Ladies Wrappers

Here is my finished 1860's wrapper, made from the Kay Fig Ladies Wrapper pattern.  Wrappers were quite a utilitarian garment in the 19th century, more so than our bathrobes today.  Some were really only meant to be worn in the bedroom, some as a robe itself over a nightdress,  but many more were designed as more of a housedress.  They could be worn in the mornings, where the name morning dress comes from, to breakfast and around the house prior to making or receiving calls later in the afternoon.  The back and bodice lining are fitted just like a dress of the period with only the front panel being lose and full, many times tied in with a sash, belt, or cord.  They were worn over full underpinnings and could be left open to show off a prettily embroidered petticoat.  Because of their design they were also beneficial for invalids or as maternity wear.  As maternity wear, the full front panel becomes much more useful as it would expand with the growing baby, only the lining would have to be altered or left partially unfastened.
     Many different fabrics were used for wrappers in the 19th century.  Godeys and Petersons magazines show fashion plates with wrappers made of silks and satins and trimmed in lace.  However, the most common were those made of a calico or soft wool, usually with wildly contrasting front panels, facings, and hem treatments.  Several wrappers shown in the pattern were even lined with multiple cotton prints.  When used for maternity wear, many looked very similar to the fashion dresses of the time.  I certainly love my wrapper and it has already seen quite a bit of use around the house.
     I loved working with the Kay Fig pattern as the instructions were very clear and easy to follow.  The extra bits of history and photos of original garments were a plus as well.  I will definitely use her patterns again as needed.

Needlebooks

I thought I would post a bit about Needlebooks as I now have a really cute one to share.  Needlebooks, were and still are, a useful way to keep your needles handy without losing them to the floor, or the interior space of a pincushion.  Historic needlebooks of the mid 19th century came in various sizes and shapes, some with embroidery, silk ribbons, beads etc. on the cover.  There were needlebooks shaped like fish, sea shells, bellows, bells, shoes, bows, fruit, and almost anything you could concieve of.  Some were shaped more like a traditional book decorated with ribbons.  Inside the cover were leaves of wool to store the needles in.  Wool was used as it wouldn't dull the tips and it would inhibit rusting.  Some came with spaces to store a bodkin and or a stilleto, some with room for a small pair of scissors or loop for a thimble.

These first two are pictures of a needlebook that I received in a swap with a historic sewing group.  Notice the shape of a shoe and how the thimble fits nicely into the top of the shoe.  The sole of the shoe (or the bottom of the needlebook) also acts as a pin book.  It is made with two pieces of pasteboard covered with fabric and sewn together around the outer edge with a bit of wool batting inside to cushion and protect the pins.

This next one is similar to the one that I sent out for the needlebook swap.  It is made of cream colored wool with a black velvet band on the front and back cover. The little sachet on the front is silk stuffed with wool batting to act as a bit of a pin cushion while you're working.   This one is taken from an antique in the collection of Anna Worden Bauersmith. 

I am really finding these little books quite handy, and plan to keep one in most of my work spaces.  Perhaps then I'll keep from losing the needles.

Ladies Chemise and Laundry Markings

I finished my new chemise and finally got around to also adding the laundry markings.  This chemise was drafted from the directions on the Sewing Academy website (also available in the Dressmaker's Guide by Elizabeth Stuart Clark).   It's made out of bleached muslin and embroidered on the lower right hem.  This is by far the most comfortable of the three chemises I have - the others have fitting issues in the sleeves and around the neckline.  I find that these make the most wonderful nighties, and have plans to make atleast one more from Simplicity 2890.

Laundry Markings were used as a way to differentiate one woman's laundry from another when being washed.  This was an issue historically as undergarments were all white and the general styles varied very little from each other.  They were usually worked in tiny cross stitches in either red or black in an inconspicuous spot.  If a lady was part of a gentleman's household then her first initial was preceeded by his first initial and then followed by the first initial of the family name.  So my laundry marking is Jonathan Angela Oehlert.  Then would follow details of the fabric, such as Bleached Muslin, then perhaps the number of the garment (if you numbered your household linen), and finally the year as shown above.   It wasn't difficult to work and I quite the looks of my marked laundry.

