New Sewing Kit

I really wanted a new sewing kit for Dickens this year, last year I had a small sewing basket that quickly turned into a disaster during the run of fair. My original idea was to collect and compile a chatelaine with the sewing tools I would need but though I have been able to gather a few pieces here and there, there is still too much missing to make it a useable kit. 

The next idea that I have gone with came from a blog that I follow: Dressed In Time (http://dressedintime.blogspot.com/?m=1) is a wonderfully fabulous blog mostly focused in the 18th century though she does do a little bit of everything else and she is an amazing seamstress. 

Earlier this year she made herself a beautiful silk and embroidery sewing kit, based on an original 18th century one in a museum.

http://dressedintime.blogspot.com/2012/06/pretty-new-sewing-kit.html?m=1

The kit is really much like a book with an inner pocket for tools, a felt for holding needles and a little pin cushion, that folds and ties closed with a ribbon.

I followed Dressed In Times directions closely from her blog, using cardboard to stiffen the sides, adding a drawstring to the pocket, and closing it with a ribbon tie.

I didn't embroider mine for three reasons: one my embroidery is awful, two i made this out of a silk velvet with a rather tall nap, and three I did the whole thing in a few hours over morning coffee. Most of it was hand sewn together with just a few pieces set using the machine. I made it the size of a standard paper back book so it fits nicely into my basket or for now into my purse.  In it I can carry needles, pins, small scissors, a seam ripper, a few thin spools of thread, wax, and my ever handy bag of safety pins. 

I am so happy with how the little kit turned out! And am already using it for sewing I am doing now in preparation for Dickens (yes i sit and sew during my lunch at work), it's easy to take, doesn't take up too much room and is already stocked with everything I need.

I take absolutely no credit for this project and give all due credit to Dressed In Time for both inspiration and idea, she solved my sewing kit problem with her project and provided direction on how to make it. Thanks!!

Ruffled Petticoat

Last year I was very happy with the foundation I created for my Dickens Fair dresses. I had my chemise and bloomers, corset and hoop and a ruffled petticoat and an eyelet lace petticoat. 

The ruffled petticoat was very good for eliminating the lampshade effect that can happen with hoops and gave the skirts a nice belled shape. But the ruffled petticoat had been a last minute slap shod creation that barely survived the run of dickens fair so for this year I made a new one.

I used the Truly Victorian pattern for the  flounced skirt. I made all four flounces and used a very light weight (shhh, poly cotton blend) fabric, to reduce weight and unnecessary bulk. The pattern is very simple, but the construction was time consuming! All that yardage that I had to finish the edge of and then gather and then put on the foundation! It was a lot for me but then again I have never really had the patience for ruffles. 

But don't get me wrong it was totally worth it! The skirt looks great, it's ten times better then the original I made and is exactly what I had in my head when I was considering a ruffled petticoat :)

A Tis Kit a Tas Kit

. . . A really old basket ;) 

For Dickens of course, a small covered basket was a commonly carried item by a lady especially if she was out shopping. So this will be mine, an eBay find of course. 

I like that it is old and kinda battered, I feel like it gives it a certain authenticity versus a new shiny clean basket that looks fresh and never used, silly I know :)

Black Velvet Jacket

This jacket was really more about creatively procrastinating than anything else :) I needed to fit the bodice portion of a pattern for a full length fitted dress and so I just worked with short pieces to make it easier. And after I had my new fitted pattern it seemed a waste to not do anything with the fabric I had used for the fitting so I cut it out in velvet and made this short jacket, rather then start on the full length dress :)

As it is a jacket and meant to be taken off, I made sure all my inside seams were hidden which meant a lot of futzing and tight sewing, but I made it work. The decoration idea came from Michaels military collection. I loved the swaged braiding that was common on some military coats of the Victorian era and used that style for my coat. 

The swags are attached on one side and unhook from the other. And I used large velvet covered buttons for the swag ends. The buttons up the front are just larger versions of the woven buttons from the silver dress.

And for a little more detail I added the little knotted braid to the sleeves.

I'm kind of going with a military theme for this years dickens outfits. The full length dress I mentioned above will also have military inspired decoration :) 

A Christmas Plaid

In the spirit of Christmas, for Dickens this year I thought it would be nice to have a little holiday plaid. So I have added this lovely green, gold, maroon to the collection. 

As it is real silk and there for expensive I only purchased enough for just a skirt, and will just match it with one of my black velvet jackets and blouses.

I like 1850's skirts because for the most part they can be ridiculously simple just one seam to close the circle, another seam for the waistband and then a long running stitch to cartridge pleat the width into the waistband. Which I do all by hand, usually while watching tv, cause I'm crazy like that ;)

The other trick I have taken to doing is instead of cutting off any excess material from the length I pleat it up a foot above the hem length so that as I wear out the bottom edge of skirt I can just let out the pleat, roll under the frayed hem and re set the pleat just a bit smaller, it can really extend the life of a skirt especially one that is worn out of doors and gets plenty of wear and tear at re-enactments.

The technique is not original to me and was most commonly used in children's clothing to extend the wear of a garment by allowing the length to grow with the child. This usually involved several rows of smaller pleats that could be let out one at a time and then conversely taken back up when the garment moved down to the next child.

I just adapted it to extend the life of my hems :)

A finished project

I'm back! Or at least I feel like I'm back :) even though I have been continuing to sew off and on for the last month, this weekend was very productive and felt like one of my old sewing weekends. Among a few other projects to follow, I finally finished the silver dress from last month! And I mean finished, like absolutely everything is done on it, which is rare for me as I feel like I am always tacking something down last minute ;)

While I had originally thought about decorating the skirt with big velvet swags, when I tried it I wasn't happy with the look.

