A (Quickish) Catch-up

Golly gosh!  How long has it been since I blogged last?!!!

Apart from having a few problems gaining access, only one or two things have happened that might be of interest...but mainly the Jane Austen Festival in Bath, in September.  

Robert, two ladies, and Paul Connell

Each year seems to just get better and better as we make more friends and get to know more people.

Kelly and Ian Charleswoth, and myself

Martin Salter from the Jane Austen Center

Tiny Castle of the 33rd Cornwall Regiment

This year we were able to meet up with Scott and Jo, who are also from Lincoln, and who we'd got photos of in previous promenades, Rhiannon, who I'd got to know via the Jane Austen Festival Facebook page, and Aurora, who is a friend of Scott and Jo's.  

Scott, Aurora, Jo, Robert, and Rhiannon

The only thing that did slightly spoil things this year was the weather, as it was quite a bit cooler, and we had some light showers, so there were as many umbrellas in evidence as there were parasols!

  

On the Tuesday, following the Promenade, Robert and I headed back to Bath to meet up with friends for a picnic in front of Royal Crescent...where Eileen joined us for a short while during her lunch break.

Later on, Aurora and Justin joined us.  It was time to pack up when the first spots of rain began to fall, so we took the stuff back to the cars then headed up to the Fashion Museum...

Aurora and Joanna

Cramped display

I wasn't too impressed by the way they displayed all the beautiful historical garments, calling this section 'Behind The Scenes'...they were all crammed into small, ill-lit alcoves so you couldn't see the items at the back.  

Before we left we had a quick wander around the Assembley Rooms...

When we left the Assembley Rooms it was raining.  Aurora and Justin left us at this point, and we headed back to the cars and proceeded to follow Scott and Jo back to their campsite, at Stowford Manor Farm, for afternoon tea.  

The traffic was quite bad, and we ended up losing sight of them, but we knew where we were going as we'd passed the farm and campsite on several occasions previously.  By now the rain was quite heavy...

We arrived at the campsite to find that Scott and Jo hadn't...they must have taken a different route.

What a lovely place!

  
So quaint, and we did enjoy our cream teas, which is why there were no photos...we were too busy! 

Mr James

Mrs and Mr Read

So there you have it...a (not so) quick update.  

Nothing much else to report, I'm afraid...oh, my mistake...we did go to the Christmas Market in Lincoln, meeting up with Scott and Jo and some of their Steampunk friends!

Just a Quick One

Finally, I can access my blog!  

It has been several weeks since I have been able to access anything to do with Google...apart from Google Maps.  The problem has now been sorted out and I'm back...woo hoo!

A new blog will follow shortly...whenever that may be!!  ;-)

Regency Bonnet For Me & Trousers For Him

It looks like I won't have time to make a new dress, after all.  Oh well, at least I will have a new bonnet, if nothing else.  

The inspiration came from a couple of fashion plates from Costume Parisien (1806 and 1807)... 

I just loved the diagonal detailing, and decided that I would like to have a go at making something similar.  

I began by working out the brim shape with paper, then transferring it to pelmet stiffener (what did they use for rigid bonnet brims in those days?), and from that to the fabric.  Then I started adding the rows of cording...  

So far into the diagonals, I realised that I would have problems getting the cording into the corner.  So I began again, starting with the diagonals this time...  

When I had finished this, I realised that I needn't have started again...if only I had put in the first diagonal rows in the right hand corner.  DOH!  

Oh well...live and learn!  

The next part gave me another headache, as the rows of piping had shrunk the design a bit, so I had to pin, re-pin, and generally keep jiggling it about to fit the stiffened brim...which I eventually managed...  

The back is on, and now all that remains in to add the lining, and edge with lace.

At the moment I am working on Robert's trousers, and as this involves lots of bits of fabric, in lots of different shapes, having to fit together in different ways, I have now developed brain-ache!!

To be honest, I think it's just me and written instructions!!


Anyway...back to slaving over a hot needle.  Watch this space for the next update in the countdown to the Jane Austen Festival 2011!

Countdown to the Jane Austen Festival 2011

With just over seven weeks to go to the Grand Regency Promenade in Bath, I am beginning to feel the first stirrings of panic.

