Semi-Sheer Pink Day Dress

Dear Friends, “How long did it take you to make that?”I hear this question a lot, but it’s not as simple as that. Remember, some of the details that make it take time (such as having matching piping, linings, lower hem linings, hand stitching, hand button holes, etc), don’t necessarily show easily or obviously to

Baby Set

Dearest Readers, I made this earlier this year. After I finished it, I put down knitting, and even other crafts and sewing, for a long time. I didn’t realize that I hadn’t posted pictures! I am now experiencing a knitting renaissance, and will likely be posting many more knitted items 🙂 Garment Data:– Type: Sweater

Dark Hatbox

Hello lads and lasses! The other night I decorated a hatbox, which I intend to use to store a mourning bonnet. Which I have not yet made, but that will come…At any rate, I needed a second hatbox and decided to use a darker color scheme to match what I know I will be storing

Red Memorial Day Daydress

Dear Ladies and Gents,you may have noticed an item of wear recurring in mention multiple times: a basic red cotton daydress, which, when worn without hoops, can serve well enough as a camp or work dress. Garment Data:– Type: Civil War style daydress– Date made: Just before Memorial Day, 2013– Pattern: Simplicity 4551, plus alterations.

A hatbox!

Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, I got fed up with finding my bonnets squashed at the bottom of my trunk. I sprang for a cardboard, undecorated hatbox at the craft store, and just spent the day with a bottle of Mod Podge, a sponge brush, some paper napkins, and some tissue paper. What fun! Garment Data:–

Remembrance Day, Gettysburg

Well, Ladies and Gents! This week was most auspicious. On November 19th, 1863, President Lincoln spoke a few words (after the main speaker had given a speech of nearly 2 hours, I believe!). His very short address became famous, and one of the weekends near the anniversary of his speech has become a recurring event,

Painesville, 2012

Reenactment in Painesville, Ohio, at the Lake County Historical Center! July 14th, 2012 (or 1862, if you prefer!). Tried to make sure the background was period appropriate! Back view. The bodice isn’t fitting quite right, but I think (hope) that mostly took care of itself with new underpinnings. The strange juxtaposition of troops marching, hoopskirts,

Painesville reenactment, 2012/1862

Hello! Since I’ve now stepped into Civil War reenacting, during the 150th anniversary cycle, many of my posts from now on will be related to the Civil War era. I’ll also be trying to organize the blog a little better, so you may start to see “labels” applied to old posts too, which should make