Addictions?

Over on the S&S board, there is a hilarious thread going on of ladies confessing their addictions. Most of the the addictives? Fabric and patterns. Maybe you can relate? I will confess that I can. As someone suggested in the thread, companies need to print on their patterns or at the end of the fabric bolt: WARNING: highly addictive! =)

After posting somewhere else of how I really need to cut back on sewing due to music pursuits, I visit Laura's blog to find this perfect winter skirt. =) Don't you just love it?! It's totally "me," and so if I were her size, I'd probably beg her if I could buy it from her. =) Especially considering that the pattern she used is out of print! Now I know what I'll be looking for on ebay and thrift stores. Does anyone have one that they don't want??? =)

Mission Completed

It is always an adventure being in JoAnn Fabrics. Today was no exception. I don't think that I have ever seen it so busy as I did this morning. People up and down isles, excitedly talking of their projects, and "Oh, I need to get buttons!"

Today I walked out with some goodies: a piece of white striped shirting (my mind was thinking in terms of a couple blouses, or a Regency gown to sell), some dark green corduroy with the large "wale" to try out in a winter jumper since we always get the fine stuff. And the biggest purchase of all, ::drumroll:: a quilting frame! I have had my eye on them for quite some time now, and I have had several people recommending the PVC (or is it PCV?) pipe frame. Since they are $100, I always tell myself "no." However, since they were 50% today and I had a 20% off coupon, who could say no? =)

I think I had a very nice shopping experience today, and enough to keep me busy this winter! =)

Oh, I wanted to mention:
I finally got my tatting site back up! It was hosted with our sewing site, and therefore it disappeared when I chose not to renew the domain name. So anyway, I have moved everything over to a blog now, and so do take a look! And btw, I don't have all the designs up yet, and so stay tuned to see more up over there!

One project down, several to go!

You can see more of it here.

General sewing

I haven't been doing a great deal of sewing lately. Lots of stuff to sew, but little inspiration to do it... =)

The aprons that I mentioned awhile ago are still "in cuts" on my table, and so I hope to have them finished and listed on ebay within the next week or two. It depends if I go out of state for violin lessons... Leah gave me a blue/green plaid that will someday be made into a jumper for myself. I have so many jumper patterns that I'm not exactly sure which one to do it in!

And amongst the historical line of things, I STILL have yet to sew up the green velvet spencer jacket (Regency era), a brown twill to make in an Edwardian skirt, and I just bought some ivory silk for a Regency gown. Oh, and I almost forgot the green stripe shirting for the 1850's ensemble that I'm going to attempt to put together. It may not be as "period correct" as I was hoping, but I think it will do for what I'm wearing it for.

I am just about finished with a girls dress from that pattern that I used to make my youngest sister's dress. I wasn't sure which size to use for her, and ended up doing the larger of the two, and so I'll have a girls size 12 to sell, if anyone is interested in it. It is of different fabric, though with a detachable antique collar. It sort of looks like a "Road to Avonlea" style dress.

Ah, just typing this all out overwhelms me! =) Should I set a goal of finishing it all by Near Years Day? I don't think I'll ask for accountability, just in case I can't get it all done...

"There is nothing I love better than a country dance!"

Yesterday I received an invitation for an English Country Dance that would be held down in the Big City, but after having been down there twice this week and half way down there once, I am quite tired of the drive down there.

I guess my reasons for declining would be that:

• It would be another late night


• I have have not started sewing my green Regency spencer jacket (like Lizzie's on the the A&E version) and that would be a must during this time of the year.

Has anyone ever been to an English Country dance, or Regency ball of some kind? I would dearly love to learn how to dance in that fashion (any kind of dance after the 1912 era does not interest me). Does anybody know of websites that might give tips or some such information?

Autumn & Winter apparel

I so appreciated Laura's post on feminine winter wear! If you have time, you would probably enjoy it as well, not to mention get a few inspiring ideas of her skirt sketches! I'd like to make myself a tiered skirt like her drawing. Can anybody recommend a good pattern for one?

I thought I'd come over to my sewing blog to ask:

What do you ladies enjoy wearing during the winter while attempting to be feminine and warm at the same time?

Here at our house, we girls will often wear corduroy or denim jumpers/skirts just because of their thickness and ability to keep one warm. We will wear lighter apparel, but then we will usually wear something on underneath such as sweatpants to keep our legs warm. We often wear sweaters too. Speaking of which, I have found some really nice ones at Kohl's and Christopher & Banks (my favorite place to shop for clothes after fabric shopping) this year. Since where we live, we can have up to 6 months of cool weather and having a nice sweater is, well, just nice. =)

Edited to add: You also might have fun seeing Janna's blog for some feminine hairstyles! She has one up, and I think will be putting more up sometime.

YES!

After doing some online searches, and I finally found what I want for my 1850's ensemble at JoAnn's this afternoon:

This fabric here

I got it for 50% off, and so while paying even THAT much a yard is more than what I like to spend, it is just about as close to what I want. =)

Patterns, patterns, patterns

Well perhaps I spoke to soon in my last post! The string quintet that I am in will be performing a Christmas Oratorio next month, and the players will dress up in historical clothing! My two favorite things combined: music (violin) and historical dress. =) I think it will make for one very delightful evening.

The husband and wife in our quintet do reenactments of at least a couple time periods (Colonial and Civil War are the ones I know of) and so their clothing will be more of the 1860's. But I think I could get away with dressing up for 1850's since a hoopskirt doesn't really appeal to me. =)

It isn't firmly decided, but I think we all were thinking of skirts (with either hoopskirts, or a flouncy and full crinoline), white blouses, and vests. I have a couple 1850's patterns: this one, this one, and this one to work with for the skirt, and then perhaps making a blouse off of the bodice. But then I'd have to find a vest pattern... Is anyone familiar with any?

Right now, I sort of have this look in mind (love the green stripe fabric!!):


But instead of the bodice/jacket, wear a vest in the same fabric of the skirt, with a skirt-blouse-vest look, like this:

At first they mentioned "Victorian Christmas Carolers" and my first thought was "Yuck!" Despite my love for old-fashioned things and historical apparel, I have NOT formed an attachment for 1870's-1880's clothing. But then they said something to the fact of "A Christmas Carol" (written by Charles Dickens in 1843) or Civil War (1860's) style. How fortunate that my newly found love for the 1850's is right in between! =)

Another Romantic Dress

I told Erin the other day that I think it would be fun some day to have a dress from every historical era. A rather ridulous notion, especially considering that I'd have no occasion for wearing them... =)

This 1830's dress was one that I wanted to keep, but I decided to list it on ebay.