NFE Sailor Dress: Planning Stage

Ah finally!!  To be planning something to wear!  At the end of March, I have a mini fashion show that I will be putting on with my Mama ("6 Dresses in 60 Minutes") and I am in need of a dress from the Natural Form Era.  Since one of my costuming goals is to create a sailor dress from every silhouette era, why not kill two birds with one stone!  Hence the NFE Sailor!!!

Queen Alexandra is my all time favorite "days of old" royals (followed by Queen Maud of Norway, Empress Alexandra of Russia and Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain).  She was beautiful and had the best dresses and jewelry.  From the accounts I have read about her, she was lovely, gracious, and everyone knows that she put up with her husband's many, many mistresses, even inviting one of them to Kind Edward's death bed.  I have a Pinterest board dedicated to her that is filled with images of her loveliness, so I think it only fitting that my Sailor Dress for the Natural Form Era be one recreated from one that she wore!

 Source:  The Imperial Court Tumblr

(This image has been really hard to source, so I will credit the image to the Tumblr with the most information about it...I will continue to try find the first source.)

Here is also a link to the dress that has been color tinted!!!

Color tinted image of Queen Alexandra in NFE Sailor Dress

Years ago when I was living in Robie Creek, Idaho, I did a lot of research into Queen Alexandra.  At the time, the theme for the SASS Convention was Masquerade Ball and I had it in my mind that I could be Queen Alexandra in a court gown (see image below). I came across Alexandra when she was still a Princess wearing a fabulous sailor dress.  I downloaded the image thinking I would some day make the dress.....fast forward to 2016...almost 10 years later!!

Source:  Alexander Palace Forum

I laugh at myself now thinking I could even begin to recreate this magnificent dress way back then.  Ah well, my sights were pretty high weren't they?  Le Sigh...she is so beautiful!

I have since found this image of the same dress Queen Alexandra is wearing but in reverse colors!  Happily, it is a full length version of the dress so I can see how the hem is decorated!

So many of the NFE dress images for sailor dresses are fluffy and have lots of swags, puffs, lace etc.  To me, a sailor dress needs to be crisp and have clean lines.  This dress totally fits the bill!!

Source:  Antique Royals Tumblr

Back view of the fabulous dress.  I usually have a really hard time with the collars for my sailor dresses, but this one is going to be a cinch!  It looks like just an over the head, detached collar!! Huzzah!!  I even have the pattern!!!

I will have to do some research into pleated skirts because I have never done one, but the rest of the dress should be easy peasy!!  I plan on using the Truly Victorian TV 423 Two Tone Bodice for the bodice.  The apron and underskirt, I will have to put some thought into.  I have some white silk in my stash and will be seeing if the fabric store has some stripe fabric!!!

I am so excited about this project!  Another sailor to check off my to do list!

Have a most wonderful day and a fabulous weekend my friends!!

Blessings!

g

Christmas Separates Fabrics Update...

I am so thrilled!!!  One could possibly say I am "Pleased as punch"!!!  I have been getting things together for my 1950s Christmas Separates project and have been stuck on the polka dot print fabric.  I literally looked all over the valley (except a quilting store in Nampa I think) and came up with zero white with gold polka dot fabric.  There was something that perhaps may have worked at one of my favorite quilt stores, but it was $11.99 a yard and I was wanting 2 yards.  That currently is way out of my costuming budget.  I considered some of their white with black polka dot fabric that was a little less and was thinking that maybe 1.5 yards would be ok, but was still uneasy about the cost.  I toyed around with maybe making my own white with gold using white cotton and gold paint.  Wishing to keep my sanity and most of my hair, I quickly dismissed that notion.  

I did find some pretty wonderful white with gold polka dot fabric online... Michael Miller glitz metallic quarter dot.  But again, the price caused me to hesitate.  That and the fact that ordering fabric online causes me to break out in hives.  So back to the search.  

