Music on a Blog

I have never felt that forcing music upon one's readers is very polite, something of an earlier internet page trend. Yet here I am, hypocrite extraordinaire, enforcing my musical choices upon you, my readers. I apologize most fervently, and point you to the "pause" button on the iPod on your left.

This is a rather random assortment of music I am fond of, including many tracks from the Pride and Prejudice movie and The Young Victoria movie, alongside a couple Victorian-American folk tunes.

The two movies are some of my favorites (though the new P&P is nothing to the BBC version of the '80s), with wonderfully romantic stories and exquisite clothing. The Young Victoria, especially, is a figurative feast for the eyes, and I recommend it with no reservations whatsoever to anyone interested in history, historic clothing, architecture, romance, royalty, bittersweet endings, or beautiful music.

I just purchased the e-patterns for a Regency Lady's Closet and Underpinnings from Sense and Sensibility. I know, I know, not exactly the time period I can anticipate reenacting much in Texas (or anywhere in the US for that matter!), but I couldn't help myself. I am simply drawn to the simple lines of the Regency period, the subtle elegance and poised grace recorded in Austen's literature and brought to life in its clothing. I hope to make the interlining of the short stays soon, (convenient built-in mockup!), goodness knows if I'll have time, however!

I finished my drawers on Tuesday night (stayed up way too late to do so!) and was feeling that everything was on schedule. Then I emailed Kay Gnagey, the very nice, and rather well known seamstress who is making my dress, and got an automatic reply "I am not at my computer right now", and I realized that she is probably at an event. Which means she is probably not working on my dress, which I need in about three weeks. Oh my gosh, what am I to do? I'm really worried about this, and have been looking at bodice and skirt patterns online, because I can't go to a reenactment without a dress.

New Clothes, Old Clothes

This weekend I started three new pieces for my slowly growing 1861 wardrobe, finishing two by last night.

On Saturday I made an apron out of some creme and navy plaid cotton. In preparation for the twelve total tucks on my drawers, I made three horizontal tucks on the hem of the apron, giving it a subtle decoration and me practice at making tucks (deceptively simple, just a lot of ironing!)

Here are the first three tucks on the drawers (I was so proud).

Below is the finished hem, with six tucks, pinned and ready to sew into a leg casing!

A video of me getting dressed in all the pieces of wardrobe I have so far is on youtube at this address.  It's a little embarrassing, but I'm hoping to get some constructive, instructive comments. Or none at all, considering that it will probably never be viewed!

This is a doll-sized prototype of the bonnet I made. It's out of card stock, affixed with tape! But I got the idea of how to piece a bonnet to fit the head and lie (mostly) flat.

 This is the final product, made of a stiff plasticky-felt interfacing I got on the cheap at Jo-Ann's, and sewn with dental floss. No, it's not exactly authentic, but once it's covered no one will know! After searching in vain for a pattern or instructions or anything on how to make a early 1860s bonnet, I finally gave up. No way was I prepared to spend upwards of $40 on a bonnet frame. So I drafted this one on my own, and I think it's turned out all right.

If anyone wants instructions or a basic pattern to follow, please leave a comment and I will try to help you! It's not perfect, but it cost me $1.20 and 45 minutes, so it just might be worth it to you ;)

More pictures to come later, after I've finished the drawers.

I'm getting a custom corset and dress. I am surprised at myself, having expected to make them both myself, especially the corset which is one of the most custom-made-necessary items one can put on one's body. However, I now have one month to get ready for Henkel Square, the civilian C.W. reenactment held in Round Top, Texas, and I am simply not a good enough seamstress to make a corset right now, or a dress. The corset is putting me back $100, which I didn't think was too bad, and the dress is going to be $185 (really good for the quality it is). I bought a ready-made dress from "Originals by Kay", but the bodice was not long enough for my extra-long torso, so I had to return it. Kay told me she had more of the fabric, and would make a custom dress for the same price as the ready made. I recommend her to anyone looking for a seamstress. She's really nice, and generous to make this dress for so little. It's a reproduction red calico, which I fell in love with instantly. Will post pictures when I have them!

Bye for now,

Victoria Rose

To my dear reader.

