Shirt/Bodice

my fingers are aching but i think i might attempt the bodice tonight. though it is less fabric than the skirt, it will probably be more sewing. if only it was possible to crochet this piece and have it look just like the skirt. i am making plans to crochet a shawl for my ball gown.

i feel kind of silly about ordering my ball gown, i love it and i havent even recieved ti yet, but i rushed into buying it without thinking of the historical acuracy. luckily for me, it is historically accurate and was really cheap for a ball gown. on top of that i got to choose the color satin and ribbon i wanted, so it was still a great buy! once it arrives i am posting pics, ive been dreaming of it since i payed for it.

i also have another day dress coming in the mail. it cost me about 4 dollars, 9 with shipping, so i figured even if it was a bust, i wasnt emptying my wallet over it. it should be here before the ball gown.

now i will have three outfits to wear for reenactofest 6 in chicago two day dresses and a ball gown, it just so happens there is a ball.

the white shirt i am wearing in the toher pictures was actually purchased to wear under a short sleeved day dress for undersleeves. now i can use it as a second bodice for my skirt which gets me two outfits in one :D

the only dilemma i have is what shoes to wear for my day dresses. i have a pair of black lace up converse that go to my knee and could possibly pass as boots but i'd feel like i was betraying my costume. i just dont want to shell out the 40-60 dollars for a cheap pair of boots. a trip to the local good will is in order.

sadly the jo-ann by my house (5 min away) is now offically closed. i am confined to hobby lobby for fabric unless i want to drive 30 min to go to the other jo-ann. im sure the pull of jo-ann will be too strong and ill be over there in no time.

well now i am off to relax for a bit before diving into more sewing :D perhaps by the end of tonight i will have myself a bodice! now that i think of it, the sewing shouldnt be all that much. 2 front pieces, one back, four pieces for the sleeves, its totally do-able.

happy crafting

That was easy...

So i awoke at 10 am not 8 am as planned, but it didnt really affect my plan for the day. after tampering with the ancient sewing machine for an hour and a half i gave up on that idea and decided to make my dress the old fashioned way. Last night i got all the peices cut out so this morning i sewed two of the three 40"x47" together then i sewed on the third peice but i did not connect the two. instead i folded down the top of the skirt that would sit at my waist and sewed in the elastic band.

note on the elastic band: if you are going to be sewing a dress/skirt and are using sheets, try to cut out the pattern with the already hemmed part at the bottom so you dont have to hem the skirt. then if you are also taking fabric from the fitted sheets with the elastic band, you can cut off the elastic band and save it for later.

i ended up making my skirt a drawstring skirt because it gave the effect of being a pleated/bustled dress with out all the extra work, and it is adjustable :D

i havent gotten around to the shirt/bodice part of my dress, but i think for now i will work on an apron, which i shall make out of a old pillowcase :D

all in all my new day skirt cost me all of $0 which makes me a very frugale seamstress. i'd say this was a very sucessful day.

the pattern for this dress was taken from http://www.shasta.com/suesgoodco/newcivilians/womenswear/dresses.htm

thats an awesome site if you are looking for descriptions of what women wore and didnt wear during the civil war days. :D

To sleep or not to sleep?

Well, here it goes, i've been up for hours researching civil war dresses and gowns, and finally i decided i will make a day dress to wear to a reenactment festival i am planning to attend in february. after much debate, i figured dropping in on my neighborhood jo-ann (which, sadly, is closing) to look for some fabric for a dress was the best solution. then i found mint green checked sheets in our linen closet which hadnt been used in years. making an executive descision, i took the sheets, attempted to draw up a pattern and then transfer it onto the fabric. well, my pattern had to be revised, and i messed up on my sleeves, i cut four right sides and no left sides, but i have enough fabric left to make the left sleeves and i was able to recycle the elastic band from the sheets and will use it for my skirt :D all in all, i think it a very sucessful night. now i'm hoping to just sew this thing up tomorrow and be done, probably wont happen but we will see. at the moment i am half tempted to run down stairs and at least make the skirt, but my eyes are begging me to stop. They've watched me be very crafty this weekend. i crocheted a frankenstein amigurumi, two hats (1.0 and 2.0) a pair of socks, some flowers and circles. once again, id say another sucessful weekend. well, hopefully my eight oclock alarm will wake me up, and then perhaps, i'll have a dress before the siblings school lets out. wish me luck. 'night

Melanie