On my way home from a dress up event last night, I decided on a lark to stop by one of my local Wal-Marts just to see what they had.  I just almost shrieked with joy (nope, I most certainly did shriek with joy scaring the fabric lady) when I saw the white with gold polka dot fabric below.  I quickly scanned the surrounding fabrics to see if they had any bigger dots, but no they didn't.  I said to myself, "That's ok...we will see if they have any white with black dots."  They did!!!  Not the 3/4" sized dots, but the end of a pencil eraser size, and in a more usual polka dot pattern.  I took both to the cut counter along with a red cotton that looked similar to the shade of my silk.  I went and got a roll of 3" wide ribbon to emulate a sash and laid both polka dot fabrics down, then the red fabric then the ribbon where the dots and red met to simulate the outfit.  

I did not like how the white with black polka dots looked at all.  This made me ridiculously happy that I hadn't spent the over $20.00 on the quilt store fabric!!  I was very surprised however, to see that the white with gold polka dot fabric looked exceedingly well with the black "sash" and red "skirt".  

HUZZAH!!!!!!!

Now do you want to know the best thing?  It was $5.44 a yard and I had my JoAnn's coupon for 60% off any item with me.  This brought the grand total of my white with gold polka dot fabric to $5.45 for the two yards I was wanting in the first place!!!!!!!!!!  Oh was I thrilled as I walked to the car with my very fine cotton fabric!!!

I did have a little moment of panic when I looked at the inspiration and remembered that the dots are in your typical polka dot "pattern".  But, I am beginning to allow myself the freedom to NOT BE 100% PERFECT when it comes to recreating things.  Plus, I remembered that Lily of Mode de Lis made a deliriously adorable dress with polka dots that are in a random pattern, it's her Gold Dotty Birthday Dress.  If Lily (who is an incredible vintage dress maker and wearer) can do it, then I totally can!!!  Plus, I found extant examples of asymmetrical polka dots here and here.

I took some pictures of the fabrics together using my phone and of course the color of the dots isn't as crisp in the photos as it is in person, but you can see how the two fabrics will look together! 

Christmas Tree Outfit #1

Fabulous gold dots all spaztically arrayed on the fabric.  Sort of like me!  Spaztic!!

Source:  No Excus

Christmas Tree Outfit #2

For #2's dress, I needed a black fabric for the sweet little blouse the inspiration is wearing.  I have had in my stash for a very long time a black plaid in raw silk.  I was going to use it for a Regency half mourning dress, but "need" this black now so will use it.  Hopefully there will be enough left over, but since they really didn't use raw silk in the Regency era (or so I have read), I may need to find something else!

I found the raw silk at a local thrift store!  There is quite a bit of it!

Source:  Etsy

The Coat and Its Lining

For the lining of the coat, I have decided to use a fabric that was earmarked for an 1890s dress.  However, since I am making this outfit right now, and have no idea when I will be making the 1890s dress, I am going to use it for this project.  Going with the black and red theme, I think it will be perfect!  

PLUS!!!  I am going to make a black and white gingham dress like the inspiration below to wear with the coat!!

Lining for coat!  Too fun and from the stash!

Source:  The Nifty Fifties

OHMYHEAVENS!!!!  Isn't this outfit the most adorable thing ever?  Ok, maybe not THE most adorable thing ever, but it is still pretty adorable!  I think it will look pretty spiffy in black and red!!!

Ok, so now I am just waiting for the Vogue coat pattern to get here so I can see if I can get all the red silk pieces out of it...kind of skeptical about fitting the bolero onto it (pray that I can!!!).  This weekend is pretty packed, so will more than likely start this whole project next Monday!  I'm totally chomping at the bit here folks!!!

Have a wonderfully blessed weekend my friends!

g

1950s Christmas Separates!!

It all started very much like many of my sewing projects.  I was perusing Pinterest, trying to get some inspiration for the fabulous robin's egg blue, navy and brown plaid I had purchased at a thrift store last week.  Totally minding my own business, stressing out over the pattern I would use, did I want to use the plaid for the skirt or the jacket, did I want to use the robin's egg blue linen for the jacket instead?  And would I use the brown or the navy wool with the outfit? Then all of a sudden it was there like a beaming ray of moonlight on a dark winter's night.  The picture.  It screamed at me.  It beckoned me lovingly.  It seduced me with its sweetness.  I was hers and hers alone as I whispered, "Yes my sweet.  I will make you."