Good afternoon! Since my last post I have applied to eight colleges. Now all that's left to do is send in the mid-year high school report and financial aid forms. Well, at least there're no more essays to write.
I'm writing this in my living room, listening to country music on the radio. I have pretty diverse taste in music, ranging from Jay Z to C.P.E. Bach, Imogen Heap to Taylor Swift, The Beatles to Brahms. There's a very specific mood I have to be in for country. I listen to it most when I'm feeling a need for simple human desires, such as land, love, families, and life. I listen when I'm sad about being single, when I'm wistful for home (the farm), and when I'm thinking about having a family in the future. Of course, I think about these things when listening to other styles of music as well, but Country always hits those points most directly.
Over the next few weeks, I will continuing work on my outfit for Henkel Square. What, you may ask, is Henkel Square? It is a collection of historically refurbished historic buildings that is the location of a civilian Civil War reenactment this February. I am trying my best to be historically accurate with clothing and accessories, but it's becoming difficult as the time dwindles away. I have a month, and I still need a dress! I have faith that all will fall into place, however, so I'm trying not to worry.
I made an apron today out of navy and cream plaid. It took quite a few hours, so I need to work on my efficiency I think. Tomorrow I am hoping to tackle the drawers, having now had experience making ornamental tucks.
Now it is much too late to be awake. Adieu, mes amis, adieu!

Good evening, my dear reader:

I realize that this is crass and ill-bred, double posting to my blog on one day, however I am willing to sacrifice my good standing for a little let-loose.

Chemise is now fully gathered and edged, but just pinned in place. I still have to adjust the gathering around the neckline, as it is making a weird squarish line on the right side. I also have to hem the thing and add lace to the sleeve edges. Then it'll be DONE! My very first sewing project, drafted and completed by hand. Next I'm due to make some drawers, then a corset. I'm deathly afraid of the corset, and might not go through with it till sometime this summer. We'll have to see. The problem is that my summer is seeming to shrink before my very eyes. First week of June is Firebird production week. Second week is either Victorian ball with some friends at school or senior trip with Sue-Sue and Morgan and Nicki. Third week is family reunion (Dad's side) in California. Fourth week is (ostensibly) the beginning of my volunteer work at the Elissa in Galveston. Unless something else comes up. This is highly irritating to me, as I really wanted to spend at least a month at the Elissa, an 1877 iron-hulled barque, tall sailing ship. But it's not looking like I'll get that much time. I mean, I'm delighted to go to Europe, if Mom actually gets us there. Thrilled, excited, ecstatic. However, I've wanted to volunteer at the ship for many years, and this summer is the first time I'd actually be able to.

My piano lesson today was good, though the weekly embarrassment of not having practiced nearly enough is getting quite old. As in eight months old. But I oughtn't complain; it is, after all, completely and altogether my own fault. If I would just practice... but c'est la vie. C'est la mon vie.

Now I am finishing my college applications. YUCK. Good night, and good luck [to me].

Good morning, my dear reader.

I hope this post finds you well. Though we are in a most unfortunate financial squeeze, we are all greatful, I am sure, of the little things in life, such as life itself, that are more important than our funds. To give an example, I point you toward the recent headlines of the "Almost" Christmas day terrorist attack. For lack of a better phrase, I say we "got lucky." We might, today, be still in mourning for the loss of so many people upon that plane, if it was not for our good fortune and God's grace. To make another example of a current catastrophe, examine, if you will, the overwhelming headline of yesterday's news. The nation of Haiti's recent suffering and extreme conditions due to the late earthquake that struck this impoverished people is a most blunt reminder of the perishable nature of the human body. I do not suggest rejoicing that it wasn't America that suffered this blow, as any day we might face a similar fate in California. However, to be thankful for one's avoidance of misfortune is no sin, and as we mourn for those unfortunate souls in Haiti, we can and should at the same instance recognize our luck at having all our family and friends known to be alive and well.

But I have preached too long! They oughtn't let me near a soapbox, as I might never get down off it.

I am in the process of sewing my own chemise, by hand. It has introduced me to the world of clothing creation, and I hope to follow up with a pair of drawers, and corset, crinoline, two petticoats, a bodice, and a skirt. These all being from the mid-Victorian era, my favorite of all the eras of dressing, and part of the reason for this "blog" I have set up. I intend to finish this chemise by hand, to have one garment done in such a way as to make me aware of the extant to which women worked to create their garb, and then do the rest of this ensemble on the "machine", to save time and sanity.

On this chemise I am dreading above all the hemming. 60 inches of hem, double cuffed and ironed into place. I shudder now at just the thought. Still, I do find the exercise of stitching to be calming, especially on the long runs where you needn't think too much and can let your mind wander. I drafted the chemise pattern based on instructions found online. But I messed up the back and will have to take out a long flat felled seam to right my error. Ah well, I am learning from this endeavor, more than I ever would have imagined!