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I’m already slow when it comes to finishing a complete costume.

I research the garment itself, I read up on how to do even basic steps (I’m still learning how to sew), I make sure I understand what I need to do, and I fret over making that first cut into the fabric when I’m on a “no turning back” step.

You’d think I would steer clear of anything that would make the process even slower than it already is for me.

Apparently I don’t know any better though.

I’ve been getting into embroidery more and more. At first, it was just a neat challenge for me since I was never able to learn how to do it when I was younger. I didn’t know things like wrapping threads on the back of the work instead of knotting them to start and stop. Even though I knew you shouldn’t cover too much space with long lines of satin stitch, the stitches still weren’t small enough — not to mention, they were definitely not even or smooth.

Then I discovered videos, and other tips online, and realized if you have the right tools and a little patience as well as practice, it’s worth a shot to try those things you thought you could never do.

As if discovering you aren’t a miserable failure wasn’t enough, seeing people’s positive reaction to your finished projects is even more of a confidence booster. 

I keep finding my embroidered mitts on Pinterest boards or on forums (makes me blush and smile every time), and people enjoy looking at them in person. I found that although I don’t reproduce actual historical designs, I enjoy putting something a little more into a project to truly make it mine.

So I guess it’s no real surprise that I have started collecting more books about various types of embroidery and hand finishes (and want even more — I’d love to try tambour, and even try hand quilting some garments). Instead of just adding a purchased ruffle to a current project I’m working on, I’m contemplating hand embroidering my own.

Unfortunately, the practice isn’t going so well.

I’m not sure if it’s the fabric itself or just me. It’s difficult to count close threads for pulled thread techniques — where you use the embroidery stitches to warp the fabric threads themselves, causing patterns and holes to create a lace-like effect. The fabric I’m using is light and gauzy, but the threads are still a little too close together and higher count than I guess I should have used.

Photos of historical garments can be deceptive, because the fabrics in those seem similar to what I’m using. Plus, I’ve already got the fabric — I would hate to have to keep looking and buying fabrics to test, just to find what I need. I don’t like ordering fabric online, because you can’t feel it or get a really good look at the texture unless you’re holding it in person.

I received a few books for Christmas, and found a pulled thread book I’m hoping will help boost my confidence with this style of embroidery.

I wish there were videos and tips that were as good as the ones I’ve learned for regular embroidery, but I’ll just have to make do with what I’ve got.

In the meantime, I’ll keep practicing, testing some things, and coming up with some designs for the projects I’d like to use embroidery on.

I don’t know why I’m so determined to try this. I guess I just want to really make this, and other costumes, truly mine with even more details.

See the link below for more information and photos on this project.

I decided to start making some garments to keep me warm while wearing my costumes.  It’s probably ironic that it was warm enough this past week that the air conditioner broke and the inside of my apartment was around 85 degrees F.

I decided to start with a muff, and I used a style where I can change the covers. I liked the way some of them looked, and it would allow me to have accessories match my outfits.

I don’t know when I might have a chance to pose for better photos in costume. I originally was hoping to have the cold-weather garments finished in time for a mid-February event. I have a bad feeling it might be too warm for my tastes to even wear a heavily layered costume, much less winter garments.

At least I’m making progress to add more accessories, especially useful ones, and they will help give me a little more diversity to my outfits as well.  I am hoping to attend more events this year, and although I have plans to sew more outfits, I have a feeling I’ll be getting sick of wearing the same costumes multiple times. Adding more accessories will help give a little something different to the ensemble and freshen it up for me, I think.

Here is a link to the costume page about the first muff version. I’m going to put all the various covers on this same page as well.

Check the link below for more photos!

Finally! I finished another project — one that has been sitting around gathering dust for a while, at that! And just in time for an event this past Saturday.

I was nervous I wouldn’t even finish in time or that it wouldn’t work out, but I somehow pulled it off. I tried it on for the first time as I was getting ready for the event. Whew!

I made a page in the costume section so you can see photos and information on the construction. See below for the link.

The event was the Dallas Ft Worth Costumers Guild (DFWCG) tea at a local antique shop. The theme was hats… you didn’t need a full costume, but many of us went ahead and made something new for it. I still haven’t finished my husband’s 18th century costume, so he had fun shopping around for a hat to wear.

