So much to do so little time to do it

I’m feeling a bit tired as some deadlines move forward. So I’m going to cut myself some slack and go to my “go to” post subject when I’m tired or having a sewing slump.  Cabinet cards.  I have an English lady that I’m guessing is from the 1890’s judging by her sleeves.

 

I think she has a really lovely face but you almost miss it because of the very severe hair style!  The dress looks like a dark velvet.  She has a nice brooch holding her collar shut.  It looks like cording or a chain is coming from the broach and goes into the bodice.  I’m guessing a watch is on the end of that.

I’ve got quite a collection of cards now and I’ve decided that I want to be more selective in my purchases from now on.  This will likely be one of my last head shots as it really is the dresses that I want to see.  That being said, I did just buy two more head shots but one had an interesting face and the other had this HAT!  But, I get ahead of myself…those will just have to wait until I’m out of sewing projects or out of energy.

Look at this…Monday again

Weekends do go pretty fast don’t they?  Don’t get me wrong.  I like my job and all its little perks.

I’m the only person at work that has the little perk of having Stevie the Wonder Bird relax into my strokes.  Look at how his eyes are starting to close to slits!  Sometimes he relaxes to the point that he can’t hold his head up and he rests his beak on the floor by his feet.

That is a nice perk but the weekends still go to fast.

Some non-Victorian projects

A friend of mine has a table at a craft sale every Christmas and I sometimes help her.  I thought it might be fun to have a few things to sell myself.  If they don’t sell, I’ll donate them to charity.

The good lord knows, we need these things in this country!

I found a nice little antique shop today and scored some new cabinet cards.  I also have a pile of sewing to get to (motivation…why have you forsaken me today?) so hopefully I will have something more Victorian to share with you tomorrow.

HSF challenge 8: UFO

This has been done for a couple of weeks but still within the guidelines of the challenge (which is 6 weeks before the due date).  How refreshing to be done with a ton of wiggle room compared to high pressure last minute sliding in across the finish line or coming in 2 weeks after every one has packed up and left the race track.

I had started the bodice for the bodice challenge but only got as far as the mock up.

The Challenge: 8 UFO

Fabric: silk

Pattern: TV 443

Year: 1861

Notions: lace buttons

How historically accurate is it? probably one of my more accurate because it is real silk and not a fake. I didn’t use an 1860’s sewing machine, my buttons are plastic, the lace is machine-made and I have no idea if that was happening yet. I have no hot clue if my fabric is weaved (wove? woven?-lol) like they did it in the 1860’s so I’ll give it an 85-90%

Hours to complete: I forgot to count. 30?

First worn: not yet. I hope to wear it May 7th for a fashion show. That is if emotional eating doesn’t cause so much weight gain that I grow out of it 

Total cost: about $50

I also finished the hem on my skirt, which I had left undone until I had the hoops finished.

 

Sweet little Granny

A quick post after a long Easter weekend with a headache.  (Insert grumpy face here).  I got a couple of new carte de vistite and today I’ll show you a sweet little Granny.  She is so cute I just want to grab a pot a tea and have a jolly old visit with her!

She looks like she’s be 4 feet tall and kind to boot.  Her dress is interesting.  There appears to be a bustle.  There are some beads at the bottom of the bodice and cuff of the sleeve.  And that hat!  It is loaded with ribbons and lace.   Across the front of the dress there is a fold and the bodice seems a bit too big.  I like to imagine that this is a best dress that stayed safe in the cedar chest until special events call for it to be brought out.  Perhaps she has lost a pound or two in the mean time.

According to this site, the photographer was working in 1892.  Bustles were a feature of the 70’s and 80’s, 10-20 years earlier than this known date.  It would not be unheard of for a woman to have a best dress for 10 or more years if she were not a woman of means.  This would be even more likely the case if she were an older woman like our Granny here.  She would feel more comfortable in the styles of the past and not in what the younger girls were wearing.

 

A new hobby

Oh, yeah, just what I need! A new hobby.  I have stumbled on a new skill while on the internet-needle tatting.  With the aid of a YouTube video, I have managed to pick it up fairly fast and after only 3 failed attempts, I have begun a strip of lace.

 

The start looks a bit wonky but the later bits are looking pretty good.  I’ve read that needle tatting started in the early 20th century so using it on my Victorian dresses would make them less than authentic but then again….all that poly machine-made lace I’ve been using isn’t exactly up to par either.  I’m thinking that it might be my yellow challenge submission.

Possible future project

I’ve been mulling over future projects.  For the art and political projects may be this?

Queen Victoria 1840 John Partridge

It is the velvet that is slowing me down.  The cost could kill me.  Even the cheaper poly stretch velvet (which would be hell to work with) could kill me.