Support Your Local Picnic Table

This last weekend Lorene and I headed out to the Farmer's Market in Golden to advertise for a kids pioneer camp.  It started out cloudy and breezy (Perfect weather!) and then got HOT.  Bummer.  It was still fun though and Lou (Lorene's paparazzi) stopped by so we got some new pictures.  A couple of the other pictures (not included) make me look like I'm wearing a table cloth....Maybe I'll be adding more of the beige and plain red to break up my picnic table look...

 

We ran over to the history center and made Christina take a couple pictures with us too before we stripped down for the day. 

 

Then there's nothing like getting the giggles while trying to take a serious picture...I don't think I stopped laughing for any of the pictures but oh well...

I'm working on my parasol...I have the inside recovered, the piping on the edge, and three of the six top covers on.  Once those are done, I'm making roses (like on my hat) to cover the ends of each pokey thing.  Maybe I'll get around to that post tomorrow.

Thinking on my tuffet for today,
M
 

Tidbits

I've been cleaning stuff out and trying to fix clothing items as I go, both from my personal closet and my costume closet...

I usually like to keep entire "dresses" together, each with their own apron, bonnet, bustle pads, etc. So I spent an afternoon making a couple of bits to go with my red dress...

 

Usually I trade Lorene a shawl or lace for her to make me a bag, but I found instructions and actually got one finished on my own! 

 

I needed a small bustle pad for my work skirt.  Lorene pointed out that it doesn't have to be ugly and plain...so I dressed it up with some leftover lace from the skirt and ran some ribbon to give it a pop of red.  Other people question my motive, but why do I have to wear something ugly (even if it's not normally seen by the public?)  Besides, we all know I can't really keep my skirts down and if someone wants to know what a bustle pad looks like, now I'll be happy to share!   

 

I'm still making flowers for my hat, but at least it's in a wearable stage!

 

I'm also working on a couple Princess dresses for my niece.  She loves her dresses.  I'm trying to decide if she gets her own blog or if I can post it here...hmmm.

 

Off to think on my tuffet,

M

To Behave....Oh Well, No.

Well the Colorado Train Museum isn't CostumeCon, but it was a lot of fun with gunfights and trains and snacks...and the two best dressed women in attendance!  Lorene and I went to check out another museum and scope out their event.  Before we had even been inside 5 minutes, there were families asking to take pictures with us. 

We didn't always behave ourselves, but we followed common courtesy and nodded to all the other women dressed up.  They, of course, were snotty and shot us dirty looks.  It's not our fault they decided a denim skirt and lace top were sufficient for their cowboy "look". 

 

Lorene and I still on the lookout for other opportunities.  Hopefully a museum somewhere will catch us fast! 

Gladly having a seat on my tuffet for the summer,
M

Where was I?

It's been a hectic season this Spring...so let's recap my dress progress:

~I finished my work dress top

~I finished my work skirt, complete with lace and dust ruffle

 

 

~I have a new petticoat with the cutest red stitching and ribbon

 

 

 

~My bustle cage was already finished, I added a button and still need to put on some ribbon over the edges

~My bustled skirt is coming along.  I finished the first ruffle yesterday, so today is pinning, pinning, pinning for the second one.

~I found my "real" shoes.

 

 



~I'm working on a straw hat for the summer.

~I still need to make new underwear and a corset cover. 

 

 I guess I'd better get going and get off my tuffet,

~M

 

To the Top of It All

Gosh, I'm still pinning ruffles on my bustled underskirt....

But I got bored enough pinning last week that I went ahead and finished my work top.  I had to finish the lining with some bias tape (which isn't a lot of fun since I had to make sure I was only sewing on the lining and not my top fabric!)

 After the bias tape, I checked all my seams and the collar for gaps or gathers.  Then I did another ironing and its hanging on my door until I decide what decoration I'm doing on the cuffs.  Oh, and buttons, but that's today.  I might just be able to wear it this week for tours!