It was a blast, and a great way to have some fun after the past couple of months I’ve had. These folks are wonderful, supportive, and you’re guaranteed lots of laughs.

The food and tea was lovely, and we were there for a few hours. I had hoped to look around the little antique shop, but I didn’t get very far before others arrived and I stopped to chat with them.

After the tea, we went to a nearby park and took photos. I need to get better at taking photos, but we’re hoping to get a better camera. Phones can be handy for some things, but not for event photos (at least for my needs).

I did set up a Flickr account, and I changed the image gallery setup on my blog. Here are the links for the event photos and the costume information and photos:

It was a great time, and I’m already looking forward to trying to make a few accessories before the next event!

To see more photos from the picnic, click the link at the bottom of this entry, or go to the "Image Gallery" on the header above.

The Dallas Ft Worth Costume Guild (DFWCG) had their third annual Georgian Picnic on November 19th at the Ft Worth Botanical Gardens.

I have wanted to attend since the beginning, but sadly did not have a completed costume.  This year, I finally had one!  I wanted to wear another jacket since I have worn this costume before, but I was trying to finish something for my husband.  Unfortunately, a lot of things came up and distracted me every time I tried to make progress on Christopher’s costume, so I didn’t finish it in time.  We decided it wasn’t worth the stress and there would be other events.

We had a blast, and plenty of people dressed up.  I am still a little unfamiliar with some of the members of this group.  When it first started, I was going to join and then had to stop sewing for a few years.  I’m hoping to finally join in the next month or so, and am looking forward to more events so I can wear the 18th and 19th century costumes I make and meet fellow costumers. Everyone we’ve met through the group has been a blast!

My husband was taking photos for me on our iPhones, and he ended up focusing more on me.  He was a little shy about taking photos of people he hasn’t met before, so I didn’t get as many photos of some of the members.  We’ll get better about it over time.  It can be hard to worry about photos when you’re having fun!  Plus, security at the Gardens thought we were professional photographers, when all we wanted was a few snapshots of our fun time out.

Some of us brought period toys and games to play.  There was a period kite, the game of graces, some wooden toys (like tops) for the kids, and even a yo-yo.  The graphic the DFWCG used to advertise the event showed a period drawing with people playing with diabolos.  A member had a smaller, wooden, period diabolo, but we all had trouble getting it to work.  Christopher and I juggle and have a modern diabolo, so we brought ours out and took photos as well as taught some of the members how to use it.  It was definitely a hit, and at least one person is wanting to buy one to practice for next year’s picnic!

Christopher and I also juggled a little.  Unfortunately, we don’t have period juggling props, but we just can’t resist a little juggling at a picnic in the park!  While I was pleasantly surprised that I could work with the diabolo while wearing my costume, juggling wasn’t as comfortable as I would have liked (mostly due to my mitts, which are unfortunately tight on my hands due to the fabric having less give on the bias than I originally thought).  I only juggled three balls, and didn’t bother with the clubs.

I’ve posted some of my photos (including a few from friends) from the Third Annual DFWCG Georgian Picnic here.

We had a blast, and I’m looking forward to attending future events.  In fact, I’m hoping the weather holds up for a 19th century event coming up!

The outfit I wore to the Antique Elegance Show. Photo by Jen Thompson of FestiveAttyre.com

I attended a show this weekend called the Antique Elegance Show. I met up with fellow costumers, and we had a great time shopping and taking photos. We all dressed up in some of the items we’ve made, and I put the photos we took into the gallery (including some photos Jen of FestiveAttyre.com let me share). You can see the photo gallery here.

I’m feeling a little rushed and clumsy today, so I’m keeping this entry short. I still need to make a page for the new bodice I made to go with the old bustle skirts I had, but I’ll get that up soon (I probably won’t do an entry announcing it).

I also need to start loading those knotting shuttle videos. I’ve been so busy sewing the bodice that I didn’t get to edit the very last video. Unfortunately, they’re so large I might have to do one video a day so I don’t go crazy (especially if I have issues with everything).

Also, there’s no time to rest! I’ve got to start sewing Christopher’s 18th century garments if I can, and maybe finish another project before November. Whew!

My husband reminded me we can watch YouTube videos on our Roku. It was weird and fun to see myself on the TV!

