News. Some good, some...well...?!

The bad news is that acanthus leaves are, apparently, very hard for me to sculpt. I keep applying some paperclay and working it into something almost entirely un-like an acanthus leaf. (Sigh) Perhaps the 4th or 5th or 18th try will be the charm!

The good, but rather surprising news is that I can sculpt faces! (Who knew?) And even some fairly good hair!





My little man is coming together! In fact he is coming together so well that I couldn't resist sticking some feathers in for a peek.



Nice!

Can't...Resist...! Must...Show Off...Progress!

Still loving the paper clay!

Bit by bit...



It's coming together!

IRCC3-4b: Fan handle in progress...

...Ooooo! that's better!

The plastic wood seems to be providing good framing and structure but it's completely lacking in suitability for fine detail work so after I roughed-in some arms I went looking for an alternative material to use for a sculptural topcoat on my fan handle. I found air-hardening paper clay and I think I'm in love!

IRCC 3 - 4b: The great fan adventure continues...

After roughing in the carving for the handle I cut a groove across the top plate of my handle base and inserted a craft wood oval to provide support for the feathers of my fan and also the fantastic animals which project to the sides.



Since I couldn't find my coping saw, or any of my other, more suitable, saws. I made the grove by working at it a whole lot with a combination of the tools I could find, a drywall saw, chisel and my wonderful hand drills. Really, the proper tools would have made this stage a whole lot easier but, as you can see, it worked!



I glued the craft wood oval into place with ordinary white glue and let it dry overnight.



Then I sized Orsi's original design to the appropriate scale and printed it out so that I would have a reference for the next stage-modeling the figures!

I should probably mention that I have been very tempted to just finish the fan handle at this stage. It is very comfortable to hold and has a lovely shape. All that is needed is some smoothing, sanding, and a cover for the place where the brass ring joins the wood and it would be ready to paint. But it wouldn't be Orsi's fan. :) Thus, I persevere.

Although I cannot find it at present, another period artwork inspired me to try making a feather fan in which one side is white feathers, the other black, and you see the reverse color where the feathers curl over at the tips. Since I've given my handle a central support structure I need to create spaces between that central piece and the outer cover in which to insert my feathers.



I stacked up cut up pieces of a cardboard box and sections of the cardboard core of a paper towel roll until they seemed thick enough and then wrapped them in plastic wrap in the hope that the plastic wood won't adhere.



I tied the assembled spacer to my framing with thread. I hope it will be easy to cut free when the time comes.

Next up: Plastic wood! I started applying the plastic wood at the acorn knob at the bottom of my fan and discovered that it doesn't really mold and model in the way I remember. It is too soft at the start, and cracks and flakes off as it dries as I'm working it. Furthermore, it doesn't really want to adhere to the existing framework. It seems to respond best to repeated tapping and thinner layers so I am going to try roughing in the sculpted shapes I need and adding in depth and detail in layers.

Here is my first pass at side one.



It doesn't look like much right now, but I think it has potential.

Oops!

So I'm happily stitching away at my camicia sleeve and feeling good that I *finally* have the first pass of the pattern done on all the long "seam" edges. You know, thinking that I'm finally going to see some progress and get the full pattern stitched near the top and bottom of each row so I can assemble at least this one sleeve...

I'm working away at the acorns on an edge and I decide to unfold the whole piece a little more so I can see the two sections together and gloat a bit. Gloating about how pretty something is going to be keeps me going :) And this *is* pretty! I feel so clever and talented!...and then...hmm...

Then I realize that I've laid out my pattern in two different directions.

No! I was so careful! That can't be! But yes, most of the edges go one way but the first two, the section with the most stitching done, go the other way. Sigh.

So, I'm trying to put myself into the headspace of 16th century me. Do I take something out? Or do I just keep going.
Remember. Mechanized perfection is not the goal...

Aack!

OK calmer now.




Maybe it's not so bad.

IRCC3 Layer 4b - Fan handle in progress

I too am inspired to make an interpretation based on Lelio Orsi's lovely fan design held in the collection of the British Museum. I'm not much of a carver so I had been thinking about the possibility of sculpting in fimo over a metal wire armature...but it just strikes me as being to flimsy, especially at the attachment points for feathers and a girdle cord.

