small piece to work with the purple. I have the small piece to work with the blue.
Alas…. colors dancing in my head.
For quite some time now, I have wanted to do a line of millinery for dolls. I finally have a set of patterns for hoods and bonnets drafted for a couple different size dolls including collectable china dolls, like my Mae, fashion dolls and 18″ character dolls.
As the weather has already turned cool (or cold) here, I started with some snuggly warm quilted hoods. Both of these are black silk entirely sewn and quilted by hand.
This is Jo in her 1850-1865 silk hood. (She needs clothes made for her and a chair to sit In.) Her hood ties below her chin with a black silk ribbon. The inside is silk with the edges whipped for finish.
Here is Jo with the same style hood done in a dark blueish grey silk quilted in black.
Here is the larger hood in the same style that will nicely fit a doll with a 9″ circ head as most 18″ character dolls have. This hood is also black silk with a period cotton lining. The interior seam are turned under for durability. The future wearer, or her dresser, will need to pick the perfect ribbon and best placement.
I’ll have a section of doll millinery up on Etsy soon.
I have to admit, when I opened the envelope from this month’s Fanciful Utility Silk Swap with the bright yellow silk, I thought “Wow, Bright!”. This bright yellow silk puzzled me. I was worried I would not find a sewing case project for it.
Then I was flipping through the photo files I’ve stacked up in my phone. There they were. Not one, but two sewing cases made with bright yellow silk! I remember saving these from an auction of Shaker items. Here they are cropped together:
Now, which to make? The on the right is fairly straight forward. The one on the left is very similar to one of the cases in Fanciful Utility. But, I’m not too keen on the closing case inside. Okay, I really think they, the auctioneer’s photographer, took a photo of the cases open and a photo of the cases closed, then layered the closed on top of the open. If I make the case on the right, I far prefer something like this:
This is the same case as above with the center piece from another case replacing the center. This structured center has a compartment and a pincushion. You can see the pincushion was well used. Actually, the light blue case shows far, far more wear than the other silk and leather cases in the lot.
Now, the problem… I have black leather rather than brown at the moment. So, I must decide whether to wait for super thin brown leather or use the black I have……
Tonight we have a little modern sewing tangent – A coworker has been making little coffins for her Death and Dying health class this week. When I saw those little coffins, they scream “needle-book”.
Here is version 1 of my take on a Halloween Coffin Needle-book:
This fun case is made using the techniques in Fanciful Utility.The exterior is a silk I had stashed away with a bit of padding for the front. Inside, the pair of white wool needle pages are placed like a pillow at the top of the coffin, while a black wool pocket is at the bottom for a small pair of scissors. It closes with a silk ribbon. All the embroidery is cotton. 
I do have another sewing case version in mind as well. This would be a multi-sided case with a pillow-pincushion inside. I’ll add that to my project list.
This month was our second Fanciful Utility Fabric Swap, the Silk Swap.
We had two groups of silk swappers, each swapping with 7 other people in their groups. This means a total of 16 pieces of silk were swapped!
We had an assortment of stripes, plaids, jacquards and solids greeting us in our mailboxes. This swap truly involved fabrics from around the world, as one silk was brought home from China by the swapper and another that is a Tartan plaid. We had two nearly identical silks in slightly different color sets. (I sent one of those.) There is a bright yellow nearly identical to the yellow in three Shaker attributed cases I happen to have saved in my phone.
I look forward to seeing what participants do with their new assortment of silks. Please share your photos as you complete your projects!
Okay, so I’ve developed a little bit of a reproduction shoe problem. I love them. I want them all.
Now, there is a new shoe to want! American Duchess has a new shoe – A 1930s “Claremont” Oxford! Look at this shoe.
Want. This shoe would look so very pretty on my feet.
Psst – American Duchess is doing a give-away for this shoe.