Below is the image.

Source:

No Excus

Isn't she just the sweetest outfit?  I am so excited to start this project!!  Yes, I am totally, unabashedly,  willfully, and un-apologetically going to have a squirrel moment!!  I am moving the two 1940s suit projects way out of the way so I can work on The 1950s Christmas Separates Project!!!

I have had in my stash for quite a long time 10 yards of a silk taffeta fabric.  I am thinking it is a mixture of silk and something else because it doesn't hold a pleat or a crease very well at all, but I did a burn test and it is definitely silk (plus it totally smells like silk when I iron it.)  I haven't known what to do with it because of the fact that it can't hold a very good crease, so there it sat waiting for this day and this image.

It is the most gorgeous deep lipstick red color!!!

After I decided to make the above dress, my mind (with the help of Pinterest) went quite literally berzerk.  All of a sudden, my eyes were swimming in all the wonderful things that could and hopefully will be made from this silk....all in the form of separates!!!

There will (hopefully!!!) be made from the above silk:

1) a bodice

2) a pencil skirt

3) a full skirt

4) a coat

and hopefully if I have any fabric left over

5) a bolero

The plan is to of course wear the bodice with both the pencil and full skirt like the inspirations below:

Pencil Skirt Dress

Source: 

Likes Old Clothes Tumblr

Full Skirt Dress

From Etsy.

The above image has off the shoulder, which I won't be doing, but the look on the whole is what I'm shooting for!!!

The Coat

Then there is the coat that I really want to make!!

Source:

Petit Main Sauvage

The dress and outside of the coat will be the red and the inside will be another fabric that is as of yet undetermined....but I LOVE LOVE LOVE this look!!!

Source:  

Modernizor Tumblr

Another coat and pencil dress combo.  

The Bolero

(This will be the last thing to make as I am not quite sure there will be enough fabric left....fingers crossed!!!)

Source:

Flickr

Source:

1st dibs

Black Separates

Now we come to the not red pieces!!!

From Etsy

Super cute black blouse!!!

Source:

No Excus blog

I am so loving the polka dot blouse here!  I am not sure if the spots are gold or black...will have to see if I can't find some gold polka dot fabric!! What fun!

Pieces for later!!

I am really liking the idea of being able to use these pieces for future outfits.  In just 5 minutes of looking for "1950s Red Dresses" I ran across several fun ideas!! 

Source:

Xtabay Vintage Blog

Love the ivory sailor bodice of this dress.  It would look wonderful with the full red skirt!

From Etsy.  A similar skirt would go well with the bodice!

From Etsy...a fun print skirt would again go well with the bodice!!

A super fun large check gingham in red from Reminisce Magazine (Source: Pinterest)

Patterns that will be used

There will be plenty of Frankenpatterning!!!

The Bodice will be from Butterick 5880 

Full skirt from Butterick 5813

Pencil skirt and coat from Vogue 8687.

I am going to wait on the bolero pattern until I am sure that I have enough fabric!  And the blouse patterns are going to be looked into during the next Big 4 sale at JoAnn's!!

I think that is enough on my plate for now!  I am just so excited!!  OOOOH!!!  And I haven't even mentioned the accessories I plan on making!!!

I have some antique ermine tails and rabbit fur from a falling apart vintage coat that I am going to upcycle into a hat and muff!

Would love to add some holly to the hat like the one in this picture!!!

This is going to be so fun!!!  

Be blessed my friends!!

g

1840s Mourning Gown, Planning, and Step 1 Complete!

Another of my "goals" in Historical Dress reproduction is to have a mourning gown from every era from the 1830s to the 1920s.  (this last date may go later, like to the 1950s, we shall see....)  It was going to be that every October I would work on a mourning outfit to wear on All Hallow's Eve and take photos at one of the surrounding cemeteries, but so far, that has only happened every other year or so.

