Gearing Up for Calico Ghost Town

Good Afternoon!

   How was your Halloween? Mine was so much fun! I had a little bit of a fitting emergency with the Simplicity pattern I used, but my costume ended up looking okay when I called upon the magic of safety pins and false eyelashes.
    Now that Halloween and Veteran's Day have come and gone, I’ve just realized how late in the year it actually is. Christmas is around the corner, and I’m rubbing shoulders with Thanksgiving. So you can imagine the white-hot lance of fear that shot through me when I realized that the Calico Ghost Town Reenactment at the beginning of 2014 will be upon me in no time. This event is blisteringly cold, and is often punctuated by torrential showers and/or snow flurries. I know, I know. I’m really up-selling this reenactment. It is fun. Mostly.
    Since this event is the coldest of the year, I don’t really have much in the way of winter wear. I have flannel drawers and petticoats, wool gloves, and a bunch of wool scarves and shawls. I end up looking like a storybook witch. I think it adds to the persona, but it doesn’t keep me all that warm; the spaces between the scarves and shawls attract little gusts of wind, I swear. So, I have a list of things I want to get done by the Reenactment, which is about two and a half/ three months away:

 Plaid laundering dress

 Olive and black check paletot (lined with flannel?)

 Winter hood

 Plaid flannel wrapper (if I have the time/money)


The Plaid Laundering Dress:
   A couple of months ago I started hand-sewing a new laundering dress, since my machine was on the fritz. It’s better now, but all of the long seams have already been done, so I’m going to continue to hand sew. I’m calling it a “laundering dress” specifically because of some modifications I’m making.
   First, the skirts are a bit on the short side, making it easier to tramp around camp without getting caught up on stakes/ ropes when I’ve got armfuls of laundry. The skirt is cartridge-pleated a little narrower than the usual day gown (three 44” panels serge to serge), so I can walk through camp without having to maneuver skirts around.
    I absolutely hate bishop sleeves, which are good for rolling up when doing laundry, so I’m going with a buttoned coat sleeve, which I can unbutton at the wrists and roll to my elbows so the fabric doesn’t get wet. I’m going to line the bodice and sleeves with unbleached muslin, and the kick pleat will be unbleached muslin as well.
   My maroon gown is pretty and all, but the fabric isn’t really accurate, and I want to go with something a little more dirt-friendly. I purchased a tan plaid, and I’m changing up my usual hook and eye front closure for a buttoned closure. I’m using these really sweet untreated wood buttons, and hand sewing the button holes.    The bodice is gathered, which was fairly common for coarse or homespun cotton gowns during the period. A friend of mine said it wasn’t all that fashionable during the war, but I’m a laundress, so I really shouldn’t be looking all that fashionable or I’ll attract too much attention and get myself fired. So gathered it shall be.
   I won’t be sewing a collar to the gown, but instead will be using my trusty linen kerchief, which I think looks adventurous and comes in really handy in the summer.
   Both armscyes have self-piping, and the skirt will have self-bias around the bottom. I’m slightly worried that I may run out of fabric; I purposefully bought less than I usually do because the fabric was not on sale and I want to force myself to piece. I usually have a lot of fabric left over, and this wastes money and fabric, especially since I haven’t started quilting any of my scrap yet. I know I’m going to have to piece the sleeves, and definitely the bias and piping. If all else fails, I’ll probably take out some volume from the skirt for sleeves and piping.

Olive and Black Check Paletot: 
   This little beauty will probably lead me tear out my hair. I posted about this project, and was super psyched about it. I bought this really great olive and green wool check in the Garment District a couple of years ago, and it is perfect for a paletot. So I made a mockup and cut out the fabric. I also bought some cotton velveteen for sleeve cuff and neckline decoration. The sleeves and the little cap sleeves are done, and the sleeves only need some flannel lining basted in. The body of the paletot, though. Sometimes I really dislike being a woman. Especially the sudden hormonal weight gain where you least expect it. I mean, I honestly find myself thinking “do people really store fat there?” Don’t get me wrong; being a woman is way more awesome than being a man, in my biased experience. But the strange, sudden weight gain? I can live without it. Needless to say, I cut out the paletot when I was ten pounds lighter than I am now. And a large portion of those ten pounds magically ended up where it really matters in fitting upper body garments. The thing strains to cover my bust, and I definitely need to tear this thing apart and piece the heck out of it. I only have a small amount of fabric left, so I’m going to have to be very creative, I think.