 Getting off my tuffet,
M

2 Steps Forward and a Side Step

Yesterday I got some housework done and was able to work on the dress catastrophe.  I ripped open my bustle cage, added 4 inches to the front (actually makes a nice placket!) and realized I need to hem it again.  I can do that later though...

There's just nothing like sewing around boning in the cage to add some hip room.

Once the cage was put back together, I moved on to the underskirt.  I pinned, ironed, and pinned again.  Last night I watched Dr. Quinn and finished sewing the darn thing.  I had planned on putting piping on the bottom hem, but that leaves it a little short and I'm not sure I want a "high water skirt" look.  So today is the assembly of the ruffles.  Remember from yesterday that 2 are hemmed and waiting to go, and I ironed the 3rd.  It just needs to me to put it together and sew the hem.  I figure I can start with the 2 finished and getting them pinned on the skirt (might take a while).

 

So still on the list: ruffles, maybe piping the hem, the dust ruffle inside (which can only be done once I decide about the piping), hemming the bustle cage and adding some decoration to it.  Then, I have the overskirt and vest top, and all new underwear. 

Missing my tuffet already.
M

Sew Much Left to Do!

Well, it's been a few weeks since I finished anything.  Ever have one of those times around your house?  Clean this, toss that, finish, rearrange, and try again...only I got distracted from my one true project and it's just over a month to the finish line now.

I have my underskirt (the skirt that goes over a petticoat and under everything pretty) made, the waistband piped but not hemmed.  I even tried to pin it yesterday, only my bustle cage didn't fit!  So I'll have to pull out the center seam and add a little bit of fabric today to the cage.  Then I can pin the underskirt, hem it, pipe the hem, add the dust ruffle inside, and the nightmare begins...

As I had finished my skirt, I was working on the research and documentation portion of this project, onlyto find new inspiration.  I love the 1870's ruffles with a bustle cage, Lorene wanted the BIG bustles and plenty of decorations, so we opted to change direction a little since neither one of us had much done. 

Instead of one 18" ruffle on the underskirt, I'm going with 3 ruffles that are 5" and piping on the top ruffle.  The picture doesn't do much justice to the concept, but you get the idea hopefully.  So far, the ruffles are cut, 2 of them are sewn and hemmed. 

So that's the progress report, dismal really.  Maybe this weekend will be a good time to get going again.

Actually sitting on my tuffet,
M

Dear Petticoat

Ahhh.....Welcome to the Petticoat! 

Usually I can just whip a petticoat out on a rainy afternoon, but this time I trying out a new design (and making sure the measurements were perfect along the way) so it's a taken a little bit longer.

 

I started out with an old cotton bed sheet (white, of course!) and with some measuring and ironing, ripped it into 7 pieces. 

 

 

 

With more ironing, and lots of pins, I put the 7 pieces back together again... So then I had a massive tube.  My front piece was 34 inches across and the back piece 40 inches across (the more to ruffle with, my dear...).  Usually I have a 45-50" inch waistband and shove the whole tube in equally around the waistband, running a string in at the end for a tie.  After a summers' worth of use though, I always have to replace the waistband (it's ripping from the tie or where I pull too hard trying to shove the gathers more equally in the back...)

 Back to my new plan: using a 40" waistband, to gather the back, side back, and side pieces in 16" of the back waistband.  Leaving the rest of the 24" waistband for the front of the petticoat to have small gathers if needed and sew the ties in.  Only the front pieces would move and would create less stress on the seams and ties.

 I got to gathering...but it wasn't enough.  I had to regather again......and again....and again.

After all that gathering, I finally got to put the waistband on and add the ties.  The ties pull fantastically, although one gathers a little too much on one side than the other does.  I should pull it apart and fix it (I'm not going to though...)

 Here I thought I was finished.  I ironed my petticoat and hung it up.  Ready to start the next project, when I thought: ruffle.  I added a 6 inch ruffle all the way around the petticoat.