This year, my mourning dress will be of the 1840s persuasion.  After watching many of the Jane Eyre movies (1983, 1996, 1997, 2006, and 2011) I fell in love with the somber look of Jane's clothing and the beauty of her black dresses.  I can't explain why I love this look.  There is just something about the movie, the setting, the clothing, that lends itself to sadness and mourning.

About 5 years ago, Greg and I went to Vancouver, BC and I was in a fabric shop called Dress Sew (if you get to Vancouver, this is a MUST GO shop!!!) and I found some light weight black wool for 9.00 a meter.  I purchased 9 meters thinking I would use it to make an Edwardian mourning dress.  Then I started watching the Jane Eyre movies and my mind was changed for me!

I am going to be sharing my inspirations for the dress, bonnet and underwear in this post along with the completed corset!!

The Dress

Obviously the movies are a great inspiration, but also too are the wonderful dresses that were part of the "Death Becomes Her" exhibit at the MET last October (No I did not go.  Yes, I am still mourning the fact that I didn't.)  The two dresses from the 1840s totally take my breath away with their simple elegance!!!

Source:  The MET

I would totally give my eye teeth for that charcoal on black pashima shawl!!!!

Source:  The MET

I so love how shiny this silk is!!!  It is a gorgeous dress and what I will be patterning my dress after.

So yes, my dress will be second mourning as I don't own a mourning pashima shawl, but have a most gloriously colored one (here is the post about mine.)

I also want to wear a gold tone watch chain and a fabulous antique hair mourning brooch...sooooooooo, second mourning it will be!!

The Bonnet

My lovely friend Kat sent me some real silk crepe a while ago and I have been saving it to make a mourning hat or bonnet.  I found the perfect 1840s bonnet from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.  There is another lovely example from Whitaker Auction site.  I will be using one of Lynn McMaster's patterns for mine!

Source:  Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

LOVE the crepe bands on the bonnet!

The Underthings

For the underwear, I have already made a new corset that is suitable for the 1840s.  After doing some research, I discovered that loop and stud busks weren't used until after the era of my dress so I used a wooden paint stick for my busk.  I did have a lovely "real" wooden busk that I ordered online, but we won't discuss what happened to that one...it has something to do with a jig saw and a splitting in the total wrong direction.

The inspiration for the corset came from several different sources.  Below is the one I attempted to copy to the best of my ability.  It is from The MET.  I love the stays that are placed on the angle.  I haven't gotten to the flossing on mine as my fingers and hands are severely angry with me at present.  Another inspiration is from Abiti Antichi. That one has shoulder straps, but since my shoulders and straps are not good buddies, I am opting for the strapless examples!!!

Source:  The MET

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this corset!  If I were a thief, and if I were to steal something from The MET, this would be one of those things.  Buuuuuut, I'm not a thief and I won't be stealing anything from The MET, so there you have it.

I found this on Pinterest, but can't find where it came from.  It shows closed front corsets from the 1840s.  Huzzah!!!

My 1840s Corset

I have had this on my "to make" list for quite some time, but it really frightened me as it was a two piece with gore pieces pattern.  It is Simplicity 7215.  I did away with the stud and loop busk, placing the front pattern piece on the fold and just placed the boning like it appeared on the original from The MET.  I think it came out rather well!!  Please excuse the differing laces... I don't have one long enough to lace all the way!

And of course Emma is too emaciated to look good wearing my corset.  Poor thing.  I need to fatten her up!

Simplicity 7215

A very lovely corset to put together.  I just had to make the bust and hip gores smaller.  Other than that, it was a breeze!!!

I also plan on making a new corded petticoat (I already have one for the 1830s), one very similar to the very first image on Jennifer's Historical Sewing post on Corded Petticoats.  Also, if you have never made a corded petticoat, would really like to and are intimidated by them, I strongly suggest Jennifer's Corded Petticoat Workbook.  (I am in no way reimbursed for advertising about the workbook...it is just really that fabulous!!!)

I may or may not make a new chemise and drawers for the 1840s outfit before I need to wear it on All Hallow's Eve, but I do know I want to make a new set of first layers!  

