Changes to a Sewing Challenge! Yay

So I wanted to do the Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenges (I only completed two, posted about one) but it was too much to handle with a little one, no dedicated sewing space, nor no real reason to create an new historical item every two weeks. 

Good news.... The Dreamstress has changed it to the Historical Sew Monthly Challenge!

This is much more doable for my current schedule as it typically takes me a month or more depending on the item to complete a project.

So without further ado the 2015 Historical Sew Monthly Challenges!

• January – Foundations: make something that is the foundation of a period outfit.
• February – Colour Challenge Blue: Make an item that features blue, in any shade from azure to zaffre.
• March – Stashbusting: Make something using only fabric, patterns, trims & notions that you already have in stash.
• April – War & Peace: the extremes of conflict and long periods of peacetime both influence what people wear.  Make something that shows the effects of war, or of extended peace.
• May – Practicality:  Fancy party frocks are all very well, but everyone, even princesses, sometimes needs a practical garment that you can DO things in.  Create the jeans-and-T-Shirt-get-the-house-clean-and-garden-sorted outfit of your chosen period.
• June – Out of Your Comfort Zone: Create a garment from a time period you haven’t done before, or that uses a new skill or technique that you’ve never tried before. 
• July – Accessorize: The final touch of the right accessory creates the perfect period look.  Bring an outfit together by creating an accessory to go with your historical wardrobe.
• August – Heirlooms & Heritage: Re-create a garment one of your ancestors wore or would have worn, or use an heirloom sewing supply to create a new heirloom to pass down to the next generations.
• September – Colour Challenge Brown: it’s not the most exciting colour by modern standards, but brown has been one of the most common, and popular, colours throughout history. Make something brown.
• October – Sewing Secrets: Hide something in your sewing, whether it is an almost invisible mend, a secret pocket, a false fastening or front, or a concealed message (such as a political or moral allegiance).
• November – Silver Screen: Be inspired by period fashions as shown onscreen (film or TV), and recreate your favourite historical costume as a historically accurate period piece.
• December – Re-Do:  It’s the last challenge of the year, so let’s keep things simple by re-doing any of the previous 11 challenges.

I can't wait to get started! 

Some of them I can combine with my costume college 2015 sewing needs! 

So here's to costuming in 2015!!

Organizing My Fabric Stash and Projects

So I have tons of projects I want to create...

But its so hard especially without having a dedicated room to craft/sew. 

I am relegated to a corner of the den.

Unfortunately, that also means that 'lil bit' can (if she's being especially Indiana Jones like) climb over the rubber maid tote wall I placed in her path to keep her away from the many dangerous sewing implements I tend to use.... scissors, straight pins, irons...

So I have had to come up with a crafty (get it??? haha) way to keep her safe and my projects organized and in their place.

Besides being a "bin hoarder' as my dear husband calls me, I tend to try and group my projects and all their accoutrements in a bag (zip lock, reusable totes, homemade bags).

So I take the fabric, pattern, and any trims I will need and stuff it in a bag.

This keeps my project all in one place and helps me visualize my steps to complete the project.

It works most of the time unless I forget to update my pattern book (book with a picture and yardage list for each of the patterns I own). If that happens and I think of a new project I want to do, there might be a bit of panic as I think I misplaced, lost or did not buy a specific pattern!

Fool proof? 

No, but it works for me.

But, ohh what I would give for one of these!!!!

Fill it with baskets and place each project in its own cubby!!

Awesome sauce ! 

My Sewing + Historical Costuming Obsession= Broke

I always have to stop in a fabric store !

I can't ride past, even if I'm not driving I automatically request that hubby pull over so I can 'run in real quick' an check out what they have...

Lol...

 Not so great when unemployed and living off one salary!

So, I try to give myself a budget for every month.

Typically, I don't spend that much but I end up rolling it over to the next month.

Oh, and don't forget the wonders of thrift stores !

