Trim Dilemma -- HELP!

I've nearly completed the bodice on my sheer dress. It's turning out really pretty. This is probably the first project I've entirely draped, instead of drafted. I love drafting... draping is quite a change of pace. I haven't decided yet if I like it... it kind of makes me nervous to throw a piece of fabric up on my dress form, add a couple pins, and start cutting away. It's been working alright so far -- I brought the back up a little too far, but it'll be easily fixable with a waist band.

Now, my dilemma... I am scared to death of trim. If you haven't noticed, all of my gowns are fairly simple. No lace... maybe a pintuck here or there... no ruffles. I'm frightened of trimming things wrong, so I just never trim at all. That leaves a very unfinished sort of look -- especially on this glamourous sheer gown! SO! I need your opinion!

This is the original:

I think I've already decided the elbow flounces are too much for me. Too out of my comfort zone. But I definately want to do that band around the yoke -- there's a matching one at about mid-calf on the skirt, too, which I'd love to include. Here's where I need your opinion. Lace trim? Or self-fabric flounces?

The trim has the benefit of being finished and just needing stitched on -- a valid concernt 2 days before the event. And the blue ribbon running through it matches PERFECTLY. However, it's polyester, and more attention getting. A self-fabric flounce matches with the original better... and requires much more work. I couldn't find a tiny edging lace like the original uses when I was at the store yesterday, so I'd have to hem. But it may be worth it... I'm at a total loss and am going to put the bodice aside until I get some feedback! The agony of wanting to be right!

So, PLEASE! Which do you prefer? Fabric, or lace?!

Sheer Dress

I'm at it again: Dress #2 for Civil War reenacting! This time, I'm making a sheer... since it is August and so steamy hot. This is what I plan on remaking:

It's an original found on http://www.thegracefullady.com, in the sheer dress section. It's so, slo lovely. I'm using a pretty blue floral print dear Sarah Jane from Romantic History passed on to me. It may not show off quite as nicely as the polka dots, but I can't resist the pretty yoked look! It seems nice and cool for the summer, too. Now... *sigh* all I have to do is get started. I've GOT to stop procrastinating!

Jacksonville Civil War Event

It's taken me all week, but finally I get to share with you: My very first, in period dress, Civil War event!

I'm so glad I took the time to do everything correctly. It made a huge difference. I saw so many women miserable in polyester dresses and other horridly inaccurate garments that were neither attractive nor comfortable in the 95+ degree heat. My many layers of cotton kept me cool-ish, as long as I was moving or in the shade.

Before I explain everything, I have to give a HUGE thank you to Sarah Jane of Romantic History, who graciously let me borrow her stack of patterns and surprised me with the lovely sunbonnet. I would have been completely lost without you!

The picnic tables became our favorite spot.

I have to tell you a secret... I am a world-class procrastinator. It was a joke between me and my husband (and before him, my roomates) that I would never start a paper more than 24 hours before it was due. That isn't entirely true, but it was true enough to become a stereotype. This dress was no exception. I took my sweet time making the undergarments: a seam here, a hem there, "there's still x days left before the event"... all the way up until Thursday evening when I realized that, wow! The day had almost arrived!

Shaune made it onto the battlefield (He's the 2nd from the wagon, with the leaning gun)...

I fit the lining Thursday evening. I started cutting the fashion fabric Friday at 8:30, only moments after my husband walked out the door for work. From there, I worked like crazy, only pausing when absolutely necessary. The dress involved a ton more hand sewing than I'm used to -- the center front has 15 pair of hooks-and-eyes, which I stitched over the course of a movie (Les Choristes, in French -- my favorite!). By lunchtime, I had a bodice front and back mostly put together and sleeves in progress. Shaune helped me when he came home, and we decided that the sleeves really needed epaulets to make them more interesting... one more project, but a worthwhile one.

But he didn't make it off. Boo :(

Evening found me with a bodice, epaulets attached, and panels cut for the skirt. I sent my hubby to Martial Arts class so I could have another 3 hours of uninterrupted sewing. I think we ate dinner, but I'm not certain. If we did, I certainly didn't stop for long! I gave up around 1am with a completed skirt and a nearly completed bodice. I bound the edges and whipped the two halves together over breakfast. There were still safety pins, but by golly! I was fully dressed by the time we reached the event!

Aren't we a lovely pair? The banjo always draws a crowd.

