At the end
of December, I try to get a post done on reviewing what I accomplished in my
costuming each year. It’s to be my final post so I can send the entire years’
worth of posts to be printed into a book.
My goal used
to be to have a dress of every decade I like, and something for day and
evening. I’m close to that. But it doesn’t stop there. Now I want to try
different designs for the decades. And the different seasons. So, you see where
that leads? It never ends. I have a folder of umpteen number of dresses I’d
like to make. At least it keeps me from getting bored.
I didn’t
make that many dresses this year, as I was able to re-use some made previously.
But wasn’t that the plan? I made it a little easier on myself this year by
choosing to do a variety of 1890’s shirtwaists, to wear with a couple different
colored skirts. These were primarily for Costume College, which made it SOOO
much easier to get a couple outfits to wear.
But let’s go
back to the beginning of the year where I had finished my 1885 re-creation of an
Emile Pingat dress that I got to wear to a couple events this year. First was the
fashion show at Riverside Dickens in February, then reprised it for another
show in Port Townsend, WA. And finally, at Costume College for the Gala dinner.
Also worn
starting in Port Townsend, WA, then a DAR presentation, was my 1894 Brown &
Teal Polka Dot dress. I love the color combinations, and it was a lot of fun to
wear.
Then I
started my marathon of sewing for Costume College, of 1894 shirtwaists and
skirts, and a special mini-theme 1890s outfit for our Ladies Pinkerton
Detective Agency. I wanted something
simple but fun to wear the first day, and made a shirtwaist from a white cotton with black scissors design on it, with a black skirt. My other version was for the
science fiction themed Sunday Tea, and I used a Jetson’s cartoon fabric for the
blouse. Finally, my Pinkerton outfit, following a design the group leaders came
up with, was a simple white blouse, red velvet vest, and a grey skirt. Fairly
easy but the vest caused everyone a lot of consternation. Dealing with velvet
was not a job for the weak, either.
When
I started working on my Victorian Fancy Dress for next year’s Costume College
Sunday Tea theme, I had to finish it earlier than expected to wear it in a
fashion show in October, where the theme was the same thing. My dress was The
Chess Game, and I reused an earlier 1830's black dress for it.
And finally,
a dress I started last Summer, and had to set aside, was finished this month. I’m
way ahead of the game for the Riverside Dickens Festival’s fashion show next February.
I can’t wait to wear it, and try it on with my pink and white bonnet.
So that’s it;
seven new outfits, although I find it hard to count those simple 1890s
shirtwaists and skirts as much work.
I’m already
starting out, before the year ends, with my next dress for Costume College, as
I’m expecting it will require a lot of work, and one thing I love, hand sewing
trims on. Lots of it! This Thursday I’ll be going to one of Shelley Peters’
open house sewing workshops in Nuevo, and get started on that.
See you in the New Year!
~~~Val~~~
