2023 My Year in Review

I had almost given up writing this final post of 2023 because it’s been a year of unfinished and incomplete sewing. For many years I have been told my accumulation of finished costumes has amazed people, sometimes even myself. And here I thought 2023 would be my comeback year, after 3 years of Pandemic malaise.

I felt like I started this year in full throttle while getting my blue plaid bustle done to wear in the Riverside Dickens fashion show in February. I had the trims ready to hand sew onto the bodice, when an unusual weather system came through and brought torrential rain and cold, plus snow in the mountains, which would prevent many attendees and vendors from getting to the outdoor event. So just shortly before the date, it was cancelled. The good news? This dress is done except for those trims, and I had a bonnet custom made for it as my birthday present, so it will be worn next year in Port Townsend for the Victorian Festival in April.

I took advantage of that enthusiasm, and pulled out the three 1860s cotton dresses I’d started the last couple years that needed the waistbands attached to the skirts and finished that. But then I realized that any events I could wear them to would involve walking outdoors on uneven dirt (aka Dickens or Civil War events) and I knew my badly injured knee couldn’t handle that. So those three dresses still need their button closures, and I can’t remember if I ever hemmed them. I bet probably not. I guess I could do those. But then, why?

Then I finished my pink striped seaside dress for this year’s Port Townsend fashion show in April. I also decided I needed to make a corset cover to go under another sheer dress I was wearing there. That was a quick and easy make that I finished in almost one day. Yes! A couple things did get finished!

I had originally started a blue and white striped seaside polonaise to wear to the same event the previous year but in the end decided to wear something else that was already done so its still in the “need to finish”-mode. I’ve got rows of ruffles sitting on my sewing table that will go on its skirt, which I don’t know if it’s done without digging through my closet. But I think it is. I could possibly wear that to Port Townsend next year. Hmm….

I became excited about making a 1911 tea dress to wear to an afternoon tea event, and after doing research on multiple versions, I decided to set up my assembly line method and cut out 3 at a time, each one trimmed differently. I couldn’t get the muslin fitted on me properly by myself, and it was a few more months before I could go to a sewing workshop to get help with them. I had to do a complete re-do on the pattern bodice to get it right on me. The kimono bodice shoulders were too far down on me, and I had to bring in the sides and narrow the front and back panels to fit me. I finally got two of them done but not the 3^rd lavender one, and it would have the most extensive trims on it. None of these have their skirts yet. But life kept popping up and blocking me from finishing anything. So I again wore my pink striped seaside dress to the Costumers Guild West tea.

For Costume College in July, I decided to wear my 1890s aqua ballgown from 2012 for the Gala but added a pretty floral garland to the neckline to freshen it up. And I made that. I wore my pink striped seaside dress for the Sunday tea, and that’s all I wore for that event this year.

My next couple months were taken with getting up to speed in becoming the Dean of Costume College 2024 and that took a tremendous amount of time. Also, my Mother’s health was failing even more, and with so many distractions, I found I couldn’t focus on sewing. I’ve also realized if my days are broken up into needing to leave the house, going to appointments, etc., it breaks up my focus also. I do better with many days in a row that I can put my brain cells into just one thing.

After we came back from a vacation in Alaska, I was able to start on a re-creation of the Disney’s Haunted Mansion maid’s outfit that my original plan is to wear to Costume College in 2024 but also to wear it for Halloween for our neighborhood event. I didn’t have any luck finding a solid green fabric for the skirt in the short time I had but was going to use a black one I already had. I still needed to finish the sleeves and front closures, but then my Mom occupied a lot of my time, and I gave up trying to finish it, instead just putting an all-white outfit together as a ghost. Sadly, Mom passed away on Halloween, so she didn’t get to see that, although I showed her photos of my progress. I plan on continuing my search for the solid green for the skirt, as it’s an odd shade that I want to match as close as possible to the striped green bodice. And I’ll finish it, as planned, for Costume College.

I was glad that I was able to share my love of sewing costumes with her, as she was a very creative seamstress in her younger days, and made most of my clothes. I was also thrilled one year that I was able to make her a costume to wear with me at the Port Townsend Victorian Festival that wasn't far from where she lived. 

If you’ve ever been a Trustee for someone, you already know the huge amount of legal paperwork you have to deal with. It’s a mind suck, and I could barely focus on day-to-day things, much less sewing. I took a chance and went to a sewing workshop the first weekend of December to try and start a fitting muslin for a Regency bedgown I wanted to make for another Costume College event, but my brain wasn’t working, and the instructions were confusing, so I didn’t get that made. Later, after talking with the pattern designer, there were some mistakes on the instructions and she’s corrected those, so I’m going to try and make another start on it again in January. I also need to get my muslin made for my fantasy Regency dress for the Bridgerton Regency Gala we’re having at Costume College.

In the meantime, right after January 1, I will need to get a start on organizing the fashion show in Port Townsend, which means FINISH MY BLUE PLAID DRESS. Maybe even my Autumn plaid one? But that has a lot more to finish on it. Or maybe just do the blue striped seaside dress. Of course, the weather may determine which one would be more suitable. It can still be pretty chilly at the end of April but I’ve been able to wear cottons even if it was cold.