I'm hooked. I spent the entire event staring at other ladies' gowns, deciding where mine needs finessed and designing my next gown. I believe we'll be camping out at the next event we go to, sometime in August, so a second dress (or at least a second chemise and some more petticoats) is a must. Although, I do believe that next time... I might start at least 2 days before the event :)

Civil War Wardrobe: Building Up Correctly

I'm a classic, textbook perfectionist. There's no point doing something if you're not going to do it right... the first time. So, when we decided to take up Civil War reenacting, I briefly considered shortcuts to getting me dressed. But the more I thought, the more I realized: since I know what's right and how to do it, why not do it right from the very beginning?!

Tada! My very first corset and chemise, proudly displayed by the headless Ellinor. (I would have displayed it myself but 1. the chemise is REALLY short and 2. Hubby's not here to lace me in). There's still a few finishing touches to accomplish but overall I'm THRILLED! Everything's boned with cable ties cut to fit. The front is hook-and-eyes on the underside instead of a busk. To be honest, I think I like corsets. I wore it around the house for a while last night and didn't have to tug at it once. It fits me better than Ellinor because I squish in places that she doesn't :)

My petticoat is cut out and stitched together. I plan on gauging it to the waistband in the car this weekend -- we've got a 12 hour drive to Pittsburgh, PA, to attend my cousin's graduation. We're going with my parents and my 10 year old brother. I've already claimed the back seat of the minivan all to myself so I can spread out my sewing. Privledges of being the oldest kid :)

Now that I've laid a firm foundation (haha... sorry) I can start on the dress -- the best part! For inpiration, I'm looking at this dress here:

I love it! Gathered bodice, little collar, etc etc etc. It's elegant without being overwhelming. The only thing I don't like is the sleeves -- I've never worn big sleeves and they intimidate me. I think I'm going to make narrower sleeves like these dresses here:

Both examples show buttons up the front. I haven't decided yet if I'll do buttons or stick to hook-and-eyes this time. But I do know I'll be putting a pretty bow at the front collar!

I'll have 3 sewing days next week to whip this out. I think I can do it. Here's a teaser on the fabric. I think I'll add a few details with a dusty rose colored ribbon, too, with a white cotton collar and maybe white cuffs, depending on what I'll have time for.

Pittsfield, IL Lincoln Days

This weekend I attended my first Civil War reenactment :)

We didn't dress up this time; we went in our regular 2010 clothing to meet up with our friend's unit and hang around with them for the day to get a better understanding of all that goes on. It was a blast!

Pittsfield is a little teeny tiny town located over by the Illinois River just off I-72, 30 mi west of Jacksonville. But from where the event was located (at the lake), it may as well have been untouched frontier. The lake glistened, the prarie rolled, and the camps were thoroughly convincing (and the cars were hidden out of sight). It was such a pleasant location! Erik, our friend and the leader of the Il. 12th Calvary, told us that at night, you can't see a single light outside the camp. Although we couldn't stay that late, I can only imagine how beautiful it would be. Pittsfield is a fairly small event (according to those who know better and told me so), but can't be matched in terms of beauty of location.

We arrived just in time for the Ladies Tea, where the women all sat under the big tent drinking tea and sewing "quiet dolls" or "heritage dolls," which are made out of a bit of lace and a regular handkerchief. They're beautiful in their simplicity. You gather a head along one side and stitch a bit of lace along the opposite side for the bottom of the skirt. With a little bit of ribbon, you tie around the "body" to make the arms distinct. My camera's dead right now or I'd take a picture of mine. THIS is the kind of toy my children will have.

After that was the battle. I'm not going to lie -- this part bored me. I spent the time reading Mrs. Clark's "Skirting the Issue" instead of paying attention. The Union won. :)

It was a lovely day all around. I feel much more confident about my in-process wardrobe after seeing the WIDE range of accuracy at Pittsfield. Some people took it very seriously. Some showed up in a purchased-off-line Scarlet costume because their husbands are involved. Everyone else was scattered along that wide spectrum. Even if I DO end up in tennis shoes in Jacksonville, I'll fit in just fine.

I'm excited to meet more units in J-ville. Although the 12th Calvary guys were really great, their wives mostly do it for the camping and the companionship while their men play war. They aren't interested in researching civilian life or women's fashions the way that I am. While we'll be with them for at least part of J-ville (the men have been kind enough to outfit Shaune with loaner gear) I don't think this is our "home" group. If any of you are in a unit and will be in Jacksonville, I'd love to meet up with you and your group!

I think I'm hooked :)

A Victory over Joann's Fabrics

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!