I am a docent at Ardenwood Regional Park in Fremont, CA. The docents are all volunteers and give tours through the Patterson House in historical costume of the years 1890-1910ish.
When the house was first opened to the public the internet wasn't around and information was not so easily found on fashions of past eras so we had just basic information. Most of the docents don't sew and have had to have someone make their outfits. I do sew but originally the patterns were few and far between. I have used these patterns over and over. But recently I have been trying to update my costumes and started checking out the internet. And, WOW!, there are a lot of re-enactors out there! And talented, educated young people sewing and creating patterns and supporting each other! It is just amazing some of the reproductions that are being created!!
Anyhow, I found many goldmines of information, especially, a blog by TheDreamstress.com. She put out challenges for all comers to sew historical reproductions and post them on her blog every two weeks. I have been following her since December 2012 just when she was starting the challenges for this year. I have been posting about all the challenges that I was able to participate in. By the time Ardenwood opened their 2013 season in April I had a whole new wardrobe!
Now about hats. Years ago, about 20 years actually, Ardenwood had a class on hat making for the docents. I attended and have made all my hats since then but I have felt the need for more information. I found HistoricalSewing.com where Jennifer Rosbrugh gives good information on all kind of historical sewing and offers classes every so often.
She just happened to be offering an online class on "1880s Bustle Hats" that starts on May 16th. So, even though I do not portray that period, I figure I will probably learn something new on hat making and I will be making a hat of "my" period in the process also.
But I do have to figure out which hat style to make. I am mulling it over....its really nice that I have a longer time to decide....but I may have to go out and get trims or something so it would be nice to pin it down soon.
At the turn of the century there were lots of styles going on in a short period of time. And I am kind of intrigued by these:
Notice the brims on these hats are so different, one curved up and the other as straight as a board. One of the styles of this period was for the hats to be tall and give height. Bird feathers were popular hat decor and then fabric "feathers". One of my new hat patterns has a fabric feather.
And if you look at the top one the fabric comes down the front and curls into two flower-like swirls at the brim, cool!
When the house was first opened to the public the internet wasn't around and information was not so easily found on fashions of past eras so we had just basic information. Most of the docents don't sew and have had to have someone make their outfits. I do sew but originally the patterns were few and far between. I have used these patterns over and over. But recently I have been trying to update my costumes and started checking out the internet. And, WOW!, there are a lot of re-enactors out there! And talented, educated young people sewing and creating patterns and supporting each other! It is just amazing some of the reproductions that are being created!!
Anyhow, I found many goldmines of information, especially, a blog by TheDreamstress.com. She put out challenges for all comers to sew historical reproductions and post them on her blog every two weeks. I have been following her since December 2012 just when she was starting the challenges for this year. I have been posting about all the challenges that I was able to participate in. By the time Ardenwood opened their 2013 season in April I had a whole new wardrobe!
Now about hats. Years ago, about 20 years actually, Ardenwood had a class on hat making for the docents. I attended and have made all my hats since then but I have felt the need for more information. I found HistoricalSewing.com where Jennifer Rosbrugh gives good information on all kind of historical sewing and offers classes every so often.
She just happened to be offering an online class on "1880s Bustle Hats" that starts on May 16th. So, even though I do not portray that period, I figure I will probably learn something new on hat making and I will be making a hat of "my" period in the process also.
But I do have to figure out which hat style to make. I am mulling it over....its really nice that I have a longer time to decide....but I may have to go out and get trims or something so it would be nice to pin it down soon.
At the turn of the century there were lots of styles going on in a short period of time. And I am kind of intrigued by these:
And if you look at the top one the fabric comes down the front and curls into two flower-like swirls at the brim, cool!
Love the velvet ones!
ReplyDeleteMe too! I'm going to try to get to Joann's to ck out velvet and to the Indian fabric store to ck out silks.
ReplyDelete