If I Had My Own Blue Box:

I am sharing a sentimental mini-pattern over on Don’t Paint the Cat.

This whole week

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Including: To Net, or Not to Net – Paisley,  Plaid, & Purled – From Field to Fashion – Victorian Fancy Work In Detail – Winter Hood Workbooks – Straw Bonnet Workbook – Winter Hood Patterns

This past weekend & week, I made straw basket workbags, or reticles. I love how these bags combine straw sewing and Fanciful Utility. I also love how silk can look against straw.

The first bag is a gold, green, and copper stripe silk. This straw base is just over 3″ wide with a subtle taper and a bit of wobble. The bag open to a moderate width, with a brown cotton lining and a last minute pocket added.

The second bag is an icy blue silk embroidered with large white flowers. I had just enough of this silk to make this bag. The base is nearly 4″ in diameter with a slight taper. The bag is lined in white cotton. It opens quite wide.

I also made 2 straw bottoms for those who want to Build Your Own Bag. These are both just over 3″ in diameter.  You can make a silk bag in your desired method. Then, tack it into the straw base.

Earlier this week, I had a truly calm moment, one in which I was truly focused on the task in hand and nothing else; not the past, not the future, not the world beyond my immediate space. I felt my mind relax, my muscles relax. It was lovely.

It may surprise you to know it wasn’t a moment with needle & thread in hand. Nope. This was a moment working at a table saw, cutting down pieces of wood into usable strips. Being a new tool for me, one with a sharp blade moving fast, I shifted all of my attention to cutting – examining each piece, placing it along the fence, guiding it, using the pushing tool to ease it past the blade – and repeat.

The calm I found was much needed.

This prompted me to think about the other tasks or activities that give me the same sense of calm. For me, two that come to mind involve stitching.

First is the spiral quilting I use for my witch hat brims. Working my spiral of stitches in from the outer edge, each row is done by eye with a little visual guidance from the machine.

I find I need to be in the moment, to rid my mind of all other thoughts as I spiral around the brim. Any distraction, be it thought or sound, can cause a slight verring in or out, widening or narrowing the spiral path. I enjoy this process so much, I’ve imagined other projects I could quilt spirals into: sunhats, table mats, pillow tops, etc. (I acknowledge some/many would not consider this mindful stitching as it uses a machine rather than hand sewing. 90+% of my sewing is by hand. So, I grant myself permission to include this for me.)

Second is the decorative embroidery I use for patchwork pin cushions and needle-pages for
sewing cases or needle-books. This mindful stitching, for me, is less about keeping distracting thoughts at bay and more about excess thoughts slipping away. On needle-pages, my focus is on stitch spacing and following the line of the page – rhythm, positive and negative space, balance. For patchwork, I get to play with color, texture, pattern, space…. there are nearly no rules.

What sewing activities or other activities do you find are mindful or a good way to calm your mind?

Definitions & Technicalities:

Mindful sewing or mindful stitching is a type of process art where you are fully present in the process of stitching without an intent for the end result. This is not the same as the mediation technique of mindfulness. According to the APA, mindfulness “is an awareness of one’s internal states and surroundings.” It is a technique of being aware of what is happening with your mind, body, and/or surroundings in the present moment without judgement. I need to note: Technically, what I am talking about isn’t truly mindful stitching (or mindful task) because I do have an end result in mind.

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The first hats of 2025 are finally available!

I will be releasing millinery,  both hats and bonnets, in groups this year. My goal is to offer new batches of hats and bonnets twice a month, most likely on Saturdays or Sundays, with the occasional adjustment due to my work and program scheduling.  Each batch of new millinery will be announced here, on WordPress first. You can subscribe to my blog to receive new posts and new millinery via email or WordPress alerts.

The first hats of the year are all Bergère hats appropriate for the 18th Century. Each of these hats are made with a finer 5-6mm plait, with 4mm plait used for the braid. The brims are lightly wired for reshaping if desired. Shop

One of the reasons for this change is space. The space I photograph hats and bonnets in is the same space I use for repairing damaged originals. (This is where the light and turn tablenis.) I need to minimize how often I move the original pieces. Another reason is I need to find some balance for my hands. Despite resting my hands for several months, I find they are not as strong as I would like and the occasional vulgar hissing escapes when sharp pain shoots through. I am hoping a variety of sewing and breaks for writing will help. All this said, it is going to take a bit of self control to hold on to some of the pieces for the bi-monthly releases.

You will notice a second change I am trying for this year. To meet Etsy’s recommendations and hopefully increase search visibility,  shipping will be $6 for the vast majority of items, both millinery and sewing cases. I am absorbing the true cost of Priority Mail and insurance, which is usually $14-$19 for hats & bonnets or $10-15 for sewing cases. I am not sure how well this will work in terms of dollars, but it should stop the alerts about my shipping being too high.

One final note – I do not know what is going to happen with the price of straw. Hanks already doubled in price compared to when I first started buying them. At the same time, the variety has significantly decreased with some of my favorites disappearing. I am nearly out of the “standard” 8mm width plait. I do have a small stash of fine and ultra-fine straw (what I would use for doll items) and a very limited amount of artisan plaits. I am going to do as much as I can with what I can get my hands on, for as long as I can. A lot will be determined by budget and what my hands can do.

It has been a full month since I posted about creating an ensemble for the 250th. Since then, I have found I have endless questions. I am questioning fabrics, fibers, fit, fashion, seam details, and even myself.

I forgot what it was like to start a new time period. While, this technically is not a new time period for me, it feels like it is because my mindset is different than it was nearly 30 years ago when I last dressed for this era. (I am floored I can say nearly 30 years ago.)