Winter Hood:
   I found a great tutorial about Romantic History’s winter hood. I usually use a large-brimmed straw hat during the rest of the year, but I don’t ever take it to Calico. My face is always so cold that I end up wrapping multiple scarves around my head. But I was cleaning out my fabric chest, and realized that I have a couple of old Irish Wool skirts that would make an amazing winter bonnet. I also found some plaid flannel shirting and am going to line the inside of the bonnet with that, since the wool is a little scratchy. I plan on machining this, but I may hand quilt the brim if I’m feeling brave.

Plaid Flannel Wrapper:
So this project is going to be saved for last, if I’m feeling really ambitious. I have a mid-century wrapper pattern that I’ve made a mockup of, and it is awesome. And in flannel? I would never ever change out of it. Ever. If I can find some well-priced plaid flannel, and if I have enough time, I’ll whip this up on my Singer.

Split Drawers

Hello. It's been a while. I finished that paper.
And my split drawers!
So, here's the thing about split drawers: they're the best. Imagine that you're at a reenactment smack-dab in the middle of summer. You are probably keeping yourself hydrated (Me: "Water? What is this strange substance you speak of?") and, subsequently, you have to visit the "necessary". Which is code for ridiculously gross port-o-john with a swarm of mosquitoes hanging out on the ceiling. Would you rather contort yourself into a pretzel trying to unbutton the drawers underneath all of your layers, including your corset, while keeping your hoop skirt-petticoat taco from agitating those mosquitoes? Or would you rather have this handy-dandy, accident-proof article of clothing at your disposal?

Yes, it looks funny. No, the legs aren't sewn together, it's just a big gap. But they are amazing. Completely amazing.
Historical Side Note:
Ever wonder why those can-can girls were so risque? Most people don't think of the can-can as scandalous nowadays: "What's so crazy about dancers flipping up their frilly, voluminous skirts to show more frilly, voluminous skirts?" they ask.
Split drawers, my friends. Split drawers.

Paletots and Cloaks

    I'm researching cloaks instead of writing a paper for class. Of course. I'm the world's worst procrastinator. But I'd rather research historical patterns than write a paper on the textual analysis and audience response to gender in media. Or write another chapter for my novel. I'm pretty burned out on writing right now... anyways:

    The Naim Cloak!!! 

     This is the pattern I'm looking at for my reenacting 'cloak' (the name is a little misleading. It's not a cloak at all!). I found it in my handy-dandy 60 Civil War-Era Fashion Patterns by Kristina Seleshanko. I noticed that every other paletot or cloak pattern was made with velvet or silk. As a laundress, a silk or velvet paletot would be pretty impractical, and women wouldn't make a 'fancy' paletot in a plainer cloth. It just wasn't done. This pattern calls for "cloth, velvet or thick silk". Wool suiting is cloth. I'm going with it. 

     I really like the more fitted styles, since the only figure-flattering area is the waist (and especially on me: I have wide shoulders and a long torso, so I like the definition), but these women are wearing loose paletots. 

       Something like the illustration below would be great. It is an 1864 pattern, but I think it would be permissible to take in the paletot a little bit (shh, don't tell).

     And now that I'm looking at outerwear, I've stumbled upon a mid-19th century hood on Romantic History Historical Clothing. 

       

Sarah Jane provides the pattern on her blog, and I think I'm going to make one out of a couple of wool skirts given to me. The skirts don't fit, but the wool is soft and pretty, so I've been holding on to them for a while. 

     Well, dinner is ready, and I really do have to work on that paper (or research 17th-century New England for my novel...), so I'll write again soon. Hopefully I'll have made some sewing/ pattern progress by then! 

     Cheers!

New Projects

Finally! I can breathe. All of my crazy hectic plans have been completed.
So, of course, I'd like to stress myself out again :)
It's really more like starting now before I stress myself out the last week of August, really.
My unit is going to the Huntington Beach Civil War Reenactment the first weekend in September, and I've things to make. Specifically: A third set of split drawers and a paletot.
I'm going to hand sew the drawers, since the machine I use is at the shop, and I'll probably machine most of the paletot. I'll do topstitching and trim for the paletot by hand.
The drawers (and maybe another chemise, actually. It's really humid and gross in H.B. at this event) will be made out of lightweight muslin. I have a 50% off coupon for Joann's, so I'm pretty ecstatic about it.
I have a nice wool suiting that I purchased in L.A. for the paletot, but no lining. So this week(end?) I'm going to the $2 fabric store nearby to pick up a lining fabric. They have some pretty nice twills, three yards of which I bought to line stays, corsets, etc. I'd use that, but it's tan, and my wool suiting is a hunter green/ black check.
Wish me luck!

