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Showing posts from December, 2014

Ball and Battle of Trenton

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And a finished stripey dress! Sort of finished, anyway. I knew I wouldn't have time to do all the trimmings I want on it before the first wearing, but that's all right. Still a lot of fun to wear! Yesterday I and a few friends went to a Colonial Ball in Trenton, and today to the Battle of Trenton reenactment. We were very lucky to have (relatively) warm, sunny weather for the battle! I don't need any more middling-class wear (at the moment...) so today's outfit was a rewear, but I did get a bee in my bonnet to make a new anglaise out of my $4/yd silk taffeta! You see, I have plenty of middling-class things, and my 1780s dresses, and my pink sack gown, but nothing to dance in, you know? Not that I did a terrible lot of dancing (I'm very bad at it), but it's the principle of the thing. And I wanted something short enough to keep clear of my shoes...

Another stripey dress

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Just a very quick quickie post to say I'm working on a new dress for the event I'm going to the day after Christmas. There's a Colonial Ball in Trenton, NJ, and as it's cheap I kind of couldn't resist. I am always of the opinion we don't do enough 18thc stuff! The Battle of Trenton reenactment is the day after, and I'm going to that too, but don't need anything new for it (since I did just make that wool jacket for the last 18thc thing I went to...). I'm further along than this pic, but it gives you an idea of where I'm going! And the fabric. Don't know that I'll have time to do all the trimming I'd like, but I'm happy with "wearable"! My pink sack gown is my backup so this is a nice stress-free project. So far, haha.

Candy stripe plaid dress

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I went to Pennypacker Mills with two friends last night for their Victorian Christmas tour; PPM is an 18thc house that was added on to and remodeled in 1901(ish?), and they did a great job of decorating for the season. Everything was lit by oil lamps, and they had Santa, a bell choir, and a candymaking demonstration in the kitchen. And free hot cider after the tour! None of us have any late Victorian or Edwardian winter-wear, but we've all got 1860s, which always seems very Christmassy to me. Most of the tour was too dark for my poor old camera so I didn't bother taking it out the whole night...at least til we got to Taco Bell afterward! That was well lit, haha. But we made sure to get pics of my new dress while it was still light.

1860s and an 18thc bed gown

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I'm having an event-y sort of weekend this upcoming Saturday and Sunday, but I went on an impromptu window-shopping/historical society visit in an adorable little historic neighboring town today, with Robin . Of course we had to dress! Just my old grey dress, but we bundled up and felt very festive. People thought the town hired us. Quite funny.