Edwardian Sailor Outfit

Hello readers, I have been so busy!

Not sewing really, but lots of other things have had me attention. 

But, after a couple of weeks, I am finishing an outfit that has been on my project list for awhile.

My Edwardian Sailor outfit!

Complete it is not, a zipper awaits the back skirt and I may permanently tack the collar down, even though I originally thought I'd keep it separate.

The blouse buttons up with handsewn button holes, but the placket buttons on the skirt are just ornamental.

My blouse is loose (the sleeves a little too much!) but the skirt it tailored in like the ones I have been studying in the 1910's.

I will have to a research post to show all the knowledge I learned! lol! ;)

My collar has lots of

stabilizer!

 

My sleeves are too, loose, but the cuff is pretty!

 Considering this started out as a lightweight bedsheet, and I drafted the pattern,

I think it is cute!

The skirt is lined with an old petticoat from the thrift store,  and I used buttons from my stash.

I ope to make a sailor hat soon!

xoxox

Lexi

Regency Brown Taffeta Ball Gown!

 In which you see my new fancy, embordered Ball Gown I hope to wear when I visit England in September during the annual Jane Austen Festival in Bath! Yikes! I am so excited..........

(pleased be warned that this long post is full of lovely photos, but horrible grammar errors as I had very little sleep last night and am too tired to edit anymore! Hope you understand! lol)

Thank you dear readers for enduring with me during my slow posting! I have ever so many projects to tell you about, but have only got to this one for now!

Enjoy!

You may remember this brown fabric from my posts about Civil War outfits back in January and February.

Well, it never took shape as an 1860 dress and was stashed away few a month or two until I was SURE I wanted to cut into it. I am so in love with the brown fabric, and I waited for it to get discounted at Joannes for what seemed like ages! It was funny that  after I bought it, it sat for awhile. The brown ruched fabric was also from Joannes and I am pleased to say that I got both fabric for under $4 a yard. Which was a God-thing. Totally a Blessing.

When I did start construction, I knew I wanted a fitted dress, as most of my Regency gowns are drawstring and flowy. I have a natural inclination to go for more early Regency, 1790's style drawstring Regency gowns-not the later fitted styles with high-puffed sleeves and what-not. So I went against my grain and what I came out with is nice, I think.

I do not think I ever will be a true down-and-out historically accurate seamstress. I found that out during this dress. I was looking at inpsiration dresses from movies, not actual pieces from the period. Plus, I have a creative spirit and do things so they "look' period, but maybe are not 100% correct. I also have a knack for taking a sleeve idea from here, and a bodice from that dress and--oh look lace, I HAVE to add that!

Yeah...that is how I work! Ever pattern must be changed, details most become my own. 

And heck with accuracy if I get going on ruffles or trim or sleeves that get puffy. 

There is no stopping until I raise my head from the sewing machine at midnight and realize my creativity stages a coup and my plans that I thought out so well are gone.

Luckily, I LOVE the dress and it looks Regency. I had long sleeves on it to begin with because I thought I had remembered seeing some pictures of long-sleeved ball gowns, but no, after much searching it was more of an evening gown than a ball dress. PLUS- need I mention it looked Ren-Faire-ish with lone sleeves?

 

The embordered stripes

had to go vertically on the bottom, and horizontally on top, or I was afraid of major strip clash where the two seams join top and bottom!

My sleeves have straps to contain puffy-ness which I DO have proof was done. (Yeah!!)

 Even so, the puffiness of the ruched fabric was stitched carefully be hand to lay straight under the straps- it was not just add straps and be done. They were hard to position right.

My neckline has ruffles for fun.

See my stitches attaching the ruffle to the neck?

The only hard part about the

 horizontal stripes was that the bodice parts had to be cute, so they would line-up after being assembled.

See the back? The side pieces were CURVED, and look-they match!

The back skirt only has four

 pleats for a fitted look.

