Dreaming of sewing projects

Tags

future sewing projects, historical clothing

When I’m not up to my eyeballs in grading papers, I’m usually dreaming/planning my next sewing project. So far, I have three I really want to make.

1. 18th cent jacket

2. Early 1800 morning/day dress

3. Regency half-stays

The fourth and fifth are not as top priority:

4. 18th cent bedgown

5. Regency half-robe

1. Last March I participated in a two day workshop where I and a bunch of other ambitious ladies sewed a historically accurate round gown by hand over two days. It was the highlight of my year and turned me on to hand sewing. You can see my dress on my sewing projects page – it’s the rose worsted wool one. Anyway, after constructing the bodice of that gown, I figured, hey I have this pattern for a jacket. I like jackets. How hard can it be? I also like the way the bodice looks when it is pinned closed. I’m not truly ready for making my own eyelets and sewing little tiny stitches around the holes just so I can lace up my gown front. Plus, if my size changes, it’s easier to re-adjust and just pin in place! This pattern also comes with a stomacher and I’ve decided to make mine reversible. I’ve had all my fabric purchased for at least three years, but other projects have jumped in my way.

2. I’ve made the Regency Day Dress using Reconstructing History’s pattern. Their first pattern was decent, but did not have enough pictures. Somehow, even though at the time I was not an accomplished seamstress (nor am I there now, but I will be soon!) I had difficulty putting in the sleeves. Then, last year at Military History Fest I talked to them at their booth and they gave me the new updated pattern for free!!! That’s my kind of business. I reread the pattern and the way the dress closes is completely different. You can see my first dress on my completed sewing projects page – it’s the sky blue dress. But now I want to make this dress again and again each time with different decorations – trim, embroidery, fabrics – just for the sake of having a larger wardrobe.

3. I don’t have any Regency stays. I normally just wear a regular bra and then the way my dress closes at the bust kind of keeps everything up and in place. It does its job. But to be truly authentic I NEED stays. I desperately want them. I figure, I already own 1880s and 1890s corsets, 18th century stays, so why not add another era? Yes!! I I kind of like the ones I linked at the top. I’d prefer to have a pattern. I’m just super small under bust so I need to custom make it. This is all in preparation for the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. This is the next sister European excursion. My sister has kindly agreed to go with me even though she does not reeanct, but I think I’ve convinced her that she needs a dress to pick up hot reenactor guys.

4. Last year, I randomly found this pattern with instructions for making a bedgown, a loose fitting garment like our modern day bathrobes, and I took some left over muslin and started to lay it out on the living room floor (much to my husband’s dismay. Ha. Sorry dear). I cut out my fabric, pinned my back pleats in place and then never finished it because, oh gee, more projects (like a waistcoat for the husband) took priority. But as any reenactor knows, wearing stays and three layers in summer heat is tiring by the time the public disperses and dinner is laid out. You just want to peel the sweaty layers off. Alas, as I’m not the camp harlot, I can’t really go around in just my shift. Soooo not appropriate. Therefore, I just want to throw on a comfy shirt, so bedgown it is. I know lots of people have whipped these up in a weekend. No prob. I got this.

5. To continue building my Regency wardrobe, I want a half-robe just to add variety. Don’t really need it yet. But it’s a cute style. Also, it would be something in my wardrobe for when I go to Waterloo.

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Less than spectacular morning

Tags

Forensics, illness, school

Today was the first Forensics tournament. After working 7, 12 hour days, I prepared myself for waking up at my usual 5 a.m., but this time, on Sat morning. The alarm sounded and I jumped out of bed, ready for the day. I was not even 20 min into my morning routine when I was suddenly over come with chills, sweats, and near fainting. I had to call in sick for the tournament and thankfully my wonderful assistant coach, who was not planning on attending because of other commitments, rearranged his schedule so the team could still go. I can’t believe that after all our hard work and dedication throughout the week, my body betrayed me. It frustrates me so. I love tournaments. I love them even though they take the majority of the Saturday and a lot of my energy, but being with the kids and watching them succeed, improve, and bond with one another surpasses any caffeine headache I may have by the end of the day. It’s the end of the semester. Exams start on Monday. Could this be my body telling me that I’m overworked? Hmmm.

Home made bird feeder from scraps of fruit.

Tags

bird feeder, home made crafts

I really despise throwing away food. Even more, I despise throwing away food that was expensive that kind of got a little old because it was forgotten about in the bottom of the fruit basket. So after researching home made bird feeders on pinterest I concocted my own as of this morning after making home made oatmeal. I have no idea if the birds will eat it, but I will try anything at least once!!!

I took the apple cores and sliced up an old icky orange that I wasn’t going to eat. I speared it with a wooden kabob skewer. I tied these two together, one above the other, using twine. Then I hung it in the “brambly patch” (as I call it) where all the birds hang out.