One of my big hurdles is direction. I usually have a defined purpose or roll I develop a set of clothing for. In this case, all I have is “I know I will regret having it if I don’t have it.” I find this is hard for me. I need a vision, an end goal to focus on. That doesn’t exist yet.

No goal. No drive or motivation.

I am hoping that by the time I get a full set of under layers – new shift, petticoats, stays, stockings. Together, I will have a clearer vision to focus on.

What I have done is dig through my stash to identify materials that can be used for this project.

You may notice the pallette is pretty blaaaaaa bland. Or, maybe I am just seeing it that way because of what I said above

Here is what I have, some with purpose:

• 3 yards of 3.7oz white linen – new shift
• 5 yards of 5.3oz white linen – petticoats
• 7+yards of heavy weight light grey linen/cotton blend (45″wide) – petticoats (or gown) (I have this weird desire to make a petticoat and jacket out of this and paint it.)
• Misc linen of different med-heavy weights – stays
• Dress length of pale green windowpane check wool – maybe gown
• Pink print on heavy cotton upholstery-esque OSV reproduction  – can I use this for stays? Pretty
• Reproduction OSV print on heavy cotton upholstery-esque – trade
• Off white cashmere/wool – not sure why I pulled this out
• 2 yards small scale plaid I thought was wool but turns out to be a cotton shirting – apron or trade
• Cotton voile – caps

Somewhere in my stash (hoping the big totes) should be a blue on white larger scale floral border print. That may be the right fabric for a gown that will motivate me.

(I thought I posted this last week but find I did not.)

One of my goals this year is to make and offer more sewing cases. In the years immediately following the release of Fanciful Utility, I was making an assortment of sewing cases, boxes, and accessories regularly.  When I started focusing on straw millinery, I began neglecting this branch of interest. I found going back and forth between the two types of sewing difficult and managing the very different materials was messy. Now, I am hoping rotating between sewing straw and sewing fabric will give my hands a break. (And I will figure out the organized mess.)

Anyway. I created a sewing case each week/weekend this month. Each is made with silk interiors and upcycled leather exteriors. They are bound with cotton sateen ribbon. Two have pasteboard boxes. Two have “book” style pincushions with layers of wool and cotton inside. The wool needle pages are pinked on my antique pinking machines and lightly embroidered. 

I tried to price these sewing cases at a point that was affordable. Each one took 9-11 hours to make, working by hand.

You will notice three of these are photographed in a different spot in my home. This is because I have an original straw bonnet set up in my regular photo space. I need the bright light as I very slowly stitch the fractured straw back together.

I’ve lost track of how many people have asked for a soft wool hood. I finally have one for you!

This pattern is drafted by hand with the original child’s size and 2 adult sizes drafted up with some reshaping for fit. It can be trimmed with self-fabric ruche or other period appropriate trims.

This wool hood can be made from a half yard of 54″ wide wool, plus the equivalent lining. You will also need ribbon for ties and cord or tape for a draw string.

This draped Wool Winter Hood Pattern is drafted from an original red wool flannel hood in my collection.

I developed a disdain for this winter hood as I pressured myself to complete it during holiday recess. Lesson learned. As such, I listed it at an “I am cranky and don’t like you” price tonight. I may change it tomorrow or the next day.

I find myself in a bit of a dichotomy.

On one hand, I feel as though I need a break from my own historical costuming, dressing for events, and making clothes in general. I’ve even envisioned selling off a good portion of fabric/materials stash. (This thought is in conflict with knowing the cost of replacing it later.)

On the other hand, 2026 and America 250, as emails from museum associations keep telling me, is right around the corner. I know I would regret not having a proper set of clothing a year from now.

An 1770’s ensemble it is.

This journey to the 18th century will be the first in well over 2 decades if I recall correctly. I may have last been attired in clothing appropriate for the American Revolution in my early 20s for one of Missy Clark’s fashion shows as a tavern wench. (While I can recall the feel of my clothing and the post-show reaction from my then heart-interest, I cannot recall the details of the clothing beyond Missy saying I wore everything I owned and everything I owned I stole. I suspect that was for the theatrics of the show.) Given that a few years have passed since then, this will need to be an entire ensemble from the skin out, encompassing not only the garments but also the accessories. At the same time, the 18th century has not been an area of my focus, which makes this endeavor both exciting and daunting. As such, I will be relying heavily on the guidance of trusted friends more versed in the time period.

This ensemble will also need to be zero budget – therefore, entirely from the stash or bartered from the stash.

I am picturing something middling, working class, not fancy at all but also not working attire. My current list of garments and accessories includes*:

• Linen Shift – I have one. Would be more comfortable with a second. Don’t think I have appropriate linen
• Pair of Stays – I really, really hope I have what I need in the stash because I need to start by making this. Otherwise, the rest is pointless.
• Stockings – Have them somewhere
• Pockets – The one thing I know I can handle no problem.
• Shoes – Not sure yet how I will pull these off as I don’t foresee pulling them out of the stash.
• Petticoats – Guessing linen or wool. Hoping I have something in the stash
• Gown- Hopefully, I have a wool in the stash that will work.
• or Bed Gown and Petticoat
• Linens – Handkerchief, cap – I think I have cotton voile or lawn in the stash. (Learned Handkerchief not kerchief or fichu.)
• Straw bergère hat of course
• Accessories – blank slate
• Adding – Apron

*Off suggestions for what else in need in the comments please.

Edit – Things I Anticipate Needing to Barter For (or in the case of patterns, sell some stash to pay for):

• Stays pattern – Currently thinking RedThreaded pattern B. I have to check what materials I have. I may have a suitable cotton twill. I have an assortment of bones. But, I may use cane.
• Gown pattern – potentially Larkin & Smith either 45-47 or 49-51 bust depending on stays.
• Shoes