Last year I spent so long working on Robert's costume, that I had no time to make my own, so consequently I ended up looking like Stigitha of the Dump!

  

This year I want to look smart and well turned out, and the plan is to make a new dress, but if I don't have time, I will concentrate on the spencer and hat or bonnet.  

I was making a blue muslin drawstring dress, using Sense and Sensibility's 'Elegant Lady's Closet' pattern, but it's not quite right, so I have now started a calico toile using the S&S 'Regency Gown' pattern, which is for a back-fastening dress.

 

I'm still not happy, and will have to do the usual re-jigging!  

As Robert will now be able to have the time off work, we will both be heading down to Trowbridge together, so that means that I now have to make his new trousers as well as my costume.  

I have the pattern, Kannick's Korner Men's Fall-Front Trousers...

The pattern pieces have been cut, and I have started to put them together in calico...we still need to find some decent fabric to make the actual garment, which isn't easy in Lincoln!

Time to panic, methinks!  What I need is a plan of action...OK, where to begin???? :-O

Here's Some I Started Earlier...

Whilst sorting out my sunbonnets, I kept ignoring a green carrier bag that contained projects that I'd made a start on but never completed.

The Green Bag

Today I actually inspected the contents and realised that there were two North Yorkshire bonnets half done, an unpiped soft bonnet, and a piece of striped coffee-coloured fabric that had piping and tucks sewn in, but not in any sunbonnet style.  

The partially made bonnets

This I put to one side.  The red soft bonnet has all it pieces constructed, and all I need to do is put it all together...

Red uncorded bonnet

Also with the red bonnet was another piece of fabric that had a brim corded and nothing more...I will have to decide what to do with that one, later.

The two North Yorkshire bonnets have had their brims corded, and are cut to the basic shape...these will need lining and gathering tape, as well as ribbon ties and perhaps a bow to finish them off...

Looking at what I have here, I notice that some of them do not have enough fabric available to make the ribbon ties, so I will definitely have to get creative in order to finish them!

For sunbonnets, I have fabric aplenty...pink flower print, apple print, and strawberry print...almost makes me want to have a cream tea among the flowers, butterflies and bees in the garden (if I had one!)

Flowers, apples, and strawberries

Finally, the coffee stripe fabric that I put to one side.  Inspiration suddenly came to me...another Empire/Regency bonnet...a confection of coffee and cream with ribbon and lace added (now I'm thinking of gateaux!!)  I think this will be the next bonnet, before I start on either the green or white ones!!


Opening an Etsy shop to sell the odd creation seems to be growing into something more...I wonder where it will lead me...?

 

A Bonnet For Myself

Last week I began work on a new bonnet...for myself.  

I decided to make this one with a stiffened brim, so I worked out the shape with paper, then when I was happy with it transferred the design to pelmet stiffener (or whatever it's called!), cut it out...then set it aside.


Next I took my fabric, two layers together, transferred the bonnet shape then stitched the outside edge.  Then came two rows of piping cord...(normally, I would buy a thick cord and unravel it for a smooth look, but this time I wanted the cord to show through as I wasn't going to gather it).


The next step was to mark the diagonal lines and sew in the rows of piping. 

It was beginning to look good when I suddenly realised...I'm going to have trouble getting the last couple of rows of piping in!  OOPS!


Plan B...forget first attempt, grab some more fabric and start again!  This time marking in from the edge to allow for edging piping, then starting with the diagonals!

  

If I had struggled on with the first attempt, the words of my old needlework teacher would be ringing in my head:  That's not good enough...!  So I just had to start again...

Empire of Grace

That's it!  I've finally done it!  I've posted my bonnets and opened my Etsy shop...Empire of Grace...  http://www.etsy.com/people/EmpireofGrace?ref=si_pr

Three Empire/Regency-style bonnets, and two of the Lincolnshire sunbonnets have been posted so far, and it's the green bonnet that has generated the most views so far.

I still have to sort out Shop Policies, and a few other things, and the postage rates need to be looked into properly so that I can ammend the amounts, then it will just be a case of make more items and post them!

(I wonder if I'll be able to sell anything??)

Lincolnshire sunbonnet

 

Back of Empire/Regency bonnet