Historical Sew Fortnightly challenge #1 and #2

post #11                                          Monday, March  30, 2015


Alrighty!!! Since I seem to be on a blogging spurt, I might as well catch up...and record...some of my sewing for the 2015 year. Might as well do it here as well as in my little notebook, where I just write what I made and for who, so I can go back at the end of the year and see if I was actually productive, or just felt like it. Some years I look at that list and think "slacker! Why did it FEEL like I sewed alot?" those are usually the years I tried making something new....and took extra time doing it, as well as learning a few new curse words as well. My mother would be so proud. It would bring a tear to her eye if she only knew that I too sit at the sewing machine and cry....and then yell out "THIS SUCKS!!!". Oh yes, my mother taught me well. I STILL remember the first 18th c. "ballgown" my mother  made me....out of a REALLY slippery green polyester. I also learned from her, to wait until the last minute....like sewmeintothedamndressasmyfriendswaitatthedoor last minute. As I left, I hear her mutter "I NEVER want to see that fabric again"....only to have her make my younger sister an 18th c. "ballgown" two years later.....this time with an honest to goodness pattern (she made mine from drafting pieces onto brown paper bags from the Distaff Sketchbook...only to find that a pattern piece was missing from the bodice. Ah....good times, good times)  Unfortunately....when she and my sister brought the fabric they picked home, we found it to be the EXACT SAME FABRIC as the green horror dress, but in peach. Yeah. I stayed out of the house while she sewed on that one.


But anyway...I'm waxing nostalgic.

My mother, at my wedding, about 2 months before she passed away.

What I've decided to do is to loosely follow the Historical Sew Fortnightly challenge. I'm not really doing it for the chance of my posts being seen, but rather, to get me motivated into sewing, and getting rid of some of the fabric that is building up in my house. So far, I have been able to use stashed fabric for Jan, Feb. and for March. The challenges just happen to work well with what I have, and what I'm thinking of sewing at the moment. Let's hope the momentum keeps going!
I don't have the little icon on my page stating that I'm taking part in the sewing challenge...again, STILL trying to figure out not only the computer, but how to add to my blog, etc. Just remember...I'm 47 years old...the last paper I wrote in college....I typed it on a typewriter!! I went back for a few classes a few years back, and had to contact the friggin' instructor to let them know that I had my paper DONE...I just didn't know how to print it out!!! She sympathized....and said she heard her computer laughing at her whenever she walked by it.

So! anyway! For January:

The Challenge:Foundations

Fabric: 100% white cotton fabric, poly/cotton eyelet trim

Pattern:  None. based loosely on my 18th c. petticoats

Year: 1830's underpetticoat

Notions: poly/cotton eyelet trim, thread, cotton tape

How historically accurate is it? about 30% ?   Completely machine sewn.

Hours to complete: about 2 hours tops....pleating of the trim took the most time

First worn:not yet. Hopefully in May

Total cost:    maybe $10 for the eyelet trim....white cotton was in my stash, cotton cord in my stash (I have about 400 yards of it!!!)

close up of the pleated trim

1830's under petticoat . about 4 yards of fabric pleated onto a waistband

 For February:

What the item is:Blue Linen petticoat

The Challenge: #2  blue

Fabric: 100% linen fabric, 100% cotton twill tape

Pattern:  none. based on original 18th c. petticoats

Year:  last half of the 18th century

Notions: thread, cotton twill tape

How historically accurate is it? 90% ish.....machine done interior seams, rest hand finished

Hours to complete: about five hours....handwork on hem is tedious.

First worn: not yet. don't know when

Total cost: about $3 for the tape. Fabric was a gift from a friend and has  been in my stash, FOREVA.

blue linen petticoat. OOOOH....AHHHHH.

I know, not the most entertaining blog entry....but something I needed to do to keep motivated. I'm hoping to get my March project done tomorrow....to make it under the wire for the "deadline"...but again, I'm just loosely using this as a motivation to keep me sewing, so if it's not done by the end of March, I'll still post it here and in the facebook album that the Historical Sew Fortnightly has. It just won't be "highlighted". I'm cool with that. Hope this gets you all motivated!!!!