Hello again,

I am going to try to be better at posting this year than last.  WELL,  welcome back.  I am sitting here in my living room looking at a pile of fabric that I am to turn into a Polonaise of the museum that I volunteer for.  My inspiration is no where to be found at the moment.  What is up with that?  It is lovely fabric including a solid red for the skirt, a red print with tan colored cabbage roses, and a coordinating tan for the lining of the Polonaise.  I need some suggestions for decorations the skirt.  I have surfed the web for ideas, but it has left me wanting.  If anyone that reads this has any ideas let me know. 

Here are the patterns that I plan on using.

http://www.trulyvictorian.net/tvxcart/product.php?productid=35&cat=2&page=1





http://www.trulyvictorian.net/tvxcart/product.php?productid=81&cat=2&page=1




I plans to cut out this tomorrow. I will take pictures and keep you up to date.

Green With envy

Sorry for such a long absence.  I have had a busy year.  Well I have made five historical dress for others including two for my self.  Stupidly I did not get full pictures of any of the finished items, but here are some of what I do have.

This is the fabric selection that was made for a friends dress.

This are the patterns that I used.

Truly Victorian

bodice
http://www.trulyvictorian.net/tvxcart/product.php?productid=50&cat=4&page=1

Skirt
With a two toned pleated ruffle at the bottom
http://www.trulyvictorian.net/tvxcart/product.php?productid=45&cat=4&page=1

Over Skirt
Same fabric as the Bodice and skirt.  With a trim rust beads and yellowish gold rust pom poms.
http://www.trulyvictorian.net/tvxcart/product.php?productid=47&cat=4&page=1

This is pic of me make some of the pleats.

There were 240 pleats total

When I finished I was so pleased with this outfit.  I did not get a pic of the finished product.

I also made a straw hat.

Now my friend thought that the dress was to heavy and she removed the second layer of pleats, and redid the over skirt.  It still looks nice, but not what I had originally envisioned. 

Here are a few of my friend in the dress after she "redid" it.  I was disappointed that she was not satisfied with it, I had put a lot of work and love into this outfit and I followed her wishes to the tea.  Oh well not every one can be happy all of the time. 

Well that is all I have for now.  Will be back later with more pic and info on other outfits I have made this year.

Frozen in time

Well I just finished my first polonaise dress.  I love it! 

I had  fun with the hat also.  I got the straw base at Hobby Lobby and reblocked it and added a ribbon.

The Event was a new one the The Old Cowtown Museum.  It was called Frozen in Time.  The day transported back to May 28, 1870.  All who where involved crew, volunteers, and visitors enjoyed a day of a time gone by.  I was Mrs. L.M. Lamb the wife of owner and propietor of the Southern Hotel.  It was a lot of fun.  I am looking forward future days similar to this one. 

This is my niece that came to see me.

This is not all, but most of us.



May projects

Hello all,

I hope life find you well.  I have been busy this month.  I have almost completed my first corset for my self.  I did make a chemises and a very pretty petticoat.  I would a couple more.  I made a modern cotton dress for my nieces high school graduation, which went together quite quickly.  About 2.5 hrs.

I am now working on a polonaise for our frozen in time event over memorial weekend.  I will be portraying a hotel keepers wife.  Fun stuff. 

So my project list for the next three days are:

SUNDAY:
work 12hr 7p-7a
Cut out pattern for polonaise and skirt
Sleep some ; )

Monday
Construct and fit polonaise on Gerti.
Eat, sleep, sew.  Repeat until finish.

Tuesday
EAT, SLEEP, SEW ect.

Wednesday
Sleep
Have a two hour meeting that has two hour travel time.
Work 12 hrs
Work on hat for out fit

Thursday
sleep
work 12 hrs
Make belt

Friday
Finish dress as needed.
Bake two pies, Fry chicken, make scones for breakfast

SLEEEEEPPPPP

Sat:
Have a blast

Well that is my week in a nut shell.  I have great intentions to not procrastinate on projects, but something always comes up and I have to rush to finish.  Oh well! 

I will keep you posted.

Lots of Love

Civil War day dress

Hello,

I am checking in and to say that I am finished with my civil war dress.  We had a great day at the museum with many soliders and so many visitors that we had to turn them away.  It took me about two full days of sewing to complete my dress.  When I started I only had part one of the pattern so after a frantic email to the pattern place I did get the rest of the pattern. 

I made this dress to be a sheer, but the material is more of a semisheer. 

I have it modeled on Gertie, who is my dress form.

I made the belt out of ribbon that matched the trim.  I was inspired by one of my fellow dressmakers off of Sewing Academy website.  I also made the hat.




I had a lot of fun with constuction, but I have several things that I would change.  I plan on taking the skirt and bodice and attach it in a differnt way.

Hope you like it.

~D~

My dress form

Hey all,

It has been a busy month.  I don't know where all of the time has gone.  I still have not completed a single item on my list.  I have all of them started, but none finished.  I have had a great time out at Old Cowtown with the various visitors and such.  We had a volunteer appreciation meeting and I was awarded with the Newest volunteer with the most hours award.  I was so surprised because I have only been doing this from the last of Sept and we close for the winter in early Nov.   

Okay so the first pic of me that you see I don't want it to be horrid so this is me in some of my garb. 

I did get my duct tape dress form finished.  It was fun to do I look awful in the pictures, but here they are.  LOL

Okay I know that I am a big dork....

Now I have to get in gear to finish all of these.....

1.  Bustle dress for a friend.

2.  Corset

3.  Corded petticoat

4.  Fancy petticoat

5.  Corset

6.  Chemises

7.  Drawers, maybe?

8.  Civil war dress.  Started to cut it out the other day , but only had the bottom part of the dress.  The company will be sending me the rest of pattern I hope will be here by tomorrow.

All of these I would like to have finished by April 16th.

I know crazy. 

The only one that I need finish is the dress so I will be fine, I hope.

Here is the dress that I am making for our first official open day at the museum Civil War Day.

The fabric is a pale sheer pink and the trim is a darker Burgundy.  I have the hat finished so I won't have to worry about that.

I will post more pic when I get finished. 

Progress

Hello,

I have not been on here for a while.  I  have made some progress on the corded petticoat.  I am about 3/4 of the way finished.  I have also almost completed a bustle dress for the museum that I volunteer at. 

I have gotten my pattern for my civil war dress, material, trim, my busk, and stays for my new corset. 

I am so excited to get started.  I have a lot to get finished and only about month to get it all finished. 

Wish me luck.

shpgr