 

 

Finally, after all the gathering and ruffling, I added my ribbon (which I just had to put piping on) and finished the hem in matching red thread.  There was just enough red ribbon left-over that I added to the waistband to spruce it up and reinforce the weight it supports.

 

 

So I'm finished with the petticoat (at last!) and already cut out the bustle skirt yesterday.   There isn't much tuffet-ing lately though.  ~M

Finished, Fitted, and Flowing

So the working skirt is finished!  Fitted!  and flowing!

You might even notice I'm still wearing my slippers here even though I've got my corset on. You just can't accurately fit historical clothing without your corset on!

The skirt definitely has some flow to it and the lace looks good in action. I do wonder how long it will be before I've got all manner of grass, sticks, and dirt stuck in it though....

Of course, I can't leave out the back.  It will look fuller with a petticoat underneath and some days a small bustle pad!

Well that's all for the working skirt.  I'm off to my new petticoat (another blog and a new day!)

On my tuffet,
M

Working Skirt

It was definitely a work in progress, this working skirt of mine. Ironing, folding, cutting, pinning, more ironing and pinning, and then lots of sewing.

                                                                                 
After the seams came the piping for the hem (all hand-stitched mind you!) and then the kick pleat, or inside lining.

But don't forget- I had to make sure the waistband was on (and functional) first...then hem the bottom for my fabulous height.



Of course, running the piping is one row around the bottom of the skirt. Then attaching the lining to the piping and sewing the lining to the inside of the skirt. 

To make sure the lining fits the bottom row of the skirt means there is always extra at the top (think of it as an A shaped skirt) so I have to make adjustments where the skirt gathers them, and not where I want them, i.e. on the seams.






After all that mess, I stitched on the cotton lace. The lace had a mind of its own, so hours (ahem, read days) later, I'm finally finished and ready to fit it with my corset and undergarments on!

Off to my tuffet,
M

Snowy Progress

This weekend Lorene and I packed up the wagons, headed up the hills, and spent the day in snowy bliss in a historic cabin working on our Costume Con dresses.  It's good to be hardworking volunteers and have perks!!!

Welcome to the Pearce/ Helps Cabin, originally built in 1878, near Golden, Co.  

 

Once we arrived safely, we unloaded and started the fires to warm up the cabin.  Lorene is the master fire-starter; Bertha can be persnickety at times so I let Lorene have at it while I cleaned up around the cabin and made us a little more at home.

 

Once settled in, Lorene ironed, ironed, and ironed. 

 

 

I found a sunny spot between the window and Bertha, so I was happy sewing my stupid sleeves on. 

 

I might have to pull a section of the piping out and re-cover it to get it to lay flat for the sleeve. 

Alas, such is life.

We're making progress at last!

Sewing on our tuffets,
Mercedes and Lorene

 

CostumeCon 2013

Well it's February already, Lorene and I are busy getting ready for Denver Costume Con 2013.  We've researched fashion plates for years so the background and documentation comes easy enough! We text each other daily complaining, groaning, woohooing, and discussing our costuming choices.  Plenty of people wonder what Costume Con is, why we're participating, and how we're going to get done in time (wait~ maybe that's me!).

So here's our intro to the next few months of our lives....

Costume Con-31 will be in Denver May 17-20th.  "Costume-Con 31 is a four day weekend conference for everyone who designs, makes, wears, and/or admires costumes."  For more information, please visit http://cc31denver.com/  .  However, Lorene and I decided to compete in the historical interpretation costume section (yes, why?) so we've passed the general design, make, wear, and admire enthusiast labels.

Now how are we going to get 2 dresses with full bustles and new underwear done?  Well, well, well, thanks for the encouragement!  Seriously, I have no idea, so hang in there and check back often for updates on our progress.

Sharing my tuffet this Spring,
Mercedes