Ok, up next?  The corded Petti and 2 new full petticoats!!!

Be blessed my friends!

g

1916 Sailor Dress from Original Pattern!

Earlier this year, I declared on Facebook, that this year, 2015, would be the year of the return to the 1890s.

I think I need to get one thing straight with myself right here and now.  Please, for the love of all that is good and holy....

STOP DECLARING THINGS!!!

Why?  Because, even though these are things that I, MYSELF, declare, there is a part of my very DNA that is obstinate.  Like telling a 2 year old, "DO NOT stomp in that mud puddle!" or "DO NOT touch that thousand dollar vase that your Grandmother has carelessly placed within your reach!"  There is a part of me that, even when I tell myself to not do something or that tells myself, "We WILL do this!" stiffens my neck, digs my feet in and says, "Wanna bet?"

Therefore, I am going to politely ask myself if it is ok if we do such and such and not make demands or declarations!!

That being said, I am going to allow myself to sew whatever blows my skirt up at the time I am planning.  We shall see how this goes.  Knowing my mind and personality, I will probably be paralyzed creatively and won't be able to sew anything without a plan set in motion.

This is where I tell you my plans for making yet another Sailor Dress.  I am sure you have probably grown weary of my making them and talking about them ad nauseam...but as I said above, this is where my skirt is being blown up and this is currently what is making my heart happy.  I have grown tired of sewing against what makes my heart sing, and what I dream about at night.  It makes the whole experience tiresome and difficult to complete, and sort of causes me to resent the whole process.

Enter the 1916 Sailor Dress!!!  TaaaaDAAAAAAAAA!!!!!

Way back, oh about 5 or 6 years ago, a dear friend of mine by the name of Hilda Steiner, gave me a pattern (Hilda Dress blog post from 2011) that she thought I would be able to use.  I have kept it safe in my pattern file cabinet since then, taking it out every so often and petting it and whispering sweet nothings in its ear.  I wanted to wait for something out of this world to use it for/with and while perusing my Pinterest Sailor Suits board the other day, I came across some 1917 dresses that had the sailor dress bent to them and that got me thinking about Hilda's pattern!!  Holy Monkey!!  While waiting for my 1920s middy pattern, I can play around with this pattern!!!  I went to Walmart and low and behold, they had a 100% cotton with a linen like weave to it and I purchased enough to make the 1916 pattern!!

I'm sooooo Heppy!!! (That's Maid Marian from Robin Hood Men in Tights...)

I even found this most fabulous H. & W. Walker catalog of 1916 items on the Winterthur Museum Library site.  Ohmygosh...were my salivary glands working over time!!!

Aren't these delicious dresses???  I really love the one in the upper right hand corner...

Source

The precious pattern that Miss Hilda gifted to me!!!  I can't wait to start on it.  I have the fabric in the washing machine as we type!!

Close-up of the dress....isn't it adorable?

I really like the collar on the blouse in the bottom right hand corner...
Source

Well, there you have it.  My plans for my next outfit.  That reminds me....now I need to make a new, short petticoat....Rats!!!  Oh well!  That's totally ok if it means I can have a 1916 dress!!

Be blessed my friends!!

g

Moving the Parents, Juicing Grapes, Starting School and Planning Galore!!!

Oh my goodness gracious!  Where did August go?  I'll tell you were it went!  GONE!!!  I got back from Coco and it took me about a week to recover.  Pretty sad huh?  Well, it doesn't help that I never ever ever ever NEVER wear heals unless it is for a costuming event and I wore heals at Coco 3 out of the 4 days I was there.  Needless to say, my feet were seriously irritated with me.  Then there was the issue of the horrid humidity that was there and of course the not sleeping well cause I was having too much fun!!  Oh yes, and let us mention that I am getting older and am not a party queen anymore (ok, I was never a party queen...).  I'm just a wimp I guess.  I'm not at all complaining, I had an absolute blast...it just takes me longer to recover than in the past.....

