Cross-posted intro from my (oooh) new blog
Cross-posted without editing from my new and thus far rather naked blog, which has come into existence for sewing and costuming and crafting, mostly. I'm not sure how much I'll cross-post between there and here - but probably the ramblings about my personal life will stay here, since the blog will be connected to an official college project - read on to learn what madness I am undertaking! :D
Confession: I am very disorganized, and I have left far more projects unfinished than finished. I get distracted, or discouraged, or busy, or all of the above. Perhaps, perhaps, if I try to hold myself accountable, I will finish more of the things I start.
What things? I suppose, is the question at hand. Lots of things! Sewing, knitting, crocheting, the odd craft, research projects, writing. (I do manage to finish most of my reading, on the other hand.) I did reenacting and historical costuming for years, and in more recent times have become increasingly enamored of dressing vintage (ish). I've been making clothes and accessories (and Christmas ornaments), and I'm seriously ready to get back into historical clothing as well.
Which is timely, because I am signed up, through my wacky college, to do an independent study project this semester - reproduction of late 1830s women's clothing with scholarly documentation. Which is to say, research the topic, make garments, keep track of the progress (here!), and conclude with a formal paper and massive annotated bibliography. I've never actually done this particular time period, so there will be new and exciting adventures - for example, I've decided not to use a sewing machine at all, because they hadn't been invented yet. I plan on making a variety of garments, such as a cap, shift, quilted petticoat, stays/corset, gloves, and (enormous) bonnet. The bonnet notion, I confess, is primarily due to repeated viewing of the BBC's Wives and Daughters. They're continually re-trimming millinery!
This project promises to be interesting, because ultimately, the emphasis is more on the research and documentation process than it is on the resulting clothing. So one of my thoughts is to make the corset a precise reproduction of an original from a book, rather than actually trying to make it fit me, because that would be a whole other element, and would distract from the construction itself. Who knows, though - I may start feeling ambitious. (Which could be bad.)
Along the way, I imagine I'll be working on a variety of other projects as well - sewing vintage-inspired clothing for myself, knitting gifts, and making other historic costumes, because after all, I love a good many time periods, and I help to run the Historical Reenactment Society at my college - not that we do much actual reenacting of anything. Yet. Maybe at some point I'll even get off campus and go to a real historical event! Or at least swing dancing in Northampton.
Many adventures! Here's hoping I can get my hands on a camera soon...
-Ava
Oh and also! In case anyone actually reads this - are there any thoughts on the usefulness of joining Your Wardrobe Unlock'd, and/or the related corsetry site, Foundations revealed? I have an incredibly tight budget and currently no income - I'm living off school loan money, because in a relatively rural area with 20,000 college students during a recession, um, there are no jobs to be had. I'm thinking that maybe I could try subscribing to both for a month, investigate, and then probably switch to just the main site - if they are sufficiently useful to me to be worth the ten or twenty dollars a month. I know that sounds stingy, but really - last semester I was knitting with my grocery money! So the question is, just how fantastic are these sites?
One last thing: Why oh why must I have a cold? Sigh.
Confession: I am very disorganized, and I have left far more projects unfinished than finished. I get distracted, or discouraged, or busy, or all of the above. Perhaps, perhaps, if I try to hold myself accountable, I will finish more of the things I start.
What things? I suppose, is the question at hand. Lots of things! Sewing, knitting, crocheting, the odd craft, research projects, writing. (I do manage to finish most of my reading, on the other hand.) I did reenacting and historical costuming for years, and in more recent times have become increasingly enamored of dressing vintage (ish). I've been making clothes and accessories (and Christmas ornaments), and I'm seriously ready to get back into historical clothing as well.
Which is timely, because I am signed up, through my wacky college, to do an independent study project this semester - reproduction of late 1830s women's clothing with scholarly documentation. Which is to say, research the topic, make garments, keep track of the progress (here!), and conclude with a formal paper and massive annotated bibliography. I've never actually done this particular time period, so there will be new and exciting adventures - for example, I've decided not to use a sewing machine at all, because they hadn't been invented yet. I plan on making a variety of garments, such as a cap, shift, quilted petticoat, stays/corset, gloves, and (enormous) bonnet. The bonnet notion, I confess, is primarily due to repeated viewing of the BBC's Wives and Daughters. They're continually re-trimming millinery!
This project promises to be interesting, because ultimately, the emphasis is more on the research and documentation process than it is on the resulting clothing. So one of my thoughts is to make the corset a precise reproduction of an original from a book, rather than actually trying to make it fit me, because that would be a whole other element, and would distract from the construction itself. Who knows, though - I may start feeling ambitious. (Which could be bad.)
Along the way, I imagine I'll be working on a variety of other projects as well - sewing vintage-inspired clothing for myself, knitting gifts, and making other historic costumes, because after all, I love a good many time periods, and I help to run the Historical Reenactment Society at my college - not that we do much actual reenacting of anything. Yet. Maybe at some point I'll even get off campus and go to a real historical event! Or at least swing dancing in Northampton.
Many adventures! Here's hoping I can get my hands on a camera soon...
-Ava
Oh and also! In case anyone actually reads this - are there any thoughts on the usefulness of joining Your Wardrobe Unlock'd, and/or the related corsetry site, Foundations revealed? I have an incredibly tight budget and currently no income - I'm living off school loan money, because in a relatively rural area with 20,000 college students during a recession, um, there are no jobs to be had. I'm thinking that maybe I could try subscribing to both for a month, investigate, and then probably switch to just the main site - if they are sufficiently useful to me to be worth the ten or twenty dollars a month. I know that sounds stingy, but really - last semester I was knitting with my grocery money! So the question is, just how fantastic are these sites?
One last thing: Why oh why must I have a cold? Sigh.