I am possibly the most inconsistent blogger...

I can't believe I haven't blogged since the 20s robe de style!

In my defense, I got a new job, then my mother, who had cancer, got worse and passed away, and then my job went full-time.  Not as much time for sewing as I used to have, but thems the breaks!

I made some fun 1830s outfits for a Wives and Daughters weekend in Massachusettes!

Big bonnet, day dress, and evening dress

In 2017 I went to Colonial Williamburg for a Spa Weekend, and some costuming!

Next I made a version of this dress from The Met

Man this dress was HARD to photograph!!  I had such pretty embroidered & sequins

 net fabric and lace, which looked great in person, but didn't really show up in pictures.

Next for fall was The Last Tzar Dinner to commemorate 100 year anniversary of the end of the Romanov dynasty.  I didn't make anything new aside from jewelry, but it was an amazing night!!

In November I attended the Regency Pumpkin Tea, for which I made a new redingote from the Laughing Moon line

For New Years Eve I threw a fancy evening party.  I finally made that 1890s dress from The Met

At the end of January I slowly began working on a winter day dress to wear while giving tours at the museum.  I finished it yesterday!

My new outfit of burgundy cotton velvet, matching poly taffeta, and embroidered net lace (all from Jomar). Patterns: Jacket- McCalls M7732 slightly modified to add boning and cuffs; Chemisette is the boned fitted lining of Butterick B5970 with lace overlay draped by hand until it looked the way I wanted; Skirt is Simplicity 4156 flatlined in taffeta and faced to 8” from the hem with taffeta. A really fun project!

I'm going to Costume College in July, so all sewing from now on is for that!  I have to get CRACKING!

1920s Robe de Style

Laughing Moon patterns came out with a robe de style, and I was SO excited to try it out!  I made a bodiced hoop petti to go under the gown (pattern and instructions included) so I can wear it with others in the future.

So I decided to use Stash fabric for this project.  I had some pretty medium weight silver satin and some dark grey embellished net.

I thought serging the net would be a great way to hem it, and it was until I got to the curved armholes...

Why in tarnations does THAT happen??  I went over it again and again with the same results, but only on a curve.  Oh well, I ended up whip stitching the serge-chain to the net where it didn't catch.

That was pretty much the only hiccup!  Pattern went together like a charm even if I did make it a size too big.  Opps.

I also wanted a hat... a summery lace covered wire style.  I saw many in museum archives and decided to give it a go after beefing up on what to do over at Gina's blog

 I added more wire after I took that photo because even though I covered it with a plain net base before I aded the lace, the fabric drooped through the openings too much.










                                                              There, that's better!

 Here you can see the oval brim shape... wider on the sides and front and narrow at the back.

Even though I was wearing a sleeveless sundress with a hoop keeping the fabric away from my legs, people asked me, "Are you hot in that?"  

Shoes: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H26CPNO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Earrings: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YQBRPWU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Pearl necklace: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/189643834286072000/

Gloves: https://greatlookz.com/3GLFE075.html?CAWELAID=120220650000004656&catargetid=120220650000001108&cadevice=c&gclid=CIGQxsr0os4CFUNZhgodGU8Iuw

Judy found us the sunglasses over at Urban Outfitters last year, and they are no longer available. However, they frequently have great vintage-looking styles, so keep an eye out!

1890s Seaside Dress

This year the theme for my annual Victorian Party was "Seaside".  I told people to be inspired by movies set on boats or beaches, Victorian and Edwardian beach resort postcards, etc.  I was inspired by this fashion plate, which you can find here: https://www.pinterest.com/victoriankat/seaside-yachting-beach-dresses/

I used the Simplicity 4156 and just modified the collar.  The blue stripes on the sleeves felt to "beach ball" for me, so I left those off.

Lesson learned:  I should have cut the skirt and bodice polka dot trim to shape instead of cutting bias strips. Getting the bias strips to go around the curves was super time consuming

But eventually I was done and I loved the way it looked!

I used a white fabric paint pen to add white polka dots to the skirt trim where they went missing in the join after this photo was taken.

I had a REALLY good time!

PBS Teen's era dress

I'm a docent at a local museum, and the local PBS station asked us to host a Downton Abbey styled evening for some of their top supporters.  I made a new dress for this.  Here's my inspiration

My dress:

antique jet buckle from Ebay

I used three patterns:
1)Simplicity 1517 for the underbodice, underskirt and purple sequin net crossed overskirt.  

2)Then I used Simplicity 9699 for the black top-most overskirt, 

3)and Laughing Moon #104 for the black net dolman sleeve overbodice.

Game of Thrones party

Judy and her friend Sarah threw a fantastic Game of Thrones party at Stokesay Castle in Pa.  So fun!

 I made a wrap front gown with long hanging sleeves.  Inspired by a few dresses from the show, and a little "Lwaxana Troi" the extravagantly dressed and over bearing yet lovable mother of Deanna Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation, who was always wearing some outrageously shiny purple dress.

So here I am!

I also made J an outfit that he also wore to the Ren Faire.  I made the shirt, sleeveless jacket, and hat