Still plugging along

I taught a workshop on Frock coat contstruction on Saturday.  It was a bit of a dog's breakfast of sewing projects, only one other lady was creating 2 new frock coats for her husband as I was showing the techniques involved through a new coat for Pierre. 
Our two young gentlemen were working on sleeved waistcoats for themselves, which use similar techniques.  The two 'Gs' were listening in as they stitched on their own projects and the other ladies who came brought ladies sewing projects of their own to work on in between construction demos.  Everyone who attended thought they came away learning something new, which was good.
Next month, we'll be working on sacque backed gowns...just gown construction, no other projects, as we'll need all the available table space.

Because of the workshop, I had to start yet another project, the frock coat, in order to have something to demo on!  I have a few UFO's on the go now, so the rest of this month will be dedicated to finishing them up!

Right now, I have on that plate:
- My own sacque backed gown to pleat the skirt to bodice, decorate and hem. Done!
- Frock Coat, about half constructed.
- Breeches, needing buttons. Done!
- Riding Habit alterations, ugh.. Done!
- silk stays for me, about half way through the boning process.  I'd like to have them finished by the end of June.

That's enough for right now, I think!  Plus I have a stash of modern clothes for summer to make up!  Should get busy...maybe I can knock off a couple of things today!

well, that didn't happen...

sewing yesterday, that is.  I was down with cruddy feelings of hatefulness.  Took the rest of the day off and played bejewelled on facebook all afternoon.  Then I begged out of dinner with friends, went and bought the interlinings I need for today's project, 400$ worth of groceries and came home, ate french fries and gravy for supper, watched an episode of This Old House and went to bed.

I woke up mid way through the night with a migraine...ahhh, that's why I was feeling so cruddy.

Today the sun is up, and as soon as Mum is awake and can keep an eye on the puppie, I am going downsairs to start sewing.  Today's project is to get a frock coat cut and steps sewn so that I can demo construction techniques this saturday at a workshop I am running.  I have factory cotton, hymocanvas and cotton wadding to make the canvas' out of, the fashion fabric is a lovely grey wool, brushed twill.  The lining will be one of the large chunks of drab coloured linen I bought last year.  I am getting low on lining materials though, been doing a lot of cutting and sewing of late!

Sunday afternoon, I cut sleeved waistcoats for Garth and Rave.  Rave's is going to be well pieced.  I tried to cut it from the off cuts from other projects.  Then he's going to start wearing it regularly so that it develops some heritage before we open the reenacting season this year.  I hate looking so new, but what can you do!  Most of my old gear has long grown legs and gone walk-about, and everyone else is new to the hobby...and Pierre and I really just need some new clothes.

Anyway, I need more coffee, and should pull together what I need for today so I am ready when Mum wakes up.

in the basket beside my chair

I put a basket beside my chair, mostly because Pierre had been complaining about how the footstool was piling up with stuff...you don't want me to get into how tiny this apartment is, and how we're all on top of each other.

The bonus to me putting that basket there, is filling it up with stuff I made.  In it yesterday, an apron for me, a fichu to match in a silk/cotton blend, mustard coloured.  Also, two caps for me, one for mum in the windowpane linen and a plain white handkerchief linen.  For baby clothes, a little jacket, a small gown, a white long gown and an apron.  Also completed yesterday but for binding off the cut edges is a wool ground blanket for Catherine to set her kids down on when we are at encampments.  I will bind it off today.

Today is baby day here, I'll have my grandson for the morning, and Catherine's daughter while everyone else is off to appointments.  This afternoon I hope to get back at it, sewing that is.  I have a lot to do this month!

making something out of nothing...

or rather, making something out of cast-offs.  Yesterday, after putting the word out that I was looking for sraps of cloth not usable for other things, or that people were getting tired of, I was gifted with two wool skirts (modern) in various states of nasty, and a linen shirt (modern) in a pink, windowpane.  OOOHHHH!!!!

My friend Laura got to picking apart the wool skirts, she's going to make a wool apron out of the one that is more intact, using the other skirt to patch the bejesus out of the first.  Then, with the remaining second skirt, we are going to make a little boy a little jacket, 18thC of course.

