Finally, my first blog post!
It only took forever...
I first set up my Blogger account
months
ago, and couldn't find a template I liked, then couldn't find the
camera for pics, and then.....well, let's just say, life happened. One
does get quite busy with three children, a home, and going to university
full-time.
I am starting this now because I have (finally) completed my first entry for
The Dreamstress's
Historical Sewing Fortnightly. I had wanted to do all of the challenges, but the
(various excuses listed)
above happened. I hope that I can play catch-up and complete the other
challenges that I missed, not for submission (because I wouldn't feel
right about that) but so I can say to myself "I did it
all."
Please note, these were finished on time, but I had exams (still not done :( ) and couldn't post immediately.
So, without further ado, may I present, for your viewing pleasure:
The Mostly Matching Caps
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| Taigan was reluctant to model her cap for pictures |
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| That is Taigan's cap peeking out from under mine. |
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| The best pic I could get of the tiny running stitches |
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The Challenge: Accessorize
Fabric: white cotton voile (brand-spankin' new for me, Taigan's is recycled from my old chemise)
Pattern: Kannik's Korner's Woman's and Girl's Caps
, Cap A for me, eyeballed reduction of the same for Taigan's, with triple loop ribbon bows added.
Year: Pattern states Cap A covers from 1740
to 1810. For our purposes, we will be using them for War of 1812
reenactments here in SW Ontario. (No, being a couple years out of date
doesn't bother me - parts of SW Ontario (Upper Canada) was sparsely
populated at the time, and new fashions took a little while to make it
there from Europe, America and the more developed parts of the Canadas.
In addition, just because it wasn't high fashion doesn't mean that the
old styles were dropped right away.)
Notions: thread, very crappy turquoise poly ribbon for mine, slightly less crappy pink poly ribbon for Taigan
How historically accurate is it? I would
call it 90%. Fabric is accurate, pattern is accurate (with lots of
source material), it is completely hand-sewn using appropriate methods.
The only non-accurate part is the ribbon (which I hope to replace with
silk ribbons in the near future, when the funds allow).
Hours to complete: Mine: 6 (first time is
always slow) Taigan's: 4 hours (would have been 3, but the caul was too
small, which I didn't find out til I put it on her for pictures. Had
to rip it out, cut and sewn in a new one - oops). This is with distractions caused by children, etc.
First worn: Monday April 8th for pictures, May 31st at the Battle of Stoney Creek will be the first real wearing. I hope to get pics of us wearing them in full costume - the weather has been horrible here lately - rain, rain, and more rain.
Total cost: Materials for mine all came
from the stash, but would have been maybe $1 for fabric, $2 for the
ribbon. Taigan's was even cheaper. Her material was formerly my
chemise that had ripped in several places (note to self: while cotton
voile chemises make very comfortable nightgowns, the material is much
too thin for constant use, unless reinforcements are added to key areas -
which also explains the chemise in Costume Close-Up). Even her ribbon
was free - it was formerly the drawstring on a pair of pj's that pulled
out in the wash and I never bothered to put back in the pants.