I also need to plan on having some hand sewing to do because in May I’m finally getting my knee replacement surgery. I’ve been promised I’ll be fine by the time Costume College comes around in July.

I know what's also missing now, my sewing supervisor. There's no one to pull pins out of my patterns, or keep the fabric, or my sewing machine warm for me. 

So here’s to wishing you all a safe and productive New Year, and may the Sewing Fairies bring you inspiration and focus in your sewing endeavors. 

OUR ANNUAL HISTORICAL FASHION SHOW AT LANTERN CREST RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

The Historical Dressers just held our 3^rd fashion show for the Lantern Crest Retirement Community a week ago. The theme I wrote was Historical Dressing for the Holidays. My first idea was to wear Christmasy dresses but then a couple models started suggesting other holidays, like Easter and St Patrick’s Day. And it went from there. This gave us a wider variety of colors and time periods to include, which I wanted it to be bright and shiny. It also gave me an idea for writing my narrative for them.

In telling each story behind the holiday, I included questions, like, “Do you remember your mother buying or making your Easter dress?” Or “Who doesn’t love to go out to dinner for Valentine’s Day in a beautiful dress?” My idea to was make them think back on their own memories. Instead of my usual chronological order of models, we started with the earliest month of the year’s February holiday, and ended on New Year’s Eve. And each model’s introduction included a tiny bit of history about the holiday.

In the past we'd been on stage at the theatre in the larger and newest building at Lantern Crest. But this year, I was working with a new Activities Director, and neither of us thought to mention WHICH theatre we’d be in. So, we were all surprised when we showed up at our usual place and were told it was being held in the next building up the hill. So, it was a quick jaunt up there and to get us familiar with the new location. It was a bit smaller room, and a couple of the models said they actually liked the coziness of it, and our audience was closer to the stage. And they had overstuffed recliners, no less! I forgot to look at the audience to see how many were there, but one count was 32. We even had a "personal advertiser"; one of the model’s mom who lives there, reminded residents in the dining room to not forget to come to it. 

(Thank you to Cindy, Shelley, & Shannon for sharing your photos with us) 

At this point while these stage photos were taken by a friend in the audience, I wasn’t in them because I was at the podium in anticipation of having to be the narrator, when our narrator, Nancy, seemed not to be making it. But she did arrive just in time. 

 

Our first model, Gina, was in an 1880s red and pink Valentine’s Day dress, where the date became associated with romantic love in the 14th & 15th centuries when notions of courtly love flourished, apparently by association with the "lovebirds" of early spring. And what lady doesn't like to dress up and be taken out to dinner to celebrate?

The 2^nd model was Birda, in an 1860s green plaid dress for St Patrick’s Day. A very popular celebration for even those not Irish, is St Patrick’s Day. On this day, everyone is Irish, or so the saying goes.

Kathleen was wearing her 1912 mint green embroidered dress for Easter. Who doesn’t remember their first Easter dress that your mother made or bought for you? It was pastel and white, or lacy, and was always a special dress to wear, along with its special hat and shoes.

Moving into Spring, Cindy wore her 1903 lavender polka dot with lace applique dress for May Day. I heard an “oh wow!” comment from the audience. May Day, on the first day of May, celebrates the return of spring. Springtime festivities could include children dancing around the maypole, and holding onto colorful ribbons. Do you remember hanging a small paper cone of flowers on someone's front door knob?

Our youngest, but not newest, model Maya, in her pink rosebud striped dress, and her mother Shannon, in her white & pink blouse and black skirt, were dressed for a Summer Holiday in their 1890s dresses. As the days became warmer, thoughts turned to taking long summer holidays, that would include picnics or bathing at the beach and resorts.

Our narrator and model, Nancy, wore her 1880s Autumn color dress of toast and plaid fabric for Thanksgiving. The colors of Autumn remind us of the smells of home fires burning, cinnamon & cloves baking, and more importantly, our Thanksgiving dinner, and gathering of friends and family.  

For the Christmas holidays, we had three versions of red and green in plaids and stripes.

Shelley was wearing her 1860s red & black plaid. Xmas time would often bring the families together to gather around a gaily decorated tree and enjoy a dinner together after singing Xmas carols. 

Windy, dressed in her 1860s maroon & green striped skirt & green solid bodice for the Xmas holidays, which would also involve shopping for gifts for friends and family, and in the colder winter months, a lady would need to dress warmly, but festively, for it.

Kathleen stepped in as a last-minute model, wearing an 1875 red & black tartan dress, and bringing a gift when attending Xmas parties would be the highlight of many people’s holiday celebrations.

I ended the showing wearing my 1898 aqua and lace covered dress when traditionally we celebrate the end of the year, and the beginning of the new year, which would include fireworks and sparkling parties, and a bit of champagne.

I want to include one of our newest models, Marion, who wasn’t able to make it at the last minute but was ready to wear this lovely 1770s dress.

These were a couple photos taken prior to and after the show by the models.

Afterwards, I invited everyone back to my home for lunch, and time to unwind, and take a few more photos. Nancy’s husband, Russell, was our gentleman who helps us up from our chairs and escorts us onstage during the show.

Our "personal advertiser" told me later that her friends who had come said they had no idea the show would be like this, and really enjoyed it. 

In memory of my mother, who passed away on Oct 31, 2023, and who enjoyed our fashion shows at her retirement community.