Anyway, God is good and i am enjoying Summer. Hope you all are well, and not suffering from allergies too much.

xoxox

Lexi

Doll Haute Couture

Haute couture (/ˌoʊt kuːˈtʊər/; French pronunciation: ​[ot ku'tyʁ]; French for "high sewing" or "high dressmaking" or "high fashion") refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing. Haute couture is made to order for a specific customer, and it is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finished by the most experienced and capable seamstresses, often using time-consuming, hand-executed techniques. "Couture" means dressmaking, sewing, or needlework and is also used as a common abbreviation of haute couture and refers to the same thing in spirit. "Haute" means elegant or high. An haute couture garment is made specifically for the wearer’s measurements and body stance.

Dear Readers, 

Sorry for the absence of posts but I have just dived into a new realm of doll clothes-a sorta 'couture' style for my 18inch friends. A total 180 degree turn-around from my usual, historical, cotton outfits.

The weird thing is, I did not plan it.

Some of my best creations have been things that just HAPPEN. No thinking-- just a need to sew.

I think God made us crafters to do just that-craft. 

So I am only posting this one picture now, but I hope you like it! Is not Caroline darling?

The doll dress is off the shoulder with a full skirt sewn with rows and rows of cream and toupee-colored lace.A lace bow adorns the front with beads hanging down.

Tell me what you think!

xoxox

Lexi

The Art of Silhouettes

 

This past fall I began drawing and studying silhouettes, the art of which was known in times past as the "poor man's portrait" as it was an easy and affordable way to take one's likeness. Silhouettes have faded in popularity in the last 150 years of so, due to availability of the photograph, and now in our age of digital technology, are considered outdated, and are only done sometimes for amusement.

The traditional art, of cutting a person's silhouette freehand with scissors,  seems to slowly be coming back, thanks to such silhouette artists found all over the internet.

Try these wonderful sites to whet your appetite:

http://www.cutarts.com

http://www.silhouette-man.com

 http://edwardsart.net

For my last birthday, I received this awesome book that shows you how (with practice!) to snip someone silhouette in mere minutes!

I even recieves tiny medical scissors and the ever amazing-pack of black silhouette paper! `

Unfortunately, that is as far as I got before I realized that cutting freehand is NOT for me. 

So away went book, scissors and  parer for several months, until a dear friend had a birthday coming, and I wanted something special.

I decided that drawing an outline and cutting it out is not something to be shamed over. I am a drawer, sketcher, not a cutter. Besides, ever since falling in love with silhouettes, I had been constantly drawing them all the time. My Sunday Sermon notes are literally covered with them-from about July of 2012, until last Sunday!

So, I am getting rather good at drawing silhouettes, often times I will draw the outline and fill it in with ink. 

Not that I can draw anyone person's likeness, just like when I draw my people in costume, they are all made up.

But they look nice and I have fun-so "why not?" I asked myself transfer a sketch onto the white side of the black silhouette paper and have fun that way? It is fun! Yeah-it is not traditional silhouette taking, but I enjoy it.

So....I found two old frames at Goodwill, and cut into my Easter present of new scrapbook paper, used ModgePodge, lace and lots of glue, and here is what came of it!

Girl number one is Elinor Dashwood (My dear friend Miss Marie  named them!)

 

And girl number two is Marianne.

I had bunches of fun, and am pleased with how they came out!

I think I will do many more silhouettes-just not freehand!

xoxox

Lexi

New "Highbury" Regency Shoes from American Duchess

I have been "sew" busy making myself a new Regency ball gown, and sewing a custom order from etsy, that it has been a long time since my last post!

However, here is the latest American Duchess giveaway :

Is this not an awesome ball shoe?

I hope one day I'll win one of these giveaways!