While pondering, it struck me that the shape of the common craft-wood candleholder strongly echoed the overall outline of the handle section of Orsi's design and I think that as it is actually made of solid wood it could probably endure the rigors of a metal eye bolt so I'm starting with a candle holder as my armature.


I've removed the brass cup which is supposed to protect the wood from candle flames and started shaping the wood by flattening the front and back of the main stem and original foot. I also removed the original cup portion and reshaped the remaining wood to something closer to the acorn/knob shape before the ring on the original design.



Craft basic



My version so far


Orsi's design

My plan is to Frakenstein this basic handle together with some pieces of craft wood, wire and an eyebolt, sculpt on detailing in plastic-wood (and possibly sculpty for the cameos) gild it and attach feathers.

I'll keep you posted. :)

Wow. Sudden IRCC death

1 month gone, 1/4 of the participants gone too. It's kinda dangerous on this island.

On with the embroidery, etc.

Having realized that it will be a very long time before the pieces of my camicia are fully embroidered I have decided to take a new approach. I need the outer edges of each piece to be finished in order to do the assembly work, but the inner parts of the pattern?... Not so much.

Therefore I have decided to partially work the first line of stitching for the embroidery on all the borders-just the part up to the stems where the acorns break off. That will establish the over all pattern and I will be free to work the entire embroidery for a few repeats at the edges, assemble the garment, and work the rest as I have time.

It's still a pretty big project, but I feel a lot less restless knowing I'll be able to start some assembling soon.

iRCC3 layer 4a - Done!

Or as close as makes no difference. :)

I hope to get to the filing and hammering before the challenge ends, but the hairpins are fully wearable so I'm calling it good!

IRCC3 - Accessory One: Hairpins

My embroidering continues but I was feeling a need to have a layer completed during the first month so I woke up today and took out my supplies for the smallest and most useful of my planned projects, hairpins!

Step-By-Step:

Unwind 16 gauge brass wire
Cut into sections measured against a handy paperback novel
Bend in half
Twist into tight loop on end
Bend each leg of hairpin back and forth to make a wavy line (which is modern but will actually HOLD my hair)
Separate decorative acorn brass beads from original chain
Snip off loop at tip of acorn
Slide acorn ornament onto loop at end of bent-wire hairpin and tighten
File cut edges as needed
Hammer legs of pin slightly flat to decrease softness of metal

I'm going to have 15 of these babies!

IRCC3 - Blackwork version 3

OK, half size, single thread, I think I've got it!

IRCC3 - OK, blackwork version 2

I think it's better...but still not quite right. Maybe only 1 thread in the blue silk...

IRCC3 - lowering thoughts and lucky saves

Lucky saves come first:

As you may know, I'm working on the camicia for the challenge. I take it to work with me every day, wrapped up in a very un-period white plastic bag from the fabric store. Then I take it out at lunch and stitch away. Lately I have been noticing just how glaringly incongruous my transportation system is and considering more "plausibly period" alternatives, like wrapping it up in another piece of fabric, but today my silly plastic bag averted DISASTER when the olive oil from the pesto on my sandwich leaked everywhere. Especially all over the bag holding my sewing!

LUCKILY my project emerged unscathed, yay plastic bag! I'm sticking with you, bag. I'm sticking with you.

In other, less pleasant, news:

I have been merrily stitching along on my first band of blackwork...and slowly coming to the conclusion that it is the wrong scale. I deliberately made it so the little band of squares would be the same size as the square openings in my drawn thread work. I though they would compliment each other but I was so wrong! The blue squares totally overshadow the openings and the huge stitches just look childish on the pattern repeats so out it all comes and I try again. Say bye bye, version 1.

IRCC3 - And the drawn thread work is over too!

At least for now. :)

Moving on to the blackwork (in blue in my case)



I am still figuring outthe best path to follow when stitching this pattern but I like it!


and...hemstitching.



