Something New in the Garden Room!

I've decided to document my "historic" interests here on My Garden Room blog.

I have been a docent at the Patterson House in Ardenwood Regional Park in Fremont, CA for a long time now.  The docents are dressed in period costumes when giving tours to the public.

We need a new infusion of knowledge and creativity towards our period costumes.  Our training has been lacking a bit for the past few years.  So I hope to inspire with more research and sewing on my part so hopefully we can bring forth a new level in period dress (1890-1910).

I used to make a new outfit every year but haven't been able to do that for several years and now I intend to start that up again.  In researching I came across " http://thedreamstress.com/the-historical-sew-fortnightly/ ".  Leimomi Oakes is the Dreamstress, a textile historian, seamstress, designer, speaker and museum professional. When I landed on her site she just happened to start a year (2013) of 2-week challenges of historical sewing projects!  Boy, was that good timing!  I had just ordered 3 new patterns and had used some of the days I was dogsitting our grand-dogs at Jen and Roberts to trace all the patterns to my size.  So I am ready to go!

The First Challenges:

• #0 (the bonus challenge): Starting Simple - due 31 December NZT.  Finish a project, make a very simple garment, or something you have made before.
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• #1: Bi/Tri/Quadri/Quin/Sex/Septi/Octo/Nona/Centennial – due 14 Jan.  Sew something from __13, whether it be 1913, 1613, or 13BC
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• #2: UFO - due Jan 28.  Let’s get something off our UFO pile! Use this opportunity to finish off something that’s never quite gotten done, or stalled halfway through.
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• #3: Under it all – due Feb 11.  Every great historical outfit starts with the right undergarments, and, just in time for Valentines day, here’s you’re excuse to make them. Chemises, corsets, 
• corded petticoats, drawers, garters, stockings…if it goes under your garments, it qualifies.
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• #4: Embellish –  due Feb 25.  Decorations make the historical garment glorious. Whether you use embroidery, trim, pleating, lace, buttons, bows, applique, quilting, jewels, fringe, or any other form of embellishment, this challenge is all about decorative detail.
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• #5: Peasants & Pioneers – due March 11. As wonderful as making pretty, pretty princess dresses is, the vast majority of people have always been poor commoners, whether they were peasants working the land, servants in big houses, or (later), pioneers carving their own space in new lands. This fortnight let’s make something that celebrates the common man.
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• #6: Stripes - due March 25. The stripe is one of the oldest patterns, appearing in the earliest textile fragments and visual records of garments, and its never gone out of style since. Celebrate stripes with a striped garment. Will you go for grand baroque stripes, pastel rococo stripes, severe neoclassical stripes, elaborately pleated and bustled Victorian stripes, or something else entirely?
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• #7: Accessorize – due April 9.  Accessories add polish to your outfits, helping to create the perfect historical look. This week is all about bringing an outfit together. Trim a bonnet, paint a fan, crochet an evening bag, sew a shawl, or dye and decorate a pair of shoes to create the perfect period accessory for yourself.