(History-Con pt.2) Sambuca and Fort MacArthur...

both have the spirit and allure of a Roman night. Or Sunday afternoon. A Roman Sunday afternoon.

From left to right: Lisa, Kevin (brother), Alex, Ron, Me, Kristen, Kevin W. , Faith, Jason

I must hand it to those Romans, they sure knew how to dress. Corsets, petticoats, stockings, hats? What are those? I mean, they had hats, but whatever. Not mandatory bonnets whose strings choke you in the wind.

Latin for "camp [something]". My search results came up with  nil. It probably means "awesome". I don't know why I look these things up, that's definitely what it means.

Roman Camp.

Brother looking fierce. 

But not as fierce as Faith. 

Kevin W. seems unsure of this madness. 

Picnicking. What a strange word. Extra 'k'. Unnecessary.

Looming demonstration. She's weaving a plaid to use as an actual plaid. Amazing craftsmanship. 

Who doesn't love goats? Especially when they're owned by pirates. Legitimate historical pirates. 

Faith and Kevin W. at the Korean Bell of Friendship. 

Faith jogs along on our constitutional. I'm probably yelling at her to  put her skirts down. 

The Korean Bell of Friendship. Which has a sign that reads: "Do Not Touch!!!!!!" . Faith is a rebel.  And she's showing a nice stretch of leg.

History-Con (Fort MacArthur Days) was the highlight of my ridiculously busy summer. Tomorrow I start a summer class, so it was the perfect timing. And Alex and my brother are probably going to sign up with the local Napoleonic War regiment. Which sounds silly when you say it out loud. But it means Regency dresses. And an opportunity to make some regency stays, which I will use in my dream impression: Incroyables et Merveilleuse. Alex would look amazing in a pigeon-breasted coat and a cravat that covers his chin. Maybe not the chin, he has a nice chin. 

Now to help my friend, Caitlin, with her Comic-Con outfit. That she needs done by Friday. 

Will post soon!

History-Con...

...would be more apt a title for the Fort MacArthur Days event in San Pedro. It was amazing. And windy. So windy, in fact, that my boyfriend, Alex, was able to hold his hat on his stomach for the 20 minutes (literally two) it took my brother to take a picture.

He's a wizard.

But, oh, the perils of costuming with wind!!! Modern half-moon bangs look a little silly falling out of their pins. 

That's me.

Alex, Me, and Kristen before being swept away. Super flattering, I must say.

I went with my "laundress" impression for this event. I wore my corded petticoats, pillow ticking corset and calico dress with a gathered bodice and a dog-leg closure. I love straw hats, so I tied (which puts it mildly, I was nearly garroted) it to my head and hoped for the best. I only realized how patriotic I looked after my dad questioned my fashion-coordination, to which I replied: "I'm a working woman. I've no care for your frivolities!" Needless to say, my dad thinks I'm insane. 

From left to right: Kevin (brother), Kristen, Me, Alex, Faith and Kevin W.

Here's a picture of the group before we encountered the cyclone that is San Pedro. Sweeping generalizations are my specialty. My brother is in his reenacting uniform (minus the sack coat); Kristen is wearing my plaid jacket, cage crinoline, and awesome straw bonnet (she's from Georgia, so she won the crinoline contest hands-down); I'm wearing a very patriotic ensemble; Alex is wearing a Civil War Navy uniform and looks quite dashing; Faith is wearing a peach robe a l'Anglaise with my precious bergere hat and a pretty awesome bumroll; and Kevin W. is wearing a Union corporal's uniform. 

We picnicked on the grounds beside some super rowdy children throwing sandals, meandered through several-hundred years worth of military history, and came upon our Civil War reenacting friends! But they were in tunics and chitons. Because they are Romans as well! That should be exciting. You should probably feel that excitement. Another post about the Romans!!!

Oh, Life.

Gentle Reader,
    With the unforeseen birthday extravaganzas (count 4), graduations (count 2), Thanksgiving in June (for my expatriate brother) and Anniversary/graduation/birthday/every-other-reason-to-party party, my Great Mustard Jacket had to be put on hiatus.
    And I'm a little bummed. Accountability, shmamountability. There's always next year.
    But the jacket looks great so far. Pictures when I start working on it again :)
    Right now I'm getting myself (and my friends) ready for the Fort MacArthur Timeline event in San Pedro! I'm excited. Mostly because I have something to wear, and anything else I make this week will be an extra.
I'm going to wear my reenacting getup, and right now I'm fashioning a blue plaid apron.
    More to come!