Cavaliers and unions suits

I'll have to try again tomorrow to get some better pictures of the union suit I made Charlie today.  I still need one more button and the ones to go on his butt.  He really is a lot more thrilled with it than the pictures let on.  He's having a lazy day and just wants to stand still and star at me.

Little Black dress, contd.

Some of you might remember my last post about a certain little black dress from before my honeymoon a few weeks ago.  I did in fact finish it in time and got some slightly blurry photos while on vacation.

That little black dress

As soon as I saw it, I knew it had to be mine.  I need a fancier dress for a variety of reasons, most notably the honeymoon I'm leaving for this week.  Huge thanks to The Fashionable Past for pinning this dress on pinterest.

1950s black chiffon party dress

More photos can be found here at Hemlock Vintage Clothing and I'll have photos of my dress up soon.  So far I've got the skirt pieces cut out and pinned on the dressform.

Pinterest finds that make me happy

I have found some items that I think can revolutionize my clothes for work:

c.1858 crinoline from The Met

Pretty stays c. 1850 from The Met

working class stays c.1850-70 from Corsets and Crinolines

It only took 2 whole years

December 2010.  No paint, drab nasty green curtains

Summer 2011.  New paint job, same crappy old door, and the nasty green curtains that do not match and are hung improperly.

September 2012.  New curtains (hung incorrectly for the moment), paint all finished, living room reorganized

September 2012.  Curtains rehung in the correct position, tie backs secured to the wall and everything in place.

Hi I'm Charlie and I approve of the work my mom does.  It makes me happy

 This is part of why it takes me a million years to sew anything.  I keep working on putting our household in order and making it pretty.

Pink Jackets

I'm starting to get motivated to do more sewing despite all the home repairs I've been making.  A few months ago I mentioned this little pink jacket I wanted to make for work.  I finally started on it.  No pattern, draped by me from rectangular pieces of taffeta.  I'm quite pleased so far.

The inspiration: Portrait of M. Obleuhova 1855. vasily pukirev. russian  From this site

The jacket I've started draping over the last few days

Almost time for 1861

A side view with no boning in place

The front, still no boning

I've been working on this for a while.  In honor of the Columbia SHP back to school event, I'm doing an 1861 inspired outfit for Saturday (and probably tomorrow also).  I haven't taken any photos lately, but all that's missing right now are the lacing holes up the front.  I'm so excited.