The Day is Set

I am so excited this coming Wednesday I will be getting my latest pay check. With my coming money, I will be buying what needs to be bought to start my first ever corset. Thursday I plan to go shopping with my dear friend Rebecca who has the blog Sew Historically Accurate, that I insist that you must read. After our adventures of buying the fabric and what ever else I can buy from the store. I will also order the extra things like boning and casing from the Dressmakers Shop. Hopefully they will be in my hands soon enough after I cut out all the fabric and make a mock( if that is needed I am not sure and will have to consult with Rebecca)
Then I plan to make the corset with Rebecca alongside me to guide me in the process. I want this corset to be as comfortable as can be and well made so that it will last me a while. I would consider Rebecca my mentor when it comes to CW era women's clothing. She has been in the hobby for many years now, and I trust that she knows everything that I will need to know. And if she doesn't know she has her own mentor to ask.
 Also I know that she will not steer me wrong because of the group she belongs to strives to give accurate impressions. That means in this group you will find that everyone is dressed period correct and doing period correct chores and other such things. I am hoping that once I join the group I will not let them down. I want to show people the correct ways of how things were done and how every one should look. ( I will post more later on the group)
Back to my corset. I feel that this will be a great adventure and introduction to sewing. I do know how to sew and a few different stitches but I am hoping to learn so so much more in the coming months from working with Rebecca.

Exceptions to Sewing List

So I just remembered that I will be going to Greenfield Village's Holiday Nights. And it has come to be the past two years that I dress up for these nights. So now that I have a new wonderful dress to wear. And I found out how to layer it so I will be warm. I have decided to make two items Super Urgent!!!! A winter hood and mittens. I have a pattern that I want to use that I found from the blog of Sarah Jane and her pattern she made for a 1860's Winter Hood . I found her blog a few days ago and I simply love it. It is very helpful. Both her Romantic History blog and her Romantic History Historical Clothing  blog. I love them both oh so much! And I am hoping my printer will soon have ink so I can get started right away on the hood. I plan to do very neutral colors for the hood so that it may be warn with any color of dress. The mittens I will make to match, after I find a pattern or find some inspiration. Whichever comes first I guess. So I have a little over a month ( I go to the Holiday Nights on the 23rd of December) to get both of these items done. I hope, hope, hope that I will get these both done with some time to spare. I don't wanna have to be working down to the last minute. But with my very novice sewing, and a little bit of laziness this might be the case.
P.S. Sorry about all the links. I had to give credit where due, and I just found out how to do it!!

Sewing List

Urgent : 
Corset ( First thing I make) 
Split drawers 
Petticoats (2) 
Slat Bonnet (or some sorta head wear)
Men's shirts (2) 
Men's pants (2) 
Dress (2) ((large hope)) ((( I will be happy with one))) 


I want to have this ALL done by the start of the 2012 season. 

It can wait: 
Winter Hood 
New chemise ( I have one at the moment) 
Finish blue skirt 
Alter ballgown 
Re-do hoop (or just get a cage kit???) 

Finish throughout the 2012 season 


I know I can get the first list done semi fast. The second list I hope to have done within the first little bit of the season. Then I will add new things to my list. Also all the while of doing this I will do side one day ( in thinking) projects that I will need for stuff around camp and gathering things that are needed. I believe that I can get this all done. Reenacting is something I really really want to do, so I will push myself to get it all done.

Sewing Room

Today I set up my sewing room. It really isn't big, but it doesn't have to be giant. I'll be the only one working in the room. It has a nice ceiling light with a fan, red walls, small window, hardwood floors. The perfect little get away. It is a side room off of the master bedroom at my house. I set up a long rectangle plastic folding table. On one end is my sewing machine and the other is where I will do my cutting and other what not. I'm thinking I might set up another folding table just like the first to add more room. Next to my sewing machine I placed the sewing basket on a plastic bin so it comes up to my height.
I can not wait to start sewing on Tuesday! I just have no idea what i'm going to begin with. I'll probably finish a skirt I was hand sewing. Just to get myself used to the machine again. I'll be posting pictures of my sewing room soon.

The Start of my Adventures

I have been interested in Civil War Reenacting for sometime now.When I was little I always wanted to dress up in big dresses and go out and about. Then in high school I met a friend who was in a Civil War Reenacting group. I never knew such things existed until this day. I was so over whelmed with joy that I just wanted her to teach me all that she knows. Now it is a few years down the line. I'm not in a group yet, but i'm working my way there. Now that I am an adult it is much easier to do things on my own.
I started off my reenacting garb with a skirt and top that I bought off of my friend. Soon after I got it I went to work making some underpinnings from a pattern that I had bought. Now that I have learned some more about the more "correct" way of how things are worn I will be redoing my underpinnings. They have served me well the past couple of years the times that I have worn them. I made a white muslin chemise and drawers, then I made two petticoats, one long and one shorter that were made from an old floral pattern bed sheet. Both the petticoats and drawers have a drawstring waist.
Soon after that my dad and step mom went to an auction where an older style wedding dress with hoop skirt was being sold. The hoop skirt has 4 hoops I believe so it is quiet large. They gave me both in hopes that I could use the wedding dress for fabric later. Nothing has come of the dress as of yet but the hoop has been wonderful to me. All I had to do was clean it up a bit and make a drawstring waist. It is made out of metal hoops and some sorta nylon material. So that will have to be re-done also. But I am wondering if I should do a hoop or get a kit to make myself a cage. But that won't come for a little bit here.

Everyone calls this my "school teacher" look

The skirt I bought from my friend is a black and white plaid with a drawstring waist. It is lovely, long and full. The top that came with it was white that accidentally got dyed pink in the wash. I replaced it by going to a thrift store and just buying a nice looking button up shirt. Also it came with a black sash.
Now we have my most recent purchase, bought from the same friend as my other outfit, which was a green and cream like stripe dress that has a sort of pagoda sleeves and red lining in the bodice.Also there is red trim along the bottom of the skirt. It also came a separate short sleeved bodice. The dress is just beautiful. I had to add my own buttons to it and I will more than likely have to take it in once I buy/make my corset. The long sleeved top is attached to the skirt and I am hoping one day I will be able to make them to separate pieces so that I can change out the bodices for the spring and fall months.

I'm not the best with pictures

Then I have a few shawls, shoes, men's clothing for my boyfriend (next post) pots, pans, bowls, and a tea pot. So I guess i'm off to an okay start with things.