My Work

2015:

I was able to start and finish my ball gown in January. This gown made it's first public appearance at the Winter Ball in Gettysburg. The underskirt is cotton with 11 cotton lawn flounces. The bodice (Past Patterns #704) and over skirt are bronze brown embroidered silk taffeta. The bows are made from black silk satin organza. Read the post and see inspirational images here.

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Summer 2014:

This sheer top/jacket was made for summer use. There are many images of this style but my favorites can be found on this post. It was created from 2 1/2 yards of cotton batiste. 

Spring 2014:

This dress is a remake of the summer sheer from a few years ago. I shortened the sleeve, divided the puff from a single to a double, and re-cut the bodice with a detached low lining and V-neck. The sash is a navy silk that was made for a youth dress... and the youth doesn't use it. Read the full description here.

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Summer 2013:

This peach and grey check dress is made for winter use and big enough to be used for two or three years. The dress bodice is made in the gathered yoke style, the skirt has three tucks, and the sleeves are closed bishop sleeves. The dress is worn over a cage and petticoats and protected by a new calico, print apron.

Plaid Cotton Poplin Dress for a girl of 8. This dress is made from Elisabeth Stewart Clark pattern and inspired from an 1855 fashion plate. This picture shows the dress without bretelles, belt or bow.

Outfit for a young lady. The skirt is a wool/silk blend with a navy stripe made in the usual fashion. The blouse is of tucked cotton organza with puffed sleeves, worn over an undervest. Navy silk was used for the Swiss waist and bow.

Spring 2013:

I made this bonnet frame and covered it last year. I'm posting it as a piece for this spring because I think that I am finally happy with the trimmings. The bow is silk organza, the flowers are paper and the leaves are pressed velvet.

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For Winter 2012:

   

Christmas was great fun this year. Here are several of the things that I made for the children. Cloth balls for the boys, needle books and notion bags for the girls, and rolled linen dolls for my youngest daughter.

Here is a wool coat, crochet wool cap and wool scarf for a toddler boy. The coat is made from the Peterson's Boy's Renfrew Coat pattern with the exception of the belt and omission of the cape. The cap is from a Peterson's pattern as well. The scarf is a hemmed strip of wool in the fashion of cloth scarfs of the time.

I was able to finish this fashion hat for the Remembrance Day parade in Gettysburg. The hat is red wool with a quilted silk lining and white feather plumes. It was inspired by fashion plates from Le Follet 1863. The circular mantle was made last year from the same red wool and trimmed with swans down (feather boa) and is cut in the style described in fashion magazines of the time.

For Summer 2012:

 

This little boy's frock is so cute but unfortunately the fabric doesn't show well in photographs. It features a diagonal front closure and self fabric belt, both trimmed with brass buttons. This little guy is 2 years old and had outgrown his entire wardrobe this summer. He has all new underclothes as well. The underclothes were drafted from The Workwoman's Guide 1840 and the tunic/frock was inspired by an original in the Wisconsin Historical Society on-line collection.

This tunic is of the same description as the one above, with the exception that it was made for a boy of 6.

I was asked to make a dress for a little girl a little older than my daughter. The customer gave me the fabric and purchased a pattern. Having no access to the child, I made a best guess effort in sizing. Above is the finished dress (as it fits my daughter) with full underclothes (including petticoats), apron and sunbonnet. The second image is a close up of the tucks.

  

     

Costume for a rural farm wife. This costume consists of full underclothes (chemise, work corset, narrow cage and petticoats), a gathered bodice, cotton dress; collar, apron and sun bonnet. The sunbonnet and apron patterns are from Elizabeth Stewart Clark, the dress and collar were made according to Elizabeth's book, The Dressmaker's Guide.

A sewing brick and lined, stocked, sewing basket. I really enjoyed these small projects.

This sheer cotton voile dress is pretending to be silk. The collar is lawn, the neck ribbon is silk and the sleeves are cotton organdy. The dress was patterned after several illustrated in Peterson's 1860.

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Winter 2011:

    

This costume is for a young boy of five. It consists of chemise, drawers, tunic, fall front trousers, and an apron or belted coat. The apron was from an Elizabeth Stewart Clark pattern, the coat was made from the Peterson's Boy's Renfrew Coat pattern and all the rest were original designs based on period images.



This costume is for a girl of twelve. It consists of chemise, drawers, tucked petticoat, dress, and an apron. All pieces were made from Elizabeth Stewart Clark patterns. (This dress has been remade with bishop sleeves, 2012)

   

 This costume is for a young girl of six. It consists of chemise, drawers, corded petticoat, tucked petticoat, dress, apron, and wool shawl. All pieces were made from Elizabeth Stewart Clark patterns. (This costume is now in our lending trunk)

For Summer 2011:

 This costume is for a young girl of six. It consists of chemise, drawers, corded petticoat, tucked petticoat, dress, apron, and sun bonnet. All pieces were made from Elizabeth Stewart Clark patterns.

This costume is for a girl of twelve. It consists of chemise, drawers, tucked petticoat, dress, apron, and sun bonnet. All pieces were made from Elizabeth Stewart Clark patterns.

This costume is for a young boy of five. It consists of chemise, drawers, tunic,short trousers, and belt. The belt was purchased and all the rest were original designs based on period images. (This costume is now in our lending trunk)

       

Toddler petticoat or gown, either a boy or a girl, made from a pattern in The Workwoman's Guide 1840. (This costume is now in our lending trunk)

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Winter 2010:

    

Infant petticoat or gown, either a boy or a girl, made from a pattern in The Workwoman's Guide 1840. (This costume is now in our lending trunk)

Summer 2010:

Dress and pinafore for a young girl of five. The petticoat was made from an Elizabeth Stewart Clark pattern. (This costume is now in our lending trunk)