So I went with a thin velvet band around the bottom, simpler and much better.

The buttons are little woven cord rounds, with the loops done in velvet cord to match the turn back collar and skirt trim.

And I made this little velvet belt with bow cause I just felt it needed a little more detail to feel complete. 

Time to start collecting . . .

For Dickens fair that is. And the first few pieces to arrive are a shawl, a calling card case and a new set of boots. 

The boots are from oak tree farms (http://www.oaktreefarms.com) and are wonderful, they have the right shaped heel and look and are well made. 

Though they do run very small so go a size up. 

These are the veil, but there are other really good looking boots for the Victorian era. I also want a pair of the Catherine's, they have a canvas upper and leather lowers.

Next is this cute little silver calling card case that will hold my money nicely and has a little ring at the top to hang from my chatelaine.

I have been watching lots of items on eBay for chatelaines. I would like a nice little sewing set to wear at fair as I am often mending something or the other for someone during the fair. I hoping for a scissor, pin cushion and needle case. Maybe a tape measure or thimble holder too :)

And last but not least is the shawl, and this was a really big score for me as I have badly wanted a Victorian paisley shawl since last year and they usually go for more than I am willing to spend. But finally after much patient searching I found one I liked and in good condition and was able to snag it in my price range!!

It's mostly black which I think will actually make it more versatile. And it's huge, it this picture it's folded into quarters and is taking up most of my full size bed :) 

A sewing update

I'm still here I promise, life has just gotten super busy lately! 

I am still sewing, it's just that there is little that is noteworthy right now. I am finishing up the silver dress, setting the hem and the front closure (boring).

And I have started draping the next 1850s project which is a short fitted jacket. There wasn't a pattern I could find that would do what I had in mind so I am just making my own pattern. I spent the weekend draping and tacking and pinning and marking and readjusting and seam ripping and then repeating till my little fingers hurt! (tedious) 

And because its fall (yes I know it was 100 degrees on Monday) I can't help myself but start crocheting again. I am making granny squares because they are quick, small counts and easy to carry with me. 

See nothing noteworthy ;)

Once Upon A Hot Day

. . . There was a girl that decided to sew an 1850s day dress . . . Wait that's not what you do when its brutally hot?!

It was super hot this weekend, almost 100 at the coast, even hotter inland. And we're just not used to that kind of heat, so it really kicked the stuffing out the whole weekend. So instead of attending a picnic with friends we sat at home with all the fans pointing directly at us (no air conditioning) and tried to move as little as possible, and as a result a dress was started. I know that doesn't sound much like no movement  but that's about as close as I get ;)

It's going to be one of my new dresses for SF dickens fair this year. Half the reason I am making this dress is for its sleeves: 

Giant, poofy, and smocked what more could you ask for! I love the big sleeves of the 50s and 60s and the smocking is only because I just discovered our vintage singer has a special foot just for it!!

It made the whole process a piece of cake :) so far the rest of the dress is turning out pretty basic but I like the skirt decoration from the fashion plate below:

The Art Deco Weekend on the Queen Mary

Two weekends ago Michael and I attended the art deco festival on the Queen Mary. The event is put on by the art deco society of LA and is three days of vintage fun. And we get to spend the weekend with so many of our good friends :)

This year was my second year attending and Michael's third or fourth. The event starts out on Friday night with cocktails up on the fore deck accompanied by live music and dancing, followed by a pajama party with desserts and an original betting game from the ships heyday. For the arrival Michael and I wore our vintage suits and I finally got to wear that black hat which was Christmas present last year :) for the pajama party Michael wore an incredible brown velvet and quilt silk smoking jacket and I wore my vintage Asian inspired pajamas.

Saturday has deco themed lectures on everything from famous people to art and architecture. There is also a small gathering of old cars on display from the local vintage car community and down in the hold there is a vintage marketplace for shopping.  During the day Michael wore his favorite red wool jacket and cream pants and I wore my light blue summer suit, though no real pictures showed up of those outfits :(

Saturday night is the grand deco ball held in one of the beautifully restored ballrooms, complete with dinner and dancing with music provided by Dean Mora and his band. Early this year on etsy I had found this vintage 30s burgundy silk ball gown and snagged it door this event, unfortunately it's very fragile and I don't think it will be worn again especially not for dancing. Michael looked handsome as always in his white dinner jacket! 

Sunday has more lectures and then a tea dance with live music provided by Ian Witcomb. Though Sunday is the end of the official event many people stay till Monday so there is always a good crowd at the observation bar at night. In the morning before the tea dance I wore my women's palm beach suit!! And Michael wore another great red sporting blazer. For the tea dance I wore a little cotton dress that has tiny rows of red dots, funny enough they are so small the dress looks pink :) Michael was in his palm beach suit.

Michael and I stayed on the ship for the event, and this year we had the best room! It actually had a little sitting area in it which was great for entertaining friends and picnic lunches in the room. 

We packed for the weekend in our original steamer trunk! The thing is huge but it packs two people and all our stuff very nicely and the porters are used to having to move it now as we are not the only people to show up with that kind of luggage. Although when you add in hat boxes, shoe cases, my train case and food its a lot of stuff!

It was another great event and even with all hassle of all that luggage and vintage clothing it actually felt like a vacation :)