I’m still working on those knotting shuttle videos.  In the meantime, I created a YouTube account, and my husband and I are trying to get used to our video editing software.  I’m also still trying to figure out the format we’ll use for my videos.  Since I’m not sure how much I will actually do with videos, I want to have a little fun with them.

We decided to play with some of the footage we took at the garden during the recent photo shoot. It was fun to play with options for a quick video, not to mention, have my first video of my first 18th century costume!

This video does show me using a knotting shuttle at the end, but it’s not instructional. Those videos will be posted later when we’re finished with them.  I hope the quality is correct.  Since I’m still learning, it’s hard to remember every little thing.  The quality on the iPhone was good, and the Roku/TV version was in HD like it is supposed to be.  What I’ve seen on my computer seems to be lower quality, but that could just be that I need to clear the memory.

The knotting shuttle videos also won’t show me in costume. I wanted the focus to be on my hands and the knotting shuttle itself.  Yet another reason to have a little fun with the first video posted below.

I mentioned that on the day of the photo/video shoot, it was so hot and the videos were taken at the end of the outing. I had sweat pouring off me (it was early in the morning, but Texas has been having very hot weather for a while), and it made it difficult to knot with ease. The thread kept sticking to my fingers, and it was one of the bigger knots that involve capturing several knots in a row.  I also discovered another reason to make my fingerless mitts bigger (the fabric had less give on the bias than I expected, so the pattern turned out tighter on my hands and wrists than I wanted) — my hands stuck to them and it was difficult to take the mitts off!

It was still fun, and it was also a blast to finally have my first video.  Thanks to my husband for making the bulk of it. I definitely had to use it, especially when I realized that I actually don’t have any video of me — costumed or not!  I think it’s time to change that, even if it’s just for our own personal memories.

Let me know if you’re on YouTube as well! I’ve been adding friends and people I know from various place online.  If I can’t tell who someone is, especially if they don’t seem to be into the same things, I may not add them back. I definitely would love to follow other costumers, as well as people who are into the same interests as me.  Best wishes!

Just a quick update to let you know that I’ve added a new page to the costume gallery — my first attempt at trimming a hat.

Also, in order to get some photos to post, we decided to take a trip to a small garden in the area.  It was a very hot day, even though we were there just after dawn.  We had a blast, and I have a lot of those images up in the image gallery.  There are even two photos of me using the knotting shuttle.

The knotting shuttle was the other reason we went to the garden.  I wanted to get some video of me using it and knotting thread.  It was at the end of the photo session, so I didn’t get as much footage as I’d hoped, but I’m sure I’ll be able to use it somewhere.

I still intend to make those knotting videos — my husband and I have just been very busy, and I’m new to the editing software. I’m also testing out a few other things involving the knotting and embroidery before I finish all of the videos.

I hope everyone is staying cool and having fun sewing. Best wishes!

The cadadh I started -- we decided to stop working on it and just buy the type we need. The fabric most likely won't hold up, and it wasn't even the color we originally wanted.

I tried working on accessories for my husband last week.  The good news is, I have a pattern to work with for different versions later, but we’ve decided to just buy these for now.

Cadadh

I tried to make cadadh, or bag hose, for my husband’s 18th century Highland costume.  The problem is that he’s going for a fancier look, and I had my heart set on a castellated or similar top, instead of plain or fold-over cuff.

It’s difficult to be happy with something when you’re trying to make it fancier than you’d normally make.

The fabric

The biggest issue is the fabric. The colors are nice (I love blue), but we had hoped for red and black diced fabric.

The color wasn’t the only problem with the fabric. It was one of the first items we purchased when we decided to do 18th century costuming, so I can’t even remember what type of fabric it is. I only remember thinking it was probably one of the few times I would find diced fabric, so we bought it.

At the time, it had very little give even on the bias. I worried it would be uncomfortable for Christopher to wear. Once I washed it however, it was almost too flimsy.

When I cut it out following the pattern I’d made, it ended up HUGE in the calf.  I’m still not sure how that happened since I was careful. I expected a possibility of a little difference, but not that much.  It was an easy fix though, I just took it in even more. The fit was perfect. My husband loves how it feels, and said it was very comfortable.

Unfortunately, I noticed another issue with the fabric: holes and unraveling.