One of the interesting things about the new loosened up rule for the pre-commencement handwork in the IRCC has been picking out what is and isn't ornamental and since the hemstitching on the edges will be used to assemble I counted it as forbidden assembly work. Now that the challenge has begun I can legitimately get started and since I want my actual seams to match my drawn thread work bands I will be doing a row of plain hemstiching and a row of square hemstiching on the side edges of each panel.

Whew! That's over!

I've been madly working on many fronts, one of which being feast preparations for our local SCA Barony. We finally finished that project yesterday, it was fabulous, and while I am busy in my head with plans for an even better event next year my hands are back at work on my IRCC3 camicia. I've only got about 18" of plain hem stitching left to do and than I'm moving on to the blackwork!

IRCC3 - Plans for the camicia embroidery

As you may have noticed, the IRCC challenges seem to send me off into an overly ambitious frenzy in which I will attempt nearly anything if I think it will be pretty. This generally ends with my finishing out the challenge period with a new pile of half completed--gorgeous, but only half-completed--projects! I have been looking for an embroidery pattern to work in double running stitch on both sides of my camicia seams and seem to finally have settled on a pattern!

(Just in time too since I only have one and a quarter of the drawn thread work bands to do.)

There are a whole lot of very nice, very elaborate patterns out there which made my heart jump, but I settled on a very pretty simple pattern which may actually be possible for me to complete. Yay for sudden bursts of sense!

IRCC3 Camicia Sleeve #2 - First row of drawn thread work done!

It is possible that I am getting faster at this, which would be quite a relief since I am looking at so much more on the partlet. Speaking of which, while I'm waiting for my Margo's Patterns to get here (and trembling in anticipation) I've been pondering what I want to do with the collar. I don't really care for the netting pattern on the collar of my inspiration piece, nor do I want to go with plain fabric, so I think I'm going to go with more of the same drawn thread pattern....and possibly a macramé edging.

I know, you're most likely thinking 'but you already tried a macramé edging on a veil and got nowhere,' and, well, you'd be right. However I learned a lot in the process and one of those things is that the fabric I was using wasn't suitable for such work. I think this one may be. Since I will have to cut a length of fabric at least 10" deep to make gussets I think I'll make a test swatch from some of the scrap and see what I think. If it works I'll probably use the test for cuffs. (Which would also conveniently solve the question of whether I am going to make loose or cuffed sleeves. Bonus!) I've seen examples of macramé lace on partlet collars in portraits so I know it was done in period too.

And then there is the insertion stitch to join the pieces together. As it turns out, I only had to look a few minutes on Pinterest before I found a pin with the exact stich I was looking for. As I thought, I will have to put in the rows of hem stitch and square hem stitch at the edge of my fabric panels, and then make a WHOLE LOT of stitches to connect the panels together and then join them together into bundles, same as the drawn thread work I've already done. I think if I do it right they will be nearly indistinguishable, at least from a bit of distance. :)

Finally, musings on embroidery...pattern? color? What to do?

Hmm.....

And finally, progress on the IRCC3 layer 1 project

I've finished the three drawn thread bands which break my sleeve in four half-width panels. Well, I mean that I have finished the bands on my first sleeve. yippee! And I've started pulling the threads to repeat the pattern on the second sleeve. Progress is being made!

The Maybee's are going to Turkey!

In my real life my Clarence and I (April) work in Academia and he has just had a paper accepted at a conference in Istanbul this fall. I am so excited for him on a professional level, but for me it means I get to celebrate my birthday in Turkey this year *and* (drumroll) spend about a week poking about the Military Museum studying their tent collection!

I really don't think I could be more excited!

I admit I've also been thinking about doing some shopping, particularly for oyas to use on a late period partlet, but first things first. Time to learn to speak a lot more Turkish. :)

Squee!

Layer 5: Largesse?

I have been musing on the subject of actual physical prizes for IRCC winners, or all the participants. In earlier iterations of the challenge some individuals donated prizes to be given to the winners. Very cool.

I've been thinking it would be wonderful to make something small/easy/related-to-one-of-my-items to share. It wouldn't have to be fancy, but how wonderful to receive a token to remember the challenge by. Especially if it would add to your period authenticity or enable you to complete projects!