Confederate Enlisted Frock Coat

Whew!  I'm not sure what is wrong with Blogger this morning, but it has taken me nearly an hour to upload these two photos.  Everything else on the computer seems to be just fine, the only problem is my connection with Blogger.  Go figure.

So, here is the Confederate Enlisted Frock Coat that I finished for my brother last month.  I am so pleased with how it came out, and more in how it fits.  Ben loves it, and has planned to do the topstitching and buttonholes himself.  It is made of a gray/tan jean wool with navy wool collar and cuffs.  Lined with cotton and wool breast pads (shown in the bottom photo).  Now that I have successfully finished Ben's I may be a little more inclined to tackle a Civilian Frock for hubby.  However, I must complete pants, shirt, vest, and drawers first.

Summer project pictures

I finally sent the baby gifts through the mail to my sister and her girls, so now it's safe to show you all the pictures of what I have been working on.

The first two are for Elaine, a cotton sun hat and cotton top.  I just love both of them and she's going to look absolutely darling!

These last little goodies are for new baby Tessa.  I hope she's able to wear them all and that Mommy enjoys them!  I certainly had fun knitting for two very special little girls.

More to come later of the summer projects that are now all finished.

I hate to say this....

but, it's raining and I love it!  After a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad spring, we made it to summer by the middle of  July.  Everyone, was lamenting the cool weather and the excessive rain.  The gardens wouldn't grow, and you could feel the depression all over town.  When the dry, slightly warmer weather finally arrived, people left their homes in droves to go camping, hiking, to the beach, and to the garden centers.  (I'm relatively sure the local garden shops were afraid they would never do any business this year.)  We have had four weeks of some incredibly beautiful weather - perfect for anything you wanted to do outside, and the gardens have made up for their late start, sort of.  But, along with this beautiful weather has come no rain, and on Saturday the heat hit.  Now I can make up for no rain, and I did, by watering regularly.  However, I cannot do anything about the heat and it makes me very cranky, and Saturday was hot (ok, so it was like 82, but when you're not used to heat anymore and no place is airconditioned.....), and Saturday night was worse, and Sunday almost as bad.  By Sunday night "irritable" was a mild adjective.  Then Sunday night was hot....I won't go there.  I awoke this morning to the sound of water dripping from the gutters.  I should have gotten up, however, my swimming schedule had been rearranged (thank you very much J.J. I needed the sleep too.)so I rolled over and went back to sleep.  Several hours later we still have a very nice steady rain and it's back to about 68 degrees.  I am contemplating a nap.

Summertime Fun

We have been quite busy the past few weeks with wonderful summertime activities.  I'll be adding a couple of other posts as I get pictures back from hubby.

      Last weekend I persuaded J to take me south to Ft. Nisqually, just outside of Tacoma, WA.  There are quite a few gals that interpret there that I have met online on a historic sewing forum called The Sewing Academy.  I am looking for a place/places out here to get involved with costuming and living history as US CW is not quite as popular this far west.   Pretty much my only option thus far is Husdson Bay Fur Trade stuff - not quite as much fun for me to dress up.  Ft. Nisqually offers what seems to be a happy medium.  The original occupants of the fort in 1858 had had quite a bit of English/French influence so the clothing is a little more what I am looking for.  The factor at the fort was a Scottsman, William Fraser Tolmie and his wife was Jane Work, the daughter of  John Work, an Irish fur trader and Josette Legacee, a Metis woman.  Jane had adopted more of the European lifestyle, likely due to her heritage and schooling.   This is opposite of what was going on at Ft. Langley, another Hudson's Bay Fort, at the same time (further blog post will follow).
     Fort Nisqually is staffed with some wonderful volunteers, many of whom are exceptionally knowledgeable about the Fort and the dress of the time.  They rotate years from 1855, 1857, and 1859.  Those representing life at the Fort are dressed in the normal English dress of the time and do a wonderful job of interpreting the people who lived and worked at the Fort.

This is Victoria Pann, portraying Jane Work Tolmie, I think.  (That or her sister Lettitia)

This is one of the first food processors in the kitchen at Ft. Nisqually.  There is a blade in the bowl that moves up and down to chop the food as the handle is turned.

This is one of the visiting Fur Brigade.  He does all of his own blacksmithing, woodworking, and rifle making.  Truly incredible work.