I've gotten myself into quite a project: my husband and I have decided to join those "crazy people" who dress up every weekend in old clothes and sit around playing battle. That's right! I'm so excited we'll be starting Civil war reenacting this June!
Thankfully, we have dear friends patient enough to humor us as we start this adventure. Shaune has a friend who's closet looks more 1860s than 2010s, so he'll be able to borrow gear for the first while. Women's clothes just aren't really like that. They have to, you now, **fit**. However, I DO have a wonderful friend allowing me to use her patterns to get started: Sarah Jane from Romantic History!
At first I was going to make do... make a less-fitted wrapper dress and get around to undergarments when I could. Well, we changed which event would be our first, and I ended up with an extra 2 weeks. 2 extra weeks ought to be enough, if I work diligently, to create appropriate undergarments and a well fitting real dress. Then, I found a chemise in the closet that I had made when we were trying to volunteer out at New Salem. I used Mrs. Clark's free pattern, so it was even correct. One less thing to accomplish!
Here's where I scored my victory. I went to Joann's to get a ridiculous amount of white cotton for my corset and petticoats, as well as a few other things. I get up to the cutting counter and pass the girl my first bolt of fabric (a blue polka dot for a modern dress) and she starts rolling it out. There's a yard and a half more than I originally wanted. I ask her what she's going to do with it. "Oh, probably roll it up and sell it at 50% off as a remnant."
"Will you sell it to ME as a remnant?"
And so she did... 50% off an already clearanced bolt. 3 yards at $3, 1.5 at $1.50. I've been eyeing this print since it first arrived, at $7 a yard. I'm off to a great start.
Then, she started rolling out my white cotton, when we both noticed a spot on the fabric that went all the way through the bolt. She sighed and started rolling it up, mumbling about hoping there was another ok bolt of the same thing back on the shelf. Again, I chimed in, "Well... what are you going to do with THAT bolt?"
"I'll have to mark it as damaged and sell it at 75% off." My heart jumped. Needing as much as I do, that's a HUGE discount.
"Well, I'LL buy it at 75% off..."
Which is how I ended up with 10 yards of white cotton at $0.50 a yard. It's all for underthings... if anyone can see this spot, they're too close to me.
I don't believe in coincidence. It looks like Civil War reenacting (or something else requiring 10 yards of white cotton) is exactly what God has planned for me this summer! I'm so excited to get down to sewing... my corset pattern is all cut out and spread around the floor, and will be my task for today (once I get off this computer). And hopefully, more victories are in store!
4 comments:
How exciting! CW reenacting is fun -- I hope you enjoy it! :)
Amy
Wow, you were certainly blessed! I get so excited what that happens to me at Jo Anns. We go to the Jo Anns in Peoria now, and there is a certain lady who works there who ALWAYS finds a flaw in the fabric, so always gives it to me as damaged - even if it is a tiny spot in 10 yards of muslin! (Yes, I too buy muslin in 10 yard increments!) :) Needless to say I always look out for that certain lady when I go to Jo Anns. I hope all your construction and fitting goes well - please let me know if you have any questions about anything, but knowing how excellent you are at sewing I doubt you will run into any large problems! Happy Corset Making!
I LOVE when things like that happen! And best wishes with the reenacting, too - someday I'd love to get into that, but at the moment it's not possible. As one who has, in her time, bought an entire bolt of white muslin at one blow, I wish we had sweet ladies who found flaws in everything!
Of course you are into re-enacting--it's what all the crazy IL people do for fun. Good for you. It's quite a neat time these people have. I'd love to do it also!
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