So, after the week of recovery, I was thrown into helping my parents move from their 5 acre farm to a 1 acre place.
There was packing and cleaning and moving and driving and packing and cleaning.  I have decided that I never ever want to move from my house again and that if I do, I will only take my costuming stuff with me!  I am a pro at moving, but this one was pretty intensive!  So, that took up about 3 weeks.

Now we have the first few weeks of school for my boys.  They attend the Homeschool Co-Op at my church so I get them on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  Things have been going pretty well, which is good since this is Colton's first year at home.  

Thhhhhhheeennnnn....this week was the grape juicing saga.  On Monday Greg and I went to our friends' vineyard and picked grapes.  Holy Monkey.  I have never seen so many grapes in my life!!!  They were delicious.  Not concord grapes like I usually get, but delicious juice grapes none the less.  Spent two days de-stemming and juicing and two days canning and processing.  Let's just say I'm about done in.  BUT!!!  I have 54 quarts of grape juice!!  Awesome! 

54 Quarts of grape juice from grapes picked at a wonderful friend's vineyard.  Thank you Ken and Suzanne Comontofski!!  Your Dancin' Hill Vineyard is beyond lovely!!

During this time of work and more work, I have been dreaming about and plotting my next costuming endeavors.  I have decided on some projects that have been in the "to do" file for a while.  I hope to complete these during the rest of this year and the beginning of next year.  First I need to bead the wheat motif that my friend Josie Smith has made onto the black court gown...a little bit fearful of that project, but I have every confidence that it will get done...

Here are the projects I have planned for myself and I will stick to this plan!!!!!

Oh yes, these are in no particular order of preference...

The Ruth DeWitt Bukater Boarding Suit

Ruth DeWitt Bukater's fabulous boarding suit

Source:  Movie Screencaps

This beauty has been all alone and lonely all summer.  I had to put it away when the furor over Costume College took root in my creative brain.  Back to the suit we go!

Regency Era Half Mourning Dress

"Afternoon dress, half mourning, The Gallery of Fashion, May issue 1798

Source:  Locutus Regency Mourning Page

Horrible picture, I apologize...the black check is a lovely raw silk found at...a thrift store!!  I got a lot too.  The white is a cotton voile that I discovered in the incredible LA fabric district!!

This outfit will hopefully be a two piece thingy.  The image looks like it is a one piece thingy...but I will make mine like this:  The white will be an 1790s round gown and the black will be a sleeveless, cross over pelisse of sorts...should prove to be interesting!

Kyoto Museum Red Wool Redingote

Image taken from my Kyoto book

The Kyoto Museum Institute

Pinterest Page

Oh ya.  I am going to make this baby.  I fell in love with it years ago when I purchased the Kyoto book at Barnes and Noble.  I wasn't even interested in making Regency anything, as I was still obsessively in love with the late Victorian era.  But, my tastes have...broadened into other eras and now is the time to make this lovely!  And hello!!!  Soutache trim!!  Or something that looks like it.  

I already have purchased a vintage white rabbit coat for the tippet and muff.  I read in the book after I purchased the coat that the tippet and muff are swan's down.  Well, where the heck do you find swan's down anyways, so I'm ok with recycling the coat!

Ack!!  Horrible coloring!  The real color is a much deeper, lovely shade than this.  This is WOW in your face lipstick red.  The real wool is very much like the color of the original.  The verdict is still out on this project anyways.  I only have a little bit over 3 yards of this 60" wool, so may not have enough.  I have laid out the pattern pieces and things look positive as of right now....keep your fingers crossed!

Romantic Era Archery Dress

"Archery Dress, 1831 United Kingdom, La Belle Assemblee

Source:  Old Rags Tumblr

Oh my holy goodhonks!!!  Would you look at that loveliness!!!  Again, waaaaaay back when I wasn't even interested in anything Romantic Era, I fell in love with the white and periwinkle dress.  The color is just so fabulous and of course the ridiculousness of the 30s is just too fun!  My only concern with this project is where to find periwinkle 30s shoes....hhhhmmmmmm......  Oh and did you see that fabulous hat?  Yaaaaa...this will be a fun project!!

