A Dedicated Follower of Fashion

Not that I got any great amount of sewing done between yesterday and today - though I did sew a stripe and a half onto the paletot sleeves - but I did go to an 18thc Field Day at Red Bank Battlefield today, with a friend (we were a small group today, sadly!). I wore the striped jacket that I made a year and a half ago, and which I hadn't had a chance to wear since; most non-fancypants 18thc events I go to are held in cold weather, so I wear my wool gown! It was warm enough today for cotton (at least in the sun!), so my poor little neglected jacket finally got a real wearing. I wore it with my small roll, and I like how the skirt of the jacket looks with it much more than without.

Apologies for not posting last week about my sewing progress - but I felt like I hadn't made any, so it was hardly worth a post. Was much more productive this week; I made most of an 1810s bonnet and finally finished the pompom spencer! I'm not going to the usual fall Regency event, so, since I don't know when I'll have an opportunity to actually wear it out, I got pictures of it this morning. Which required getting up much earlier than I like. Be impressed with my dedication to this blog. :P

This week, I bring you...outerwear! Not finished outerwear. I hope no one got too excited. First, I'll just note that the pompom spencer now has two sleeves, and they are attached. And that is good! Now I just have to sew more pompoms all over it... In the interests of time (and never finishing anything ever), I thought I'd start work on the things I need for Gettysburg - starting with the paletot (aka coat). I think I found about six paletots I wanted to make...but finally chose this one, not least because everything I need to make it can be found in the Stash. (Except the button forms. Gotta remember to buy those.)

I mentioned that you all had permission to kick me if I'd not finished the spencer by the time of my next post, and, well...just don't kick me too hard, okay? I finally got round to mocking up, fitting, and cutting out the sleeves Thursday, and currently one sleeve's attached. Other sewing: I had jury duty Tuesday, and wanted some hand-sewing occupation that didn't involve explaining why on earth I was sewing pompoms to a tiny bolero jacket to any curious members of the public! Not that the pieces of an 18th century cap look any less odd, but they're smaller...and at least there are no pompoms . So I cut out an 18thc cap the night before. Since I was at the courthouse from 8 to 3.30, I did manage to get a good amount done (in between sitting in court, where I don't think they'd have appreciated my little project) - I hemmed two-and-a-half out of three pieces, and put some gathering stitches in. And then it seemed silly to put the cap in the UFO bin, s...

Time is really getting away from me - this spencer really is such a simple little garment, it should have been completed the beginning of this week, at the latest. But the early fall weather has just been so enjoyable these last two weeks, that every time I have a good chunk of time to devote to sewing, I've been going outside for a walk in local parks and nature preserves instead! I'm terribly not -outdoorsy, so be impressed. I still have to make and fit a sleeve mockup, but since I'll always put off sleeves as long as I possibly can, I'm working on the trim now. Pompoms!! So far I've only got it sewn to the bottom edge of the spencer, but, you know, better than nothing, right? Dangly pompom bits. Hee.

Alliteration, heh heh. First things first; yesterday was my friend Robin's birthday party - it was a Victorian picnic in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, and it was lovely! She made a really beautiful new dress for the occasion - check it out ! I didn't make anything new for the occasion, though I'll have to next time - this dress is two years old and it's now a bit too tight! Not unwearable, obviously...but not terribly comfortable, especially if there's a picnic involved. And there was indeed a picnic. And - what I've been sewing this week. Gettysburg sewing needs to start soon, but I have a Regency event in November as well, and I'm making the pompom spencer to go over the jumper I made last year . I worked very hard on fitting the mockup on Wednesday, and have made reasonable progress: Lightened a bit so you can *sort* of see the collar. And the inside. Pieced linen from the scrap bin!

First and foremost, I'm shelving the natural form dress for now. I have the striped early bustle dress, and that is eminently wearable if boring. It's mainly my own fault, though also due to things outside of my control conspiring against me. All in all, though, I'd really like to sleep more than a few hours this week! It's not about what I wear, anyway - it's not my birthday party! :) The underskirt did get finished this week, though, and it did come out rather nicely, despite being kind of a PITA to get all those pleats pinned in... So I suppose that means I'm free to work on Gettysburg stuff now. Huh. So where do I start?? So many options!