FLAG DAY AND A DAY OF EPIC BONNETS

On Saturday, June 14, members of our costume guild were requested to join in the 200^th anniversary celebration of the Star Spangled Banner on Flag Day onboard the USS Midway Museum in San Diego. Costumes requested were 1814 (the year of the song) and red, white, and blue. A few costumes also included the Georgian period and various ones that included the colors. We were quite colorful!

Down below in the mid-deck of the ship, where the museum displays are, was decorated for the celebration. After taking numerous photos of ourselves, we gathered in front of the main display for a large group photo that we haven’t had a chance to do in a long time. It looked like there was about 50 of us.

Then the program began by the Mountain Fife and Drum Corp gathering there to play old battle and dance music, and we formed a line along the sides of them. When they concluded, they marched, still playing, down the deck and up the stairs to the upper hanger deck with our group parading behind them. I’d love to have seen a full view of the whole procession because it must have been impressive! As we were walking up the stairs with the drums playing ahead of us, it sent chills down my back. Kinda of felt like going into battle.

Outside on the hanger deck, the band continued playing, there was cannon fire, and muskets shot off during the ceremonies and presentations, which included presenting the Midway with a reproduction of the original flag flown on the USS Constitution and raising it up on the yardarm.

And there were fly-overs by Navy planes.

At the stern of the ship, there was a bench that some of the ladies took a break on, and it became a photo-op for the public. We had many photos taken here by the visitors to the museum.

I wore a previous costume for this, a white sheer cotton voile using LaMode Bagatelle’s pattern.

My bodiced petticoat was made using their pattern, and then I made the dress with the same pattern having a drawstring neckline and waist but raised the neckline an inch. My open robe was a Frankenpattern using Butterick 4890. I had extended the front and elongated it under the bust to become a belt. Then I added elbow length sleeves and shortened the skirt.

 IT WAS A DAY OF EPIC HATS!

All I had to do this time for my costume was have a new bonnet. The base was made by Cat.

Minerva Manx etsy  and I finished up the trim. I had made mine rather simple but after seeing the other ones that Cat trimmed, I’m thinking it may get more if I wear it again. We talked a bit about maybe having an Empire/Directoire-era tea so we could dress up again.

These are a couple others that she did for herself and Birda.  

 

These two were made by April for her and Cindy.

 

And so many other pretty hats and dresses, and uniforms.

 My thanks to Jerry Abuan for again taking some beautiful photos of us. To see all his photos of everyone and the event, go to his website here.   http://jerryabuan.zenfolio.com/p193003352

**THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR KIND WISHES AND PRAYERS FOR CHLOE. SHE'S FEELING A BIT BETTER BUT STILL CAN'T WALK UPSTAIRS TO JOIN ME IN MY SEWING.**

Bring on the Flags!

I don’t have any sewing content to write about now, as I just got back from a trip, and all I have on the table is trimming a Regency bonnet I’ll be wearing this Saturday at the USS Midway Museum in San Diego for their 200^th Anniversary Salute to the Star Spangled Banner. The museum invited our guild to come in red, white & blue 1814 attire for the celebration, and since I already had a white dress and a red pelisse, a bonnet was all that was needed. I commissioned an all-white bonnet from a friend and then trimmed it myself in royal blue ribbons, and will add a rosette and red feathers. My inspiration photos were these. I liked the white one that just perched on the head (most likely with a hat pin) without ties under the chin.

I used a 1 1/2 inch wide royal blue ribbon and laid strips down the sides over the top, and a separate strip will go around the base. I just poke pins in to hold it while I’m stitching it on. My stitches are just little ticks to hold down the edges as I want to be able to re-use the base later in other colors. I’m going to cover a large button today in the ribbon to go on the center top, and another on the rosette.

This is what I’ve done on it so far. I attempted a rosette to put on the brim last night and will have the feathers under it, but I’m still tweaking that.

I don’t wear Regency very often so I haven’t done much in the way of footwear. At some point I think I’d like to have a small pair of boots but in the meantime I do the fast and cheap version of white flats. Since I have foot problems, the limp little ballet flats don’t like me very much. But I found these flats that have a pretty sturdy sole at Payless Shoes by American Eagle. Yes, they’re eyelet and probably wouldn’t be period correct for Regency but they won’t show much and it will get me by. And because there isn’t much shoe to hold them on my feet when I’m walking, I use these little vinyl “belts” by Capezio. They just slide over the shoe and are soft vinyl with a bit of stretch. I think I bought mine from Amazon but I’m sure they can be bought at Capezio. 

When I came back home from our trip, my kitty Chloe was really sick. The stress of being boarded for 18 days was too much for her and her Feline Herpes virus took over. Fortunately she is boarded at her vet and they took care of her but she still wasn’t doing great. Coming home made her feel better. But we noticed after we brought her home, she couldn’t use her right rear leg and she was in pain. Her red swollen runny eyes were heart breaking. Back to the vet to discover her fever had returned, white blood cell count was up, arthritis in her hip, and on top of that, a UTI (urinary tract infection). All of these were related to her virus and are made worse from stress. The next morning she wouldn’t put weight on her right front leg. She got more antibiotics and we’re waiting now for a really strong anti-viral medicine to be delivered to us. Her runny red swollen eyes have cleared up, and she’s sleeping most of the time but she’s eating and did a quick run to the litter box. It’s good to hear her talk to us when we walk into the room, and she purrs at times.

Please send Chloe your prayers for a quick recovery. I was told it could take up to 10 days for the medicines to work, so I have to be patient. It just breaks my heart to see this once lively Energizer Bunny cat turned into a limp noodle.

                                                                     ~~Val~~