We braved the beach crowds on the 4th to have some nom seafood from The Old Oregon Smokehouse (chowder, crab cakes and shrimp cocktail for the win!), and to let the boy play in the biggest sandbox ever. He was thrilled with the beach.
And here’s a final teaser on the now complete bonnet. I have a new bonnet and it wasn’t finished last minute!!
Category Archives: Regency
Road trips
The nice thing about road trips (we went to the beach on the 4th) is that I get to work on something creative. I have finished my bonnet excepting for adding this lovely antique lace I found a couple months ago with Nora. I am thrilled to get a new bonnet in time for the upcoming Pittock Mansion picnic!
Bonnet progress
New projects on the horizon
I’ve had many projects going, both physically, and mentally. I think it must be a combination of the weather, and the exhaustion of growing a baby. I am reluctant to leave the comforts of my cozy home and would much rather, say, learn crochet, or teach a friend to make ruffles, both of which I’m doing.
I am what is called an animator for a group of Jr Youth (12-14 year olds) and we have embarked on the joys of loom knitting. They seem to be enjoying it, and I enjoy teaching them the skill. I hope to build up their confidence in it enough to convince them to join in the next knitting for homeless event, as one of the purposes of the group is to help them find ways that they can find joy in helping others.
I’ve made a couple skirts to accommodate my changing figure, the easiest of which is drawstring. I had fun working with the stretchy material for the printed skirt; I know folks have difficulty working with stretch knit, but I seem to work fine with it, which makes me happy as I will be chopping the top off of a couple pairs of jeans to add a stretch panel to those.
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A full length skirt with a stretchy panel to accomodate the belly |
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Close up of the fabric |
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This one is going to my friend Analeigh, as she like quirky things. Which it certainly is. |
Oh what a list!
It really didn’t take me that long, per se, I just didn’t work on it straight through, taking breaks from sewing as that seems to be all I do in my free time lately. Even though that can’t possibly be true… But it will be soon. Miss Nora has reminded us that there are just over 60 days left until the Regency Retreat, and the following list I have for what I need clothing wise seems a bit daunting.
2 corsets – need 1
4-6 pair stockings – need 3-5
Apron
3 white petticoats – need 1
1 black under dress – need to finish trim
1 ball dress – need to redo sleeves
2 evening dresses; grey silk and purple sheer
4 day dresses – finish pink, need 3 more
Gloves, blue and white
Slippers
Boots – need to make new ones for Nora and I
Dress shoes – would be nice to have another pair
Reddingcoat
Parasol
2 mob caps – need 2
4 bonnets – need 2?
1 fishu – need 1
2 nightgowns – need 1 maybe
1 dressing robe – need 1
Shawls
- to finish altering the pink day dress I wore on the ship in Albany; I’m changing it into a wrap around
- to finish the trim on the black dress (yes I know, this should have been done directly after the haunted summer eve, but what can ya do?)
- take Nora’s advice and get my short corset made up, since we will be sitting around a great deal at the retreat and really a short corset will be most comfortable.
- Alter my ball gown to change out the white poly for some white silk, fix the weird puckering issue (that probably only I can see) on the bodice, and replace the pearls on the outer sleeve. This dress was done a while ago, not sure if I have pix up of it, so when I start that redo I will post before and afters. I’ll probably do that for all of the redos.
- Make my green day dress, not sure what pattern to use yet…
- I’m assuming by this point we’ll have successfully turned out a Turkey red, so I can make my red day dress in the style of an extant gown I’ll post pix of at that time.
- All the underthings, maybe I can just whip em all out in a couple days since they’re not too complicated…
- The shoes!! Oh and I must must must make a viable pattern for the shoes and boots as I will be teaching a workshop on making them at the retreat.
- Dressing robe. I’ll probably need to make this pattern up at some point. I see viewing a bunch of regency era movies for ideas in my future.
- Mobcaps and fischu
- And lastly, if I have time and the inclination, another nightgown and more bonnets. I will however be making some of Stephanie’s new bonnet patterns at the retreat, so maybe it will be ok if I don’t have time for this now.
- Hmmm, feels slightly better to get that planed out. But the 60 days seems very short at this point too.
Onward and sew!!
-Charlotte
More Drawstring progress
more than I’d like to admit – it’s not that I put them on the wrong side, I
Drawstring gown
Time to start a new Regency gown. I have this lovely black linen stripe that I will wear this weekend to an event hosted by Le Bon Ton.
I started out thinking that maybe I would make another bibfront, since I now like it much better with my new long stay underneath giving me the proper shape. But, like I’ve stated previously, I’m still not sure about this design. I almost feel like it’s the Regency version of overalls, and frankly, overalls are no one’s friend… See why one should wear a petticoat ladies? Muslin is rather see through.
So, the mental debate rages on. I’ve attempted the drawstring previously, and failed to make one I particularly like. Nora has given me a few tips that give me hope and so I am altering a patten from two that I currently like. The back of my new purple sheer… (This is just showing my alterations of the original Janet Arnold pattern.)
And the front of my bodiced petticoat.
So far, so good.
I’ve actually gotten a bit further than this stage, but have failed to take pictures yet. Have I mentioned how much I love this fabric? The stripes are subtle yet give it visual interest. I have the notion to add box pleat ruffles around the sleeve and neck line. We’ll see if I have time. After the event this weekend, It will make a nice under dress for sheers to go over as black was not an oft used color unless one was mourning, or (gasp!) worked for a living.
Cheers,
Charlotte