But I want you all to have a chance, so hop over an enter yourself!

xoxo

Lexi

Flapper Wedding Headpiece

 Pictures here is my lovely sister Emily, modeling the latest project for the local Home-school production of MidSummer's Night Dream, where all the humans are going to be set in the 1920's, and then travel into the enchanted fairy world. I think it will be  a cute rendition! 

 What can I say? It is less than a week before opening and I am still being giving pojects to sew!

This head piece is for Hypolita for the end of the play at her ad Thesius's wedding during which Nick Bottom will conduct his skit. 

In this comical and imaginative rendition, Thesius is a mobster and his girlfriend is the ever gaudy1920's era Hypolita. Clever? I think so. I believe the high schoolers can pull this off. A couple years ago they did Much Ado About Nothing set in the 50's, and apparently that one rocked! (That is the only play I have missed seeing). I thoroughly miss high school, mainly because I can no longer participate in the drama and co-op groups around town. But now, I seem to be pulled back in, doing costumes and I am SO grateful to God!

 My sister is super cute. She was home from collage for Easter week so I used her for a model.

 The band closes with Velcro on the side, beneath the flower and veil.

Hope you are well,

xoxoxo

Lexi

Good Friday and The Stations of the Cross

Greetings, and I hope your Good Friday is...well... very good!

Growing up as a protestant in a huge Catholic family has been challenging and a Blessing at the same time. When my mom and dad married nearly 30 years ago, it was a big break for my dad's family to have him become protestant, get baptized again as an adult, and finally marry outside of the catholic church.

Yet, over the years my Oma and Opa have, maybe not totally understood all our beliefs, but come to see how much we love the same God they do. Now granted the alter on my Oma's dresser bothered me when I was little, and I still know she is praying for our conversion, but there is an understanding there that has taken a lot of time, and opening of minds, but which is wonderful at the same time. I am not afraid of the Santos and figurines of Our Lady of Gautilupe. People sometimes fear what they do not understand. At least that was the way with me. But growing up, and learning and plain 'ol maturity does something to one, a wondrous something. It lets someone understand why there are differences and how those differences actually hold a bit of common-ground.

Hence my study over the past two months.

The Stations of The cross.

(Now please note I write only a bit about what can be taught on this subject, and I am still learning!)

The Stations of the Cross (depicted by colorful paintings which were meditated on), were a way to remember Christ's last days (hours?) leading up to his death, developed during the Middle Ages (some say by Francis of Assisi) for devout people who could not pilgrimage to Jerusalem and walk the "Way of the Cross", or "The way of Sorrows."

It started with 7 "stations" (pictures or stories) and moved on to (currently) 14 stations. For Protestants, some of of these stations do not work for study, since they are not Biblical events. However some are. People who use The Stations of the Cross for Protestant worship do not have a set number of defined "stations" like their Catholic counterparts. We can use any number of events between Pontius Pilot trying Jesus, to Jesus breathing His last and giving up His spirit (you could even add His burial  or trial by the Jews!). Whatever brings the story close to your heart, not as a ritual, but as a devotion and way to remember Christ.

The Stations we have been studying and thinking about number 8. It has been so meaningful to me. For the first time I realize that the cross was not an event-it was a road- where Christ was pushed and shoved from one place to another! It took time, although the Jews were pushing for a speady process.

I never thought of the "Death of Christ" as a journey with many stops along the way-nor as a journey where He met so many new people! (Like Simon of Cyrene who carried the cross!)

Here are a list of the "steps" we followed Jesus on during our family study.

1. Jesus is tried by Pilot

2. Jesus is scourged, and carries His Cross

3.Jesus' cross is carried by Simon of Cyrene

4. Jesus speaks to the women

5. Jesus is striped of His robes

6. Jesus is nailed to the Cross

7. Jesus speaks to His mother and John

8. Jesus dies

I used this fabulous study I found on the web and encourage you to study it and experience ALL the things Jesus had to endure.

God Bless  you on Easter. 

xoxox

Lexi

(Me in my finished Easter Bonnet!)