As I was hand sewing, I would catch glimpses of light from behind the fabric and realized the needle was leaving holes bigger than it should have been. I tried to fix the seams as best I could, but my husband goes through socks fast.  I just knew the cadadh would not last very long.

The fancy top

Instead of doing the plain cuff, we decided to try out a fancier version. That’s when we really realized the fabric wasn’t worth it. I had to keep the seams in the little triangles small, but the fabric issues were worse there.  I was already seeing ragged chunks of fabric fraying at the seams.

I would have needed to do a little more work to get the top edge to lay correctly when he was wearing the cadadh (I had to use another fabric cut on the bias to help give it a little more strength and keep it from stretching out more), but we decided to just stop at that point.  I didn’t even finish turning the points out.

The pattern

It’s not a total loss, however. My husband will also have costumes with breeches, so he’ll need regular stockings.  I feel very confident this pattern will work fine for those, or even regular cadadh if we find the right fabric.

Sometimes it’s better to just buy something for now

I also learned a lot, and got to test out some ideas. We just felt my time could be better spent elsewhere. Not to mention, since he wears a regular kilt, it’s nice to invest in accessories he can wear for both. We had asked a sporran maker who was familiar with 18th century, and he knew we weren’t going for re-enacting or 100% authenticity. He recommended a sporran type that will work for both 18th century costuming group needs, but not look out of place with modern kilt-wearing.

I thought I would do an entry about my shoes and stockings since I have been getting so many compliments about them!

It took a while to decide

I wasn’t sure at first, before I had really looked around the online shops, what I would use for my stockings.  I thought I might just have to use some regular long socks, or attempt to make my own.

As far as the shoes, I have known since I started planning to sew 18th century garments which ones I would get.

I still get pretty nervous ordering online.  I like to see and feel a product to get a better idea of what I am needing.  When it’s something that is sized, I am definitely nervous.  It can be hard finding the right fit even when I am trying something on!

The stockings

I went with the cotton clocked stockings from Jas. Townsend.  Actually, I asked for them for Christmas and was happy to receive them as a gift from my mother-in-law.

I wasn’t sure how they would fit, but they work well.  I have muscular calves that are just big enough to annoy me when I’m shopping for tall boots.  The stockings are a little tight around my calves and only go up to just-under-knee for me (I’m just under 6 feet tall).  They stay up and look good, though, so I’m very pleased.

I’ve already washed them and there was no shrinkage or anything like that, so I hope they last me for a while.

They’re very comfortable, and add a nice pop of contrast under my petticoat with my black shoes.  For the price, I’m happy, and would definitely order another pair.

The shoes

The shoes I bought are from Fugawee, and they are the Martha style in smooth black.

I wanted to stick to dark leather, since I will be wandering around outside and am nervous about damaging anything cloth or light-colored.  At the same time, I wanted something that would look fancy, and with the height and shape of the heel, the Martha shoes continued to be my favorite as I kept checking the website out over time.

I contacted them to ask about the sizing, and they replied quickly, explaining to just use the modern shoe sizing I normally would.  They told me the C width was the widest.

I tried on some of my own modern shoes (my size can vary, depending on the shoe type or even brand), and decided which size I would order.  I also ordered the Vine and Leaf buckles in white bronze.

Once we ordered Wednesday night, the auto-reply came through quickly, stating the order was received.  I’m not sure which day the package was shipped (I forgot to check the shipping label), but I received it quickly on the following Wednesday. It actually took me by surprise, and I was thrilled to have them that soon.

The shoes were still in their box and then placed in the shipping box.  The buckles, in a plastic bag, were carefully placed with the shoes.

Also included were instructions about returns in case the shoes did not fit.  There were also instructions for putting on the buckles, as well as velcro (also included), in case you wanted to wear the shoes with a tie or ribbon instead.  I ended up using Jas. Townsend’s video showing how to put buckles on shoes since I had already seen that before I’d ordered and was familiar with it.

My feet were a little cramped in the toe area, but that’s normal.  The rest of the shoe fit well, although I have to work my foot in the shoe carefully past the heel.  I had a silly moment, and when I thought I saw the tongue getting caught in the shoe with my foot, I pulled on it — gently, I thought — and I accidentally ripped part of the tongue from the base where it is connected.  No problem, the latchets cover it and I will be careful with it.