Even better, what if several of us did it and the overall winner, or the newbie winner, or all three of the winners, received a box of loot!

I'm thinking the item wouldn't necessisarily need to be worn. It could be an item for a renenactment kit, or a kit to make such an item or a part of a larger costume project.

Some of my ideas:
Pearl drop earrings on gold hoops
A set of handmade buttons (if I made 10 a month there would be 40!)
Embroidered cuffs, possibly with a matching collar
A length of bobbin lace
Tablet woven garters
A handkerchief
A pocket
An apron
A paper flag fan with a space to insert the recepient's device
Finger loop braided cord, possibly tipped with metal aiglets
A needle case
A waxed linen cover to keep bugs out of a container of food
A very plain partlet
Brass pins
A thread winder
The list goes on and on...

What do you think? Good idea?

IRCC3-We're Off!

I know it's silly, but I spent much of yesterday stitching away at the drawn thread work on my camicia sleeve and impatiently waiting for the IRCC3 to get started in the USA so I could finally get to work *for real*.

I have days (probably weeks) of embroidery still to come but it just feels different to know that we are now all working together, and I can work on anything I want!

Woo Hoo!

I've been pondering my four accessories and I'm pretty sure I will make a partlet, veil and feather fan. But what to do for item 4....shoes?

Anyway, good stitching to my fellow IRCC3-ers! I can hardly wait to see what you get up to.

Layer 4 thoughts - Partlet

As I was working on the drawn thread embroidery of my Camicia a few days ago I came upon this glorious outfit courtesy of the Elizabethean Costuming facebook page. As I gazed on in awe I realized that the oversleeves and partlet are most likely/almost certainly draw-thread work, formed in large part by the same pea hole stitch I am using on the camicia!

How, exactly, one would get drawn-thread to work in a series of graduated rings as depicted in the partlet is a mystery to me at this point (if it can even be done!) but the sleeves are simple bands. THAT I can do. Thus my IRCC3 partlett was conceived.




In order to figure out the pattern before attempting to size it up into a partlet I cropped-out a detail of the flattest part of one of the sleeves, blew it up and started counting. On closer examination I feel that while this portrait is not an accurate-to-the-stitch recording of the pattern it does convey the feeling and approximate pattern and proportions well. I read the bunches as being sets of 5 bars taking up the space of 2 1/2 pea hole stitches in width and two pattern heights in depth. Two and 1/2 pea hole stitches are comprised of 5 bars so I feel good that my counting out various sections of the portrait sleeves has worked to establish a plausible pattern. I guess the next step would be to work up a test swatch. :)

Black partlet examples mount up.

And over at Starlight Masquerade we find an unattributed portrait with a third black/dark partlet. I'd call that a pattern.

Now I'm most intrigued by what it may mean. Does it indicate something about the wearer? Is it a portraitists concite? A local fad? Widowhood seems an obvious possibility but there just aren't enough of them to support the idea that it was a common practice. Fascinating...

IRCC3 - About that drawn thread work

I have to say that this stuff takes an incredible amount of time. Possibly the worst part of it is that the earlier steps kinda fool you into thinking it will work up fairly quickly...and then you suddenly discovered that you've done all of 4 inches in the last several hours and the horrible truth sinks in!

The pattern is pretty simple. Centering on the location of my 'seam', I pulled a vertical pattern of pull 2 threads, leave 4 threads, pull 7 threads, leave 4 threads, pull two threads. The outer two edges of are worked in a simple hem stitch in sets of 4 threads. (This is the part which goes quickly.) One of the bands of four threads is worked into sets by bracketing the edges of the square with stitching. (Four sided hemstich. Slower, but still feeling good.) And then the time comes to work the second band into sets while also attaching the ladder-rung-like groupings of threads the stitching has created together into X's. (Pea hole hemstich. Bang! It's three days later and it feels like nothing has been done.)

O.K. I'm doing a bit of exaggerating.

