New website coming

I am working hard on the content of a new website for a new group. 

The Victorian Society "De Gracieuse"
or Het Victoriaanse Gezelschap "De Gracieuse" in Dutch.
I will keep you posted!

Sewing kitchen curtains

My son and I both have the flu for almost a week now. We have been spending our days sleeping, and watching television or behind our iPad/iPod. Yesterday I was feeling a little bit better and did some small sewing chores. I repaired a bra, sewed on a button and made curtains for our kitchen.

Although I like to sew, I do not like everything that involves sewing. Like altering, repairing and sewing curtains. I find sewing curtains a lot of work and very boring. I always put it off because well there is this costumes that really needs to be finished. This attitude means I have this growing pile of must-sew-chores. These three can now be crossed of that list and that does make me happy.

Exhausted but happy...

Stuck in the 1860's

After making a 1860's winter hood  I am now working on two other projects dating to the same era. The first one is a crocheted sontag shawl from Peterson's magazine, March 1864. Available at Google Books.

I always find it hard to "read" antique crochet and sewing pattens. As they are quite minimalistic in their descriptions and expect are certain amount of basic knowledge of the technique from the reader. When I came across the shawl pattern I wanted to see if I could figure it out and maybe even write an adapted description.

I found the photographs below on pinterest, originally they are from Ebay. I think the finished shawl will look a lot like this.

Working with the pattern was not as hard as I had thought but still involved a lot of trial and error and some educated guesswork.

Currently I am adding the tassels to the edge, which takes up a lot of time and yarn. Usually I am not a big fan of tassels but in my opion this shawl actually looks better with them.

The other project that I am working is converting my 1860's dress to a 1840-1860 skirt and waist ensemble. I want to wear it over a quilted petticoat instead of over my crinoline cage. I have always felt huge and uncomfortable in it. The added bonus is that it will be easier to store away and lending it out to friends. Who didn't feel comfortable in the crinoline cage either. Maybe I'll make it into a smaller crinoline cage someday. 

I have detached the skirt from the waist and taken out two meters of fabric from the skirt. Still leaving it almost 3 meter in circumference. There are still some things to do, like making a waistband and attaching the skirt to it.

And when it is finished I'll finally do some modern sewing! Well 1950's that is...