I wore the shoes for a couple of days to help stretch them out.  By the time of the event, they felt just fine.  I still have a slight toe squeeze issue, but it’s not as bad as when I first put them on (again, this is just me… sizing shoes can be very frustrating for me).  I need to be careful walking, because the soles are still new and slick.

I did have a bit of the black dye bleed onto my white stockings inside.  This is pretty typical for leather shoes in my experience, so I expected it and didn’t mind.  The stockings cleaned up enough with a wash, and I don’t think anything will show.

Happy Customer

They look great, and I have been getting a lot of compliments on them!  Paired with the stockings, I’m very pleased!

We hope to order one of the men’s Colonial Fugawee shoes, and Thistle buckles when the time comes.  I’m sure he’ll be pleased with his purchase when we do.

Vine and Leaf buckles from Fugawee.

Martha shoes from Fugawee, before I added the Vine and Leaf buckles.

18th century shoes from Fugawee, with clocked cotton stockings from Jas. Townsend.

If you saw the photos from the last entry, you’ve probably already seen my first finished 18th century costume.  The photos are at the bottom of this entry.

Why the “K Gown?”

I named it the K Gown after Kaycee since she had given me some of the fabrics I used (striped under petticoat, green petticoat, and the striped jacket fabric).  I actually had not planned on making this style jacket until I saw the fabric and was inspired.  It also works great with the green petticoat fabric.

It was a huge help, and I don’t think I would have finished in time without her help.  I still have plenty of fabric left for other garments as well!

The Jacket

The jacket is the main part of this outfit.  I intend to use the green petticoat for another jacket down the line.  This will help me have a few outfits a little quicker than starting from scratch each time.

I used the jacket in the Janet Arnold book Patterns of Fashion 1: 1660-1860 (page 26 , view C).  I decided to put the stripes on the sleeves running up and down since it seemed like the original jacket in the drawing had them that way.

I still need to work out some kinks with the pattern I made.

What bothers me

I thought I had fixed the top opening part of the front, but it’s still pulling apart too much and showing the hooks and eyes closing the front edges.

The cuffs hang a little too low, but it was difficult to know what I would be more comfortable with.  I’m sure as I make more jackets with sleeves like this, I can vary the length to get them to hang just right.  I don’t see myself bothering to fix that part right now as I don’t personally feel it would be worth my time.

I think I also need to consider adding a little more room to the sleeve head as it might be pulling the shoulder straps off my shoulders a little too much.  The shift was showing on the side edges, but I also think part of that was an issue with the shift itself.  What’s interesting, is that the jacket’s shoulder area sits better on me when I’m wearing a different shirt that isn’t shaped like the shift.  Perhaps the shift is pulling the sleeves off the shoulder more than they should be?

I made a last minute decision to tie the shift’s drawstrings a little too tight, and I think it may have thrown things off in the neckline more than I expected.

Also, I had not tried on the jacket with the shift before, and found out it’s an annoying process trying to put on the jacket and keep the neckerchief staying flat on my shoulders/neckline.  The shift has elbow-length, fuller sleeves, so they cause a bit of bunching up in the armhole and sleeve area.  I thought I had pulled and smoothed things enough, but that might have also added to the neckline issues somehow.

It definitely made for a neckerchief that wasn’t lying how I wanted it to be.  It was sticking up too much and was a little too puffy for my tastes.

Finally, it was hot.  I know most of that is because I’m not wearing the best kinds of fabrics for layers like this, but it surprised me that my legs were the hottest.  My mid-section wasn’t too bad, even with my fully boned stays that have thick cable ties and canvas layers!

Next time, I hope to press the back skirt of the jacket better.  I originally had it pressed, but thought it might look nicer without sharp pressing and ironed it smoother.  With all of the getting in and out of the car, the jacket’s skirt was wrinkled and didn’t fold correctly.

I’m still pleased

It sounds like I’m picking the outfit apart a lot, but it’s a good thing to see what can be improved for future outfits, or even making them easier to put on and wear.

Still, for my first outing, it wasn’t too bad for a long car ride and wearing everything for just over six hours!

Page added to costume gallery

I’ve added a page for the K Gown to the costume gallery.

My first 18th century costume.

This outfit will work fine for a while. I just need to get used to wearing it and make adjustments while I'm putting it on.