From the linen, if I cut it well, I should be able to get three caps cut from it.

I am in cap production yesterday and today, so I may just continue on with cap making.  It is so relaxing to sit and roll hems all day.  No, really, it is!  The pink, for me, will become a pleated frilled cap.  For Laura, perhaps a jaunty little fly cap.  Not sure for mum, what we'll make.  When she's up and about, I'll ask her.

I love getting cast-offs, especially when they are so useful!  The possibilities!

little, wee clothes

I started making some little 18thC clothes this week.  It is my hope to have a small wardrobe finished up by the end of the week.  Saturday afternoon I got a little gown cut and put together, all that's left is hand finishing, hems and such.  I made it from 3/4yard of linen with a heavier yarn.  I lined the bodice in another linen to give the body a bit more support and warmth.  The hem is faed with a small scrap of twill linen, I only had enough for a strip about 2" wide!

Next up will be a couple of shifts and a small linen cap.  To round out the little wardrobe, I plan on picking up some white cotton diaper shirts.  Modern yes, but a quick, warm addition that might be needed.

Once the baby clothes are finished, I have some clothes to make for a 3 year old boy.  Another gown, some shifts, a couple of petticoats, apron, cap (possibly a pudding cap) and a little jacket.

Before the end of the month, I also have my riding habit to fix and my sacque to finish...I also have a workshop on the weekend of the 20th that I need to cut a couple of coats for and prepare to show steps of construction.

A day at Dalhousie University

This year I have been teaching at Dalhousie University in the Costume Studies department.  Now that the year is almost over, our first year sewing students have studio days to complete their final projects.  I am excited for them, being able to use the skills they've learned over the year and now also using their creative brains to make their final projects uniquely their own.

While they were sewing yesterday, one of the other profs and I were also working on sewing projects.  H was stitching up matching hoodie sweatshirts for her husband and son on a Marvel comics theme.  Me, I was working on 18thC clothing.  I think it is good for the students to see what I am working on in my own practice, becasue they too will eventually be creating historical garments.  They get to see how I do things and maybe they will use those same techniques in their own work.

So yesterday I worked on a new sacque backed gown for myself.  I bought material with a round gown or a fitted backed style in mind.  So when I re-thought the material into a sacque, I wondered if I would have enough for the gown, let alone enough for the gown and matching petticoat.  I cut it quite close, but with what I have, there is just enough!  Exciting!  I got most of the gown put together yesterday and one other day back in February.  The petticoat is together, needs a hem facing and to be pleated into waist ties.  The gown bodice is complete, all the skirts stitched on, now it just needs to have the skirts pleated and stitched to the bodice fronts, over pannier.

I am pleating the gown over pannier, but may never wear the pannier with it.  My persona in the 18thC is one of a formerly wealthy woman who's now found herself a refugee from the war.  I have few cherished posessions and some clothing, but it's been through rough travel.  Yes, I will be distressing the hell out of the gown once I've finished stitching it.  When I wear the gown, I will be pulling the hemline through my pocket slits like many Chardin paintings depict.

One more week of school, for both my students and myself.  Over my short break before summer term I will be getting caught up on some sewing.  Don't fret, I'll be blogging!  Maybe even with photos!

the waiting game

The Centre for Craft and Design may have my application by now, I sent it out in the Monday post and it's only going to the other side of the city.  I can hope.
Now I play the waiting game to see if it's accepted.  Meanwhile I finish the term, with a major paper to write, one to edit and my CV and Resume to work on.  Two more weeks of school and I am off for three.

During that three week period, I plan to take the skirts off my riding habit jacket and raise the waistline a bit.  Then replace the skirts, possibly adding a bit more to them to give a bit more fullness.  I also need to shorten the sleeves and take them in a bit.  I also need to rebuild the waistcoat entirely, not happy with it at all.  Right now the whole jacket just looks sloppy on me.  But then I made the whole outfit in two weeks over Christmas so I'd have something warm to wear at the New Year's day Levees.  Time to rebuild, so I am going to get it done!

When my head is not swimming so much with Fashion and Feminist Theories, I will start the research on the textile project for the summer.