First off, this whole project does need a better name. That said…
The concept here is with the 1864 & 1865 anniversary years of the American Civil War approaching, I would like to see a comprehensive display of items made by the wives, mothers and daughters in commemoration or memorial of their loved ones serving in or who served in the War.
Recently, at an event for the Hunt, NY Memorial Hall, I was able to talk with a few ladies about this project. To my delight, they expressed interest in working on it as well. How wonderful to make this a community project!
During the war and in the years following, a great many handmade pieces were worked in memory of a family member or friend who served during the war and may or may not have died. I would like to see those interested in participating reproduce these items. The list is an ongoing, growing one, changing as we learn more about commemorative and memorial works. This is what we have so far:
If you are interested in participating, please send me a message or leave a comment. It will be nice to have some of these items available for visitors to see at events in the coming year with a comprehensive display available for 2015.
EDIT/ADDITION Sept. 17th:
While this particular piece (center) is earlier (1785-1793), 
I would like to see if this was still done in the mid-19th century. If this does turn out to be appropriate, the next question will be whether it would have been a commemorative/memorial piece for our purposes. Then comes the question of how to replicate it. This one has a simpler frame that may be easier to recreate. (must learn some jewelry techniques.)
Two earlier embroidered pieces: 1800 and 1875. It will be important to look at the development of memorial art as it progresses through the century.
In July, we did the very first of our Fanciful Utility fabric swaps, the Cotton Swap. We had two groups of 8 people each, who swapped 9″ squares of mid-nineteenth century appropriate cotton fabrics. These are the fabrics we swapped:
Plus these:
Some of the participants went right to work making their sewing cases. (I am remiss to say my pieces are still neatly stacked as I’ve been so focused on millinery.)
These pretty blue needle-books were made by Deborah in a sewing group that focused on making needle-books. I love the blues together.
This pocket filled sewing case is very worthy of being called a work pocket. This is made by Eileen. 
Nicely done ladies. I look forward to adding more photos as more participants finish their projects.
Today is the day to sign-up for the FanU Silk Swap!
To Sign-up, simply comment below with your email and mailing address. (I’ll erase those before approving your comment, so the whole world doesn’t have that info.) You can also email me or send me a message on Facebook.
What is a Swap?
This is a chance for to exchange fabric with a small group of people. Each group will have 8 people exchanging pieces of fabric. All you need is a half yard of fabric and envelops along with your copy of Fanciful Utility.
To Participate:
1: Sign Up Day! On sign-up day, groups will be assigned on a first-in basis; the first eight will be the first swap group, second eight in the second group, etc.
Cotton Sign-Up Day: July 15 Silk Sign-Up Day: August 19 Crazy Sign-Up Day: September 30
2: Mail-Out Day: Place a 9×9″ piece of fabric suited to the mid-19th century in envelopes for each of the 7 other people in your swap group, stamp them (be sure to double check at the post office, but the small 9×9″ pieces should mail in a regular envelope with a normal stamp), and send them off no later than the Mail-Out Day. Cotton Mail-Out Day: July 23 Silk Mail-Out Day: August 26 Crazy Mail-Out Day: October 8th
3: Get Fanciful! Use your Fanciful Utility templates and techniques to make a project from the book, or copy your own from 19th century sources. We’ll all look forward to seeing your projects! You don’t have to sew right away, but don’t keep us waiting forever to see all the fun things!
(If you need a copy of Fanciful Utility, you can purchase them from the publisher at www.thesewingacademy.com
Fabric Guidelines:
Q&A
Yes, you can participate in 1, 2 or 3 of the swaps.
Yes, if we end up with multiple groups, you can participate in more than one group to swap more fabric. If you participate in 2 groups, you should swap 2 fabrics.
Yes, you can swap large and small scale prints.
Yes, you can swap now and sew later.
Yes, we would love to see what you’ve made with the swapped fabric.
Yes, you can use your own fabric in your swapped project.
If I Had My Own Blue Box: 