I started out using the linen threads I had removed to do the stitching but since I had already started into the threads removed from the sleeves before I completed the stitching on the body it was clear that there wouldn't be enough to complete the process. Rather than canabalizing the remaining fabric for additional thread, I have switched to cotton thread for the stitching on the sleeves. It doesn't match as well but gives a much cleaner finish and running out is not an issue.



Stitched with the pulled linen warp threads.

IRCC3--I'm in!

And while the counter ticks off the moments until the official start, I thought I'd share a bit of my thoughts so far as I work on the "extensive handwork" (which is allowable early work) on my camicia.

My pattern:

I decided to make the style which is simply assembled lengths of fabric with square gussets in the armpits but with a couple of changes from the plain cotton one I did about 10 years ago. (Which is still going strong, by the way.) Firstly, my new camicia is 100% linen in the body, and very sheer. I plan to embellish it to within an inch of it's life! I also plan to gather the neckline into a band this time, and to edge it with needle lace.

To begin I held the fabric up to my desired height for the finished neckline, measured and decided that I want a camicia that hangs about 36" from the neckline to hem. i then measured from the top pf my shoulder down my arm and decided that my sleeves also need to be about 36" in order to have length for puffings. I will need at least two full widths of fabric (a modern "56") in the body--three would be preferable--in order for the camicia to have the appropriate looseness around my frame. I will need another full width for each sleeve to maintain the appropriate proportions so I started by cutting 4 lengths of fabric.

I next considered the question of loom widths. I did consider cutting my fabric into narrower panels to mimick those available in period. I decided against it mostly because it seems to me that would introduce the weakness of a cut edge at the exact spot the system is meant to take advantage of the strength of a woven one. It seems to me that the system of constructing garments from basic shapes which make full use of the fabric as woven is a brilliant combination of the saving of time, effort and materials, flexibility of fitting, and using materials in such a way that their strengths are taken advantage of and weaknesses minimized. I can't imagine a Sixteenth century seamstress who needed to make a camicia for a woman of my stature cutting 45" wide fabric apart because she was used to a narrower width. I think she'd use what she had and thank her lucky stars for finding it!

That being said, I have noticed that camicie made from modern loom widths often look strangely 'wrong' to my eyes. I believe that is because the practice of embellishment at the seam lines has made the visual rhythm of those seams an integral part of the garment which we strongly notice when missing. Thus, I compromised by using the full width of fabric but introducing bands of embellishment at approximately the locations which would have been seams in period.

I believe that one period approach to my camicia could have been to supplement the traditional four body panels with half-width panels set in at each seam. I have worked my bands of drawn-thread lace at 1/4 and 3/4's the breadth of my panel to approximate the front, back, and four inserted 1/2 breadth pieces of this hypothetical approach. You will have noticed that I still need the side panels...

They are coming. After I finish the drawn-thread embroidery on the sleeves!

OMG, 17th Century polka dots!

Go look. No, really!

http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/402978/portrait-of-a-lady

Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge #11 - Hmmm...A Shift!

Am I being bad? Hmm...I'm really not sure.

I have the materials for my "Peasants and Pioneers" project, but not the inclination so I've started on the project I do have inclination for: Squares, Rectangles and Triangles. I've been thinking for awhile that I wanted to try a highly embellished camicia--from scratch. And as the days wind down to the commencement of the IRCC3 my mind has wandered to embroidery patterns, and needle lace edgings, and the 10 yards of sheer white linen (IL030) I bought when it recently went on sale at fabrics-store.com.

I pondered. And I thought. And I mused, and I pinned. And then I took up my scissors and started cutting!

And now, about 8 1/4 hours into the beyond-the-cutting-phase part of the project I am well on my way to my first completed bit of embellishment. Details will follow later but for now let's just look at my pretty pretty pulled-thread work!

Embellishment challenge update-1880's hat finished

Ah...that's better.


And the details:

The Challenge: 4 - Embellishment

Fabric: 100% silk dupioni, Plaid

Pattern: NA

Year: 1883-85-ish

Notions: straw hat, black cotton lace, purchased floral spray

How historically accurate is it? I'd say medium. I was inspired by a few particular hats but the proportions aren't quite right for the period. I'm having a hard time going for tall rather than round.