My first messenger bag

Tags

bags, Crafts, sewing

I’ve been waiting until after Christmas to post about this because my sister sometimes read this blog and it was her Christmas present that I wanted to share on here. But now the bag is finished and she is using it and loving it!

I decided I would sew a new bag for my sister because the awesome one she bought in Amsterdam was showing a lot of wear and tear and I really wanted to make at least one hand made from scratch item for someone this Christmas. When she visited me in November, I peeked at the construction of her bag/purse. I thought to myself “Yup, I can make that.”

Then, I visited the lovely Joann fabrics (with all the cranky ladies at the cutting table) and spent a good hour debating about several patterned fabrics. I literally sat on the floor in one of the aisles and spread all the fabric out, pairing it up with the solid blue canvas I chose for the bag. I finally had to call my sister and ask her which color combinations she preferred. Bright blue and mustard yellow. No flowers. heh.

For a good three weeks I visualized how to put the bag together. Like all modern day crafty researches, I went to good ol’ pinterest and checked out a bunch on there. I found one (and will post the link later as I can not locate it as I currently write). Then, once I understood how I should cut the fabric pieces and put them together, I went to work. As I teach high school English and coach Forensics, my weekends are my ONLY time to accomplish anything not school-related because I’m exhausted after each school day. Therefore, total, I worked for 3 weekends in a row for a couple hours each day (maybe 2 – 4 hrs?).

Here are some construction photos:

Below, you can see that I made a pattern out of muslin first. (Ignore the terrible cutting job….I squared/evened out my fabric when I cut it on the actual fabric). I did not have a pattern, so I estimated the size based on my body/hip size because my sister and I are about the same size. The front is a bit more square and the back is more of a rectangle.

And the back. The edge is folded over because after I cut the muslin, I realized it was too long.

Next, I cut three rectangular pieces for the two sides and one bottom. You can see the approximate sizing on the cutting board.

The strap was soooo long, I could not fit it all in the picture. But it measures 4″x52″.

Then I sewed all the rectangles together. Just to play it safe, I labeled all of my pieces before sewing them together because I was worried they would get mixed up and moved around on my table and then I did not want to get angry.

I lined it with navy blue linen. The lining is made the same way. However, I did not flip the lining inside out, like I did the bag; I put the wrong side of the lining touching the wrong side of the bag. This was the fussiest part of the whole process. I wanted the seams/corners to meet up. Be careful that the lining is not cut larger than the bag itself. If that happens, just make a simple box pleat. It adds an interesting decorative touch.

I tend to go overboard with pins at first so I have a solid sense of this is how it will be when it is sewn and then I end up removing most later on. I folded down the edge of the “bag” fabric first (pinned it in place) and then I folded back the lining fabric (linen). The sewing on this did not have to be super perfect because it would eventually be covered and reinforced with the outer decorative patterned fabric. Sew the lining around the flap (at top of pic) and on the front only. The sides need to be left open so the strap can be inserted on either side.

This is a view of the inside of the bag with the lining inserted. I added a pocket along the “back” wall of the bag (back of the bag is the side that rests against the body). I had hand dyed wool squares so I pinned them to the lining, sewed down and around each side before I put the lining into the bag.

This is the strap. I lined it the same way I lined the top flap. Fold in both edges of the “outside” fabric.

Then, fold back the lining fabric and pin it on top of the outside fabric. I found that when the husband does not want to assist in the craft/sewing room that painters tape holds down fabric quite well so you can tug/pull on it and it won’t slide all over the work table.

Entire strap fully lined. Quite spiky!!!! Watch out!

Then the decorative patterned fabric is added to the top flap. I wanted the top flap to be quite sturdy so I allowed for more fabric on the outer edge which was then folded over so it reinforced that edge that would constantly be lifted when you access the bag. (It was at this point in the sewing process (close to Christmas break) that I stopped taking pictures because I had to keep going with minimal interruptions. I apologize). But once I measured the patterned fabric, I flipped over the bag and laid the patterned fabric right side to the right side of the back of the bag. I then measured and marked where I wanted the patterned fabric to be connected to the bag on the back. I pinned it and sewed it in place. Once that was attached, I very carefully folded in my fabric. I think I also changed my mind about sewing the lining flap to the bag flap because I did not want it to be too bulky.

Because I wanted the edges to be neatly bound and finished, I folded over the patterned fabric once, and then again.

Lastly, because my machine was not so great at fitting a thicker amount of fabric under the foot, I decided to hand sew it. I’m kind of obsessed with hand sewing as it is. I used my linen thread left over from my reenacting sewing supplies. Linen thread is great because it’s not smooth and it really grips the fabric and holds everything together.

Here is the completely finished bag!!!! I really love it. I added buttons for a decorative touch. You can also kind of see in this picture how the strap is put into the sides between the lining and the outer fabric. I sewed around the strap edge in a square shape and then made a “Z” shape. It’s sturdy.

This was quite a simple sew. I want to make more now with new colors!! My sister adored the bag and her friends have also complimented her on it which makes me feel great!!