Goodwill has been very good to me the last couple times I popped in for a quick glance around.

Some people don't have that luxury budget to purchase silks and the like.

So I tend to haunt three different locations in my area the SAS Fabric store ( several locations) , Joann's Fabrics and Goodwill. 

SAS Fabrics has a plethora of trims and relatively cheap prices items.

 Satin and taffeta is typically $2.99 a yard and velvet is $7.99 for the cheap stuff and $9.99 for the silk blend!

I was able to score this gorgeous albeit bright taffeta plaid for a mere $1 a YARD!!

Goodwill is great because typically they don't realize that the fabrics they are marking for $2.99 or the like is a silk or brocade or wool or that's it 3-6 yards! 

Score for me! 

I picked up a couple pieces I really liked, this pretty paisley was only .99 cents and it was almost a yard and a half.

You have to choose your 'battles' so I try to really think hard on if I actually 'need' the fabric to finish a project. My sewing sensibilities always tells me to get it!

Me vs Fabric 

Fabric Wins every time! 

Till later !

I'm Alive-- Promise!!

Things have been hectic and although I haven't had time to blog I most definitely have been sewing.

Some things being sewn unsuccessfully others came out pretty spiffy if I do say so myself. 

I shall post a actual real blog post soon.

I just have to get pictures of all the stuff I've made lately!

Besides the year is almost over and I need to plan for next year!

For example:

CoCo 15 ......  YAY!!!!

AZ Renaissance Faire

And hopefully a couple other events...

We shall see :) 

In the mean time I will leave you with this pretty dress. I'm really loving the late 1890's look right now!

What say you ?

Yay or Nay ??

An Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge Completed!!! Yellow ...

My apologies for the delay and lapse in posts.

Business has picked up for custom girls dresses...

I finally completed (over a month ago) a challenge from the Dremstress's Historically Sew Fortnightly!

I'm very bad with deadlines at this time in my life, especially if its not 'mandatory'. 

Yet, I saw the challenge posted and kept saying to myself.... 

I have yellow fabric and trims ... 'just do it'!

So I did ! 

Alas, not for myself but for 'lil bit'.

I actually created two dresses. 

Unfortunately, I only have pictures of the sewing process for one :(

The Challenge: Yellow

Fabric: 100% cotton

Pattern: Self drafted

Year: 1850's

Notions: Thread, 4 yellow buttons

How historically accurate is it? The 1850's dress is about 75% historically correct. I have alot of difficulty with the sleeve attachment and placement

Hours to complete: 2 hours

First worn: Just to try on

Total cost: $0 all from my stash

Hand pleated front bodice.

Larger hand pleated back bodice.

Hand gathered skirt waist.

Waist band for skirt, basically made like bias tape.

Pinned bias tape/waist band to skirt and top to bodice (matched seams of skirt to bodice).

Adjusted gathers to fit in each section of skirt and bias tape.

I use a darker color thread to gather so when the pieces are sewed together I can clip the end and pull it through and use the thread again.

Bodice, bias tape/waist band and skirt all attached. 

 Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of the sleeves and how I attached them. It was a trial and error. None of the extant pictures used gave clear pictures of the sleeves and how they were attached. I cut two rectangular pieces and created a sleeve and left enough excess fabric at the top to attach my bias tape along the complete bodice top (sleeve and bodice area).  I then cut away the part of the dress in the arm pit so 'lil bits' arm could fit comfortably. The top hem as mentioned is finished with self made bias tape around the complete bodice top.

``````

To go with her dresses I also made 'lil bit' a petticoat from a bed skirt I purchased for $2 dollars at Goodwill. I initially cut about 24 inches of the skirt for her petticoat. I hand gathered it and sewed it up with grosgrain ribbon for the waist band. 

But when I put the skirt on it seemed very thin and not full enough.

so dismal ehh!

So I cut another 24 inches of skirt material, sewed up the side seams, created a placket in the back, regathered the edge and attached to some double wide bias tape. I added a button and a buttonhole for closure. 

The 2nd Dress........

The Challenge: Yellow

Fabric: linen blend

Pattern: self drafted

Year: 1650's Kirtle

Notions: grommets , thread, yellow ribbon, bias tape to hem edges

How historically accurate is it? 50% (lol)

Hours to complete: 2 hours

First worn: Just to try on

Total cost: $0 all from stash

 

 

 

 

Best picture of 'lil bit' and the only one not blurry... She moves fast! 

My Lil Bit Gets Costumed!

I've made a to do list for my 'lil bit' as well! 

Whether I get to them all who knows...

I do have to say that patterns for infants/toddlers (other than animals & flowers) is rather limited. 

That being said this necessitates that my patterns be self made and or from larger adult patterns I've worked with and have been able to scale down.

So to prepare I've been doing a lot of searching on Pinterest and created a board called Children's Historical Garb

And this is My 'Lil Bit's' Costume To Do List:

• Late Victorian jacket (possibly a matching dress)
  
  

  

  I have several options for black trim but they are packed away! I'll provide an update soon! Gotta work out a pattern...

  
  

  
  

• 
  

  

  Augusta Auctions 1810's Regency Dress

  
  

Such cute inspiration dresses! 

I picked up the above 100% Cotton Prints from Walmart for $2 dollars a yard!!! 

$4 bucks for each of her little dresses! 

Can't beat those prices.. 

 `````````````

As a side point I've also have seen some of the most adorable child's boots ever! 

I don't know if it will be possible to make but these boots are Precious!!

Maybe if I find the leather and a website on shoe making....?

We shall see!

Ta ta till later ....

So I've Been Thinking...

Very early in my costuming and historical clothing obsession I stumbled upon the Victorian Trading Company. My grandma had a subscription to their store and would on occasion order trinkets and do-dads.

Some of their items are purely in the nick nack trinket realm (albeit still expensive) but they every now and then would have a item that I thought was gorgeous or a must have. 

One item that I've been lusting after for some time (from reading historical fiction and non fiction) has been a ladies calling card.

How cool would I be, if when perchance, I happen to meet someone at an event and I handed them not a business card but a calling card! 

Sophistication to the max! 

It would totally be the 'bees knees' the 'cats meow'! 

Lol, I know I'm mixing my eras. 

But 'squee'!!! 

A calling card for Costume College?  

 High Tea

Needlepoint Roses

Either one is lovely.

Calling cards "served a number of social purposes, such as a means of introduction, to further acquaintanceship, to express congratulations or condolences and to provide notices of arrival or departure. Card etiquette had strict rules."

Unlike business cards of today and the way they are used historically particularly in the 18th century those rules sternly governed societies interactions. Business cards are stylized and individualized to the max, with special fonts and pictures. Yet, the high ranking society and trend setters used calling or visiting cards that "reflected simplicity and elegance. Women’s cards measured approximately 2.75 to 3.5 inches wide by 2 to 2.75 inches high. Men’s cards took on a longer, narrower aspect from 3 to 3.4 inches long by 1.25 to 1.5 inches wide." Typically with a simple coat of arms and block or script print.  

One simply did not bring their calling card and wait in the parlor or drawing room, especially if they were relatively unknown to the recipient. They visited in their carriage and had a servant deliver their calling card, if they were especially bold they could deliver the card themselves and 'fold the corner to signify that it was delivered in person'. Typically the receiver could and had the right to take several days to respond to the card, by sending their own card or sending an invitation for tea. 

Either way there were many rules and guidelines to polite society and the use of this handy little slip of paper.

I'm not sure if I could afford Victorian Trading Company on my budget but this is definitely on my list of to-do craftiness! 

Sources:
http://www.americanstationery.com/blog/the-history-of-the-calling-card/

http://www.americanstationery.com/blog/the-history-of-the-calling-card/