Horrible color again, but the periwinkle is pretty spot on.  The silks came from the LA Fabric District!  Thank you Emily and Josie Smith and Tracy Gomez for helping me judge the blue with the fashon plate!  You ladies rock!!!

Romantic Era Fluffy Dress

Picture from my Kyoto book

The Kyoto Costume Institute

Another example of a fabulous floral dress from the FIDM Facebook group

More floral dresses from Revisiting the Romantic Era blog

I also love this dress from the V&A Museum

Ever since I watched Cranford a couple of years ago, I have loved the sweet, fluffy, ethereal looking dresses of the Romantic Era.  The sweet prints on the fabrics, the lace caps and huge pereline collars.  I just never had a place to wear it.  Well, I have kind of grown up in that particular area and have decided that I don't need a place to wear a dress that I really long to make.  I am just going to make it and wear it where I wish!!!

Fabulous cotton print found at...of all places...Walmart!  I love it!  The colors are soooo me!  I know it isn't 100% era correct, but from studying extant dresses, it's pretty darned close!  I can't wait to get started on this project!!  Fluffy dress and silly hat here I come!

1840s Morning Dress

1840-1845 Morning Dress

Source:  The MET

I have grown to love the dresses from the 1840s thanks to the various Jane Eyre movies I have watched (2011,1996, and 2006).  I love the dresses Jane wears.  They look so clean, crisp and simply elegant.  And of course, I got great inspiration from Natalie of Frolicking Frocks.  Take a look at her so fabulous brown wool dress!  I LOVE it!!! 

Oh, and did I mention that I will "have" to make a set of 1840s stays and new corded petticoat to go with this outfit!?  Well, yes I will....there I just mentioned it!  hahahahahahahaha!!!!

Wonderful stripe and floral cotton fabric.  I was on the look out for a squiggley red and ivory fabric and came across this print and fell in love!  I think this will make a really lovely 1840s dress!

1850s or Edwardian Wool Mourning Dress

(Gaaaaaah!!!  I HATE decision making!!!)

Old Rage Tumblr from The Mode Museum

Now here is the tough part...trying to decide what to do with some great black wool I have.  Do I make an 1850s mouring dress or an Edwardian dress?  I just don't know.  When the time comes, I may do a poll of the followers of this blog.  I've never done a thing such as this, but it may prove to be fun!

This is the fabulous Edwaridan Era mouring dress from Present Posse....I just cannot decide

Black wool acquired on a trip to Vancouver, BC. It is really nice and thin and not at all uber thick.  

Teens Era Hat and Coat

Source:  Art Freebies

I WILL make this wonerfully ridiculour, silly, over the top hat.  It is what drew me to the image in the first place.  Still working out how it will be made...

Grrrrrr-ness once again on the inability of my camera to capture the true color of my fabrics.  The burgundy/plum color of the velvet looks very much like the image.  The pale blue linen and that faaaaaabulous ribbon tape trim was found once again at the LA fabric district...I think I need a worm hole to that place...then again, I would financially ruin my family if there were one.

First Bustle Era Spring Lawn Party Gown

The Ornamented Being Tumblr

Stunning first bustle era dress.  I love the look and feel of this whole dress!  I "need" a first era bustle dress because there is a huge gap in my dress collection...from 1863 to the NFE era.  This next year will see this issue solved!  But then I will also have to make a new bustle for this era as well.  Grrrrrrr.....

Delicious silks for the bustle dress.  I have had the embroidered dupioni for about 2 years and found the solid silk online for stupid inexpensive!  Yay for sales on silk!!!! 

Ok, well, there is my list of things that are on the "to be made" table.  It's like if I "say" it outloud on this blog, I will have to make the things because someone out there read it.  Right???!!!! I am hoping that this will help me to stick with what I want to make now and help me not be tempted in the future...I may have to give up Pinterest for a couple of months.  Never mind.  My heart was starting to palpitate and my head start to pound at the mere thought of it.

I guess I will just have to....

STICK WITH THE THINGS ON THIS PAGE!!!!

Well, this does not in any way affect what will be made for Coco next year.....BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

Be blessed my friends!

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