Hours to complete: started by shopping at about noon on Saturday, finished at about 9:30 pm on Monday. Maybe around 12?

First worn: Soon, I hope!

Total cost:
$ 2.99 USD for the hat and $3.99 USD for the flowers. All the rest is from the stash.

Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge 4: Embellishment

Phase 1

Purchase cheap costume hat and remove 'embellishment' begin to unweave rear portion.




Phase 2

Re-weave rear portion of hat to shape around read of head/back of neck. Attempt to finish much more nicely than original. I tried being lazy and just re-weaving dry but I was getting too much breakage at the edge so I wet the straw. It was so thin that I just had to run the faucet on it for a bit. I think it's easy to tell which strand was done by each method. :) I also wove the extra bits into the existing crown to cover the four eyelets which had been part of the original design.








Phase 3

Paint the hat.




Phase 4

Line hat and bind outer edge. I lined the hat with leftover scrap silk from the bustle dress I hope the wear the hat with, then realized that committing myself to silk meant that I couldn't edge or trim the bonnet with the polyester ribbons I had been planning on incorporating. They just look too cheap and thick and clunky in comparison! I'm going to have to find something appropriate to introduce on the hat so it doesn't look to matchy-matchy but a good start is to use my plaid fabric in a variety of ways to play up the inherent differences. Thus, the inside of the brim is a band of black surrounding a band or gray, the interior of the hat is a band of stripes surrounding the original plaid, and the edging is a band of alternating black and black and brown stripes. Whew!






Phase 5

Touch up paint on the hat!

Phase 6

Trim. And trim. And trim some more!

When I cut up my scrap fabric to get material for the edge binding I also cut out the straw-and-black striped section I planned to use for trim. I used my new scalloped pinking shears for the very first time and...wow! I have hoards of tiny black cotton lace that has yet to be used on the dress which I think I'll use to trim the edges and give the bows more body. You can't really go wrong with adding more trim to an 1880's hat!

Hmmm, however, you can go wrong by adding too little!




It just looks a little skimpy on the sides...

Historical Sew Fortnightly #3 - 18th Century Blue Linen Stays

The Challenge: #3 - Underneath it All

Fabric: blue linen body, white cotton canvas interlining, white cotton lining

Pattern: adapted from the mantua makers 18th century stays, back in about 2006 when I was clearly a different shape.

Year: mid to later 18th century

Notions: purchased bias tape, twill tape and gros grain ribbon, metal boning

How historically accurate is it? Low to moderate. I was more concerned with getting a smooth line, fast (ha!) so I went with machine stitching and metal boning...however, the eyelets and the binding of the tabs on the bottom edge are all done by hand!

Hours to complete: I just don't track time...at all...but something like a final rush of about 17 hours work at the end of a very long wait. And now it's done!

I have proof!

First worn: February 12, 2013

Total cost: I have no idea of the cost overall but I spent about $4 on ribbon to lace it closed.

To tell you the truth...

I am still not inspired to work in the blue linen corset! I've been plugging away...stitch...watch tv...stitich...read fanfic...stitch...space out...

When you add all the stitching together it is not a whole lot. :) I'll keep plugging away through the weekend and hope for the best. I guess I just don't like binding tabs.

***(two days later)***

The tabs are done! And it only took me, what, eight years to do?!

Isn't she pretty?

Now on to the eyelets. I actually *like* doing eyelets so I am hopefull it won't be another eight years. :)

Working on challenge #3 - Underclothing!

There are just too many tempting possibilities with this challenge. My mind is full of ideas and I want to try them all! clocked stockings, Steampunk combinations, regency corset and/or bodiced petticoat, 1880's corset, Lacy wrapper...but I'm starting with this

The blue linen 18th century stays that went into my UFO pile before I moved away from California back in December of 2006. I just need to bind the last 6 1/2 tabs, make the eyelets, add laces and I'll be done! Done. I like the sound of that. It occurs to me that I probably have enough in my UFO collection to have a project for all 26 of the challenges. Maybe I should see what else I can get finished!

Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge #2-UFO

My handkerchief camisole moved right into being my object for challenge #2 Since it was, indeed, a project I had stalled on!

After waiting another week I gave up on my local store restocking the ribbon-threaded lace I had used on the front of the camisole and purchased some ribbon and tiny lace edging to approximate the feel on the original lace. Since I didn't have enough of the original lace to replicate the front I used two uncut handkerchiefs to make the back panel, buttoning the two sides together at the center back with mother of pearl buttons.

I hand stiched the trim onto both sides of the ribbon to make straps, filled in the underarm area with two rows of the lace, and used the small amount of the original trim I had left on the center-back of camisole between the straps.

The additional supplies cost about $6 so the complete project report is now:


The Challenge: #2 - UFO: Un-Finished Object

Fabric: 4 white cotton men's handkerchiefs

Pattern: adapted due to short supplies from one found on line at http://www.tudorlinks.com/treasury/articles/hancamisoles.html

Year: published 1913

Notions: 6 1/2 yards, ribbon-threaded Cluny lace insertion trim. 1 yard ribbon, 3 yards Cluny lace edging

How historically accurate is it? I think my compromises would likely have been made by a period seamstress facing the same shortage in supplies so...pretty accurate! All seams (aside from the original hankie hems) were hand sewn in order to maximize the effect of the lace and I used cotton thread and real mother of pearl buttons. The only thing I would change is the fiber content of the ribbon.

Hours to complete: I just don't track time...at all...but it was finished by the deadline!

First worn: Not yet.

Total cost: Approximately $30.00

OK, it's badly in need of ironing, but it's done!

UPDATE!

Then I got on a roll and finally finished up my lobster tail bustle. It only needed the boning channels closed and a couple pairs of ribbon ties at the waist. DONE! No more safety pins!

The Challenge: #2 - UFO: Un-Finished Object

Fabric: A combination a plain and woven "tucked" cotton fabrics pulled from my stash back in October, 2012

Pattern: Truely Victorian's large lobster tail bustle, adjusted for size

Year: Circa 1885

Notions: metal 'hoop skirt" boning from my stash. 1 yard ribbon left over from the camisole project

How historically accurate is it? The pattern is accurate and the technique but the materials...not so much. I happen to have some 'pin tucked' fabric in my stash and used it for the look without the labor.

Hours to complete: About an hour to complete the bits I hadn't done before Teslacon 3.

First worn: November, 2012

Total cost: Approximately $1.00 to complete

Historical Sew Fortnightly Project #1...sorta

The Challenge:

#1: Bi/Tri/Quadri/Quin/Sex/Septi/Octo/Nona/Centennial – due 14 Jan. Sew something from __13, whether it be 1913, 1613, or 13BC


Fabric: 3 men's 100% cotton handkerchiefs

Pattern: The c.1912 handkerchief camisole from Every Woman's Encyclopaedia as published online at: http://www.tudorlinks.com/treasury/articles/hancamisoles.html

Year: 1913

Notions: 6 3/4 yards Cluny lace beading with ribbon(not enough!), white cotton thread.

How historically accurate is it? Pretty dang accurate. I've been following the instructions but used larger men's hankies to adjust the scale of the finished camisole to my size. I'll be setting the straps further in from the side seams--also a size adjustment--and adding more rows of lace to square up the bodice but I am staying true to the shape, style and technique of the original directions.

Hours to complete: I haven't tracked my time , nor finished the project so...unknown

First worn: unknown

Total cost:

About $24 at this point, probably will finish closer to $40.

I need more ribbon to finish it up. Waiting for the local shops to stock something suitable... (Sigh)

Historical Sew Fortnightly challenge #1 - What to Do?

"#1: Bi/Tri/Quadri/Quin/Sex/Septi/Octo/Nona/Centennial – due 14 Jan. Sew something from __13, whether it be 1913, 1613, or 13BC"

It doesn't seem so terribly hard, yet I am stumped for a project for this one. Apparently I am not a 'Teens kind of girl!

Mr C suggested chopines--a truely great idea--but I doubt I could finish them in the allotted two weeks. Hmm...

Maybe it's time to make that gothic fitted dress?